Top 6 Best Lessons on 'Quotation Marks'

I. ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE TO MASTER

Quotation marks are used to indicate:

- Direct speech from a character. This can include:

+ A single word

+ A sentence

+ A passage

Words used with a special or figurative meaning:

+ Sarcasm

Example: In some places today, there's a fee called 'village tax' or 'neighborhood tax'.

+ Humor

Example: This year for Tet, you don’t have to give me a plum or peach tree. Just give me a “trendy tree” instead!

- Quoting titles of works, newspapers, magazines, etc.

II. PRACTICE EXERCISES

Question 1: Explain the function of quotation marks:

a) “It seems like you blame me; you mutter, looking at me as if to say, ‘Oh! This old man is awful! I’ve lived with him all this time, and this is how he treats me?’”

(Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

Quotation marks are used to separate direct speech—in this case, the imagined words of a dog as imagined by the character Lão Hạc.

b) The ‘attendant of the village chief’ is weaker than the street-smart girl, who easily knocks him down, sending him tumbling to the ground.

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

Here, quotation marks are used to convey sarcasm: the man, seen as a servant to a powerful figure, is easily humiliated by a stronger woman.

c) The two words “little one” were pronounced by my aunt with such sweetness, such clarity, they wound around my heart as she intended.

(Nguyên Hồng, Những ngày thơ ấu)

Quotation marks are used to isolate words borrowed from another speaker within the writer’s sentence.

d) Before 1914, they were just filthy “black people,” “Annamese” who only knew how to pull rickshaws and endure the blows of colonial officials. Then, when the joyful war broke out, they suddenly became the “beloved children,” the “dear friends” of the same officials, even the high-ranking colonial leaders.

(Nguyễn Ái Quốc, Thuế máu)

Quotation marks are used to highlight borrowed words that convey irony or sarcasm in the writer’s context.

e) Nguyễn Du recounted the scene where Hồ Tôn Hiến listens to music:

The more he listened, the more entranced he became,

Even a steel face could soften from love.

That “steel face,” which “softened with love,” was certainly not a sight to behold!

(Hoài Thanh, in Literary Criticism and Essays, Vol. 1)

Colons are used to introduce a passage directly quoted from Nguyễn Du's Truyện Kiều.

Question 2: Place colons and quotation marks appropriately.

a) When the sign was put up, a passerby read it and laughed, saying:

- Does this restaurant always sell rotten fish? Why is the sign now advertising “fresh fish”?

The restaurant heard this and immediately removed the word “fresh”.

(Treo biển)

- Place a colon after “laughed, saying” to introduce direct speech.

- Place quotation marks around “fresh fish” to indicate words borrowed from someone else.

b) He took to heart the advice of Uncle Tiến Lê: “Draw something that is most familiar to you.”

(Tạ Duy Anh, My Sister’s Painting)

- Place a colon after “Uncle Tiến Lê” to introduce the direct quotation.

- Place quotation marks around the direct quotation, as it is someone else’s words.

c) [...] When the old man’s son returns, I will give it to him and say: “This is the garden that your father worked so hard to leave to you; he would rather die than sell a piece of it...”

(Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

Question 3: Two sentences may have similar meanings but use different punctuation marks due to:

a) Direct quotation, using the exact words of President Hồ Chí Minh, which requires colons and quotation marks.

b) Indirect quotation, where the exact words of President Hồ Chí Minh are not used, so no punctuation marks are needed, and the sentence is seamlessly integrated into the writer’s words.

- Parentheses

- Quotation marks

- Colons

Be sure to clearly explain why each punctuation mark was used in your paragraph.

- Parentheses

- Quotation marks

- Colons

Then explain why each punctuation mark was used in the excerpt.

Exercise 1, Pages 142-143, Textbook

Explain the function of quotation marks in the following excerpts:

a) It seems like it’s blaming me; it barks as if saying: “Oh! This old man is awful! How could I have lived with him and yet he treats me like this?”

b) The ‘attendant of the village chief’ is weaker than the street-smart girl, who grabs his hair and knocks him down onto the pavement.

c) “Childhood Days” (Nguyên Hồng) primarily recalls the painful and difficult memories of a child born into a broken family.

d) “Before 1914, they were just filthy ‘black people,’ ‘Annamese,’ barely able to pull rickshaws and suffer the beatings of our colonial masters. Then, when the fun war broke out, they suddenly turned into ‘beloved children’ and ‘dear friends’ of the same masters, even the high-ranking ones. In an instant, these locals were given the supreme title of ‘warriors defending justice and freedom’.”

e) Nguyễn Du described the scene where Hồ Tôn Hiến listens to music:

The more he listened, the more entranced he became,

Even a steel face softened with love.

