An excerpt is a selected passage from a larger work, like a book or article, that's used to provide a sample or highlight a specific point. A quote is the exact wording taken from another source, typically short and often enclosed in quotation marks. Both excerpts and quotes are used to support an argument, illustrate a point, or provide evidence in writing.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Excerpt: Definition:
A portion of a text, usually longer than a quote, taken from a larger work.
Purpose: To give readers a taste of the original work, support an argument, or illustrate a point.
Format: May be formatted differently from the main text, such as using indentation, different font sizes, or line breaks.
Examples:
A paragraph from a novel, a few pages from a research paper, a section of a speech.
Quote:
Definition: The exact words of someone else, often a few sentences or less.
Purpose: To support an argument, provide evidence, or add authority to a point.
Format: Usually enclosed in quotation marks within the main text.
Examples: A sentence from a famous speech, a short phrase from a book, a line of dialogue from a movie.
Key Differences:
Length: Excerpts are typically longer than quotes.
Formatting: Quotes are enclosed in quotation marks, while excerpts may have different formatting to distinguish them.
Purpose: Both support arguments, but excerpts can also give a sense of the original work's style or content.