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When to Use Quotation Marks ("") | Rules & Examples

Published on May 21, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 29, 2022 by Jack Caulfield.

Quotation marks (also known as quotes or inverted commas) are used to indicate direct speech and quotations.

In academic writing, you need to use quotation marks when you quote a source . This includes quotes from published works and primary data such as interviews . The exception is when you use a block quote, which should be set off and indented without quotation marks.

Whenever you quote someone else’s words, use a signal phrase to introduce it and integrate the source into your own text. Don’t rely on quotations to make your point for you.

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Table of contents

Single vs. double quotation marks, quotes within quotes, punctuation following quotations, quotation marks for source titles, indirect quotation, scare quotes, frequently asked questions about quotation marks.

There are two types of quotation marks: ‘single’ and “double.” Which one to choose generally depends on whether you are using US or UK English . The US convention is to use double quotation marks, while the UK convention is usually to use single quotation marks.

Double quotation marks can also be acceptable in UK English, provided you are consistent throughout the text. APA Style requires double quotations.

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When your quotations are nested (i.e., a quote appears inside another quote), you should use the opposite style of quotation marks for the nested quotation.

US and UK English also differ on where to place punctuation within quotation marks.

• In US English,  commas and periods that follow a quote are placed within the quotation marks.
• In UK English, all punctuation marks are placed outside the quotation marks, except when they are part of the original quotation.

In all variants of English, a question mark appears inside the quotation marks when the person quoted was asking a question, but outside when it’s you asking the question.

• Smith asks, “How long can this situation continue?”
• How many participants reported their satisfaction as “high”?

Note that when you include a parenthetical citation after a quote, the punctuation mark always comes after the citation (except with block quotes ).

• Solis described the situation as “precarious” (2022, p. 16).

Some source titles (e.g., the title of a journal article) should be presented in quotation marks in your text. Others are italicized instead (or occasionally written in plain text).

The rules for how to format different source titles are largely the same across citation styles, though some details differ. The key principles apply in all the main styles:

• Use italics for sources that stand alone
• Use quotation marks for sources that are part of another source

Some examples are shown below, with the proper formatting:

• The Routledge Companion to Critical Theory [book]
• “Poststructuralism” [book chapter]
• Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology [journal]
• “What Is Personality Disorder?” [journal article]
• Friends [TV series]
• “The One Where Rachel Quits” [TV episode]

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Indirect quotation means reporting what someone said without using exactly the same words they did.

It’s a lot like paraphrasing , except that you’re only changing the words you need to in order to fit the statement into your new sentence grammatically. For example, changing the pronouns or the verb tense .

Indirect quotation is more common in everyday speech, but it can occur in academic writing too. When it does, keep in mind that you should only use quotation marks around words taken directly from the original speaker or author.

• One participant stated that “he found the exercises frustrating.”
• One participant stated that he found the exercises frustrating.
• One participant described the exercises as “frustrating.”

“Scare quotes” are quotation marks used around words that are not a direct quotation from a specific source. They are used to signal that a term is being used in an unusual or ironic way, that it is borrowed from someone else, or that the writer is skeptical about the term.

• Many politicians have blamed recent electoral trends on the rise of “fake news.”

While scare quotes have their uses in academic writing (e.g., when referring to controversial terms), they should only be used with good reason. Inappropriate use of scare quotes creates ambiguity.

• The institution organized a fundraiser in support of “underprivileged children.”
• Scientists argue that “global warming” is accelerating due to greenhouse gas emissions.
• The “Brexit” negotiations are still ongoing.

In these examples, the words within scare quotes are widely accepted terms with clear meanings that can’t be attributed to a specific person or source. Using quotation marks implies skepticism about the concepts in question.

The use of single and double quotation marks when quoting differs between US and UK English . In US English, you must use double quotation marks. Single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes.

In UK English, it’s most common to use single quotation marks, with double quotation marks for quotes within quotes, although the other way around is acceptable too.

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

• APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
• MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

Quotes within quotes are punctuated differently to distinguish them from the surrounding quote .

• If you use double quotation marks for quotes, use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes.
• If you use single quotation marks for quotes (e.g., in UK English ), use double quotation marks for quotes within quotes.

Make sure to close both sets of quotes!

Indirect quotation means reporting what someone said (or wrote) but not using their exact words. It’s similar to paraphrasing , but it only involves changing enough words to fit the statement into your sentence grammatically (e.g., changing the tense or the pronouns ).

Since some of the words have changed, indirect quotations are not enclosed in quotation marks .

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

McCombes, S. (2022, November 29). When to Use Quotation Marks ("") | Rules & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 20, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/quotation-marks/

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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When to Use Single Quotation Marks

By Erin Wright

Do you follow American-English writing standards? If so, today’s post is for you because it explains two instances when you should use single quotation marks followed by two instances when you may want to use them.

Please note that single quotation marks are used more frequently in British English and, therefore, have more applications than the four instances shown here.

Two Instances When You Should Use Single Quotation Marks

With few exceptions, use single quotation marks for (1) quotations within quotations and (2) titles within titles in quotation marks.

1. Quotations within Quotations

Use single quotation marks for quotations within run-in quotations , which are short quotes integrated into the surrounding text. 1

John said, “I started running south until I heard Max scream, ‘The zombies are over there!’”

Max replied, “I’m glad you heard me. Did Sam just yell ‘More zombies are coming’?”

“I think he did,” said John, “and Jack is hollering ‘Zombies over here,’ too.”

In the second example above, the question mark appears between the final single quotation mark and double quotation marks because Max asked the question, not Sam. 2

However, use double quotation marks for quotations within block quotations , which are longer, standalone quotes that are normally indented from the surrounding text. 3

2. Titles within Titles in Quotation Marks

In sentences and citations , titles within titles should be in single quotation marks if the following parameters are both true:

A. The original title should be in quotation marks.

B. The embedded title should be in quotation marks if written by itself. 4

The students read the article “Thoughts on ‘Thoughts in the Car’” before completing their assignments.

Susanna was delighted that her article “An analysis of Guy Clark’s ‘Desperados Waiting for a Train’” was accepted for publication.

Each style guide has its own recommendations for formatting titles in sentences and citations, so consult your own guide, if applicable.

Two Instances When You May Want to Use Single Quotation Marks

Depending on your style guide or writing field, you may want to use single quotation marks (1) in news headlines and (2) around translations of quotations.

1. Quotations in News Headlines

The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) recommends using single quotation marks for quotations in news headlines. 5

AP is the primary style for journalism in the United States and abroad. Therefore, consider following this recommendation if you want to adhere to traditional journalism styles and don’t already follow a style guide adopted by a specific news outlet.

Sasquatch researcher claims an ‘unimaginable discovery’

Eighth grader’s insistence that ‘dog ate my homework’ was true

2. Quotation Translations

The Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook offers the option to place translations of quotations in single quotation marks directly after the original quotation. 6

The MLA Handbook is widely used by humanities departments in colleges and universities around the United States. If you follow MLA style for school or research (or if you want to align your style with humanities studies), you may want to consider using this option—as long as you do so consistently throughout your document.

The crowd chanted in Latin, “Dum vivimus, vivamus!” ‘While we live, let us live!’

The girl whispered “amor vincit omnia” ‘love conquers all.’

Visit “ How to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word ” for a step-by-step tutorial on inserting all of Word’s twenty-seven special characters, including single quotation marks.

1. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 344–45; The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 13.30; MLA Handbook , 8th ed. (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2016), 1.3.7; Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020), 8.33.

2. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 13.30.

3. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 13.31.

4. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 14.94; MLA Handbook , 8th ed. (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2016), 1.2.4.

5. The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 138.

6. MLA Handbook , 8th ed. (New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2016), 1.3.8.

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Quotation Marks: When to Use Single or Double Quotes

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An Introduction to Usage

How Do I Know if I Should Use Single or Double Quotes?

Should I Use Single or Double Apostrophes for Quotes within Quotes?

Do i use single or double speech marks for block quotations, i'm writing in a specialized field; should i use quotation marks for specialized terms, when to use apostrophes, when to use colons and semicolons, when to use parentheses.