That “steel face,” which “softened with love,” was certainly not a sight to behold.

Answers:

a) The part in quotation marks represents the words that Lão Hạc imagines the dog might say to him.

b) The words in quotation marks point to whom? What is the author's intention by placing these words in quotation marks?

c) Is the phrase “little one” spoken by the boy Hồng or by someone else?

d) Do the words in quotation marks belong to the author? What does the use of quotation marks convey about the writer’s intent?

e) See (c), (d).

Exercise 2, Page 143, Textbook

Insert colons and quotation marks appropriately (adjust capitalization when needed) in the following excerpts and explain why:

a) When the sign was put up, a passerby read it and laughed, saying, “Does this restaurant always sell rotten fish? Why does the sign now say ‘fresh fish’?” The restaurant immediately removed the word ‘fresh.’

b) He took to heart the advice of Uncle Tiến Lê: “Draw something that is most familiar to you.”

c) Lão Hạc, please rest in peace! Do not worry about your garden. I will take care of it. When your son returns, I will give it to him and say: ‘This is the garden that your father worked so hard to preserve for you; he would rather die than sell any part of it.’

Answers:

a) This excerpt uses a colon and two pairs of quotation marks.

b) This excerpt uses a colon and one pair of quotation marks.

c) This excerpt uses a colon and one pair of quotation marks.

Exercise 3, Page 143, Textbook

Why do the following sentences convey the same meaning but use different punctuation marks?

a) President Hồ Chí Minh said: “I have only one desire, a supreme desire, which is to make our country fully independent, our people fully free, and ensure that everyone has enough food, clothes, and access to education.”

b) President Hồ Chí Minh said He had only one desire, a supreme desire, which was to make our country fully independent, our people fully free, and ensure that everyone had enough food, clothes, and access to education.

Answer:

Pay attention to the difference between the first-person perspective (speaker/writer) and the third-person (the person being spoken about).

Exercise 4, Page 144, Textbook

Write a short expository paragraph using parentheses, colons, and quotation marks, and explain the function of each punctuation mark used.

Exercise 5, Page 144, Textbook

Find examples where parentheses, colons, and quotation marks are used in a lesson from the 8th-grade literature textbook, Volume 1, and explain their functions.

Answer:

Look for examples where all three punctuation marks (parentheses, colons, and quotation marks) are used.

Exercise 6

Explain the function of quotation marks in the following excerpts:

a) My parents eagerly bought everything my sister needed for drawing. Uncle Tiến Lê even gave her a “colleague” a box of fine-quality foreign paints.

(Tạ Duy Anh, My Sister’s Painting)

b) How many hired writers

Praise the talent

With their deft hands, creating strokes

Like phoenixes dancing, dragons soaring

(Vũ Đình Liên, The Scholar)

Answer:

a) Is the person called ‘colleague’ here really a colleague of the artist?

b) Is the line “With their deft hands, creating strokes - Like phoenixes dancing, dragons soaring” truly from the poet?

A. REQUEST

- Understand the function of quotation marks: They are used to mark direct speech, phrases, or excerpts; indicate words with a special meaning or sarcastic undertones; and highlight titles of works, newspapers, or journals being cited.

- Be able to use quotation marks correctly in writing.

B. SUGGESTED ANSWERS FOR QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES IN THE LESSON

Usage of quotation marks:

What are the purposes of the quotation marks in the following excerpts? (SGK, pages 141-142)

Suggestions:

a) Quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech (the words of Gandhi).

b) Quotation marks are used to indicate a special meaning derived metaphorically (the bridge is referred to as a 'silk ribbon').

c) Quotation marks are used to highlight words with sarcastic connotations.

d) Quotation marks are used to mark the titles of plays.

