comma before quotation mark / after 'that' (direct speech)

In these cases, should there or should there not be a comma before the quote? I know you generally put a comma before a quote, but when it is preceded by the word "that" do you also include a comma?:

--Given that, "For the past few decades..."

--John Smith argues that, "Such claims are inaccurate..."

--She makes it clear that, "A host of reports and analyses..."

Thank you!

I don't think I would include any punctuation before the text in quotation marks, but I can't be sure without seeing the text you are quoting from and the full sentences.

Can you explain why you are using quotation marks in the sentencese? That puzzles me a bit too.

panjandrum said:

I don't think I would include any punctuation before the text in quotation marks, but I can't be sure without seeing the text you are quoting from and the full sentences.

Can you explain why you are using quotation marks in the sentencese? That puzzles me a bit too.

Click to expand...

Thank you, but what dictates whether or not a comma is placed before the quote? Not sure if this helps, but here is another sample. I generally don't place commas after "that", but I am editing an article in which the author places commas after "that," before the quote:

He argues that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal."

I would not put a comma between the subordinating conjunction that and a quoted clause, and capitalizing the first quoted word also seems out of place in the examples given.

An indirect quotation introduced by "that" should not be placed in quotation marks. A direct quotation, within quotation marks, should not be introduced by "that."

--Given that, "For the past few decades...":cross:

--John Smith argues that, "Such claims are inaccurate...":cross:
--John Smith argues, "Such claims are inaccurate...":tick:

--She makes it clear that, "A host of reports and analyses...":cross:
--She states clearly, "A host of reports and analyses...":tick:

I can't suggest an alternative for "Given that..." because it is incomplete.