Quote marks can be confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with their English grammar and punctuation rules.

However, there's no need to be embarrassed—these upside-down commas sometimes confuse even the most seasoned writers!

How Do I Know If I Should Use Single or Double Quotes?

The short answer is that it depends on the country that you are writing in.

In British and Australian English, one typically uses single quotes. If you're writing in North America, double quote marks are typically used.

However, sometimes a publisher's or an author's style may take precedence over such general preferences.

In Butcher's Copy-editing , Judith Butcher points out that some writers have their own systems of speech marks, e.g., double apostrophe marks for speech and single quote signs for thoughts.

The most important rule when using these little punctuation marks is that the style of the opening and closing speech marks match.

• 'Good morning, Mary,' called Adrian.
• "Good morning, Stephen," called Jane.

First things first: Decide whether you will use double or single apostrophes for the initial quote.

If you use single quote marks, you should use double speech marks for a quote within a quote. If you use double quote signs, you should use single quotation signs for a quote within a quote.

• "When I say 'immediately,' I mean sometime before August," said the manager.
• 'Why did she call the man a "traitor"?'

You do not usually need opening and closing quotes to punctuate material that has been set off from the main text as a block quotation. Block quotations are typically either indented or put in a smaller font.

According to the convention being used, quotations within the block will have double or single quotes (British or American).

• Imagine Bart's surprise, dear reader, when Emma turned to him and said, contemptuously, "What 'promise'?"
• 'The passing crowd' is a phrase coined in the spirit of indifference. Yet, to a man of what Plato calls 'universal sympathies,' and even to the plain, ordinary denizens of this world, what can be more interesting than those who constitute 'the passing crowd'?

In much specialist writing (including linguistics, philosophy, and theology), terms with particular meanings that are unique to that subject are often enclosed in single inverted commas.

• The inner margins of a book are called the 'gutter.'
• Many people do not realize that 'cultivar' is synonymous with 'clone.'

Inserting quote signs may not be essential to your argument. However, it is still important not to confuse your readers by including too many punctuation marks.

• An example of an apple is 'Jonathon,' of a grape, 'Chardonnay,' and of the Gallica rose, 'Rosa Munda.'

For direct help crafting your sentence with correct punctuation, try Scribendi's editing and proofreading services .

The apostrophe is probably one of the English language's most abused punctuation marks. For example, by looking at different advertisements, street signs, and store marquees, you'll realize many people don't seem to understand the proper use of this mark.

Apostrophes are used in two instances only:

• To show possession
• To indicate the omission of numbers or letters

Check out our blog post on using apostrophes for more information.

A semicolon separates major elements in a sentence. A semicolon should appear between related independent clauses when not connected by coordinative conjunction, such as "yet," "so," "for," "nor," "or," "but," or "and."

• Some choir members used their free time after the event to interact with peers; others left immediately.

Colons, on the other hand, are used after an independent clause to announce a list or quotation.

• The garden contained the following plants: carrots, lettuce, basil, and tomatoes.

Learn more about the use of semicolons and colons .

Parentheses are used within a sentence to include information that's not essential to the main point but that is still relevant. Such information is supplementary, and omitting it wouldn't change the meaning of the main point.

Read more about the use of parentheses .

While quotations are necessary for most types of writing, the use of too many quotation marks—whether single or double quotes—can make your writing seem heavy-handed.

To ensure quotation marks have been used appropriately used in your writing, consider sending it to the professionals at Scribendi for proofreading.

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Quotation Marks: When and How to Use Quotations in Academic Writing

The proper use of punctuation can help to strengthen arguments made in your research paper. But knowing the English grammar rules and using these correctly can be confusing, especially for researchers with English as a second language. One of the easiest punctuation marks that you can get wrong is quotation marks, also called inverted commas, quotes, or speech marks. Why? Because the grammar rules may differ depending on the journal’s preferred style. For instance, most authors can’t decide whether the punctuation marks at the end of the sentence, commas, full stop, question marks, etc. should be inside or outside the quotation mark. Also, what if there is a quotation mark inside a quotation mark? This article will answer your concerns about using quotation marks in your academic writing.

American English vs. British English

English is regarded as a global language, but its use varies between American and British English, the two styles used in academic writing. 1 This also holds true when you include information from external sources by using quotations in academic writing.

• Single and Double quotes

Both American and British English use single and double quotation marks, but their usage varies across places. This may also differ based on the journal you are submitting to. So to avoid mistakes when using quotation marks, first decide on the language style to follow. For example, Australia and the UK use single quotation marks (‘ ’), while North America uses the double quotation mark (“ ”). An exception to this is when using quotes in news headlines and when quoting within a quote, like the example below:

American English: “Ann said to John, ‘I will finish the project on time!’”

British English: ‘Ann said to John, “I will finish the project on time!”’

• Punctuation marks placement

Another difference between American and British English is where punctuation marks go when used with quotation marks. In American English, the punctuation marks are always placed inside the quotation mark. An exception is when using colons and semicolons, which are placed outside the quotes. British English places commas and periods outside the quotation marks unless it is part of the quote. In both British and American English, question marks and exclamation points that are part of the quote go inside the quotation marks.

American English: “The spaceship appeared over the ancient city.”

British English: ‘The spaceship appeared over the ancient city’.

Fig 1: Relative positions of punctuation and closing quotation marks in US and UK English.

But, in both styles, a question mark always appears inside the quotes when the person quoted is asking the question and outside if you are asking the question. For example,

• John asks, “How far will this road go?”
• How many users attending the conference reported their satisfaction as “high”?

When to use quotations in academic writing

• Give historical context to a theory or construct: Quote an original article to convey a unique perspective. This is especially true if the language of the original passage is elegant, powerful, or memorable. 2 E.g., Scholars have used mathematics as a communication method (Cockcroft, 1982). The SACE Board (2010) states that “mathematics is a universal language that is communicated through all cultures.”
• Quote an item from a questionnaire or measure: Use quotation marks to give examples of individual items describing a particular instrument or questions in a survey. E.g., Sample questions to rate their motivation when using a learning method include “What I feel and think about myself as a learner.” (Harlen and Crick, 2003).
• Start of the paper: These quotes help set up the central issue of a paper with a historical or political quote. An article on self-sufficiency, can begin as follows: “The best definition of man is: a being that goes on two legs and is ungrateful” (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground, 1864).

Quotations including external information should be kept relatively short and used sparingly. Too many of them, and the reviewers will accuse you of not producing original writing. Also, readers are more interested to read your thoughts on the paper and less on what others say on the topic.

In short, it’s important to use quotations in academic writing, and researchers should focus on understanding the rules so they can apply them properly. We hope the simple tips provided in this article help you use quotation marks more confidently.

• Style Manual: For Authors, Editors and Printers. 2002. 6th ed. Revised by Snooks & Co. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons.
• Eldh, A. C., Årestedt, L., & Berterö, C. Quotations in qualitative studies: Reflections on constituents, custom, and purpose. International Journal of Qualitative Methods , 19, 1609406920969268 (2020). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345320846_Quotations_in_Qualitative_Studies_Reflections_on_Constituents_Custom_and_Purpose.

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Using Quotation Marks Properly in Academic Writing

Quotation marks are an essential tool for indicating when someone is speaking or when you are quoting a written text. Proper quotation mark placement is key to making your writing clear and easy to read. To help you better understand this form of punctuation, we will explore the rules of quotation mark usage, including the differences between single quotation marks and double quotation marks, and provide examples to help you understand how to use them effectively in your writing.

• Use double quotation marks for direct quotes

When you are quoting someone directly, you should use double quotation marks to indicate the exact words they spoke or wrote. For example:

Incorrect : He said that he was “happy”.

Correct : He said that he was “happy.”

• Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes

When you have a quote within a quote, you should use single quotation marks to indicate the nested quotation. For example:

Incorrect : “I heard her say ‘I love you’,” he said.

Correct : “I heard her say ‘I love you’,” he said.

• Use double quotation marks for titles of shorter works

When referring to shorter works, such as articles, poems, or short stories, you should use double quotation marks to indicate the title. For example:

Incorrect : I just read The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.

