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I'm trying to sort out whether the same rules apply to thoughts as quotes in this context. Also curious to know if using italics for this in the first place is proper.

I wish I knew how to write thought Bob as he smeared his chest with peanut butter.

or

I wish I knew how to write, thought Bob as he smeared his chest with peanut butter.

Edwin Ashworth
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Anonymous Man
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    There is a move towards more flexible punctuation, especially using commas, and especially around quotes. Clarity must, of course, not be compromised, but in fact, many authors think that the availability of different punctuation can actually be beneficial. With examples like the following, I wouldn't use a comma after even direct speech (or should it be classed differently in cases like this?) and before the framing structure: << "I'll have to get to the nearest phone box" was what I said. >> – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 19:43
  • A couple of examples: << "I can't say exactly which it was, but definitely "Britain first" was what he said. >> [Mirror] // << 'ungrateful scamp' was what he said >> [Treasure Island, RL Stevenson] (Cleave Books edition) – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 19:57
  • And when quoting in an academic context it's common not to use commas, e.g. Jones calls this "boring". – Stuart F Feb 09 '24 at 13:43

1 Answers1

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Yes.

Italics serve basically the same purpose as quotes: to set off the "quoted" part (whether it's spoken words or just thoughts) from the rest of the sentence. The punctuation in both cases should be the same.

From GrammarBook.com:

Internal dialogue is used by authors to indicate what a character is thinking.

Direct internal dialogue refers to a character thinking the exact thoughts as written, often in the first person. (The first person singular is I, the first person plural is we.)

Example: “I lied,” Charles thought, “but maybe she will forgive me.”

Notice that quotation marks and other punctuation are used as if the character had spoken aloud.

You may also use italics without quotation marks for direct internal dialogue.

Example: I lied, Charles thought, but maybe she will forgive me.

And from this rather Stack Exchange-like site (albeit without citation):

Thought dialogue follows the same punctuation rules as a speaker's dialogue minus the quotation marks.

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Rand al'Thor
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    But this answer is merely a style recommendation, no matter how big your 'YES' is. And worryingly, Jane Straus, at GrammarBook, whom you quote, obviously believed NO, a comma isn't needed after an italicized thought. She gives a further example: "... examples of internal dialogue [give] the exact thoughts of the character....

    “My room was bare,” I thought. OR My room was bare I thought. ' "

     – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 10:28
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    @EdwinAshworth Erk, at least for that example it sounds awful to me without a pause, and doesn't register as a pause. – Weaver Oct 10 '16 at 10:35
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    @StarWeaver Like you, I'd use one to signal the pause there. But the example does call into question the reliability of 'authorities'. It's difficult to find an example where the pause isn't better included. << I'll have to get to the nearest phone box was what I was thinking. >> Here, I'd argue that anyone insisting on a comma was over-prescriptive. (Actually, OP's example doesn't need one either unless you impose 'rules' for their own sake.) – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 11:19
  • @EdwinAshworth But the question was "is a comma needed as it is with a quote", not "is a comma needed after an italicised thought". The central premise of my answer is that the punctuation in both cases - quotes or italics - should be the same, which I don't think the linked article contradicts. – Rand al'Thor Oct 10 '16 at 18:52
  • 'Is a comma needed after an italicized thought as it is with a quote?' means 'A comma is needed after a quote [which of course also needs to be put inside inverted commas]. If you choose to use italics for rather than inverted commas around internal dialogue, is the comma necessary in this case?' And your authority gives an example without the comma. Also, I'd not want the comma in << I'll have to get to the nearest phone box was what I was thinking. >>: it disrupts the natural flow. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 19:07
  • @EdwinAshworth Would you say a comma in << "I'll have to get to the nearest phone box" was what I said. >> is more important than a comma in << I'll have to get to the nearest phone box was what I was thinking. >> ? – Rand al'Thor Oct 10 '16 at 19:28
  • No; I don't agree that a comma is necessary there with direct speech either. I'd leave it out with this example. // I'll put this as a comment to the question itself, also. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 10 '16 at 19:35