Commas in Dialogue

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in dialogue?

Back

A comma is used in dialogue to separate the spoken words from the dialogue tag (e.g., 'he said', 'she asked').

Front

How do you punctuate a dialogue sentence that ends with a dialogue tag?

Back

You place a comma before the closing quotation marks if the dialogue is followed by a dialogue tag.

Front

Correctly punctuate this dialogue: "I love reading" she said.

Back

"I love reading," she said.

Front

What is a dialogue tag?

Back

A dialogue tag is a phrase that attributes the dialogue to a speaker, such as 'said', 'asked', or 'replied'.

Front

When should you use a comma in dialogue?

Back

Use a comma to separate the spoken words from the dialogue tag, and also to indicate a pause in the speech.

Front

Correctly punctuate this dialogue: "Can you help me" he asked.

Back

"Can you help me?" he asked.

Front

What is the rule for punctuating dialogue that is a question?

Back

If the spoken words are a question, use a question mark inside the quotation marks, followed by the dialogue tag.

Front

Correctly punctuate this dialogue: "It's a beautiful day" she exclaimed.

Back

"It's a beautiful day!" she exclaimed.

Front

What happens to the comma when the dialogue is a question or exclamation?

Back

The comma is replaced by a question mark or exclamation point, and the dialogue tag follows.

Front

Correctly punctuate this dialogue: "I can't believe it" he said.

Back

"I can't believe it," he said.