How to Quote a Quote: Quotation Mark Rules & Examples

Write by Emily Watson

2026-06-25 19:27:31 • 7 min read

Quoting a quote can feel awkward because you have to show two voices at once: the source you are reading and the words that source is quoting. The goal is to keep both voices clear without confusing the reader.

This guide explains nested quotation marks, American and British punctuation differences, academic citation tips, and the rules for shortening or clarifying quoted material.

What Is a Quote Within a Quote?

A quote within a quote, also called a nested quotation, appears when the source you are using already includes someone else’s exact words. Your sentence needs to show the outer quotation and the inner quotation clearly.

For example: Dr. Patel explains, “Recent studies confirm that ‘sleep deprivation harms memory retention.’”

In this example, Dr. Patel’s statement is the outer quote, while “sleep deprivation harms memory retention” is the inner quote. In academic writing, you also need to make clear which source you actually read and which source is being quoted inside it.

Are Quote and Cite the Same?
No. Quoting and citing work together, but they do different jobs.
Quoting means using someone else’s exact words in your own writing. Those words usually appear inside quotation marks or, for longer passages, as a block quote.
Example of quoting: “The sun sets in the west.”
Citing refers to the practice of acknowledging the source of the quote. When you cite, such as citing a poem, you're providing details like the author's name, the title of the work, the publication year, and other relevant information, so your readers know where the quoted material originated.
In short, quoting presents the exact wording; citing tells readers where that wording came from and helps you avoid misattribution.

How to Use Nested Quotations

Nested quotation rules depend on whether you are using American English or British English. The biggest differences involve which quotation marks go outside and where punctuation usually sits.

1. Basic Rules for Nested Quotations

✅ Quotation Marks: In American English, the outer quotation usually uses double quotation marks and the inner quotation uses single quotation marks. In British English, many style guides reverse that pattern.

✅ Punctuation Placement: In American English, commas and periods usually go inside closing quotation marks. In British English, punctuation often stays outside unless it belongs to the quoted words.

The table below compares the most common American and British patterns. Always follow your instructor’s style guide if it gives a different rule.

Feature	American English	British English
Outer Quotation	Double quotation marks (" ")	Single quotation marks (' ')
Inner Quotation	Single quotation marks (' ')	Double quotation marks (" ")
Punctuation	Commas and periods usually go inside the closing quotation marks.	Commas and periods often stay outside unless they are part of the quoted material.
Example	Dr. Patel explains, “Recent studies confirm that ‘sleep deprivation harms memory retention.’”	Dr. Patel explains, ‘The review concluded that “sleep loss affects recall”.’

2. How to Quote a Quote Within a Quote (Multiple Layers of Nesting)

More than two layers of quotation marks are possible, but they are hard to read. If you need three layers, alternate double and single quotation marks. If the sentence still looks crowded, paraphrase one layer or split the idea into two sentences.

Suggestion: If a nested quotation becomes difficult to follow, it is usually better to:

Turn one layer into an indirect quotation, or
Break the information into two shorter sentences.

✅ Examples of Multiple Layers of Nesting:

Example	American English	British English
Three Layers	Dr. Patel stated, “The study found that ‘John said, “I don’t believe it’s true”’ when asked about the results.”	Dr. Patel stated, ‘The study found that “John said, ‘I don’t believe it’s true’” when asked about the results.’
Explanation	In American English, you alternate between double and single quotes for each nested level.	In British English, you alternate similarly, but with single quotes on the outside.

3. Quoting Quotes Within Dialogue

Dialogue uses the same basic nesting idea: the spoken words are the outer quotation, and any words quoted inside the speech become the inner quotation.

The reader should be able to tell who is speaking and who is being quoted. If the punctuation makes the sentence hard to follow, revise the sentence instead of adding more quotation marks.

Here is how the pattern changes between American and British English:

Scenario	American English	British English
Quoting someone inside a dialogue	The teacher asked, "Who took the last cookie?" She then added, "Was it you, Jane?"	The tutor asked, 'Who left early?' She then added, 'Was it you, Jane?'
Nested quotes within dialogue	"He told me, 'I can't find my keys,'" she said.	'He told me, "I left my keys upstairs",' she said.
Punctuation in incomplete sentences	"He said, 'I'm not sure,'" but he didn’t elaborate.	'He said, "I need more time",' but he did not explain why.

How to Quote a Quote in Academic Writing

In academic papers, a nested quotation also raises a source question: did you read the original source, or only the source that quoted it?