EXERCISES

Exercise 1: Explain the use of quotation marks in the following excerpts: (SGK, pages 142-143)

Suggestions:

a) Quotation marks are used to mark direct speech. This is a phrase that Lão Hạc thinks the golden dog might say to him.

b) Quotation marks are used to highlight sarcastic phrases: A man who is supposedly the “servant of the official” is knocked down by a woman with a child.

c) Quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech (recounting words from a deceased person).

d) Quotation marks are used to mark direct speech with a sarcastic undertone.

e) Quotation marks are used to highlight direct speech (quoting a poem by Nguyễn Du). Poetry is often quoted without quotation marks.

Exercise 2: Place the appropriate colons and quotation marks in the following excerpts, adjusting capitalization when necessary, and explain why. (SGK, page 143)

Suggestions:

a) Place a colon after 'cười bảo' to indicate the upcoming dialogue. Place quotation marks around 'cá tươi' and 'tươi' to mark the quoted words. The correct format should be:

The sign was hung up, and a passerby read it, laughing and saying:

- This place used to sell rotten fish, so why now advertise 'fresh fish'? The restaurant immediately decided to remove the word 'fresh'.

b) Place a colon after 'chú Tiến Lê' to introduce direct speech, and place quotation marks around 'Cháu hãy vẽ cái gì thân thuộc nhất với cháu' (this is direct speech) while capitalizing 'Cháu' (since it's the start of a sentence). The correct format should be:

He absorbed the lesson from Tiến Lê: "Draw what is most familiar to you."

c) Place a colon after 'bảo hắn' to introduce direct speech, and put quotation marks around 'here is the garden your father wanted to leave for you intact; he would rather die than sell even a small plot...'. Also, capitalize 'Here' (as it begins a new sentence). The correct format should be:

Lão Hạc, rest assured and close your eyes! Don't worry about your garden. I will take care of it. When your son returns, I will give it to him and tell him: "Here is the garden your father wanted to leave for you intact; he would rather die than sell even a small plot...".

Exercise 3: Why do the following two sentences have the same meaning but use different punctuation? (SGK, pages 143-144)

Suggestions:

Both sentences express the same meaning, but differ in punctuation:

Sentence (a) includes direct speech, quoting Hồ Chí Minh's exact words, so it uses both a colon and quotation marks. In sentence (b), Hồ Chí Minh's words are paraphrased, so no colon or quotation marks are needed.

Exercise 4: Write a short explanatory paragraph that uses parentheses, colons, and quotation marks. Explain the function of each punctuation mark used.

Suggestions:

Write a short explanatory paragraph on a topic of your choice. For example, you might introduce a book, a writer, or your school. Here's an example introducing the writer Thanh Tịnh:

Thanh Tịnh (1911-1988), born Trần Văn Ninh in the Gia Lạc village near the Perfume River, outskirts of Huế, began his career teaching before writing and composing poetry. His works are known for their gentle, sincere, and pure beauty. Notable works include: 'Hận chiến trường' (1937, poetry), 'Quê mẹ' (1941, short stories), 'Ngậm ngải tìm trầm' (1943, short stories), and others...

- The parentheses in the paragraph provide additional information about Thanh Tịnh's birth and death years.

- The colon introduces a list of his notable works.

- The quotation marks highlight the titles of his works.

Exercise 5: Identify instances where parentheses, colons, and quotation marks are used in a lesson from the 8th-grade Vietnamese language textbook, and explain their function.

Suggestions:

You can find examples of these punctuation marks in a lesson in the 8th-grade textbook. Re-write the examples and explain the function of each punctuation mark. For example, in the additional reading 'Chú giống con họ hung' (page 59), these punctuation marks are used:

A military unit on a march stopped in Quảng Bình to rest at an old man's house. The old man, after greeting each soldier, looked at a dark-skinned soldier and said naturally:

- This one looks like a dung beetle.

The soldier, unfamiliar with the local dialect, was confused. Later, he understood that the phrase meant: 'This one resembles your father’s son.'

(Nguyễn Văn Tứ, 'Chuyện vui ngữ nghĩa')

- The colon is used twice: first, to introduce the old man’s dialogue, and second, to introduce the direct speech.

- The quotation marks are used to mark the direct speech.

- The parentheses explain the author and work of the story.