Correct : I just read “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe.

• Use single quotation marks for certain types of emphasis

In some cases, you may use single quotation marks for emphasis, such as for words used ironically or sarcastically. For example:

Incorrect : She was very ‘nice’ to me.

Correct : She was very “nice” to me.

• Use double quotation marks for dialogue in fiction writing

When writing fiction, you should use double quotation marks to indicate dialogue spoken by characters. For example:

Incorrect : He said, ‘I don’t want to go.’

Correct : He said, “I don’t want to go.”

• Don’t use quotation marks for indirect quotes

When paraphrasing someone’s words, you should not use quotation marks. Instead, you can use a signal phrase to indicate that the information is coming from another source. For example:

Incorrect : “I’m tired,” she said.

Correct : She said that she was tired.

• Place punctuation marks inside quotation marks

In American English, punctuation marks should be placed inside quotation marks. For example:

Incorrect : “I can’t believe it”, she said.

Correct : “I can’t believe it,” she said.

• Use single quotation marks for certain British English usage

In British English, single quotation marks are often used instead of double quotation marks. For example:

Incorrect : ‘I’m going to the store,’ he said.

Correct : “I’m going to the store,” he said.

Proper quotation mark placement is essential to clear and effective writing. By following these rules and practicing with examples, you can become proficient in using quotation marks to enhance the meaning of your sentences and make your writing more readable. Remember, when in doubt, read your sentence aloud and listen for natural pauses – this can often be a good indication of where quotation marks should be placed. Happy writing!

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Jenny Mark is a graduate of California State University of San Bernardino and lives in Southern California. She is a part time professor for Baker College, Southern New Hampshire University, Vista College, and Baker College. She teachs composition, creative writing, and essential college skills. Check out her blog at http://jennysuemark.com

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A direct quotation reproduces words verbatim from another work or from your own previously published work. It is best to paraphrase sources rather than directly quoting them because paraphrasing allows you to fit material to the context of your paper and writing style.

Use direct quotations rather than paraphrasing:

• when reproducing an exact definition (see Section 6.22 of the Publication Manual ),
• when an author has said something memorably or succinctly, or
• when you want to respond to exact wording (e.g., something someone said).

Instructors, programs, editors, and publishers may establish limits on the use of direct quotations. Consult your instructor or editor if you are concerned that you may have too much quoted material in your paper.

This page addresses how to format short quotations and block quotations. Additional information is available about how to:

• include page numbers for quotations
• cite quotations from material without page numbers
• cite quotations that include errors
• indicate changes to quotations
• present quotations from research participants

Quotations are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 8.25 to 8.35 and the Concise Guide Sections 8.25 to 8.34

Related handout

• In-Text Citation Checklist (PDF, 227KB)

Short quotations (fewer than 40 words)

For quotations of fewer than 40 words, add quotation marks around the words and incorporate the quote into your own text—there is no additional formatting needed. Do not insert an ellipsis at the beginning and/or end of a quotation unless the original source includes an ellipsis.

Effective teams can be difficult to describe because “high performance along one domain does not translate to high performance along another” (Ervin et al., 2018, p. 470).

For a direct quotation, always include a full citation ( parenthetical or narrative ) in the same sentence as the quotation, including the page number (or other location information, e.g., paragraph number).

• Place a parenthetical citation either immediately after the quotation or at the end of the sentence.
• For a narrative citation, include the author and year in the sentence and then place the page number or other location information in parentheses after the quotation.
• If the quotation precedes the narrative citation, put the page number or location information after the year and a comma.
• If the citation appears at the end of a sentence, put the end punctuation after the closing parenthesis for the citation.
• If the quotation includes citations, see Section 8.32 of the Publication Manual .
• If the quotation includes material already in quotation marks, see Section 8.33 of the Publication Manual .
• Place periods and commas within closing single or double quotation marks. Place other punctuation marks inside quotation marks only when they are part of the quoted material.

Block quotations (40 words or more)

Format quotations of 40 words or more as block quotations:

• Do not use quotation marks to enclose a block quotation.
• Start a block quotation on a new line and indent the whole block 0.5 in. from the left margin.
• Double-space the entire block quotation.
• Do not add extra space before or after it.
• If there are additional paragraphs within the quotation, indent the first line of each subsequent paragraph an additional 0.5 in. See an example in Section 8.27 of the Publication Manual .
• Either (a) cite the source in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation or (b) cite the author and year in the narrative before the quotation and place only the page number in parentheses after the quotation’s final punctuation.
• Do not add a period after the closing parenthesis in either case.

Block quotation with parenthetical citation:

Researchers have studied how people talk to themselves:

Inner speech is a paradoxical phenomenon. It is an experience that is central to many people’s everyday lives, and yet it presents considerable challenges to any effort to study it scientifically. Nevertheless, a wide range of methodologies and approaches have combined to shed light on the subjective experience of inner speech and its cognitive and neural underpinnings. (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015, p. 957)

Block quotation with narrative citation:

Flores et al. (2018) described how they addressed potential researcher bias when working with an intersectional community of transgender people of color:

Everyone on the research team belonged to a stigmatized group but also held privileged identities. Throughout the research process, we attended to the ways in which our privileged and oppressed identities may have influenced the research process, findings, and presentation of results. (p. 311)

Correct Usage of Quotation Marks in Academic Writing

The correct use of quotation marks can be confusing for authors, especially those whose primary language is not English (ESL authors). Quotation marks are used to show that the text is taken word for word from another source, to call attention to an important word or phrase, or when using a technical term for the first time. There are “run-in quotes,” and quotes that are separated by block text. There are quotes within other quotes and different punctuation styles depending on the subject matter, style guide used, and even the country. The following descriptions will help you with quotation marks in your academic writing.

How do quotation marks look—what’s the typeface? In scientific writing, this is important because it can distinguish a quotation mark from a prime mark, which is used often in genetics and other physical-science disciplines. According to the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), quotation marks that are often called “curly” or “smart” quotes, are used in most published text and are meant to match its typeface. Smart quotes should not be confused with straight quotes (“), which is the computer’s default form. In addition, single straight quotes are often used as prime marks; as the symbol in measurements, such as feet and arcminutes; and in mathematics, as in x’y’; however, this is not the correct usage—the prime symbol (ʹ) should be used instead. Changes to the correct forms can easily be made in your computer’s word-processing program.

Quotation Marks in Text

Regardless of which style guide you use or which side of the Atlantic you are on, there is an agreement about the specific rules for using quotation marks in your text. For example, if you are inserting a direct quote into your writing, it is important to ensure that the reader understands that those words are not yours. In a story that includes conversations among the characters, quotation marks distinguish their words from those of the author.

Quotation marks are also used to call attention to new words or phrases, which is particularly useful in science and technical writing, such as in the following sentence: One of the several branches of zoology, “ichthyology,” concentrates on the study of fish. Note that, in keeping with the American English style, not only is the new term in double quotes, but the comma is inside the quotation marks.

Related: Confused about the use of punctuations in a research paper ? Check out these posts now!

Quotation Marks in Reference Lists

Different style guides have different protocols for using quotation marks in reference lists. Papers written for the liberal arts or humanities follow the style set by the Modern Language Association ( MLA ). Authors with disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences usually use the American Psychological Association ( APA ) style guide, and writers in the biological sciences and engineering fields refer to the Council of Science Editors (CSE) handbook. For example, MLA and CMOS use quotation marks around titles of articles within books, but APA does not. Book titles are not surrounded by quotation marks, but periodicals (including newspapers) are. Note the differences in the following examples.

MLA: Bagchi, Alaknanda. “Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi’s Bashai Tudu.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature , vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41–50.

APA:  MacLean, E. L., Krupenye, C., & Hare, B. (2014). Dogs ( Canis familiaris ) account for body orientation but not visual barriers when responding to pointing gestures. Journal of Comparative Psychology , 128, 285–297.

CMOS:  Joshua I. Weinstein, “The Market in Plato’s Republic,” Classical Philology 104 (2009): 440.

