Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Using Correct Apostrophes.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 31, 2018)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
As you have learned in other WordTips, Word includes a feature that automatically converts straight quote marks to smart quotes—the type that pretty well match those used by professional typesetters. While this is great in most instances, it can be annoying when typing some types of words. For instance, you may want to type terms such as "the '80s" or "the '90s." Proper typography dictates that the apostrophes just before the numbers should curve down and to the left, but Word shows them as curving up and to the right. (The Word way would be fine if you were using the apostrophes to start out a full word or phrase.)
So how do you get the apostrophe to point in the proper direction? Granted, you could use the Symbol option from the Insert menu, or you could remember an arcane Alt sequence on the keypad, but there is an easier way. Type a character—any character—before you type the apostrophe. This fools Word into producing an apostrophe pointing in the proper direction. Now you can go back and delete the extraneous character. Word leaves the proper apostrophe and you can continue typing as desired.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (486) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Using Correct Apostrophes.
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2021-10-18 17:33:28
Meg Jamieson
I don’t have a newsletter to review - just a link to quotation marks
2018-06-05 15:22:36
LM
This is not correct. Later when editing it changes back. How can one make it stay the correct direction?
2018-04-25 07:05:04
Brian Crane
I use WORD 2016 and on my HP keyboard I just press Crl and hold pressing the apostrophe twice. It works for me.
2018-04-01 03:52:45
P.s. There is some similar comments over at the Word Ribbon Tip site version of this Tip
https://wordribbon.tips.net/T013274_Using_Correct_Apostrophes
2018-04-01 02:29:31
Hi Henry Noble
Thanks fort that Tip Henry, I have often wanted to quickly get the straight quotes ( double or single ) when typing a code in word. It was often annoying when something curved came up. ( I had previously resorted to copying the single or double quote from the VB Editor and then pasting into Word as a work around. )
Alan Elston
2018-03-31 12:45:15
Henry Noble
Even when smart (curly) quotes are enabled for a document, you may prefer the appearance of straight quotes in some instances. To get the straight quote symbol, simply press Ctrl-Z immediately after typing the quote symbol.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
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