Double Quotes
Double quotation marks commonly mark quoted words or speech, but detailed punctuation and nesting conventions vary by style and region. The project therefore treats Microsoft’s double-outer/single-inner pattern as a style rule, not a universal law for every publication tradition.
Use double quotation marks for ordinary quoted material when your style guide calls for them. Microsoft style uses single quotation marks for a quotation inside a quotation; punctuation placement also follows style-specific rules.
Key details
Important caveats
Style Boundary
Placement of commas, periods, and other punctuation relative to quotation marks can vary by style; follow the governing style guide consistently.
Further guidance
Core Rule
Use double quotation marks for the main quoted material when following a style that specifies double outer quotation marks.
Nested Quotes
Under Microsoft style, use single quotation marks for a quotation inside another quotation.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Quotation marks — Microsoft Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Microsoft house-style treatment of quotation marks, including its straight-quote convention for Segoe