New Zealand English: Punctuation inside or outside quotation marks?

​New Zealanders are exposed to a mix of American and British content, so we no longer know instinctively what is right for New Zealand English.

You wouldn't think it, but there's a difference in punctuation between these variations of English too. It's good to be consistent within a piece of writing (your reader will unconsciously pick up on inconsistencies even if they don't know why), so it's helpful to know the rules.

So, where does the punctuation go with quotation marks in New Zealand English?

Just to make it confusing, there is a traditional answer and a modern answer.
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Inside or outside quote marks?

In American English (AmE), commas and full stops (periods) go inside the quotation marks even when the quoted material is part of a larger sentence.

• He said he was ‘sick.’ [AmE]
• She was as ‘busy as a bee,’ as the saying goes. [AmE]

 
In New Zealand English (NZE), which mostly follows British English (BrE) grammar rules, it depends on whether the punctuation mark belongs to the main sentence or the quoted material.
               
Punctuation outside:                
The punctuation belongs to the sentence and is outside the quotation marks.

• He said he was ‘sick’.
• She was as ‘busy as a bee‘, as the saying goes.
• What do you mean he was ‘sick’?
• Et cetera means ‘And the rest’.

               
Punctuation inside:               
The punctuation belongs to the quoted content, as it is a complete sentence, so is inside the quotation marks.

• She told them: ‘The assignment is due by Wednesday.’

               

Where does punctuation go in dialogue?

In dialogue in NZE and BrE, a comma was traditionally used inside the quotation marks to represent any punctuation that would have been found in the sentence if it were not dialogue. If there would have been no punctuation, then it would go outside the quotation mark.

No punctuation in original

• I see that you have gone.    Becomes:
• ‘I see’, he said, ‘that you have gone.’

The punctuation is outside the quotation marks after 'see'.

Punctuation in original

• I see it, and that makes me mad.   Becomes:    
• ‘I see it,’ he said, ‘and that makes me mad.’

The punctuation is inside the quotation marks as it belonged to the original sentence.
 
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However, this is changing. 

In AmE, commas and full stops within dialogue are also inside the quotation marks, regardless of whether they belong to the quoted material.

This style is now becoming more popular and widespread in dialogue in NZE and BrE, especially in fiction and journalism.
 
So, in modern NZE, the examples above would now be:

• ‘I see,’ he said, ‘that you have gone.’

AND

• He said, ‘I can’t do it,’ and then proceeded to win the race.

 
In dialogue, the final full stop is always inside the quotation marks as it is the end of the quoted material
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Where does punctuation go with other puncuation?

A question mark or exclamation mark at the end of dialogue always goes inside the quotation marks. No other punctuation is needed outside the quotation marks.

• He called, ‘Who goes there?’
• The voice replied, ‘It is I!’

BUT when the punctuation is not part of the quoted material it goes outside.

• What does he mean by ‘going on holiday’?

 
Modern vs traditional
So, which method do you choose? Modern or traditional NZE? 

As is always the case, if your company, publisher or tertiary institution has a style guide and specifies where to put the punctuation, make sure you follow that and stay consistent. Otherwise, you can pick a style and be consistent.
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What next?

If you have written content in New Zealand English and this all sounds overwhelming, I can help. 

As a business editor and plain language specialist, I will help you publish better business and government content so that 

• your readers understand your message
• your business works more efficiently
• your clients trust you.

Contact me today to discuss how I can help you achieve your goals with clear, professional writing.
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External Sources:
Hughes, J., & Wallace, D. (2010). Fit to Print : The Writing & Editing Style Guide for Aotearoa New Zealand. Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore Publishing.
Chicago Manual of Style
Oxford University Press, (2016). New Oxford Style Manual (3rd ed.). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.