On each web page, is each quotation correctly indicated?
A screen reader encountering a quotation without semantic markup reads it as ordinary text: the user doesn't know these are someone else's words. Semantic markup is the only way to convey this information.
The RGAA distinguishes two types of quotations. Short quotations, inserted within a paragraph flow, must use the <q> element. Block quotations, longer and visually separated from the rest, must use <blockquote>. Two elements, two uses.
The <q> element automatically handles typographic quotation marks in modern browsers, provided lang="fr" is set on the page. You can remove manual quotation marks around your short quotations. For <blockquote>, the <cite> element can clarify the source, but it is not required to validate this criterion.
2 tests to confirm that quotations are correctly marked
Short quotation <q>
- Identify all short quotations on the page: text in quotation marks inserted within a paragraph, fragment attributed to an external source.
- For each short quotation, verify that it is surrounded by a
<q>element. - Test passes if all short quotations use
<q>. Test fails if at least one short quotation uses plain text quotation marks without<q>.
Block quotation <blockquote>
- Identify all block quotations on the page: long passages visually separated, excerpts from works, reported speech.
- For each block quotation, verify that it is contained within a
<blockquote>element. - Test passes if all blocks use
<blockquote>. Test fails if a block is simulated by CSS indentation or visual formatting without semantic markup.
Examples
❌ Non-compliant : Short quotation without semantic markup
<p>As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry used to say: « One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye. »</p>The quotation marks are visually present, but no semantic element indicates this is a quotation. A screen reader reads this text without distinction, as ordinary content.
✅ Compliant : Short quotation properly marked up
<p>As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry used to say: <q>One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.</q></p>The <q> element semantically signals that this is a quotation. The browser automatically inserts typographic quotation marks appropriate to the page language, which avoids duplication with manual quotation marks.
❌ Non-compliant : Block quotation simulated by CSS
<p class="citation-bloc">It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.</p>
<p class="source">Jane Austen, <em>Pride and Prejudice</em></p>This block looks like a quotation thanks to CSS, but the HTML structure conveys no semantic information. A screen reader or analysis tool cannot identify this passage as a quotation.
✅ Compliant : Block quotation properly marked up
<p>The novel opens with a famous statement:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jane Austen, <cite>Pride and Prejudice</cite></p><blockquote> semantically indicates that this is a cited excerpt. The <cite> element identifies the source programmatically. Assistive technologies can announce the beginning and end of the quotation.
Tips and pitfalls
⚠️ <blockquote> used for indentation, not for quotations
This is the most common mistake in audits: <blockquote> used to create visual indentation on text that is not a quotation. The reverse also exists: a true quotation marked up with a <div class="blockquote"> that is purely decorative. Markup must reflect the nature of the content, not its appearance.
💡 <q> handles quotation marks automatically
In French, <q> automatically generates « » quotation marks if the page language is set with lang="fr". You can remove manual quotation marks around your short quotations. If quotation marks appear doubled, it's because you left both.
⚠️ The cite attribute is not required for RGAA
The HTML cite attribute (URL of the source) on <blockquote cite="https://..."> is not required to validate criterion 9.4. It is recommended by HTML5 best practices, but its absence does not constitute an RGAA failure. Do not confuse the cite attribute and the <cite> element: they are two different things.
⚠️ Customer testimonials and user reviews
A section "What people say about us" contains words attributed to identified people: these are quotations. Each testimonial should be wrapped in a <blockquote>. This is a very common situation on commercial pages and rarely marked up correctly.
⚠️ Do not confuse <cite> and <blockquote>
<cite> identifies a work title or author name: <cite>Pride and Prejudice</cite>. It does not structure the quotation itself. <blockquote> frames the cited content. Both can coexist, but neither replaces the other.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between <q> and manual quotation marks for marking up a short quotation?
You must use <q> to pass test 9.4.1. Manual quotation marks, whether typographic (« ») or ASCII ("), are purely visual and provide no semantic information to assistive technologies. <q> is the only tag accepted by RGAA for short quotations.
How do you identify unmarked quotations during an RGAA audit?
Look for passages visually presented as quotations on the page: quotation marks, indentation, italics, colored background. Then check the DOM to see if these passages use <q> or <blockquote>. In the console, document.querySelectorAll('blockquote, q') lists all already-marked elements: missing quotations are identified by difference.
When should <blockquote> be used for an embedded tweet on a page according to RGAA?
Yes. The official X (formerly Twitter) embed code uses <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> by default anyway. If your custom implementation removes this element, test 9.4.2 fails.
How should an epigraph or decorative quotation at the start of an article be handled according to RGAA?
Yes. An epigraph quotes someone's words: it is a quotation, regardless of its stylistic role. The <blockquote> markup applies even if the intention is purely decorative.
How should dialogue lines be marked up in an article according to RGAA?
No. Fictional dialogues or reported speech in a narrative are not quotations in the RGAA sense. Criterion 9.4 targets quotations from external sources attributed to an identified author or document.