The answer depends on your citation style, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, or Turabian, and on whether your instructor allows indirect citations.

The table below summarizes common formatting choices for nested quotations:

Style	How to Cite Nested Quotes	Example
APA	Use single quotation marks for the inner quote inside double quotation marks. APA usually favors clear paraphrase when nested quotations become too complex.	Smith (2020) explained, "The researcher noted, 'The results were surprising'" (p. 45).
MLA	Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks, and include the page, line, or other locator required by the source type.	Smith argues, "The critic pointed out, 'This play redefined modern drama'" (45).
Chicago (Notes & Bibliography)	Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks. In notes-bibliography style, give a full note first and a shortened note later.	Smith writes, "She shouted, 'Victory is ours today!'"¹
Turabian	Follow the Chicago-style nesting pattern unless your instructor gives a different Turabian requirement.	Smith claimed, "The captain said, 'We will win this battle.'"¹

APA Tip: If a nested quotation makes the sentence hard to read, paraphrase the inner quoted idea and cite the source instead of stacking quotation marks.
General Tip: Use nested quotations only when the exact wording matters. Otherwise, paraphrase and cite clearly.
Punctuation Tip: Decide which quote is outermost first, then alternate quotation marks from that point inward.

How to Place Punctuation When Quoting a Quote

Punctuation placement matters because punctuation can belong to the quoted words, the surrounding sentence, or both. American and British conventions handle that boundary differently.

Rule 1: Periods and Commas

Use the style guide required by your class or publication.	American English	British English
Rule	In most American style guides, periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks.	In British style, periods and commas often go outside unless they are part of the quoted words.
Example 1	Dr. Lewis said, “The study proved that ‘results varied widely.’”	Dr. Lewis said, ‘The report found that “scores changed sharply”.’
Example 2	“We call this a ‘critical moment,’” explained the professor.	‘We call this a “turning point”’, explained the professor.

Rule 2: Question Marks and Exclamation Points

Question marks and exclamation points depend on meaning.	American English	British English
Rule	Place inside the quotation marks if it belongs to the quote; otherwise, outside.	Same rule: inside if it belongs to the quote; outside if it applies to the whole sentence.
Example 1	He asked, ‘Did she really say, “I will win this”?’	He asked, “Did she really say, ‘I will win this’?”
Example 2	He shouted, ‘Victory is ours!’	He shouted, “Victory is ours!”
Example 3	Did she really say, ‘The results were disappointing’?	Did she really say, “The results were disappointing”?

Other Important Rules for Handling Quotes

Nested quotation marks are only one part of quoting well. You also need to know when to use short quotes, long block quotes, paraphrases, ellipses, and brackets so your writing stays clear and helps you avoid plagiarism.

1. Short Quotes

A short quote is brief enough to fit smoothly inside your sentence or paragraph. The exact cutoff depends on the style guide and whether you are quoting prose or poetry.

Style	Short Quote Definition	How to Format	Example
British English	Less than 40 words	Use single quotation marks, follow normal paragraph flow.	The impact of technology is clear: ‘Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, making the world feel smaller.’
APA	Fewer than 40 words	Use quotation marks and include the author, year, and page number or another required locator.	“Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, making the world feel smaller” (Smith, 2020, p. 15).
MLA	Fewer than 4 lines	Use quotation marks and cite the author with the relevant page, line, or scene locator.	“Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, making the world feel smaller” (Smith 15).
Chicago	Fewer than 100 words	Use quotation marks and add a footnote, endnote, or author-date citation according to the assigned Chicago system.	“Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, making the world feel smaller.”¹
Turabian	Fewer than 100 words	Use quotation marks and include a footnote, endnote, or in-text citation.	“Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate, making the world feel smaller.”¹

2. Long Quotes

Long quotes usually need block formatting. A block quote is set apart from the paragraph, indented, and usually presented without quotation marks around the full passage.

Style	Long Quote Definition	How to Format
British English	40+ words	Indent, no quotation marks unless inside dialogue.
APA	40+ words	Block indentation, no quotation marks, cite after the final punctuation.
MLA	4+ lines	Indent one inch, double-space, no quotation marks, cite after punctuation.
Chicago	Usually 100+ words for prose; poetry may depend on line count	Block format, indent, cite with footnote or endnote.
Turabian	Usually 100+ words for prose; poetry may depend on line count	Use block format, indent the quote, and include the note or parenthetical citation required by the Turabian system you are following.

