Punctuating speech
You learn to put in the inverted commas and the mark that goes inside them.
How to do the test
- Decide what the spoken words do: tell, ask or exclaim.
- A question takes a question mark.
- Strong feeling takes an exclamation mark.
- A statement takes a comma if the speaker comes next, and a full stop at the end.
A worked example
Put in the inverted commas and the mark that goes inside them. I am hungry said Tom.
- The spoken words are a statement and the speaker comes next, so use a comma.
- The mark goes inside the inverted commas.
- Inverted commas go around the spoken words.
More examples
Put in the inverted commas and the mark that goes inside them. Dad said, We are late
- The spoken words are a statement and they end the sentence, so use a full stop.
- The mark goes inside the inverted commas.
- Inverted commas go around the spoken words.
Put in the inverted commas and the mark that goes inside them. Gran asked, Would you like some tea
- The spoken words ask something, so use a question mark.
- The mark goes inside the inverted commas.
- Inverted commas go around the spoken words.
Try it yourself
We will walk home said Mum.
Can I come too asked Ben.
Watch out
You put a full stop before said, as in "I am hungry." said Tom.
When the speaker comes next, the sentence is not over. Use a comma inside the inverted commas.
Tips
- The mark always goes inside the closing inverted commas.
Why it works
The end of the spoken words has a mark. A question takes a question mark and strong feeling takes an exclamation mark. A statement takes a comma if the speaker comes next and a full stop if the sentence ends there.