Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is dialogue punctuation?

Back

Dialogue punctuation refers to the use of quotation marks, commas, and other punctuation marks to indicate spoken words in writing.

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 follows a dialogue tag?

Back

A comma is used to separate the spoken words from the dialogue tag, unless the dialogue ends with a question mark or exclamation point.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence that ends with a dialogue?

Back

If the dialogue ends with a period, the period is replaced by a comma before the closing quotation marks if followed by a dialogue tag.

Front

What is a dialogue tag?

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate a question in dialogue?

Back

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

Front

What is the correct punctuation for a statement followed by a dialogue tag?

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate an exclamation in dialogue?

Back

If the spoken words are an exclamation, use an exclamation point inside the quotation marks.

Front

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

Back

The first word of the spoken sentence should always be capitalized.

Front

How do you handle interruptions in dialogue?

Back

Use dashes to indicate interruptions in dialogue.