What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
excerpt
Example
The article included an excerpt from the author's latest book. [excerpt: noun]
Example
She read an excerpt from the poem to her class. [excerpt: verb]
quotation
Example
The essay included several quotations from famous authors. [quotation: noun]
Example
He quoted Shakespeare in his speech to emphasize his point. [quoted: past tense verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Quotation is more commonly used than excerpt in academic or formal writing. Quotation is a standard way of citing sources and providing evidence for an argument, while excerpt is more commonly used in creative writing or literature.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between excerpt and quotation?
Both excerpt and quotation are commonly used in formal writing and require proper attribution to the original source. However, quotation is more formal and is the preferred method of citing sources in academic or professional writing.