I. Purpose

a. To mark direct speech (a quote from Gandhi).

b. To highlight words understood in a special way, formed through metaphorical expressions.

c. To emphasize words with a sarcastic meaning: civilization and enlightenment are essentially exploitation.

d. To indicate the title of cited works.

II. Practice

Question 1 (SGK, page 142, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

a. Mark the direct speech section.

b. Mark the sarcastic expression: 'the servant of the official' refers to a sycophant.

c. Mark the quoted words directly.

d. Mark the quoted words, which also have a sarcastic undertone.

e. Mark the quoted words directly.

Question 2 (SGK, page 143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1): Insert the appropriate punctuation:

a. The sign was just hung up, and a passerby laughed and said:

…

The restaurant decided to immediately remove the word 'fresh'.

→ The colon marks the dialogue.

→ The quotation marks highlight the words used in a special sense.

b. He absorbed the advice from Tiến Lê: “Draw what is most familiar to you.”

→ The colon and quotation marks indicate direct speech.

c. ...he said: “This is the garden... a single plot of land...”

→ The quotation marks and colon mark the direct speech.

Question 3 (SGK, page 143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

The two excerpts have the same meaning but different punctuation because:

a. Direct speech is quoted word-for-word from President Hồ Chí Minh, so a colon and quotation marks are used.

b. Indirect speech, paraphrasing Hồ Chí Minh's words, doesn't require punctuation but is connected directly to the writer's words.

“Smoking is banned in public places, with heavy fines for violators (in Belgium, from 1987, the first offense is fined 40 dollars, and repeat offenses are fined 500 dollars). Everywhere, anti-smoking materials and signs are gradually overtaking tobacco advertisements. In just a few years, this anti-smoking campaign has significantly reduced the number of smokers, and the prospect of promoting the slogan for the end of the 20th century: 'A Europe without tobacco' seems possible.”

- The parentheses explain additional details about the penalties for smoking in public in Belgium.

- The colon and quotation marks introduce the explanatory section regarding the future prospect of Europe being tobacco-free.

Exercise 5 (SGK, page 144, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):
- Some say: The population issue has been raised since ancient times.
- Upon hearing this story, I suddenly “saw the light”...
- According to statistics from the Cairo Conference (Egypt), held on September 5, 1994, the birth rate for women in India is 4.5; Nepal: 6.3; Rwanda: 8.1.

I. PURPOSE

What are the functions of the quotation marks in the following excerpts?

a) Gandhi had a motto: “It is hard to win everyone over, but even harder to foster love, compassion, and understanding between people.”

(According to Lâm Ngữ Đường, 'Mastering Social Etiquette')

b) From a distance, the Long Biên Bridge looks like a silk ribbon stretching over the Red River, but in reality, this 'silk ribbon' weighs 17,000 tons!

(Thúy Lan, 'Long Biên Bridge – A Historical Witness')

c) Bamboo and people have shared this bond for thousands of years. A century of 'civilization' and 'enlightenment' by colonialists couldn't produce a single nail. Bamboo continues to struggle with people.

(Thép Mới, 'The Bamboo of Vietnam')

d) Numerous plays such as “The Woman's Hand”, “Enlightenment”, and “Across the Đuống River” were born.

(Vietnamese Language 7, Volume 2)

Answer:

a) Direct quotation (a quote from Gandhi).

b) Words used with a special meaning: “silk ribbon” refers to the bridge (metaphor).

c) Words with sarcastic undertones. The colonizers' terms like 'civilization' and 'enlightenment' are used ironically to describe their oppression of our nation. The quotation marks in this excerpt mark direct speech.

d) Titles of the plays.

II. PRACTICE

Answer to Question 1 (Page 142, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

Explain the function of quotation marks in the excerpts (pages 142-143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1).

Detailed answer:

Quotation marks are used to:

a) Mark direct speech (words that Lão Hạc imagined the golden dog might say to him).

b) Indicate words with a sarcastic tone.

c) Mark words quoted directly, repeating someone else's words.

d) Mark words that are quoted directly and also have sarcastic meaning.

e) Mark words directly quoted from Nguyễn Du’s poem 'The Tale of Kiều', such as “Stone face” and “dazed by love”. Even though the verses are directly quoted, quotations are rarely placed within quotation marks for poetry.