CSE: Powell JM, Wattiaux MA, Broderick GA. Evaluation of milk urea nitrogen as a management tool to reduce ammonia emissions from dairy farms. J Dairy Sci. 2011;94(9):4690–4694

Single, Double, and Punctuation

There are different rules for using single or double quotations marks. In American English, double quotation marks are used first and single quotations marks are used second for a citation within a citation. British English is just the opposite. See the following examples.

American : “I know,” he said, “that I heard him say ‘help me’ as he fell.”

British : ‘I know’, he said, ‘that I heard him say “help me” as he fell.’

In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks while other punctuations are placed outside. Is this logical? No, but it stems from the days of typesetting by hand when the printer did not want to have small punctuation sort of hanging off the end of a block of text. In British English, all punctuation is placed outside the quotation marks unless it is part of the quoted text. For scientific writing, CSE suggests that punctuations should follow the British English style as “internationally accepted” usage; however, always check your author guidelines.

Block Text and Epigraphs

The format for quotations changes depending on the length of the passage. If it is more than four lines, MLA protocol states formatting the passage as block text, which is never surrounded by quotations marks, APA protocol states to use block text if the passage exceeds 40 words. Other style guides might have other rules so be sure to check.

Epigraphs are inscriptions that are often used on buildings, tombstones, or other objects. Although they can be direct quotes, quotation marks are not used; special typefaces and formats are used instead to call attention to them.

Writing Tips

Don’t overuse quotation marks—whatever style guide you use, it’s important that they be used correctly but sparingly. It is not always necessary to use them around words for emphasis . Always check to ensure that you are using the correct style for your discipline.

• Academic Skills, University of Melbourne. ‘Using quotation marks’. Retrieved from https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-resources/grammar/punctuation

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Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

A simple principle applies for what seems like a thorny issue: Nest punctuation that appears within punctuation by alternating punctuation marks to disambiguate–in this case, between double and single quotation marks.

One Level of Nesting

The most common reason for nesting punctuation is shown in section 1.3.7 of the MLA Handbook (p. 87): when you need to present a quotation within a quotation, use double quotation marks around the quotation incorporated into your text and single quotation marks around the quotation within that quotation:

In “Memories of West Street and Lepke,” Robert Lowell, a conscientious objector (or “C.O.”), recounts meeting a Jehovah’s Witness in prison: “‘Are you a C.O.?’ I asked a fellow jailbird. / ‘No,’ he answered, ‘I’m a J.W.’” (38-39).

Two Levels of Nesting

If the quotation enclosed in single marks also contains material–whether another quotation or the title of a work–that needs to be set off with quotation marks, use double quotation marks around that material. The pattern is double, single, double quotation marks. In other words, nest punctuation within punctuation and alternate to disambiguate:

“[Mr. Lawson] called out the name [Gogol] in a perfectly reasonable way, without pause, without doubt, without a suppressed smile, just as he had called out Brian and Erica and Tom. And then: ‘Well, we’re going to have to read “The Overcoat.” Either that or “The Nose”’” (Lahiri 89). Work Cited Lahiri, Jhumpa.  The Namesake . Mariner Books, 2004.

A Related Case

The same principle applies when you need to incorporate parenthetical material. Alternate between parentheses and brackets, as in this aside:

(Early in  The Namesake , the narrator explains that “[t]hough Gogol doesn’t know it, even Nikolai Gogol renamed himself. . . . [He had also published under the name Yanov, and once signed his work ‘OOOO’ in honor of the four  o ’s in his full name]” [Lahiri 97]).

A Friendly Guide to Apostrophes vs Quotation Marks

Table of contents

Yona Schnitzer

Apostrophes and quotation marks look similar, but the difference between them is enormous.  

An apostrophe (’) is part of a contraction or a possessive noun, while quotation marks (”) show where a title or quotation begins and ends.  

The rules for apostrophes and quotation marks are detailed, making them challenging to understand. 

The good news? In my experience helping thousands of student writers, apostrophes and quotation marks get easier with practice. The tips and common errors in this article will make them easier for you, too. 

Let’s dive in.

Key takeaways

• Apostrophes are used for contractions and possessive nouns. Quotation marks are used for titles of shorter works and quoted text or speech.
• To form a singular possessive noun, add an apostrophe + -s, even if the singular noun already ends in -s. 
• To form a plural possessive noun, add an apostrophe to the end of the word — after the plural -s. If the plural doesn’t end in –s, add apostrophe + -s.
• Use quotation marks around titles of shorter works, such as songs, articles, short stories, poems, and episodes of TV shows. Titles of longer works like albums, magazines, books, TV shows, and films need italics. 
• Always use quotation marks when quoting another person’s words in your writing.

How to use apostrophes

Although apostrophes may seem tiny, they make a big impact on your writing. Apostrophes have two main uses: contractions and possessive nouns.

Apostrophes in contractions

A contraction is a shortened version of two words. The apostrophe takes the place of the letters that are dropped when combining the words.

Common contractions:

• They’re = they a re
• We’re = we a re
• Could’ve = could ha ve  
•  Isn’t = is n o t    
•  It’s = it i s or it ha s
• That’s = that i s
• We’ll = we wi ll

I’ve seen every episode of Friends at least five times. ( I’ve = I have )

The spinoff series Joey wasn’t very popular. ( wasn’t = was not )

You can also make a contraction with a noun (a person, place, or thing) + is . Contractions like these help us write and speak more concisely. 

Rachel’s working at Central Perk in the morning. ( Rachel’s = Rachel is )

The television’s broken again, so we can’t watch Friends . ( television’s = television is )

Apostrophes in possessives

Apostrophes also show which nouns are possessive. A possessive noun has ownership of another noun in the sentence.

So, where does the apostrophe go in a possessive noun? It depends on whether the noun is singular (one person, place, or thing) or plural (more than one).

Singular possessive nouns

To make a singular possessive noun, add an apostrophe + -s, even if the singular noun already ends in -s. 

The apartment’s front door was purple and gold.

While reading Rachel’s letter, Ross fell asleep. 

Ross’s love for Rachel began in high school. 

A possessive noun doesn’t have to be a person; it can also be a place or thing. For example, in the phrase the apartment’s front door , the front door belongs to the apartment.

Plural possessive nouns

Apostrophe rules for plural possessives are different. The apostrophe usually goes after the plural -s. 

Ross spent all weekend grading his students’ exams.

Here, the apostrophe goes after the plural -s to show that many students had exams.

But some plural nouns don’t end in -s. Some examples include children , people , and women . In that situation, add an apostrophe + s.

I used to watch Friends after my children’s bedtime .

Because children doesn’t end in -s, you need an apostrophe + -s to make it possessive. 

Apostrophe errors to avoid

Here are some common apostrophe errors to steer clear of. 

Error 1: Apostrophes in words that are plural but not possessive

❌ My friend’s all have interesting hobbies.

✅ My friends all have interesting hobbies.

Here, the hobbies do belong to the friends, but the verb have already says that. It would also be correct to write, My friends’ hobbies are all interesting.

Error 2: Apostrophes in numbers that represent decades

❌ The 1990’s were an exciting time for fans of grunge music.  

✅ The 1990s were an exciting time for fans of grunge music.  

Decades do not need apostrophes unless they’re possessive, as in the 1990s’ best television series .  

Error 3: Apostrophe mistakes with pronouns

The apostrophes in it’s , you’re , and who’s are tricky because those words are not possessive. They’re contractions for it is , you are , and who is . They also sound just like these possessive pronouns: its , your , and whose .

❌ Its like your always stuck in second gear.

✅ It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear.

Tip: When you’re unsure about whether to use a contraction or a possessive pronoun, replace the word with it is , you are , and who is to see if the sentence still makes sense. Our article about commonly confused words can also help.

How to use quotation marks

The rules I’ll explain next will help you further understand the difference between apostrophes and quotation marks. 

Writers use quotation marks in two situations: for titles of shorter works and when quoting someone else. American English uses double quotation marks in both situations.

Double quotation marks for titles in American English

Quotation marks show which words in the sentence are part of a title. They also show that the title is for a short work — such as songs, articles, poems, short stories, and episodes of television series — versus a long work. Titles of longer works, such as movies and television series, need italics instead of quotation marks. 

