quotes within speech

[ralphkern]

Just working on something and I need a little guidance, speech within speech. I've got someone telling a story to someone, and confusing myself with the punctuation.

I've come up with this sentence that captures most of my issues. (Not an extract from the story, it merely collates my issues in a oner as an example sentence)

'I went to see John, who told me, "Jack, how are you?". Well i said to John, "I'm doing fine.",' Bob said.

At the moment I've essentially simply nested it within the speakers speech, as per how I would from narrative to speech. But as you can see it appears wrong, especially the finish. I just can't seem to find any official correct way.

Thoughts?

 

[The Ace]

The conventional way is that the speech is in double inverted commas, with the reported quote in single ones (apostrophes);

"I asked John, and he said, 'Not in this universe!'" Moaned Kelly, "He never gives me any fun."

These days, it can be the other way around, as long as you're consistent.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

To some extent it depends on where you are, the US or the UK.

In the US it would be:

"What did Jack say?" asked Bob.

"The usual: 'I'm doing fine,'" said John. "But I didn't believe him."

In older British books I've seen it:

'What did Jack say?" asked Bob.

'The usual: "I'm doing fine,"' said John. 'But I didn't believe him.'

However, I'm increasingly seeing British writers use the US punctuation. Perhaps because they are meaning to submit to American markets.

 

[Fishbowl Helmet]

To some extent it depends on where you are, the US or the UK.

In the US it would be:

"What did Jack say?" asked Bob.

"The usual: 'I'm doing fine,'" said John. "But I didn't believe him."

In older British books I've seen it:

'What did Jack say?" asked Bob.

'The usual: "I'm doing fine,"' said John. 'But I didn't believe him.'

However, I'm increasingly seeing British writers use the US punctuation. Perhaps because they are meaning to submit to American markets.

What Teresa said. Only be sure there's a space between the marks when they are adjacent.

I've also seen the quoted bit in dialogue inside other punctuation, such as...

"The usual: 'I'm doing fine'," said John. "But I didn't believe him."