Answer to Question 2 (Page 143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

Insert colons and quotation marks in the appropriate places in the excerpts (pages 143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1) and explain why.

Detailed answer:

Insert the colon after “laughed and said” to introduce direct speech; place quotation marks around “fresh” and 'fresh' to highlight quoted words.

Insert the colon after “chú Tiến Lê” to indicate the introduction of direct speech and put quotation marks around the remainder: “Draw what is most familiar to you” to mark direct speech.

Insert the colon after “told him” to introduce direct speech and place quotation marks around the rest: “This is the garden that your father worked hard to leave you” to indicate direct speech. Capitalize the word “This”.

Answer to Question 3 (Page 143, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

Why do the two sentences (pages 143-144, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1) have the same meaning but different punctuation?

Detailed answer:

The two sentences have the same meaning but use different punctuation.

a) Use a colon and quotation marks to indicate direct speech, quoting Hồ Chí Minh's exact words.

b) Do not use a colon or quotation marks because the speech is not quoted directly (indirect speech).

Answer to Question 4 (Page 144, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

Write a short explanatory paragraph using parentheses, colons, and quotation marks. Explain the purpose of each punctuation mark in the excerpt.

Detailed answer:

Example: Vũ Đình Liên (1913-1996), from Hanoi, was one of the early poets of the New Poetry movement. In his famous poem 'The Scholar', he wrote:

“This year, the peach blossoms again

But the old scholar is nowhere to be found

The people of the past

Where have their souls gone now?”

- Parentheses: To add a note.

- Colon: Before a direct quote.

- Quotation marks: To indicate a direct quote.

Answer to Question 5 (Page 144, Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1):

Find instances of parentheses, colons, and quotation marks in a lesson from Vietnamese Language 8, Volume 1, and explain their functions.

Detailed answer:

- Some argue that: The issue of population was raised since ancient times.

- Upon hearing this story, I suddenly “saw the light”...

- According to the statistics from the Cairo Conference (Egypt) held on September 5, 1994, the birth rate of a woman in India is 4.5; Nepal: 6.3; Rwanda: 8.1.

Basic Knowledge

The purpose of quotation marks:

- To mark direct speech, words, or passages being quoted;

- To highlight words that are understood in a special or ironic way;

- To indicate the titles of works, newspapers, journals, etc. that are being cited.

ExplanationWhat do the quotation marks in the following examples signify?

a) Mahatma Gandhi had a principle: "Conquering people is considered difficult by many, but creating love, compassion, and understanding between individuals is even harder."

(Quoted by Lam Ngữ Đường, The Essence of Social Life)

b) From a distance, the Long Bien Bridge looks like a silk ribbon curving across the Red River, but in reality, this "silk ribbon" weighs 17 thousand tons!

(Thuy Lan, Long Bien Bridge – A Witness to History)

c) Bamboo and people have shared their bond for thousands of years. Even a century of "civilization" and "enlightenment" under colonial rule couldn't create a single piece of iron. Bamboo still struggles alongside humans.

(New Steel, The Bamboo Tree of Vietnam)

d) Several plays such as "The Woman's Hand", "Enlightenment", and "Across the Duong River" emerged.

(Grade 7 Literature, Volume Two)

Answer:

a) The quotation marks are used to quote Mahatma Gandhi's direct speech.

b) Quotation marks highlight words that emphasize the image of the Long Bien Bridge.

c) Quotation marks here are used to signify words that carry ironic or satirical meanings.

d) Quotation marks are used to denote the titles of the plays.

Exercise

1- Page 142 of the Textbook

Explain the function of quotation marks in the following passages:

a) It kept printing as if it were blaming me; it whined, looking at me, as if to say: "Ah! This old man is terrible! I've lived with him like this, and this is how he treats me?"

(Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

b) In the end, the "servant of Mr. 15" was weaker than the servant girl, who grabbed him by the hair and threw him down the steps.

(Ngô Tất Tố, Tắt đèn)

c) The two words "little girl", which my aunt stretched out so sweetly and clearly, really twisted my heart as she intended.

(Nguyên Hồng, My Childhood Days)

d) Before 1914, they were just dirty black men, "Annamese" as they were called, only good for pulling carts and taking beatings from the local rulers. But as soon as the joyous war broke out, they suddenly became "beloved children" and "dear friends" of the local rulers, even the high-ranking ones. They were unexpectedly given the highest title of "soldiers defending justice and freedom".

