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 question marks.

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.

Front

How do you punctuate a statement in dialogue?

Back

A statement in dialogue ends with a period (.) inside the quotation marks.

Front

What is the correct way to write: 'She said, I am happy'?

Back

The correct way is: 'She said, "I am happy."'

Front

How do you separate the dialogue from the speaker's tag?

Back

A comma is used to separate the dialogue from the speaker's tag, and the tag usually starts with a lowercase letter unless it's a proper noun.

Front

What is a speaker's tag?

Back

A speaker's tag is a phrase that attributes the dialogue to a specific character, such as 'he said' or 'she asked'.

Front

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

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that ends with an exclamation?

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If the quote ends with an exclamation, the exclamation mark goes inside the quotation marks.

Front

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

Back

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