One of the funniest episodes of Friends is “The One with All the Wedding Dresses.”

Generally, if the title of the work you’re using is part of a larger work, it should have quotation marks. The following chart demonstrates the different formatting for short and long works.

Double quotation marks for quotations in American English

Quotation marks are essential anytime you quote another person in your writing. They help you avoid plagiarism — presenting another person’s words or ideas as your own.  

In a BBC article , Clare Thorp explains, “Many elements of Friends were fantastical — underemployed adults living in enormous Greenwich Village apartments for one — but the idea of constructing an alternative family from friends was one that resonated.”

Sentences with quotations should also include the author’s name or other details about where the quotation came from.

If you’re using quotations in academic writing, you may also need to follow other specific guidelines, such as APA style, MLA style, or the Chicago Manual of Style . 

Single quotation marks in American English

American English also uses single quotation marks in special situations . A single quotation mark looks identical to an apostrophe, and it’s the same computer keystroke. In American English, when a quotation includes the title of a shorter work or another quotation, use single quotation marks around the quote within the quote.

Ellen Gutoskey explains, “Since its television debut in 1995, Friends's ‘Smelly Cat’ song has become ubiquitous in pop culture’s collective consciousness.”

You’d normally use double quotation marks for the song title “Smelly Cat.” But in this example, it’s part of a quotation, so it gets single quotation marks. 

Quotation marks in British English

In British English, the rules for single and double quotation marks are the reverse of American English rules . British English writers use single quotation marks for titles of shorter works and quotations. Double quotation marks are for a title or a quotation within a quotation.

• Title in British English: One of the most popular songs from Taylor Swift’s album Midnights is ‘Lavender Haze.’
• Quotation in British English: In a 2019 BBC article , Clare Thorp explains, ‘Many elements of Friends were fantastical – underemployed adults living in enormous Greenwich Village apartments for one – but the idea of constructing an alternative family from friends was one that resonated’. ‍
• Title or quotation within a quotation: Ellen Gutoskey explains, ‘Since its television debut in 1995, Friends's “Smelly Cat” song has become ubiquitous in pop culture’s collective consciousness’.

Quotation mark errors to avoid

These common quotation mark errors will help you understand the difference between apostrophes and quotation marks.

Error 1: Quotation marks around titles of longer works

❌ “Friends” was on the air from 1994 to 2004 and remains popular today.

✅ Friends was on the air from 1994 to 2004 and remains popular today.

Here, quotation marks are not correct because Friends is the title of a television series.

Error 2: Quotation marks for words that aren’t quotations or titles

❌ My “friends” canceled at the last minute.

✅ My inconsiderate friends canceled at the last minute.

Using quotes for sarcasm is not ideal. Instead, use precise word choices to say what you mean. In the second example, the adjective inconsiderate gives a clearer message.  

Error 3: Quoting another writer without quotation marks

❌ In spite of some recent challenges, to quote the Beatles, I get by with a little help from my friends.  

✅ In spite of some recent challenges, to quote the Beatles, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”

When you quote another person in your writing, use quotation marks to show which words are theirs.

Tip: If you struggle with using quotation marks when you shouldn’t, try ctrl + f to search for “ in the document. Check to see if you’re quoting another person or using a short title.

Apostrophes and quotation marks have very different uses, but they both lead to clear writing.

Use an apostrophe when you’re writing a contraction or a possessive noun.

Use quotation marks for titles of short works, such as songs or short stories. Quotation marks are also essential when you’re quoting another person’s words.

Now that you know the difference between apostrophes and quotation marks, practice using them in your writing.  

Looking for more ways to polish your writing? Check out our articles on grammar and punctuation and proofreading . Also, use Wordtune’s Editor to help you find apostrophe and quotation mark errors in your writing. 

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

What’s the difference between an apostrophe and quotation marks?

An apostrophe (’) is used for contractions and possessive nouns. Quotation marks (”) show where a title or a quotation begins and ends.  

When do I need quotation marks for titles?

You need quotation marks for titles of shorter works, such as songs, short stories, and articles. Titles of longer works, such as albums, books, and magazines, need italics. 

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Election Updates: Trump tells an antiabortion group that he stands ‘side by side’ with them.

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Jazmine Ulloa

Voto Latino’s survey also found independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. poses a bigger threat to Biden among likely Latino voters than he does to former President Donald J. Trump. Biden beat Trump 59 to 39 percent in a hypothetical two-way matchup, but his support fell by 12 percentage points to 47 percent when the race included Kennedy and two others; Trump lost only 5 points and came in at 34 percent.

Voto Latino, an election advocacy group, has released a wide-ranging survey of 2,000 Latino voters in the battleground states of Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, Texas and Pennsylvania. It found 18 percent of likely Latino voters are leaning toward a third-party presidential candidate, a high number five months ahead of the election. President Biden won likely Latino voters overall but seriously underperformed.

Maggie Astor

The Democratic National Committee is giving about $2 million to state parties in 11 states that aren’t presidential battlegrounds. This includes money to organize communities like students and apartment residents in blue states like Colorado and Minnesota, as well as for down-ballot races in red states like Indiana and Kansas, where Democrats hope to break Republican supermajorities in state legislatures.

Former President Donald J. Trump responded angrily on Sunday, both at a rally and online, to an ad from President Biden’s campaign highlighting several occasions when Trump reportedly disparaged veterans . “Obviously, I never said that dead Soldiers are ‘losers and suckers,’” he wrote on social media. “Who would say such a thing? It was MADE UP DISINFORMATION by Radical Left Democrats.”

Trump pledged support to an organization that wants abortion ‘eradicated entirely.’

Former President Donald J. Trump promised on Monday to join forces with the leaders of the Danbury Institute, a Christian coalition of churches, organizations and conservative activists that wants abortion “eradicated entirely” in the United States.

“Now is the time for us to all pull together and stand up for our values and freedom,” Mr. Trump said in a video address to the organization. “I’ll be with you side by side.”

Mr. Trump did not mention abortion in his remarks. But he promised that the organization would “make a comeback like no other” in a second Trump administration. “These are going to be your years,” he pledged.

“You just can’t vote Democrat — they’re against religion,” Mr. Trump continued. “They’re against your religion in particular.”

The Danbury Institute, which was meeting in Indianapolis as part of the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, opposes abortion in all cases, including rape, incest and when the mother’s life is at risk. The group has also asserted that life begins at the moment of fertilization, a belief that is commonly used to support restrictions on some kinds of fertility treatments and contraception.

In a panel that preceded Mr. Trump’s address, supporters of the organization urged the antiabortion movement to go further and oppose ballot initiatives that would enshrine abortion rights in state constitutions.

“We need to pressure our legislators to remember that they are under God,” said Tom Ascol, a prominent Southern Baptist preacher. “Jesus Christ rules and reigns in this world. They are accountable to him.”

Not long before Mr. Trump spoke, Al Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, pushed for Southern Baptists to, for the first time, issue a resolution opposing in vitro fertilization.

Mr. Trump has sought to take credit for the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a 6-to-3 decision in which three justices he appointed were in the majority. But he has also said that he would not sign a 15-week federal abortion ban and that he believes restrictions, including whether to prosecute women for abortions or monitor pregnancies, should be left to the states.

The Biden campaign — eager to discuss abortion rights, an issue it believes will motivate women in November — blasted Mr. Trump’s decision to address the organization.

“If you want to know who Trump will fight for in a second term, look at who he’s spending his time speaking to: antiabortion extremists who call abortion ‘child sacrifice’ and want to ‘eradicate’ abortion ‘entirely,’” said Sarafina Chitika, a campaign spokeswoman. “A second Trump term is sure to bring more extreme abortion bans with no exceptions.”

Chris Cameron and Ken Bensinger

Steve Bannon and others on the right celebrate European Parliament elections.

Stephen K. Bannon, the onetime adviser to former President Donald J. Trump who has been ordered to surrender by July 1 to begin serving a prison sentence, celebrated the performance of far-right candidates in the recent European Parliament elections.

Speaking on his “War Room” podcast on Monday, Mr. Bannon proclaimed that “Europe’s on fire with the right,” pointing to strong results for right-wing parties and candidates in France, Germany, Belgium and Ireland.

