freeCodeCamp's Writing Style Guide

This guide provides some guidelines on how to use punctuation in sentences where some confusion may result due to the use of backticks or quotes or ellipses among others. Use this in addition to the Formatting challenge text guidelines.

1. Do Not Alter Backticked Content Regardless of Where It Is in the Sentence

Before adding punctuation, check the content inside the backticks.

If it already contains punctuation, keep it exactly as written.
If it does not, do not add punctuation inside.

Examples

`Does this work?` → keep the ?
`assigning tasks …` → keep the ellipses
`assigning tasks` → leave as-is

2. Periods and Commas

Backticks

Periods and commas go outside the backticks unless the backticked content already ends with the punctuation needed by the surrounding sentence. Punctuation elsewhere inside the backticks does not replace punctuation outside them.

Correct

The file is index.html.
Run npm install, then restart.
She paused at assigning tasks ..., unsure what to say next.
I reviewed the requirements. Next, I shared my thoughts with the team.

Incorrect

It’s usually the direct answer to the question ¿De dónde eres?.
I reviewed the requirements. Next, I shared my thoughts with the team..

If the quoted or backticked text ends with a comma, do not add a duplicate comma immediately after.

Incorrect

If the sentence starts with “She said,”, or “He said,”, expect it to be classified as hearsay.

Correct

If the sentence starts with “She said,” or “He said,” expect it to be classified as hearsay.

Do not add a duplicate period if an ellipsis is quoted or backticked at the end of the sentence. (Exceptions below in the section for question marks and exclamation marks)

Correct

Focus on the sentence that starts with One important task is ...
Me llamo ... means “My name is …”

Incorrect

Focus on the sentence that starts with One important task is ....

Do not add a period at the end of a sentence if the final quoted or backticked phrase already ends with sentence-ending punctuation, such as a period, question mark, or exclamation mark.

Correct

This question is equivalent to “How old are you?”

Incorrect

Ángela is asking Sebastián ¿Cuántos años tienes?.

Double Quotes

Periods and commas go inside the double quotes when their presence coincides grammatically with the requirements of the sentence. Different rules apply to exclamation marks and question marks, see below.

Correct

The error says “File not found.”
She whispered, “I’m not sure …,” then walked away.

Oxford Comma

Use a comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more items.

Correct

Save your file on your computer, on Google Drive, or to a Gist.

Commas Before Dialogue

Use a comma before a direct quotation (or backticked quotation) of only a few words following an introductory phrase.

Correct

She’s using a simple and very common phrase to say, “Hi, good morning!”
Sebastián is asking Ángela, ¿A qué te dedicas?

Trailing Whitespace

Do not add a space after the last punctuation mark in a standalone paragraph or sentence. (A diff will show the additional space and should be removed)

3. Question Marks and Exclamation Marks

A. Only the backticked/quoted text is a question

Keep the ? or ! inside (if they are already there).
Do not add a duplicate.

Correct

She asked, Does this work?
She asked, “Does this work?”
He shouted, “Let me go!”

Incorrect

She asked, Does this work??
He said, “how come”?

B. Only the sentence is a question

The ? goes outside.

Correct
- What does she mean by assigning tasks?
- What does she mean by “assigning tasks”?
Examples With Ellipses
- What does she mean by assigning tasks ...?
- What does she mean by “assigning tasks …”?

C. Both the sentence AND the backticked/quoted text are questions

If the content already has a question mark

Use only one, placed inside.

Correct

What does Tom mean when he asks, Does Maria assign tasks?
What does Tom mean when he asks, “Does Maria assign tasks?”

If the content does not have a question mark

The sentence’s ? goes outside.

Correct

What does Tom mean when he asks, Does Maria assign tasks ...?
What does Tom mean when he asks, “Does Maria assign tasks …”?

4. Exclamation Points

Follow the same logic as question marks.

If the content includes ! → keep it inside.
If only the sentence is exclamatory → ! goes outside.
If both are exclamations and the content has ! → do not add another.

5. Ellipses

Write ellipses as three consecutive periods (...), without spaces between the dots. If they are quoted or back-ticked and come at the end of the sentence, do not add additional periods after them.

Correct

What does Tom mean when he asks, Does Maria assign tasks ...?
You should include the paragraph that starts with A miracle ...

6. Quoted Text and Backticked Text

Separate long quotes from the preceding paragraph with a blank line. This keeps the quoted or backticked text visually discernable and helps the learner easily copy it for pasting into the editor.

**Example**

Within your `.image-quote` element, nest an `hr` element, a `p` element, and a second `hr` element. Give the `p` element a class set to `quote` and the text:

`The millions of people who are learning to code through freeCodeCamp will have an even better resource to help them learn these fundamentals.`

Use a comma after a reporting phrase that introduces dialogue. Omit it when a short quotation fits directly into the sentence, as in Ask "What's your name?".

**Example**

She's using a simple and very common phrase to say, "Hi, good morning!"

7. Colons (vs. Commas vs. None)

In some cases, when quoting or presenting backticked text in a sentence, it is up to the author’s judgement to decide whether to separate the quoted text from the preceding sentence with a colon or a comma or nothing at all. However, we can try to follow some rules of thumb when deciding between these.

Use a colon if the quoted text illustrates something in the preceding text. The part before the colon must be a complete sentence.

**Correct**

- Your `console` statement should output the message: `Here is an example of accessing the second letter in the word [subject].`

- The expected output is the following: "Success."

**Incorrect**

- The question is: `¿De dónde eres?`

The colon separates the verb `is` from its complement; `The question is` is not a complete sentence.

Use a colon to introduce a quotation after a complete introductory sentence.

**Correct**

- Sebastián asks the following question: `¿A qué te dedicas?`

**Incorrect**

- Sebastián's question is: `¿A qué te dedicas?`

The colon separates the verb `is` from its complement.

Use a comma before quoted text if the sentence prior is acting as a reporting phrase. A reporting phrase ‘reports’ what the person said.

**Correct**

- Sebastián is asking Ángela, `¿A qué te dedicas?`

- To figure out if the app is working now, look at the last part of James' explanation where he says, `I fixed...`

**Incorrect**

- Focus on the sentence starting with, `We hadn't updated...`

Use a comma before a quotation that adds nonessential detail identifying a previously mentioned question or statement.

**Correct**

- The correct answer should provide information that directly responds to Bob's question, `What do we have to deal with now?`

- Which sentence best follows Brian's statement, `We touch on it, but perhaps not in enough detail.`?

Use nothing if the sentence preceding and the quoted text are both short and/or if the quote flows from the sentence.
```
**Example**

- Ask "What's your name?"

- Which option means "I'm Chinese. I'm a developer."?
```

8. Hyphenated Compound Words

When referring to front-end, back-end or full-stack, use the hyphenated form.

**Incorrect**
- Front End Libraries

**Correct**
- Front-End Libraries