Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is the correct way to punctuate dialogue when introducing a quote?

Back

When introducing a quote, use a comma before the opening quotation mark. For example: Chad told me, "the movie begins at 7:30." should be corrected to Chad told me, "The movie begins at 7:30."

Front

How should a sentence be punctuated when it ends with a quote?

Back

If a sentence ends with a quote, the punctuation should be placed inside the quotation marks. For example: Bob answered, "That's cool!" is correct.

Front

What is the rule for punctuating dialogue when a speaker is interrupted?

Back

When a speaker is interrupted, use a dash to indicate the interruption. For example: "I was thinking that maybe—" she started, but he cut her off.

Front

How do you punctuate a question within dialogue?

Back

If the dialogue is a question, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. For example: "Where will you go?" she asked.

Front

What is the correct capitalization rule for dialogue?

Back

The first word of a quoted sentence should be capitalized. For example: Mr. Smith announced, "Your test is tomorrow."

Front

How do you handle dialogue tags in a sentence?

Back

Dialogue tags (like 'he said' or 'she asked') should be separated from the dialogue with a comma if the dialogue is a statement, and the first word of the dialogue should be capitalized.

Front

What is the difference between single and double quotation marks in dialogue?

Back

Double quotation marks are typically used for direct speech, while single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that is a complete sentence?

Back

If the quote is a complete sentence, it should start with a capital letter and end with appropriate punctuation inside the quotation marks. For example: She said, "I will be there at 5 PM."

Front

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

Back

If a quote is followed by a dialogue tag, the quote should end with a comma inside the quotation marks if the tag follows. For example: "It's a beautiful day," she said.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that is interrupted by a dialogue tag?

Back

If a quote is interrupted by a dialogue tag, use a comma before the tag and continue the quote with a lowercase letter unless it starts a new sentence. For example: "I think," he said, "that we should go now."