Left Single Quotation Mark ‘

The Left Single Quotation Mark character (‘) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference ‘, the decimal numeric character reference ‘, or the hexadecimal numeric reference ‘. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+2018 in the Universal Character Set.

The left single quotation mark (opening single curly quote) is the typographically correct character for beginning single-quoted text. Unlike the straight apostrophe, curly quotes indicate directionality and are a hallmark of professional typesetting. In British English, single quotes are the primary quotation marks.

Punctuation and whitespace entities are among the most frequently used HTML entities in web development. They handle characters that either have special meaning in HTML syntax — such as angle brackets and ampersands — or represent typographic characters that improve the visual quality of text, like em dashes and curly quotes. Proper use of punctuation entities is essential for producing valid, well-formed HTML documents and achieving professional-looking typography on the web.

When deciding how to encode the Left Single Quotation Mark character in your HTML documents, the named entity ‘ is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form ‘ and hexadecimal form ‘ are equally valid alternatives that work in contexts where named entities may not be supported, or when generating HTML output programmatically from server-side code. All three representations produce identical visual output in every modern web browser.

Use the left single quotation mark to open single-quoted passages, especially in British English where single quotes are standard for direct speech. Also use it for nested quotations inside double-quoted text in American English. Pair it with ’ to close the quotation.