Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is dialogue punctuation?

Back

Dialogue punctuation refers to the use of specific punctuation marks to indicate spoken words in writing, such as quotation marks, commas, and exclamation points.

Front

When do you use quotation marks in dialogue?

Back

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

Front

What punctuation mark is used to show excitement in dialogue?

Back

An exclamation mark (!) is used to show excitement or strong emotion in dialogue.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence that includes dialogue and a tag?

Back

You place a comma before the closing quotation mark if the dialogue is followed by a tag (e.g., 'he said', 'she asked').

Front

What is a dialogue tag?

Back

A dialogue tag is a phrase that attributes the spoken words to a character, such as 'he said' or 'she asked'.

Front

How do you punctuate a question in dialogue?

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If the spoken words are a question, use a question mark (?) inside the quotation marks.

Front

What is the correct punctuation for this sentence: 'I love ice cream' she said?

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The correct punctuation is: 'I love ice cream,' she said.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence with interrupted dialogue?

Back

Use commas to separate the dialogue from the tag, and use a dash (—) to indicate the interruption.

Front

What is the rule for capitalizing the first word in dialogue?

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The first word of the dialogue should be capitalized, regardless of where it appears in the sentence.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence with multiple speakers?

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Start a new paragraph for each new speaker to clearly indicate who is speaking.