Attention Grammar/Punctuation Nuts

[hollywood926]

When is it proper to use " versus '?

Example - I saw the movie "Forrest Gump" today. Or is it - I saw the movie 'Forrest Gump' today? If not, when do you use the ' and not the "?

[Worst Username Ever]

1. The single ' is usually just used as an apostrophe, BUT

it can be used as a quotation within a quotation:

Mark approached Paul and asked, "When you said to me, 'Mark you are an idiot,' what did you mean by that?"

Your Forest Gump example would use the double " quotes.

[hollywood926]

3. OH, OK....

Thanks. I don't know all the rules yet. I'm only 37. :-)

[democracyindanger]

2. According to the Borzoi Handbook

Titles of films, books, plays, musical albums, radio or tv series are italicized.

For other titles, use quotation marks.

So: Forest Gump, and never "Forest Gump"; unless it is "Forest Gump: The Poem"

[Taxloss]

4. Seconded. Double quote marks. Single for quotes within quotes.

eom

[Worst Username Ever]

5. Good point, if you know how to put things in italics with HTML

I was referring the the quick and dirty way it is usually done in blogs. Double quotes would be more appropriate. Have people stopped underlining the titles of books?

[democracyindanger]

6. I think underlining

is acceptable in place of italics, but italics is the preferred choice.

"Wired" has its own style book for the Internet, I think. Some rules may vary.