Punctuating Dialogue

What are the rules?

Directions: On any of the slides that have images, you can click on them for animation. If the images are on the left, they will move up to select the correct answer. If the images are on the right, they will advance you to the next slide.

1.Use quotation marks to SURROUND spoken words.

2.Put all punctuation marks INSIDE the quotation marks.

3.INDENT each time someone new is speaking.

“I think it’s too cold to go skating on the pond today,” moaned Jill.

If your character asks a question, use a question mark at end of the speaker’s question.

“Can you come over and play video games with me today?” invited Jennifer.

Exclamation points go inside the quotation marks, too.

“We’ve got front row seats for the game!” Ted announced.

If the person speaking is just telling or making a statement...

…use a comma after the LAST word spoken and INSIDE the quotation marks.

“I am so hungry I could eat four jumbo hot dogs with ketchup,” grumbled Alyssa.

What is tagged dialogue?

• The author will write he said, Mario said, or Lucy asked.

• These phrases are called dialogue tags.

• Tags can appear at the beginning, ending, or middle of the sentence.

“Way cool, Dude,” Tom commented. “Let’s go

again this afternoon!”

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

A. “I am going to spend the summer at the beach” he said.

B. “I am going to spend the summer at the beach, he said.”

C. “I am going to spend the summer at the beach,” he said.

Choose the correct sentence.

A. Sheri said, “Not me. We’re going to visit my Aunt Sue in Chicago.

B. Sheri said, “Not me. We’re going to visit my Aunt Sue in Chicago.”

C. Sheri said “Not me. We’re going to visit my Aunt Sue in Chicago.”

Where do you put the question mark in a quotation?

A. “Will you take your two dogs with you?” he asked.

B. “Will you take your two dogs with you”? he asked.

C. “Will you take your two dogs with you” he asked?

Where do you put the exclamation mark in a quotation?

A. Tom shouted, “Let’s go to the beach again this afternoon”!

B. “Let’s go to the beach again this afternoon” Tom shouted!

C. “Let’s go to the beach again this afternoon!” Tom shouted.

Where do you put the comma in the dialogue of a telling sentence?

A. “This bruise is turning purple,” Marla said.

B. “This bruise is turning purple”, Marla said.

C. “This bruise is turning purple, Marla said.