With quotes setting off an expression, American practice is to put the period inside, and British is to put the period outside, I think. The Chicago Manual of Style (or at least, the 14^th edition – I don’t have the newest one) doesn’t seem to address the “quotes with expressions” topic head-on, but does have examples of expression-marking quotes with commas inside the quotes, so I’m assuming periods behave similarly.  The inches question, I’m clueless on.

 

 

---  Bill Spruiell

 

 

And does putting the period outside the last quote also apply to all quotes setting of an expression rather than an actual quote?
 
Ah, to speak the Queen's English!
 
Geoff

> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 23:48:02 -0400
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: a punctuation question
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> I was asked a punctuation question I can't answer, and I am looking for informed help:
>
> Does the "punctuation within quotes" rule hold true if you're talking about heights? Which way should I end the sentence? 5’11.” or 5'11".
>
> My seat-of-the-pants answer is period last in a case like this where the " symbol is not being used as a quotation mark, but that is only an impression. I would be grateful for information from others who know the convention.
>
> Dick Veit
>
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
> http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
> and select "Join or leave the list"
>
> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/

Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your Hotmail®-get your "fix". Check it out.

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/