Punctuating Dialogue 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣

Master dialogue punctuation with clear rules and practice exercises!

How to Punctuate Dialogue Watch this video on how to Punctuate dialogue correctly. Name the parts of this sentence. Click on a circle and write one of these words in the correct blank spot: comma, period, quotation mark, or speaker tag. quotation mark quotation mark period comma speaker tag Punctuation Dialogue When you are writing dialogue (conversation), be sure to punctuate it correctly so that your readers can see who is talking and where a line of dialogue begins or ends. The rules for using quotation marks, commas, and end marks of punctuation are listed below. After each rule, you'll be asked to find the correctly punctuated sentence. RULE: Use quotation marks before and after a character's exact words. Place a period inside closing quotation marks. Example:"Peter and Esteban are joining us." 1. Now, select the answer below that uses correct punctuation. "I put your keys on top of the dresser" "Let's go out to eat tonight." This is my favorite dress." "Cody has basketball practice. RULE: Place a question mark or an exclamation point inside the quotation marks when it is part of the quotation. Example:"When will we be back?" Ray asked."Hooray!" said Debbi. 2. Select the answer below that uses correct punctuation. That looks terrible on you! she yelled. "That looks terrible on you! she yelled." "That looks terrible on you"! she yelled. "That looks terrible on you!" she yelled. RULE: Use a comma to set off the speaker's tag (he said) from the beginning of a quotation. Place the comma inside closing quotation marks when the speaker's tag follows the quotation. Example:Harry said, "Come on, Ray. It'll be fun.""Let's go," Gilda said. 3. Select the answer below that uses correct punctuation. "I am so hungry," said Dan. "I am so hungry" said Dan. "I am so hungry", said Dan. "I am so hungry, said Dan." 4. Select the answer below that uses correct punctuation. Then mother said "We're having lima beans for dinner." Then mother said ",We're having lima beans for dinner." Then mother said, "We're having lima beans for dinner." Then mother said We're having lima beans for dinner." RULE: Only the exact words of a person are in quotation marks. Also, when splitting a quotation with a dialogue tag, do not capitalize words that do not begin new sentences. (Please note the space after said and before whether). Example:“I really don’t know,” he said, “whether she loves me or not.” 5. Select the answer below that uses correct punctuation. "It's hard to say," She said, "what my plans are tonight." "It's hard to say" she said "what my plans are tonight." "It's hard to say, she said, what my plans are tonight." "It's hard to say," she said, "what my plans are tonight." 6. Now, let's put it all together. Sort the sentences below into those that use correct punctuation, and those that do not. CORRECT "Let's eat cake for breakfast!" said Billy. "Why don't you like pizza?" he asked. "It's true," said Lisa, "that I've never seen that movie." Then Carson yelled, "Come see this spider!" INCORRECT Stephanie said I'm never eating here again! "I'm so glad it's Friday" Sighed the teacher. "I do believe" he said "that it was an accident." John said ",You are a doofus"!