The pair consists of an opening quotation mark and a closing quotation mark, which may or may not be the same character. Quotation marks have a variety of forms in different languages and in different media.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark
The closing single quotation mark is identical or similar in form (depending on the font) to the apostrophe and similar to the prime symbol. However, these three characters have quite different purposes. The double quotation mark is similar to—and often used to represent—the ditto mark and the double prime symbol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark
Quotation marks, also called quotes, quote marks, quotemarks, speech marks, inverted commas or talking marks, are punctuation marks used in pairs in various writing systems to set off direct speech, a quotation, or a phrase.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark
In all the examples above, note how the period or comma punctuation always comes before the final quotation mark. It is important to realize also that when you are using MLA or some other form of documentation, this punctuation rule may change.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/01/
We use quotation marks to show (or mark) the beginning and end of a word or phrase that is somehow special or comes from outside the text that we are writing. Quotation marks can be double (...) or single ('...') - that is really a matter of style (but see below for more about this). Quotation marks are also called quotes or inverted commas. 1. Use quotation marks around the title or name of a book, film, ship etc: The second most popular book of all time, Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung, has sold over 800,000,000 copies and was formerly known as The Red Book.
https://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation-quotation-marks.htm
Indirect quotations are not exact wordings but rather rephrasings or summaries of another person's words. In this case, it is not necessary to use quotation marks. However, indirect quotations still require proper citations, and you will be commiting plagiarism if you fail to do so.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/01/
Using Quotation Marks. The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry. Since you will most often use them when working with outside sources, successful use of quotation marks is a practical defense against accidental plagiarism and an excellent practice in academic honesty.
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/01/
In most other languages, including English, the marginal marks dropped out of use in the last years of the eighteenth century. The single quotation mark emerged around 1800 as a means of indicating a secondary level of quotation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quotation_mark
If the quoted words end with a full stop, then the full stop goes inside the quotation marks. If the quoted words do not end with a full stop, then the full stop goes outside the quotation marks: 1  He said: I love you..  She has read War and Peace.
https://www.englishclub.com/writing/punctuation-quotation-marks.htm
Use quotation marks [ “ ” ] to set off material that represents quoted or spoken language. Quotation marks also set off the titles of things that do not normally stand by themselves: short stories, poems, and articles. Usually, a quotation is set off from the rest of the sentence by a comma; however, the typography of quoted material can become quite complicated. Here is one simple rule to remember: In the United States, periods and commas go inside quotation marks regardless of logic. Click HERE for an explanation (sort of).
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/marks/quotation.htm
what do you use quotation marks around?
We use quotation marks to show or mark the beginning and end of a word or phrase that is somehow special or comes from outside the text that we are writing. We use quotation marks to show  the beginning and end of a word or phrase that is somehow special or comes from outside the text that we are writing.