Quotations for Essays: 60+ Best Quotations by Topic (10th & 12th Class)

Good quotations can lift an ordinary essay into a high-scoring one. Examiners in 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th class board exams reward essays that are well organised and supported by relevant, accurately written quotations. This guide brings together more than 60 of the best quotations for essays, organised by topic, with tips on where to place them, how many to use and which quotations work for almost any essay.

Every quotation below is listed with its author or source, so you can write it correctly in your exam. Where a saying is a proverb rather than the words of one person, we say so — examiners prefer an honest “proverb” to a wrong name.

Table of Contents

Why Quotations Matter in Essays

They show reading and knowledge. A well-chosen quotation proves you have read beyond the textbook.
They support your argument. A quotation from a famous writer adds weight to your point.
They improve presentation. Neatly placed quotations make your essay look organised.
They earn marks. Many teachers and examiners give credit for relevant quotations in essays and paragraphs.

How to Use Quotations in an Essay

Choose relevance over quantity. One perfect quotation is better than three unrelated ones.
Place quotations after the paragraph they support. Write your paragraph first, then add the quotation on a separate line, indented if possible.
Write the author’s name after a dash, or write “Proverb” if there is no single author.
Copy the words exactly. Changing even one word can cost marks.
Use 5–7 quotations in a 10th or 12th class essay of 400–600 words, and 2–3 in a short essay or paragraph.
Open or close with a strong quotation. A good opening or closing quotation creates a strong first and last impression.

Example: Quotations Used in an Essay Paragraph

Time is the most precious gift we have. Wealth that is lost can be earned again, and health that is lost can sometimes be regained, but time that has passed can never return. Successful students plan their day, complete their work on time and avoid wasting hours on useless activities. They know that delay only makes tasks harder.

“Lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin

“Procrastination is the thief of time.” — Edward Young

Notice how the paragraph makes the point in the student’s own words first, and the quotations then support it.

Top 15 Versatile Quotations for Essays

If you only have time to learn a few, memorise these quotations for essays. They fit almost any topic, from education to patriotism.

Quotation	Author	Best for
Knowledge is power.	Francis Bacon	Education, science, reading
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.	Proverb	Hard work, success, ambition
Lost time is never found again.	Benjamin Franklin	Time, discipline, exams
Health is wealth.	Proverb	Health, sports, morning walk
A friend in need is a friend indeed.	Proverb	Friendship, moral stories
Necessity is the mother of invention.	Proverb	Science, technology
Honesty is the best policy.	Proverb	Moral stories, character
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.	Proverb	Sports, hobbies, school life
Unity, Faith, Discipline.	Quaid-e-Azam	Pakistan, patriotism, leadership
Parting is such sweet sorrow.	William Shakespeare	Farewell, last day at school
Into each life some rain must fall.	H. W. Longfellow	Rainy day, hardship
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.	John Keats	Nature, seasons, scenery
Rome was not built in a day.	Proverb	Patience, success
The pen is mightier than the sword.	Edward Bulwer-Lytton	Education, writing, media
Prevention is better than cure.	Proverb	Health, pollution, safety

Quotations for Essays on Education and Knowledge

Use these quotations for essays on education, the importance of learning, libraries, books and teachers.

“Knowledge is power.” — Francis Bacon
“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” — Francis Bacon
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” — Francis Bacon
“A little learning is a dangerous thing.” — Alexander Pope
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends.” — Charles W. Eliot
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Adams
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” — Albert Einstein

Use them in our importance of education essay and My School essay with quotations.

Quotations for Essays on Hard Work and Success

Perfect for “Hard Work Is the Key to Success”, exam preparation and essays on ambition.

“The heights by great men reached and kept / Were not attained by sudden flight, / But they, while their companions slept, / Were toiling upward in the night.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Lives of great men all remind us / We can make our lives sublime.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” — Thomas Edison
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” — Proverb
“Rome was not built in a day.” — Proverb
“Slow and steady wins the race.” — Aesop
“The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost
“Sweet are the uses of adversity.” — William Shakespeare

See our Hard Work Is the Key to Success essay.

Quotations for Essays on the Value of Time

Use these in essays on time management, punctuality, discipline and student life.

“Lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin
“Time is money.” — Benjamin Franklin
“Time and tide wait for none.” — Proverb
“Procrastination is the thief of time.” — Edward Young
“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” — Charles Darwin
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” — Benjamin Franklin
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.” — William Shakespeare

Read the full A Stitch in Time Saves Nine story.

Quotations for Essays on Nature, Rain and the Seasons

Ideal for “A Rainy Day”, “Spring Season”, “A Visit to a Park” and poem summaries.

“Into each life some rain must fall.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.” — Langston Hughes
“I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high o’er vales and hills.” — William Wordsworth
“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” — John Keats
“What is this life if, full of care, / We have no time to stand and stare.” — W. H. Davies
“God made the country, and man made the town.” — William Cowper
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep.” — Robert Frost

Use them in A Rainy Day essay, Daffodils summary and Stopping by Woods summary.

Quotations for Essays on School, College and Farewell

For “My Last Day at School”, “My First Day at College” and farewell speeches.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.” — William Shakespeare
“All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players.” — William Shakespeare
“The child is father of the man.” — William Wordsworth
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.” — Robert Frost
“Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” — Alexander Pope
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Adams

See our My Last Day at School essay and My First Day at College essay.

