Curly double quotes

Also called smart quotes or typographer's quotes.

How to type it

Mac: Option + [ and Shift + Option + [. Windows: Alt + 0147 and Alt + 0148 on the number pad.

Common uses

• Curly double quotes wrap spoken words and quoted passages in books, articles, and formal documents.
• Word processors and phone keyboards usually turn straight quotes into curly ones automatically.

Less common uses

• The opening mark “ looks like a small 66 and the closing mark ” like a small 99.
• Programming languages and shells need straight quotes, so pasting curly quotes into code often causes errors.
• Word processors began converting straight quotes to curly ones automatically, which is why they are called smart quotes.