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Keep your quotations short and to the point. Using just a few words is more powerful than copying out chunks of text: it shows you are being selective in what you say. You should also be careful to copy accurately. Put the quotation inside your own sentence, rather than sticking it in the middle of a page and then commenting on it. This is called embedding a quotation.

So rather than:

“He flew like a butterfly.” This is an example of a simile, which shows that he was light and graceful.

Or:

The author uses similes, eg “he flew like a butterfly”.

You would write:

The author uses the simile of the boy flying “like a butterfly” to convey the impression that he is light and graceful.

The words from the text are embedded as part of your sentence – the quotation fits into the sentence to form part of it.

When comparing two texts, you should select a quotation from each one to illustrate the similarities or differences that you have identified.

Making the most of quotations

You should make a close analysis of the language or structural feature evidenced by the quotation and use that to support your point.

There are several ways you can do this:

• Select a word from the quotation and explore its connotations. The connotations of a word are the things or ideas it reminds you of, rather than its literal meaning. For example, the word ‘red’ is literally an adjective used to describe the colour of something. But, depending on the context, it could signify embarrassment, eg 'His face turned red'; or a warning, eg 'It was a red light to her.'
• Link sets of words to provide an overview of their effect. For example, the writer could use a specific type of vocabulary, eg words associated with danger such as ‘treacherous’, ‘deadly’ and ‘threatening’ work together to create an ominous atmosphere.
• Use the correct terms to talk about language and structural features, eg metaphor, simile or contrast. However, avoid simply listing features – you must analyse the intended purpose and possible effect on the reader.