"Object of the verb" Quotes from Famous Books
 ... the quotation is introduced by formal words such as the following:—"He spoke these words," "he spoke as follows," "he made this speech." But, in the first sentence quoted above, the introductory words are grammatically incomplete without the quotation, which forms the object of the verb "says"; the colon accordingly is the strongest point that can be used. Sometimes the connexion between the introductory words and the quotation may be so close, or the quotation itself may be so short, as to ...
— "Stops" - Or How to Punctuate. A Practical Handbook for Writers and Students • Paul Allardyce |
