Commas and Quotation Marks Used in Dialogue

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What is the purpose of commas in dialogue?

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Commas are used to separate the spoken words from the speaker's tag (e.g., 'he said', 'she asked').

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How do you correctly punctuate a sentence with dialogue?

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You place commas inside the quotation marks before the speaker's tag and after the spoken words.

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What is a speaker's tag?

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A speaker's tag is a phrase that identifies who is speaking, such as 'said', 'asked', or 'replied'.

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Where do you place quotation marks in a sentence?

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Quotation marks are placed around the exact words spoken by a character.

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What is the correct way to write: 'I love ice cream' said Mia?

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The correct way is: 'I love ice cream,' said Mia.

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How do you punctuate a question in dialogue?

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If the spoken words are a question, place a question mark inside the quotation marks.

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What is the correct punctuation for: 'Can we go outside' asked Tim?

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The correct punctuation is: 'Can we go outside?' asked Tim.

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What happens if a sentence with dialogue continues after the speaker's tag?

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You continue the sentence without starting a new one, using a comma before the closing quotation marks.

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How do you punctuate a sentence with a quote inside a quote?

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Use single quotation marks for the inner quote and double quotation marks for the outer quote.

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What is the correct way to write: 'I can't believe it' she said?

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The correct way is: 'I can't believe it,' she said.