Quotations for Essays on Friendship and Kindness

Use these for “My Best Friend”, “Friendship” and moral stories.

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.” — Proverb
“Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” — Attributed to Aristotle
“To err is human, to forgive divine.” — Alexander Pope
“Little drops of water, little grains of sand, / Make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land.” — Julia Carney
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” — William Shakespeare

Quotations for Essays on Science and Technology

Use these for “Wonders of Science”, “Mobile Phone” and “Computer” essays.

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” — Proverb
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” — Albert Einstein
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” — Albert Einstein
“The pen is mightier than the sword.” — Edward Bulwer-Lytton
“Excess of everything is bad.” — Proverb

See Wonders of Science essay and Mobile Phone essay.

Quotations for Essays on Health, Sports and Games

For “Sports and Games”, “Health Is Wealth” and “Morning Walk” essays.

“Health is wealth.” — Proverb
“A sound mind in a sound body.” — Juvenal
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” — Proverb
“The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.” — Pierre de Coubertin
“Faster, Higher, Stronger.” — Olympic motto
“Prevention is better than cure.” — Proverb

Use them in our Sports and Games essay with quotations.

Quotations for Essays on Pakistan, Patriotism and Leadership

For essays on Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, Independence Day and patriotism.

“Unity, Faith, Discipline.” — Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
“With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” — Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
“Raise your selfhood so high that before every decree God Himself asks you: tell me, what is your wish?” — Allama Muhammad Iqbal (translated)
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; / The valiant never taste of death but once.” — William Shakespeare

See our Quaid-e-Azam essay and Allama Iqbal essay.

Quotations for Essays on Pollution and the Environment

For “Pollution”, “Energy Crisis” and “Climate Change” essays.

“Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink.” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge
“Cleanliness is next to godliness.” — Proverb
“Prevention is better than cure.” — Proverb
“God made the country, and man made the town.” — William Cowper

Read our essay on pollution with quotations and energy crisis in Pakistan essay.

Quotations for Moral Stories and Values

For stories such as “A Foolish Stag”, “All That Glitters Is Not Gold” and “The Fox and the Grapes”.

“Honesty is the best policy.” — Proverb
“All that glitters is not gold.” — Proverb
“Appearances are deceptive.” — Proverb
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.” — Proverb
“Brevity is the soul of wit.” — William Shakespeare

See A Foolish Stag, All That Glitters Is Not Gold, The Fox and the Grapes and A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss.

Best Quotations for Essays by Topic: Quick Sets

Essay topic	Use these quotations
My Last Day at School	Parting is such sweet sorrow; All the world’s a stage; Hope springs eternal in the human breast
A Rainy Day	Into each life some rain must fall; Let the rain kiss you; What is this life if, full of care
Hard Work	The heights by great men reached and kept; Genius is one percent inspiration; Where there’s a will
Sports and Games	Health is wealth; A sound mind in a sound body; All work and no play
Wonders of Science	Necessity is the mother of invention; Science without religion is lame; Imagination is more important than knowledge
Quaid-e-Azam	Unity, Faith, Discipline; With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty
Pollution	Water, water, every where; Cleanliness is next to godliness; Prevention is better than cure
Value of Time	Lost time is never found again; Time and tide wait for none; Procrastination is the thief of time
My Hobby	What is this life if, full of care; Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; Reading maketh a full man

For a complete essay on hobbies, see My Hobby essay with quotations.

Quotations for Essays: Common Mistakes

Wrong author. Many quotations online are wrongly attributed. If you are unsure, write “Proverb” only when it truly is one, or choose a quotation you are sure about.
Changing the words. Write the quotation exactly as it is.
Too many quotations. Overloading an essay with quotations leaves little room for your own ideas.
Irrelevant quotations. A beautiful line that does not match the paragraph will not earn marks.
Poor presentation. Use quotation marks and write the author’s name neatly.

How to Memorise Quotations for Exams

Learn 3–4 quotations for each common essay topic rather than 50 random ones.
Write them on flashcards with the topic on one side and the quotation on the other.
Practise writing them, not just reading them — spelling matters.
Group quotations that fit several topics, such as “Knowledge is power” and “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
Revise them a day before the exam and again on the morning of the paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many quotations should I use in an essay?

For 10th and 12th class essays of 400–600 words, use 5–7 relevant quotations. For short essays or paragraphs, 2–3 are enough.

Where should quotations go in an essay?

Usually after the paragraph they support, on a separate line. A strong quotation can also open or close the essay.

What if I forget the author’s name?

It is better to choose a quotation you know well. Never guess an author’s name, as a wrong name can lose marks.

Can I use Urdu poetry in an English essay?

Some teachers accept translated lines from Urdu poets such as Allama Iqbal, but most English exams prefer English quotations. Check with your teacher.

Which quotations are best for any essay?

“Knowledge is power”, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”, “Health is wealth”, “Lost time is never found again” and “Honesty is the best policy” fit a wide range of topics.

Conclusion

The right quotations for essays make your writing more convincing, more polished and more memorable. Learn a small set of accurate quotations for each topic, place them after the paragraphs they support and always write the author’s name correctly. With practice, quotations will become one of the easiest ways to add marks to every essay you write.

Quotations for Essays: 60+ Best Quotations for 10th & 12th Class (By Topic)