Reader Melissa, who obviously has a cool clear eye for the pursuit of wisdom and truth,* writes with another grammar issue:

Quick question: Should single quote marks be used simply to set a word or term off, to indicate that it’s slang, or an understood term, such as ‘the system’ or ‘crack’?  Or should double quote marks be used? 

This one is easy.  Words and phrases that you are quoting, or referring to as a word in and of itself, or in other ways emphasizing (e.g., when you intend to be snide or ironic) are set off with double quotation marks. 

Example:  It’s hard to work within “the system,” but we should try.   

Single quotation marks are for quotations within quotations.** 

Example: Fred Smith, Melissa’s boss, said, “It’s hard to work within ‘the system,’ but you better try.”

Putting words you want to emphasize in italics is also nice.

*People who’ve seen the 1967 film, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, will know what this means!  Worth renting.

**For quotes within quotes within quotes, use double quotation marks.  And so on.  But that way lies madness.

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