(Nguyễn Ái Quốc, Blood Tax)

e) Nguyễn Du narrated the scene where Hồ Tôn Hiến listens to music:

The more I listened, the more entranced I became,

Strangely, even the "iron face" was moved by love.

The "iron face" that "was moved by love" wasn’t particularly beautiful!

(Hoài Thanh, in Volume 1 of Literary Criticism and Review)

Answer:

a) The quotation marks are used to quote the imagined speech of the dog in Lão Hạc's thoughts.

b) Quotation marks are used to express irony and satire: the servant of Mr. Lí is easily beaten by a woman.

c) Quotation marks are used to quote words borrowed from someone else's speech in the writer's narrative.

d) Quotation marks are used to separate the author's borrowed words and convey a satirical tone.

e) The colon is used to introduce a quote from another's direct speech.

2- Page 143 of the Textbook

Insert colons and quotation marks where appropriate (adjusting capitalization where necessary) in the following excerpts and explain why:

a) The sign was just put up when a passerby saw it, laughed, and said:

- Does this shop always sell spoiled fish, or is that why they now have to advertise "fresh fish"?

The shop, hearing this, immediately removed the word "fresh".

(From The Sign)

b) He absorbed his teacher Tiến Lê's advice: "Draw what is most familiar to you."

(From Tạ Duy Anh, My Sister's Painting)

c) Lão Hạc, don't worry! Close your eyes in peace! Don’t worry about your garden. I will protect it for you. When your son comes back, I will hand it over to him and say: 'This is the garden that your father left for you, and he would rather die than sell a square of it...'

(From Nam Cao, Lão Hạc)

Answer:

a) - The colon follows "laughed, and said" to introduce the dialogue.

- Quotation marks are used around "fresh fish" and "fresh" to highlight the words spoken by the passerby.

b) - The colon follows "Tiến Lê" to introduce the direct quote.

- Quotation marks are used for the quote: "Draw what is most familiar to you."

c) - Quotation marks follow "said to him" to indicate the quoted speech.

- Quotation marks are used around "This is the garden your father..." to signify the quoted text.

3- Page 143 of the Textbook

Why do the following two sentences have the same meaning but use different punctuation?

a) President Hồ Chí Minh said: "I have only one desire, an overwhelming desire: to make our country completely independent, our people completely free, and everyone has enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and the opportunity for education."

b) President Hồ Chí Minh said: He only had one desire, an overwhelming desire: to make our country completely independent, our people completely free, and everyone has enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and the opportunity for education.

Answer:

- The two passages have the same meaning but use different punctuation because:

a) The direct quote, verbatim from President Hồ Chí Minh, requires both a colon and quotation marks.

b) The indirect quote does not require quotation marks as it is paraphrased and integrated into the writer’s narrative.

4- Page 144 of the Textbook

Write a brief explanatory paragraph that uses parentheses, colons, and quotation marks. Explain the function of these punctuation marks in the passage.

Answer:

Hoan Kiem Lake (also known as Hồ Gươm) is not only one of the most famous landmarks in Hanoi, but it also symbolizes the city's deep history. The lake was originally called Hồ Thủy Lục because its waters were always crystal clear. The legend of the "sacred sword" is tied to the lake, stemming from Emperor Lê Lợi’s victory over the Minh invaders. As a result, the story of the "sacred sword" became iconic, reminding everyone of Vietnam’s glorious past. The area surrounding the lake boasts several famous landmarks that enhance its historical charm: The Thê Húc Bridge, Ngọc Sơn Temple, the Pen Tower, and the Temple of King Lê Thái Tổ. Hồ Gươm remains a sacred symbol of Hanoi's thousand-year-old culture.

5- Page 144 of the Textbook

- The colon: As soon as he saw me, he immediately reported: "Cậu Vàng is dead, sir!" Function: Marks direct speech.

- Quotation marks: After hearing this story, I suddenly "saw the light"... Function: Indicates realization or understanding.

- Parentheses: Smoking is prohibited in all public areas, with heavy fines for violators (in Belgium, fines have been as high as 500 dollars since 1987).