Mike Powell - ANTON SHEPELEV:

> > David said "Today we shall all be working hard, don't slack
> > off.".
>
> > Both the quoted and quoting sentences shall have their
> > terminating punctuation.  No comma is logically required after
> > `said' because David's utternace is its direct object.
>
> I was always taught to put a comma after the "said," and to put
> the ending period inside the quotes, like this:
>
> David said, "Today we shall all be working hard, don't slack off."
>
> Maybe someone who is better at grammar should take a go at it.  :)

You were taught right, Mike.  I only wrote that this traditional
punctuation is beautiful yet very illogical.  And sometimes
beautiful is preferrable.

---