Other influential figures on the right, including Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate, and Matt Schlapp, the chairman of one of the largest conservative advocacy groups in the United States, praised far-right leaders in Europe on Monday for making serious gains in the elections, and they sought to tie the results to domestic politics.

A far-right wave did not fully materialize , as was feared by many in the European political establishment, and voters largely backed centrists in the parliamentary elections.

“We don’t know what will happen with these elections,” Mr. Schlapp wrote on social media, though he also told Newsmax that “we do know that in all these countries, the center-right party has to try to make allegiances with these new populist parties.” Mr. Schlapp described those parties as “MAGA-type” parties.

Mr. Bannon conceded that voters were not universally enthusiastic about right-of-center movements, in light of worse than expected showings in Spain, Italy and Sweden. But he nonetheless highlighted the performance of far-right parties in countries like France and Germany and suggested that the results were a bellwether of the electoral mood in the United States.

“This is laying a predicate for the election like Brexit did” in 2015, Mr. Bannon said, implying that President Biden would lose in November.

Biden goes abroad again, and Trump turns 78: the week ahead in politics.

President Biden, who has just returned from a trip to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, will fly back to Europe this week for a summit of the leaders of the Group of 7 nations, while former President Donald J. Trump will campaign at home in a week capped by a birthday celebration. He will turn 78 on Friday.

Mr. Trump is scheduled to speak virtually on Monday at an event hosted by the Danbury Institute, a conservative Christian organization that describes abortion as “child sacrifice on the altar of self” and calls for the procedure to be “eradicated.”

That event will be a test of Mr. Trump’s balancing act on abortion: boasting that his three Supreme Court appointees helped overturn Roe v. Wade while not endorsing a federal abortion ban — and satisfying the anti-abortion stalwarts who helped elect him to the White House while not alienating the pro-abortion-rights swing voters whom he needs to win a second term.

On Thursday, he is expected to attend an event in Washington hosted by Business Roundtable, a major business lobbying group, and on Friday he has a birthday party in Florida.

Mr. Biden’s trip to the Group of 7 summit, which will begin in Italy on Thursday and last through Saturday, comes not only on the heels of his visit to France but also ahead of a NATO summit in Washington next month. The meeting will give him an opportunity to demonstrate his administration’s unity with other Western countries on behalf of Ukraine.

But it is also likely to present challenges : Mr. Biden is increasingly isolated from the international community in his continued support for Israel, to which he is still sending weapons even as he criticizes its actions in Gaza. That support has hurt him with his own party as well, and thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday outside the White House to call for an immediate cease-fire (which Mr. Biden supports) and for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel (which he opposes).

Around the time of that protest, Mr. Biden was meeting with the president of France and visiting a cemetery for U.S. soldiers killed in World War I. (Mr. Trump declined to visit the same cemetery six years ago.) And Vice President Kamala Harris was in Michigan, a key swing state, attending a Democratic dinner and calling Mr. Trump a “cheater” who “thinks he is above the law.”

On Sunday, prominent Biden supporters, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat of Michigan, and Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, appeared on the morning news shows on the president’s behalf — as did several prominent Republicans on behalf of Mr. Trump.

Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

The president of the Teamsters wants to speak at both party conventions.

The president of the Teamsters union has asked for speaking slots at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions, at a time when President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump have pressed for support from rank-and-file members of organized labor.

The move by Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, underscores the fact that his group, unlike other influential umbrella unions that have backed Mr. Biden in the 2024 election, has yet to endorse in the presidential race. Mr. O’Brien has made clear he is delaying a decision until later this year.

Kara Deniz, a spokeswoman for the Teamsters union, confirmed that Mr. O’Brien, through aides, has told officials working on both conventions that he would be interested in speaking at their dayslong nomination events. The Republicans will hold their convention in Milwaukee in July, and the Democrats will hold theirs in Chicago in August.

It would be unusual in the current fractious political climate for someone to speak at both conventions.

Over the course of the year, Mr. O’Brien has invited several presidential candidates, including Mr. Biden, Mr. Trump and independent candidates like Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to speak before his group. But Mr. O’Brien has what people close to Mr. Trump believe is a developing relationship with the former president.

The Teamsters is one of the country’s largest labor unions, with 1.3 million members in sectors like trucking and manufacturing. The A.F.L.-C.I.O. and the United Automobile Workers have backed Mr. Biden, and Shawn Fain, the president of the U.A.W., has been harshly critical of Mr. Trump.

Mr. O’Brien, however, has appeared more open to the former president.

Mr. O’Brien had a private meeting with Mr. Trump at the beginning of the year at Mar-a-Lago, shortly before the Iowa caucuses that the former president won handily, setting him on a path to become his party’s nominee for a third time.

The following month, the Teamsters gave $45,000 to both the Republican and Democratic convention funds, with officials saying the goal was to make sure its rank-and-file members are heard at the convention.

Mr. Biden has described himself as the most pro-labor president in history. And in 2020, he cut into what had been Mr. Trump’s advantage with working-class white voters in the 2016 presidential campaign against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. That year, Mr. Trump’s appeal to voters in the Rust Belt states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania was key to his victory.

Also that year, some of Mr. Trump’s allies, including Paul Manafort , his onetime campaign chairman, tried working connections in the labor movement to see if they could peel off support for Mrs. Clinton from organized labor.

This year, as Mr. Biden has struggled in the Sun Belt swing states, such as Arizona, his path through white working-class states in the Rust Belt is seen as key.

While Mr. Trump’s camp is hopeful for an endorsement, it has been decades since the Teamsters backed a Republican presidential candidate. But keeping the Teamsters neutral would be viewed as a victory for the Trump team. And even absent an endorsement, having Mr. O’Brien at the Republican National Convention would be politically useful to Mr. Trump, who often highlights relationships to score political points.

The Teamsters endorsed Mr. Biden in 2020, although their support came relatively late in the general election campaign, well after it was clear that the then-candidate would be the presumptive Democratic nominee.

A spokeswoman who represents both the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee did not respond to a request for comment about whether the GOP will grant Mr. O’Brien a speaking slot.

Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, did not address whether the Democrats will give Mr. O’Brien a slot.

“There’s only one candidate in this race fighting for American workers and creating good-paying union jobs here at home, and that’s President Biden,” Mr. Munoz said, saying that Mr. Trump “has spent his entire life fighting against workers’ rights” and that Mr. Biden “will continue to work to earn the Teamsters’ support.”

Mr. O’Brien was elected president of the union on a wave of reformist energy in 2021. But unlike some umbrella unions that have backed Mr. Biden, Mr. O’Brien has a number of members in southern states who support the former president. And whatever his personal relationship with Mr. Trump, there is likely a benefit to Mr. O’Brien with his own members in being seen as open to talking to Republicans.

Reporting from Washington

Assessing Trump’s Denial That He’s Called Veterans ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’

Former President Donald J. Trump has again denied denouncing service members as “losers” and “suckers” after a Biden campaign ad highlighted critical comments he reportedly made of the military.

“Donald Trump doesn’t know a damn thing about service to his country,” President Biden wrote on Friday in a social media post accompanying the ad.

The ad highlights nine derogatory remarks Mr. Trump has made about service members, including calling them “losers” and “suckers.” Most of the reported quotations occurred in private conversations, and other news outlets or people have confirmed many of them.

Still, Mr. Trump disputes ever making them. At a campaign rally on Sunday in Las Vegas and on social media , he called the claims “disinformation” and “made up out of thin air.”

The Biden campaign, in the ad, cited a 2020 article in The Atlantic about Mr. Trump’s remarks for a majority of the quotations. The story relied on anonymous sources, but many of the accounts have been corroborated by outlets, including The New York Times, and by John F. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general who served as Mr. Trump’s White House chief of staff.

Mr. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly and emphatically denied making those remarks since the article was published in September 2020, telling reporters then : “For somebody to say the things that they say I said is a total lie. It’s fake news. It’s a disgrace.”

Other comments quoted in the campaign ad were audio snippets of Mr. Trump himself or attributed to a Democratic congresswoman. Two of these quotes omitted context that would give a different impression of Mr. Trump’s comments.

