Mastering Dialogue Punctuation Rules

What punctuation mark should always be used at the beginning and end of a dialogue?

• Comma

• Period

• Exclamation point

• Quotation marks

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.5.2D

What is the purpose of a dialogue tag in writing?

• To describe the setting

• To introduce or follow up a dialogue

• To end a conversation

• To list the characters

Tags

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.4.2C

CCSS.L.5.2B

Where should a comma be placed when a dialogue tag follows a quote?

• Outside the quotation marks

• No comma is needed

• Before the dialogue tag

• Inside the quotation marks

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2C

CCSS.L.2.2B

CCSS.L.3.2B

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

If a dialogue tag comes before a quote containing an exclamation point, where should the exclamation point be placed?

• No exclamation point is used

• Before the comma

• Outside the quotation marks

• Inside the quotation marks

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2B

CCSS.L.4.3B

CCSS.L.K.2B

How should you punctuate a dialogue tag that comes after an exclamatory sentence?

• With a period

• No punctuation

• With a comma

• With an exclamation point

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2B

CCSS.L.4.3B

CCSS.L.K.2B

What punctuation is used to close a quotation if the dialogue tag follows?

• Period

• No punctuation

• Comma

• Question mark

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.5.2D

Where does the period go if the dialogue tag is before the quotation?

• After the dialogue tag

• No period is used

• Before the dialogue tag

• Inside the quotation marks

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2B

CCSS.L.5.2

What is the rule for capitalization of words like 'said' or 'asked' in dialogue?

• Always capitalize

• Never capitalize

• Capitalize only at the beginning of a sentence

• Capitalize only after a question mark

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2A

CCSS.L.2.2A

CCSS.L.3.2A

CCSS.L.4.2A

CCSS.L.K.2A

What should you do if a dialogue contains a question mark?

• Replace it with a period

• Place the question mark outside the quotation

• Place the question mark inside the quotation

• Omit the question mark

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.5.2D

When should a new paragraph be started in dialogue writing?

• When the speaker changes

• At the end of a scene

• After every sentence

• When introducing a new character

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2C

CCSS.L.4.2B

CCSS.L.5.2D