Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is the purpose of punctuation in dialogue?

Back

Punctuation in dialogue helps clarify the meaning, indicate pauses, and convey the tone of the speaker.

Front

How should a sentence ending with a quote be punctuated?

Back

A sentence ending with a quote should have the punctuation inside the quotation marks if it is part of the quoted material.

Front

What is the correct punctuation for a question within dialogue?

Back

A question within dialogue should end with a question mark inside the quotation marks.

Front

How do you punctuate a dialogue tag that follows a quote?

Back

If a dialogue tag follows a quote, the first word of the tag should be lowercase unless it is a proper noun.

Front

What is a dialogue tag?

Back

A dialogue tag is a phrase that attributes speech to a speaker, often using verbs like 'said', 'asked', or 'shouted'.

Front

When should you use a comma in dialogue?

Back

A comma is used to separate the dialogue from the dialogue tag when the tag comes before or after the quote.

Front

What is the correct way to punctuate a quote that is a complete sentence?

Back

A complete sentence quote should start with a capital letter and end with appropriate punctuation inside the quotation marks.

Front

How do you handle interruptions in dialogue?

Back

Use em dashes to indicate interruptions in dialogue, placing the dash before the closing quotation mark.

Front

What is the rule for punctuating a quote that is a question?

Back

If the quote is a question, place the question mark inside the quotation marks.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that is followed by a dialogue tag?

Back

If the quote is followed by a dialogue tag, the quote should end with a comma inside the quotation marks.