Here’s a breakdown of the quotations.

Remarks from The Atlantic are anonymously attributed, but corroborated

Five of the quotations in the Biden campaign ad were reported in The Atlantic in 2020.

The article begins with an account of Mr. Trump’s decision during a 2018 trip to France to forgo a planned visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery , where American soldiers are buried. At the time, Mr. Trump and his aides said that rain had necessitated canceling the helicopter ride to the cemetery, but his absence was criticized at home and abroad.

But according to The Atlantic, that was not true. Rather, Mr. Trump was worried that the weather would mess up his hair and did not think the trip was important. The Atlantic reported that in private conversations, Mr. Trump had said: “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers,” and called the soldiers buried there “suckers” for being killed.

The Atlantic also reported that while standing by the grave of Robert Kelly, Mr. Kelly’s son who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010, Mr. Trump had asked: “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?”

And according to The Atlantic, after receiving a briefing from Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Mr. Trump also asked aides: “That guy is smart. Why did he join the military?”

Lastly, The Atlantic reported that when Senator John McCain, one of Mr. Trump’s few Republican critics, died in 2018, Mr. Trump said, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral.”

The Washington Post and Jennifer Griffin, the chief national security reporter for Fox News, confirmed that Mr. Trump had privately disparaged veterans and soldiers. The Post reported that Mr. Trump had called people who served in the Vietnam War “losers,” while Ms. Griffin reported that Mr. Trump used the term “sucker” and asked, “What’s in it for them?”

John R. Bolton, Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser, told The Times that he did not personally hear Mr. Trump use those words on the 2018 trip but that the reported comments were not out of character.

Mr. Kelly confirmed in 2023 that Mr. Trump had used the terms “suckers” and “losers” to describe wounded soldiers and those who were killed or missing in action.

Mr. Kelly also said that Mr. Trump did not want to stand next to military amputees because “it doesn’t look good for me.” (The Biden ad attributed this particular quote to The Atlantic. The article quotes Mr. Trump saying, while asking his staff to omit wounded veterans from military parades, “Nobody wants to see that.”)

Mr. Trump has publicly called Mr. McCain a “loser” on social media and in a 2015 event . And Miles Taylor, who was chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security at the time, told The Times that Mr. Trump was unhappy that flags were lowered to half-staff when the senator died. (Mr. Trump was not invited to Mr. McCain’s funeral.)

A Democratic congresswoman’s quotation has also been corroborated

The Biden campaign ad also includes one remark from Representative Frederica S. Wilson, Democrat of Florida.

In October 2017, Mr. Trump spoke on the phone with the widow of Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson, who was killed in Niger. According to Ms. Wilson, who was accompanying the widow, Mr. Trump said to Myeshia Johnson, “ I guess he knew what he was signing up for, but it still hurts.”

The Biden ad omitted the second part of that quote, Mr. Trump’s attempt at empathizing with the widow: “But it still hurts.”

Mr. Trump also denied making this remark , and claimed he had “proof.” His press secretary at the time said that the call was not recorded but confirmed his account.

But Ms. Johnson soon corroborated Ms. Wilson’s account and said that Mr. Trump’s condolence call made her angry and upset her even more, especially as he struggled to remember her husband’s name. Sergeant Johnson’s mother also backed up Ms. Wilson’s account.

Trump’s own words

The Biden campaign ad includes audio of Mr. Trump speaking at several events.

In one widely reported 2015 event, Mr. Trump said of Mr. McCain : “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”

The comments kicked off a storm of criticism, and Mr. Trump defended his remarks at the time by misleadingly claiming that he had agreed four times that Mr. McCain was a hero.

The ad also includes — and omits important context from — audio snippets from a 2016 campaign rally: “He handed me his Purple Heart” and “I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier.”

In a 2016 rally in Ashburn, Va., Mr. Trump recounted the enthusiasm of his crowds and gave as an example “something very nice” that had “just happened to me.” A man gave him his Purple Heart, Mr. Trump said, and told him, “I have such confidence in you.” His joke about obtaining the Purple Heart, the medal given to soldiers wounded or killed in action, in this easier fashion was met with applause and laughter.

Mr. Trump added that “it was such an honor,” which the Biden campaign ad omitted.

At the time, the comment and Mr. Trump’s acceptance of the medal ignited more controversy. A spokesman for the Military Order of the Purple Heart said recipients are entitled to give them away , but he said that owning one without having earned it was an act of stolen valor.

The recipient of the Purple Heart later said that he gave Mr. Trump the medal because he thought Mr. Trump would make a great commander in chief and he wanted to remind him of “all the people that have fought and died for this country.”

Kellen Browning

Trump endorses Sam Brown in Nevada’s key Senate race.

Former President Donald J. Trump on Sunday said he was endorsing Sam Brown, the Army veteran who is leading the crowded Republican primary field in Nevada’s U.S. Senate race.

“Sam Brown is a fearless American patriot,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on his social media site, Truth Social, adding that Mr. Brown would “fight tirelessly” to protect the border and improve the economy.

The endorsement, though belated — the primary is on June 11 and early voting has already ended — solidifies Mr. Brown’s standing as the front-runner and heavy favorite to advance to November’s general election against Senator Jacky Rosen, the Democratic incumbent. He has raised more money than his primary rivals, received the endorsement of the state’s Republican governor, Joe Lombardo, and led by double-digits in every recent poll of the race, though most were commissioned by his own campaign.

Mr. Trump’s opinion was the sole remaining question mark. Though he is campaigning as a strong supporter of the former president, Mr. Brown was late to formally back Mr. Trump’s bid for a second term, and his primary rivals sought to capitalize from the right. Jeff Gunter, a wealthy dermatologist and Mr. Trump’s ambassador to Iceland, staked out a position as a MAGA candidate, slamming Mr. Brown in television advertisements as he angled for a possible endorsement from Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump has shared images promoting Mr. Brown’s dominance in Nevada polls on Truth Social, and he praised both Mr. Brown and Jim Marchant, a former state assemblyman and prominent election denier who is also running for Senate, in an interview with a local television station in late May.

In a post on X, Mr. Brown said he was “honored” to have Mr. Trump’s endorsement. “I look forward to working with you to bring a better future to every Nevadan and American when we both win in November,” Mr. Brown said.

Ms. Rosen’s campaign criticized the endorsement from Mr. Trump on Sunday.

“Nevadans want a Senator who will work across party lines to deliver for our state, not a MAGA extremist like Sam Brown who will always put partisan politics and pleasing Trump ahead of doing what’s right,” said Johanna Warsaw, a spokeswoman for Ms. Rosen’s campaign.

In a statement, Mr. Gunter said, “Mitch McConnell money wins, the American people lose,” referring to his recurrent line of attack that Mr. Brown is the pick of the Washington establishment. “Rinse and repeat,” Mr. Gunter added.

Mr. Brown, a former Army captain, was nearly killed in Afghanistan in 2008 when his vehicle ran over an explosive device set by the Taliban. Severely burned, he was evacuated to a burn unit in the United States and underwent more than 30 surgeries during a three-year recovery. The injury left him permanently scarred.

He ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in 2014, before moving with his wife to Reno in 2018. In 2022, he lost in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate to Adam Laxalt, the state’s former attorney general. Mr. Laxalt was defeated in the general election by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, whose victory allowed Democrats to keep control of the chamber.

Assuming Mr. Brown advances to the general election, he could be buoyed by Mr. Trump’s strong numbers in Nevada, which has not voted for a Republican at the presidential level since 2004 but is shaping up to be one of President Biden’s shakiest states in November.

Nevada’s economy, heavily reliant on tourism, was slower to recover from the coronavirus pandemic than other states were, and Ms. Rosen has sought to distance herself from Mr. Biden as she tries to retain her Senate seat.

Michael Gold

Reporting from Las Vegas

In Las Vegas, Trump appeals to local workers and avoids talk of his conviction.

Former President Donald J. Trump stood in blazing heat in a Las Vegas park on Sunday and directly appealed to working-class voters by promising to eliminate taxes on tips for hospitality workers.

