Punctuating Dialogue Notes and Exercises

RULE ONE: Use commas after identification of speaker (“speaker tag”). EXAMPLE: Skippy said, “Hello.” NOTICE: The capital H in Hello RULE TWO: If the speaker tag comes after the sentence, replace the last period in the quote with a comma. EXAMPLE: “Hello,” said Skippy.

RULE THREE: If the quote ends with a question mark, exclamation point or ellipsis, do not change it into a comma. EXAMPLE: “Are you okay?” asked Skippy. NOTICE: The lowercase a in the word asked RULE FOUR: You do not always need to include a speaker tag. Sometimes it is clear who is speaking. EXAMPLE: Gary smiled. “Thank you!”

RULE FIVE: Sometimes the speaker tag comes between two quotes. If this is the case, you need to think about if the first quote is a full sentence. EXAMPLE: “This,” said Debbie, “is my aunt.” EXAMPLE: “This is my aunt,” said Debbie. “She is very kind.” NOTICE: In the first sentence, a comma comes after Debbie. With the second, it is a period.

RULE SIX: When the speaker tag interrupts a full sentence quote, you need a comma. EXAMPLE: “Do you know,” said Dewey, “who committed the crime?” NOTICE: A comma after Dewey. The sentence is not over until the word crime. RULE SEVEN: When the speaker tag comes at the end of a full sentence quote, use a period. Do this even if another full sentence quote is coming. “Do you know who committed the crime?” said Dewey. “I need more proof.” NOTICE: The period after Dewey. Here the quote is a full sentence.

PUNCTUATING DIALOGUE EXERCISES On a separate paper, revise each sentence. 1.“This is fun said Steven. 2.Aaron said, who are you?” 3.“We need ice, said Delores “do you have any?” 4.Yikes! shouted Orville “that’s hot.” 5.Percy ate a carrot “are you hungry?” 6.“if you need us said Mom “we am close by. 7.Are you hurt asked Bobby “we can help.” 8.“If it’s okay with you said Ed “we are leaving. 9.Pinky asked Alice “where are your spoons? 10.“Henry,” said Scott “can you help with this?”

1“This is fun said Steven. ANSWER: “This is fun,” said Steven.

2. Aaron said, who are you?” ANSWER: Aaron said, “Who are you?”

3. “We need ice, said Delores “do you have any?” ANSWER: “We need ice,” said Delores. “Do you have any?”

4. Yikes! shouted Orville “that’s hot.” ANSWER: “Yikes!” shouted Orville. “That’s hot.”

5. Percy ate a carrot “are you hungry?” ANSWER: Percy ate a carrot. “Are you hungry?”

6. “if you need us said Mom “we am close by. ANSWER: “If you need us,” said Mom, “we are close by.”

7. Are you hurt asked Bobby “we can help.” ANSWER: “Are you hurt?” asked Bobby. “We can help.”

8. “If it’s okay with you said Ed “we are leaving. ANSWER: “If it’s okay with you,” said Ed, “we are leaving.”

9. Pinky asked Alice “where are your spoons? ANSWER: Pinky asked Alice, “Where are your spoons?”

10. “Henry,” said Scott “can you help with this?” ANSWER: “Henry,” said Scott, “can you help with this?”