To quote someone properly, you want to (1) show clearly which words are theirs, (2) give credit, and (3) fit the quote smoothly into your own sentence.

Core idea in one line

Quoting someone means copying their exact words, marking them as a quote, and clearly saying who said or wrote them.

Mini basics: what “quoting someone” means

  • You are using their exact wording, not a summary.
  • You must show where their words begin and end.
  • You must say who they are (name, username, source, or link).
  • In formal writing, you also follow a citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

Simple example in everyday writing:

As my friend said, “If you don’t write it down, you’ll forget it later.”

Step‑by‑step: how to quote someone in writing

1. Decide if you should quote at all

Use a direct quote when:

  • Their wording is memorable or powerful.
  • You need their exact words for accuracy.
  • You’re analyzing what they said (e.g., in an essay or article).

Otherwise, it’s often better to paraphrase (restate the idea in your own words and still credit them).

2. Mark the quote clearly

For regular in‑line quotes in English:

  • Use double quotation marks around their exact words:
    • She said, “I’ll be there at eight.”
  • If you are quoting inside a quote, use single quotes inside double quotes:
    • “Then he yelled, ‘Run now!’ and slammed the door.”
  • Capitalize the first word if the quote is a full sentence:
    • He wrote, “This is your final warning.”

3. Introduce the quote instead of dropping it in

Don’t just paste a quote as its own sentence with no context. Use a short lead‑in:

  • With a signal phrase:
    • The manager explained, “We changed the policy for safety reasons.”
  • With a colon after a full sentence:
    • The report highlighted the main issue: “Customer complaints have doubled this quarter.”
  • Integrated into your own sentence:
    • She described the experience as “surprisingly easy and stress‑free.”

Useful neutral verbs for introducing quotes include said, stated, wrote, argued, explained, claimed, noted, suggested.

Longer quotes: block quotations (formal writing)

In essays, reports, or articles, long quotes usually become block quotes :

  • Use a block quote when the quote is longer than about four lines of text.
  • Start it on a new line and indent the whole quote.
  • Do not surround the block with quotation marks in many styles; the formatting shows it’s a quote.
  • After the block, return to your normal margin and continue your own commentary.

Example structure (conceptual, not a specific style):

In his speech, the author emphasized the urgency of change:

We cannot wait for a “perfect” moment.  
The cost of inaction is being paid every day  
by people who were never invited into the conversation.

This passage shows that…

How to give credit (formal vs casual)

Casual context (chats, forums, social media)

You can usually just mention the person and/or link:

  • “Like Sarah said in her post, ‘We have to stop treating burnout as normal.’”
  • “u/username wrote, ‘This feature is basically broken right now,’ and I agree.”

You’re still clearly showing the words are theirs and not yours.

Formal context (school, work, articles)

You also cite the source using a standard style.

APA‑style example (conceptual only):

  • In‑text: Smith (2022) writes, “Remote work has permanently changed team dynamics” (p. 14).
  • Or: “Remote work has permanently changed team dynamics” (Smith, 2022, p. 14).

Regardless of style, the rules are the same:

  • Include author or speaker.
  • Include year/date if relevant.
  • Include page/section if it’s from a longer work.

Mini section: quoting in online forums or comments

Many forums and platforms support quote formatting to visually show “this part is what someone else said.”

Common patterns:

  • A quote block before your reply:

“I don’t think this feature is useful.”
Then you reply beneath it.

  • On platforms with formatting menus (like new Reddit), you can:
    • Copy the text you want.
    • Paste it in the reply box.
    • Highlight it and click the quote‑block button (often a quote icon) to turn it into a formatted quote block.

This keeps discussions much clearer because readers can see exactly which sentence you’re responding to.

Example forum style:
“I honestly don’t see the point of dark mode.” I actually find it helpful at night, especially on OLED screens.

Multiple viewpoints: strict vs flexible quoting

Different people and contexts treat quoting with different levels of strictness:

  • Academic / journalistic: Very strict, exact wording, clear citations, and specific format rules for when to use short quotes vs block quotes.
  • Professional emails / documents: Clear attribution is expected, but formatting may be simpler; you may use quotes and mention the person, or quote email lines with a clear prefix (like “>” in email threads).
  • Informal online chats: People often quote loosely, summarize others in their own words, or mix direct quotes and paraphrases, as long as it’s clear who said what.

The more serious or public the context, the more carefully you should follow formal quoting and citation rules.

Quick do’s and don’ts

Do:

  • Use quotation marks or quote formatting for exact words.
  • Introduce the quote with who said it and why it matters.
  • Keep quotes short unless the exact wording really matters.
  • Comment on or explain the quote after using it, especially in essays or articles.

Don’t:

  • Drop a quote in with no context at all.
  • Change the meaning when you trim a quote.
  • Present someone’s idea as your own, even if you changed the wording.
  • Overload your writing with long quotes instead of your own thoughts.

Tiny TL;DR

Quoting someone = using their exact words, clearly marked as a quote, with their name or source attached, and smoothly integrated into your own sentence or paragraph.

If you tell me where you plan to quote (email, essay, Reddit, etc.), I can give you a couple of ready‑made templates tailored to that situation.