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, 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 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 a new paragraph for a new speaker in dialogue?

Back

Start a new paragraph each time a different character speaks to clearly indicate who is speaking.

Front

What is the rule for capitalizing the first word in dialogue?

Back

The first word of the spoken sentence should be capitalized, regardless of whether it follows a dialogue tag.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote within dialogue?

Back

Use single quotation marks for the quote within the dialogue, while the main dialogue remains in double quotation marks.