Dialogue Punctuation

Front

What are quotation marks used for?

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence that includes a quote?

Back

You place a comma before the opening quotation mark and a period or comma after the closing quotation mark, depending on the sentence structure.

Front

What is a speaker tag?

Back

A speaker tag is a phrase that attributes a quote to a speaker, such as 'said Josie'.

Front

When should you use a question mark in dialogue?

Back

A question mark is used at the end of a quoted question, and it is placed inside the quotation marks.

Front

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

Back

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

Front

How do you format a quote that is a question?

Back

You place the question mark inside the quotation marks if the quoted material is a question.

Front

What is the rule for punctuation when a quote is followed by a speaker tag?

Back

If the quote is a statement, use a comma before the closing quotation mark. If it's a question or exclamation, use the appropriate punctuation inside the quotation marks.

Front

What is the correct way to write: 'Can we go to the park' asked Lily?

Back

The correct way is: 'Can we go to the park?' asked Lily.

Front

What punctuation is used to separate a quote from the speaker tag?

Back

A comma is used to separate a quote from the speaker tag when the quote is a statement.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that ends with a period?

Back

If the quote is at the end of a sentence, the period goes inside the quotation marks.