You can modify quotations to fit your draft. It is acceptable, for example, to delete unnecessary words or to change the tense of a word in a partial quotation so that it fits your sentence. Keep in mind, however, that writers have an obligation to quote sources accurately and fairly. You should indicate when you have added or deleted words, and you should not modify quotations in a way that distorts their meaning.

The most useful strategies for modifying quotations include using an ellipsis mark (. . .) to indicate deleted words, using brackets ([ ]) to clarify meaning, and using “sic” to note errors in a source.

Modify a direct quotation using an ellipsis mark. When only part of a passage relates to your writing project, you might want to quote only that part in your document. To indicate that you have changed a quotation by deleting words, use three spaced periods, called an ellipsis mark ( . . . ). If you don’t, your readers will assume that the quotation you are presenting is identical to the text found in the source.

Original Passage

Under Congressional Republicans, however, funding to encourage community and national service through the Corporation has dropped in both nominal and real dollars. This year, the Republican FY 2007 Labor–Health and Human Services–Education appropriations (“LHHS”) bill cuts these efforts $77 million (9 percent) below FY 2006 and $112.5 million (12 percent) below FY 2004, when the Corporation’s funding was at its peak. In real terms, support for these volunteer programs will have been slashed 20 percent in the last four years. The result has been cuts in participation in all three national service programs.

Source: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations — Democratic Staff. House Republicans Slash National Service. September 12, 2006, p. 2.

Quotation Modified Correctly Using Ellipsis Marks

Modify a direct quotation using brackets. To modify a direct quotation by changing or adding words, use brackets ([ ]). If you don’t, readers will assume that the quotation you are presenting is identical to the text found in the source.

The following example shows the use of brackets to change the tense of a verb in a partial quotation.

Original Quotation

“They treated us like family and refused to accept a tip.”

Modified Quotation

Modify quotations using “sic.”. If a passage you are quoting contains a misspelled word or an incorrect fact, use the word “sic” in brackets to indicate that the error occurred in the original passage. If you don’t, your readers might think that the mistake is yours.

Quotation Modified Correctly Using “Sic”

“George W. Brush’s [sic] interest in faith-based initiatives strongly shaped his national service agenda” (Vincent 221).