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 exclamation points.

Front

When do 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 in dialogue?

Back

A statement in dialogue is punctuated with a comma before the closing quotation marks if followed by a tag (e.g., 'he said').

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 dialogue that ends with an exclamation?

Back

If the dialogue ends with an exclamation, use an exclamation mark inside the quotation marks, followed by the dialogue tag.

Front

What is the correct punctuation for interrupted dialogue?

Back

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

Front

How do you format dialogue when a new speaker begins?

Back

Start a new paragraph each time a different character speaks.

Front

What is the rule for commas in dialogue?

Back

Use a comma to separate the spoken words from the dialogue tag when the tag follows the dialogue.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote within dialogue?

Back

Use single quotation marks for a quote within dialogue, and double quotation marks for the main dialogue.