It's correct. If would've is wrong, where would the improper usage of would of come from? For formal writing, you can eliminate the headache by avoiding all uses of contractions.
Sorry to bump this thread back up but I have a question about quotation marks, specifically their use at the end of sentences. When using quotation marks at the end of sentences, do you include the punctuation within the quotation marks or outside the quotation marks?
...should have been... It's two words: "a" and "lot." Me fail English? It no sense... [/sarcasm] alert
I thought the rule depended upon the use of the quotation mark. If you are quoting a question, it is within. Jane said, "Where is the ball?" If you are typing a quotation within a question, it is outside. Is Tmac truly a "point forward"?
Like everything in grammar, it depends. He said, "I hate you." Do you believe what he said, "I hate you"? In the second example resist the urge to put a period in. ... he said, "I hate you."? Confused? If I am correct - and I believe that I am - the only type of punctuation mark set outside a quote is a question mark. There will be some that say "oh you should set the comma outside a quote," - and people do this all the time - and those people - even at publications - would be WRONG!
http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp Rule 1. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes. Examples: The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds. She said, "Hurry up." She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'" Rule 2. The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. Examples: She asked, "Will you still be my friend?" Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? Here the question is outside the quote. NOTE: Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used. Rule 3. When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark. Example: Did she say, "May I go?" Rule 4. Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks. Example: He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that way.'" Rule 5. Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation only. Examples: "When will you be here?" he asked. He asked when you will be there. Rule 6. Do not use quotation marks with quoted material that is more than three lines in length. See Colons , Rule 5, for style guidance with longer quotes. Rule 7. When you are quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in brackets. Sic means, "This is the way the original material was." Example: She wrote, "I would rather die then [sic] be seen wearing the same outfit as my sister." Should be than, not then.
Rule 1. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes. I was taught the reason for this rule was that on printing presses a period or comma at the end of a line would sometimes fall of the press so the printers placed just those two inside quotes. I think that is a dubious reason, but it helps me remember the rule.
Thanks! That's what I thought but I couldn't think of the reason why, other than that it sounded better.
Can you end a sentence with the word "is" ? Example: "I am going to find out where Charlie is." (Also, I included a question mark above outside the quotation marks. Should I have included it within?)
Is it towards or toward or does it even matter? For some reason I always use toward but my girlfriend uses towards.
