Punctuating Dialogue

Front

What is dialogue punctuation?

Back

Dialogue punctuation refers to the use of specific punctuation marks to indicate spoken words in writing, such as quotation marks, commas, and question marks.

Front

When do you use quotation marks in dialogue?

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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.

Front

How do you punctuate a statement in dialogue?

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A statement in dialogue ends with a period (.) or a comma (,) if followed by a tag like 'he said'.

Front

What is a dialogue tag?

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

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How do you punctuate dialogue when it is interrupted?

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Use a comma to separate the dialogue from the tag, and use a dash (—) to indicate the interruption.

Front

What is the correct way to write: 'Can I pet your dog she asked?'

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The correct way is: 'Can I pet your dog?' she asked.

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What is the correct way to write: 'I did it she exclaimed.'

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The correct way is: 'I did it!' she exclaimed.

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What is the correct way to write: 'I want to play outside I said.'

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The correct way is: 'I want to play outside,' I said.

Front

What is the correct way to write: 'Did you finish your chores Mom asked?'

Back

The correct way is: 'Did you finish your chores?' Mom asked.