Dialogue Punctuation

Front

What is the purpose of quotation marks in dialogue?

Back

Quotation marks are used to indicate the exact words spoken by a character or person.

Front

How should punctuation be placed when using quotation marks?

Back

Punctuation marks such as commas and periods should be placed inside the quotation marks.

Front

What is the correct way to punctuate a question in dialogue?

Back

A question in dialogue should end with a question mark inside the quotation marks.

Front

How do you indicate a speaker's dialogue followed by a tag?

Back

You should place a comma before the closing quotation mark if the dialogue is followed by a tag (e.g., said, asked).

Front

What is the correct format for a sentence that includes dialogue and a speaker's name?

Back

The format should be: "Dialogue," said Speaker.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence that includes two separate pieces of dialogue?

Back

Each piece of dialogue should be enclosed in its own set of quotation marks and properly punctuated.

Front

What is an example of incorrect dialogue punctuation?

Back

Incorrect: "I love to read" said Sarah. Correct: "I love to read," said Sarah.

Front

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

Back

The first word of the dialogue should always be capitalized.

Front

How do you format a question followed by a statement in dialogue?

Back

Example: "Are you coming?" she asked.

Front

What is the correct way to write interrupted dialogue?

Back

Use dashes to indicate interruptions: "I was going to say—" she started.