Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is dialogue punctuation?

Back

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

Front

When should 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 indicate a question in dialogue?

Back

A question mark (?) is used at the end of a spoken question within quotation marks.

Front

How do you punctuate a statement followed by a dialogue tag?

Back

Place a comma before the closing quotation mark if the dialogue is followed by a dialogue 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 sentence that ends with a dialogue tag?

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If the dialogue ends with a dialogue tag, use a comma before the closing quotation mark.

Front

What is the correct punctuation for a sentence that is a command?

Back

Use an exclamation point (!) at the end of a command in dialogue.

Front

How do you punctuate a question in dialogue?

Back

Use a question mark (?) at the end of the spoken question, and the dialogue tag should start with a lowercase letter.

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 whether it is a statement, question, or command.

Front

How do you handle interruptions in dialogue?

Back

Use an em dash (—) to indicate an interruption in dialogue.