Straight quotes

Straight quotes are the two generic vertical quotation marks located near the return key: the straight single quote (') and the straight double quote ("). Straight quotes come from typewriter times. Back then, using ambidextrous straight quotes was easier than using separate slots for curly opening and closing quotes.

Nowadays, you can see straight quotes in many web publications. The reasons are numerous. Straight quotes are easier to type as they have their assigned keys, and they are always displayed correctly, which is not always the case for curly quotes. However, the downside of straight quotes is that they often lack cohesion with other characters of the typeface.

Type designers advise using curly quotes where possible, including digital content. Except for code — always use straight quotes there as curly quotes aren't recognized. Another instance where straight quotes should always be used is in foot (') and inch (") measurements.