Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is the purpose of quotation marks in dialogue?

Back

Quotation marks are used to indicate the exact words spoken by a character.

Front

How should punctuation be placed when using quotation marks?

Back

Punctuation marks such as periods and commas should be placed inside the quotation marks.

Front

What is the correct way to punctuate a sentence that includes dialogue followed by a tag?

Back

The dialogue should end with a comma before the closing quotation mark if followed by a tag (e.g., 'he said').

Front

When should a new paragraph be started in dialogue?

Back

A new paragraph should be started each time a different character speaks.

Front

What is the correct format for a question in dialogue?

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate a statement followed by a dialogue tag?

Back

The statement should end with a comma before the closing quotation mark, followed by the tag.

Front

What is an example of incorrect dialogue punctuation?

Back

"I love ice cream" she said.

Front

What is an example of correct dialogue punctuation?

Back

"I love ice cream," she said.

Front

What should you do if a character's dialogue is interrupted?

Back

Use a dash to indicate the interruption.

Front

How do you indicate a character's thoughts in writing?

Back

Thoughts can be indicated using italics instead of quotation marks.