Quotation Marks Part I

         Instant Quiz
Can you correct the error in the sentence below? Scroll to the bottom of today’s post for the answer. 

The continuous delivery problems ended last week when the driver was fired.

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Today’s topic is scare quotes – quotation marks used to call attention to an unusual way to use a word. Here’s an example:

While I was reading about Charles Dickens yesterday, I “stumbled” onto something interesting.

People do it, but it’s like wearing a t-shirt that says, “I’m an amateur!” The pros don’t use scare quotes, and you shouldn’t either. The sentence about Charles Dickens is stronger if you omit the quotation marks:

While I was reading about Charles Dickens yesterday, I stumbled onto something interesting.  BETTER

I’ve always told my students not to apologize if they use an unusual word – or use a word in an unusual way. The pros do it all the time – and so can you.

Stand by your word choices! If it’s the word you want, go ahead and use it. If it’s not the word you want, find a better word.

Take a look at this sentence: “Jenny and Tom were wrapped up in each other.”

I doubt that Jenny and Tom were Scotch-taped together in shiny Christmas paper! Anyone can figure out what the sentence means: Jenny and Tom were deeply involved with each other. No quotation marks are needed.

I just read (and highly recommend) Roy Peter Clark’s Writing Tools,  which reinforces the point I just made:

Writing Tool #6: Play with Words
Play with words, even in serious stories. Choose words the average writer avoids but the average reader understands.

Excellent advice! Next week I’ll have more advice about quotation marks.

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Instant Quiz ANSWER

Continuous is the wrong word. It means “a steady stream.” When something happens often or regularly, the correct word is continual.

The continual delivery problems ended last week when the driver was fired.  CORRECT

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