What punctuation marks a direct quote?

Quotation marks are the punctuation that denotes a direct quote. They are used to indicate that the words within them are the exact words spoken or written by a person, highlighting the distinction between the speaker's or author's original phrasing and the rest of the text. This helps the reader understand that they are reading someone else's dialogue or thoughts, which is crucial for clarity and attribution in writing.

For instance, if an author writes, "The research shows significant results," the use of quotation marks signals that these words are directly taken from the source. This practice is essential in maintaining the integrity of the original statement and providing proper credit to the speaker.