The UVic Writer's Guide

Like the room, Jane is "a discord in Gateshead-hall" (15), differing from the Reeds "in temperament, in capacity, [and] in propensities" (16).

In order to integrate quotations properly into your own prose, remember the following rules:

• Make sure that verb tenses in the quotation agree with verbs in your sentence. You may have to change the verb tenses in the quotation, putting the change in square brackets, though it is usually possible to avoid this often clumsy expedient by rewording your introductory sentence. As a general rule, literary essays should be written in the present tense.

  While the legislators cringe at the sudden darkness, "all eyes were turned to Abraham Davenport."

  While the legislators cringe at the sudden darkness, "all eyes [turn] to Abraham Davenport."

• Make sure that sentences are complete. You may need to add clarifying information in square brackets.

  Yeats asks if "before the indifferent beak."

  Yeats asks if Leda "put on [the swan's] knowledge" before his "indifferent beak could let her drop."

• Clarify pronouns that have no clear antecedents. Again, the additional information should be put inside square brackets.

  Captain Wentworth says, "It had been my doing--solely mine. She would not have been obstinate if I had not been weak."

  (This quotation is wrongly handled because the antecedent of "she" is unclear.)

  Captain Wentworth says, "It had been my doing--solely mine. [Louisa] would not have been obstinate if I had not been weak."

• Make sure that subject and verb agree.

  Wilfred Owen says that the only prayer said for those who die in battle is war's noise, which "patter out their hasty orisons."

  (Subject: "noise"; verb: "patter." The subject is singular, the verb plural.)

  Wilfred Owen says that the only prayer said for those who die in battle is the "rapid rattle" of guns, which "patter out their hasty orisons."

  (Subject: "guns"; verb: "patter." Both subject and verb are now plural.)