But beyond that proposal, little at Mr. Trump’s campaign rally suggested that his new status as a felon had changed his message. And when Mr. Trump’s teleprompter apparently stopped working, his speech — which his campaign advisers had billed as focused on issues of local concern to Nevada voters — devolved into familiar stories and riffs.

“I got no teleprompters, and I haven’t from the beginning,” Mr. Trump said after speaking for roughly 15 minutes, though his speech included excerpts from prepared remarks that his campaign had provided to reporters. “That probably means we’ll make a better speech now.”

Mr. Trump repeatedly voiced his frustration with the lack of a teleprompter, even though he has often boasted of his ability to give long speeches without one.

His remarks, which lasted roughly an hour, felt unfocused as he cycled through well-worn territory, railing against electric vehicles, immigration, the four criminal cases brought against him and President Biden’s physical and mental condition.

Once again, Mr. Trump broadly depicted migrants crossing the border illegally as violent criminals or mentally ill people, and then recited “The Snake,” a standby poem he has used since 2016 to expound on the threat that he believes undocumented immigrants pose to the country.

He continued to revive his unfounded claims of fraud in the 2020 election. And he baselessly insisted Democrats would try to cheat in November, sowing doubt about the general election months before a single vote has been cast.

“Don’t let them cheat,” he told the crowd in Nevada. “You watch that vote and watch it all the way.”

Mr. Trump again praised the mob of his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, calling them “J6 warriors,” suggesting they had legitimate reasons to try to stop Congress from certifying the presidential election and saying that they had somehow been “set up” that day.

“They were warriors, but they’re really, more than anything else, they’re victims of what happened,” Mr. Trump said. “All they were doing were protesting a rigged election.”

Mr. Trump said next to nothing about his recent conviction on 34 felony charges in Manhattan, but he lamented the four times he was indicted last year as a “disgrace.” Still, a number of people at the rally wore shirts reading “I’m voting for the convicted felon.”

Much as he did at a town-hall-style forum last week in Phoenix, Mr. Trump spoke at length about immigration, saying that Mr. Biden’s border policies constituted an “all-out war” on Black and Hispanic Americans.

Mr. Trump again criticized Mr. Biden’s recent executive order meant to deter illegal crossings at the U.S. border with Mexico, calling it “weak,” “ineffective” and garbage, though he used an expletive.

In response, the crowd began chanting the expletive, as his supporters did in Arizona when he used the same description. “This word seems to be catching on a little bit,” Mr. Trump said approvingly. (When Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, spoke before Mr. Trump took the stage, her remarks prompted three identical chants.)

At the rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, the Trump campaign formally announced its Latino outreach effort, known as Latino Americans for Trump , and a number of Hispanic Americans spoke before Mr. Trump did.

Nevada has a large Hispanic population, and polls show that Mr. Trump’s support among the state’s working-class and Latino voters is increasing. His campaign is trying to capitalize on dissatisfaction among those groups with Mr. Biden’s handling of the economy.

Linda Fornos, a Las Vegas resident who came to the United States from Nicaragua, said that she voted for Mr. Biden in 2020 but that she was disappointed with his administration. “For many years, I believed in the promises of the Democrats for more opportunities for the Latino community,” she said.

Mr. Trump’s pledge to eliminate taxes on tips for restaurant and hospitality workers was a direct appeal to that group, a significant force in the Las Vegas area. “When I get into office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips,” he said.

After the rally, the Culinary Workers Union, a key part of the Democratic coalition in the state, attacked Mr. Trump’s proposal as hollow.

“Relief is definitely needed for tip earners, but Nevada workers are smart enough to know the difference between real solutions and wild campaign promises from a convicted felon,” Ted Pappageorge, the secretary-treasurer of the union, which has 60,000 members, said in a statement.

Mr. Trump’s rally in Nevada, a key battleground state, concluded a multiple-day Western swing that started on Thursday with a forum in Phoenix hosted by the conservative group Turning Point Action.

As record-high temperatures hit Phoenix, at least 11 people at that indoor event were taken to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion. The Trump campaign took steps to avoid similar issues in Las Vegas, where the heat was less severe but where the rally was held outside. At least six people on Sunday were taken from the event to the hospital, according to the Clark County Fire Department.

After his speech in Phoenix, Mr. Trump attended three fund-raisers in California and one in Las Vegas. Chris LaCivita, one of Mr. Trump’s two campaign managers, said that the campaign had raised about $27.5 million across the four events, a figure that cannot be independently verified until campaign filings are made public in the coming months.

Tester and Sheehy attack — and agree — in first debate of Montana’s Senate race.

Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, and Tim Sheehy, his Republican opponent in the state’s U.S. Senate race this year, faced off on Sunday in a debate that served as the opening bell for a high-profile contest that could determine control of the chamber.

Mr. Tester, a third-term incumbent, and Mr. Sheehy, a business owner and former Navy SEAL, alternated between agreeing and attacking each other, as the hourlong debate ping-ponged between national issues like the border crisis and local priorities like Montana’s meatpacking industry.

Running for his fourth term in a deep-red state, Mr. Tester demonstrated why he has been such a difficult target for Republicans. He was quick to distance himself from President Biden, who is unpopular among Montanans, and repeatedly emphasized his bipartisan reputation. He said he had broken with Mr. Biden’s administration on immigration and energy, positioning himself as a proponent of fossil fuel use and calling some of Mr. Biden’s energy regulations “unacceptable.”

“The bottom line is: He doesn’t listen to me enough,” Mr. Tester said of Mr. Biden. “He needs to.”

Mr. Sheehy laid out a vision of a nation on the brink, and he did his best to tie Mr. Tester to it. Mr. Sheehy repeatedly took aim at the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border, an issue that Republicans have pushed to the forefront, as they accuse their opponents of encouraging a flood of illegal migration into the country. And he denounced what he said were lowered standards in the workplace and the military, criticizing diversity initiatives and an emphasis on higher education over blue-collar jobs.

“We’ve seen runaway spending,” Mr. Sheehy said. “We’ve seen an executive branch of government that’s running out of control. We see a wide-open southern border, record-high interest rates, record-high inflation. And Jon Tester supported Biden’s agenda 95 percent of the time.”

The race in Montana is expected to be one of the most competitive in an election cycle that has Democrats playing defense as Republicans try to regain the Senate. Mr. Tester’s campaign has a significant financial advantage over Mr. Sheehy’s, but the few polls of the race have shown the two men essentially tied.

Sunday’s debate, hosted by the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation, gave voters an early opportunity to see the candidates battle each other. But on many issues, they were quick to find common ground. Mr. Tester and Mr. Sheehy agreed on support for Israel, greater assistance for mental health services and a need to be tougher on meatpacking conglomerates.

“We agree on more than we disagree,” Mr. Sheehy said in response to a question about political polarization.

Still, areas of sharp contrast did not go unnoticed.

Mr. Tester, a third-generation farmer from Montana, took aim at the surge of wealthy out-of-state transplants , who have driven up housing prices. He hit Mr. Sheehy, who grew up in Minnesota and moved to Montana a decade ago, on his background.

“We’ve had a lot of folks move into this state, a lot of folks with thick wallets,” he said. “On the housing front, Tim Sheehy’s not the solution — he’s part of the problem.”

Mr. Sheehy, who owns an aerial firefighting company and a stake in a cattle ranch, argued that he had done plenty to help Montanans, including by creating jobs.

“If you’re not from here, Jon Tester doesn’t think your voice matters, apparently,” he said.

Mr. Tester also attacked Mr. Sheehy for saying he would have voted against a bill that provided aid to Ukraine and Taiwan. And Mr. Tester was perhaps at his most animated on abortion, after Mr. Sheehy argued that voters did not want “elective abortions up to and including the moment of birth.”

“Tim, this is too important of an issue to play politics with,” Mr. Tester replied. “For you to say they’re killing babies at 40 weeks is total BS.”

Mr. Sheehy hit Mr. Tester for being a major recipient of lobbyist donations and argued that he had his chance to push for improvements in areas like health care for veterans and had come up short.

“We cannot keep sending the same politicians to Washington over and over and over again,” Mr. Sheehy said.

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