punctuation - How are "yes" and "no" formatted in sentences?


If I am expecting an answer from a question and wish to state my prediction, do I need to use quotes around a simple "yes" or "no"?



I think the answer is no. / I think the answer is "no."


That would be a yes. / That would be a "yes."



Potential end cases:



Why would he say, "No"?


The votes are in; three yeses and four nos.


The options are yes or no; not "maybe."




Answer



Unless there's a style guide telling you otherwise, I'd suggest basing your decision on whether you mean the literal words 'yes' and 'no', or the general nature of the response. Consider:



Why would he say, "No"? (For that is the word that he said.)



vs



Why would he say no? (What he actually said was "Over my dead body", but let's not worry about that detail.)



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