American English (APA)

Definition: In APA, a long prose quotation is typically 40 words or more.
Format: Block format, indented one inch, no quotation marks. Citation comes after punctuation.

Example (More than 40 words):

According to Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
(Frost, 1916, p. 15)

British English (Oxford, etc.)

Definition: In many British-style guides, long quotations are often treated as block quotations around 40 words or more.
Format: Same as APA, but punctuation outside quotation marks if not part of the quote.

Example (More than 40 words):

As Frost reflects:

MLA Style

Definition: A long quote is more than 4 lines of poetry or more than 40 words of prose.
Format: Indented one inch, no quotation marks. Citation comes after punctuation.

Example (More than 40 words):

In The Road Not Taken, Frost writes:

Chicago/Turabian

Definition: A long quote is more than 100 words of prose or more than 40 words of poetry.
Format: Block format, indented, no quotation marks. Citation can be in footnote or endnote.

Example (More than 40 words):

Frost's poem The Road Not Taken eloquently captures a choice in life:

2. Direct Citation vs. Indirect Citation

✅ Direct Citation

A direct citation uses the exact words from the source. Use quotation marks or block formatting, and include a citation that points readers to the original location.

Example: According to Smith, "Education is the foundation of freedom" (Smith, 2020, p. 15).

✅ Indirect Citation (or Paraphrasing)

An indirect citation restates the source idea in your own words. You do not use quotation marks, but you still cite the source because the idea is borrowed.

Example: Smith argues that education is essential to achieving true freedom (2020).

Aspect	Direct Citation	Indirect Citation
Uses Exact Words?	Yes	No
Quotation Marks?	Yes	No
Still Needs Citation?	Yes	Yes
Style Tip	Use sparingly when exact wording matters for emphasis, evidence, or analysis	Use more often when summarizing background ideas or keeping the paragraph flow smooth

Use direct quotations when the original wording is powerful, precise, or necessary for analysis.
Use indirect citations when the idea matters more than the exact phrasing.

Can You Shorten or Change a Quote?

Yes, you can shorten or lightly adjust a quote, but you must show the change honestly. Ellipses mark omitted words, and square brackets mark words you add or alter for clarity or grammar.

1. How to Shorten a Quote

Shortening a quote lets you remove material that is not relevant to your point. The shortened version must still represent the original meaning accurately.

Rules:

Use ellipses (...) or (…) to show that words have been omitted from the original quote.
Do not omit words in a way that changes the author’s meaning or hides important context.

Example	Original Quote	Shortened Quote
Example 1:	The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog and then ran away into the forest.	The quick brown fox... ran away into the forest.
Example 2:	She had never seen such an amazing view before, and it made her feel truly alive in a way she hadn’t experienced before.	She had never seen such an amazing view before... and it made her feel truly alive.

2. How to Change a Quote

Changing a quote is allowed only for limited reasons, such as clarifying a pronoun, adjusting capitalization, or making the grammar fit your sentence. Mark those changes with square brackets.

Rules:

Use square brackets [ ] to show words you added, changed, or clarified inside the quotation.
Make sure every bracketed change preserves the original meaning of the quoted passage.

Example	Original Quote	Shortened Quote
Example 1 (Clarifying pronouns):	He didn’t want to go.	[The teacher] didn’t want to go
Example 2 (Correcting grammar):	She don’t understand the concept.	She [doesn't] understand the concept.

3. Summary Table:

Modification	When to Use	How to Use	Example
Ellipses	To omit unnecessary words while keeping the original meaning intact.	Use three dots (…) to remove words without changing meaning.	"The quick brown fox... stopped to catch its breath."
Square Brackets	To add, clarify, or adjust small parts of a quote transparently.	Use square brackets [ ] to show changes or clarifications.	"[The teacher] didn't want to go."
Shortened Quote	To make a quote more concise while removing only nonessential wording.	Use ellipses to remove non-essential information, and reread the sentence to confirm the quote still says what the source meant.	"She had never seen such an amazing view before... it made her feel truly alive."
Changed Quote	To adjust grammar, clarify meaning, or add details.	Use square brackets to indicate any changes made to the quote.	"[The student] didn’t like the outcome."

Conclusion

Quoting a quote is mostly about clarity: show which words belong to the outer source, which words belong to the inner quote, and where the borrowed material came from.

When in doubt, keep the sentence simple, alternate quotation marks carefully, cite the source you actually used, and paraphrase instead of stacking too many layers of quotation marks.