Success TutoringWorksheets

Speech Marks — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 3 punctuation worksheet.

Download answers PDFPrint answersBack to worksheet

Year 3 · English · Punctuation

Speech Marks — Answers

Success Tutoring

Part A — Which one is right?

Speech marks go around the words someone actually says. Circle the sentence that is punctuated correctly.

1.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
  1. A"Pass the salt, please," said Dad.
  2. B"Pass the salt, please" said Dad.
  3. CPass the salt, please, "said Dad."
  4. D"Pass the salt, please, said Dad."

Answer: "Pass the salt, please," said Dad.

The speech marks go around the spoken words, and the comma goes before the closing speech mark.

2.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
  1. AMia shouted, "wait for me!"
  2. BMia shouted, "Wait for me!"
  3. CMia shouted "Wait for me!"
  4. DMia shouted, Wait for me!

Answer: Mia shouted, "Wait for me!"

The first spoken word needs a capital letter, and a comma comes after 'shouted'.

3.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
  1. A"Is it raining?" asked Zac.
  2. B"Is it raining? asked Zac."
  3. C"Is it raining"? asked Zac.
  4. DIs it raining? "asked Zac."

Answer: "Is it raining?" asked Zac.

The question mark goes inside the speech marks because it belongs to the speech.

4.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
  1. AThe teacher said "open your books."
  2. BThe teacher said, "Open your books."
  3. CThe teacher said, "open your books".
  4. D"The teacher said, Open your books."

Answer: The teacher said, "Open your books."

Comma after 'said', capital letter to start the speech, full stop inside the speech marks.

Part B — Add the speech marks

Rewrite each sentence with speech marks in the right places.

5.I love the beach, said Ava.

Answer: "I love the beach," said Ava.

6.Mr Nguyen asked, Who can help me?

Answer: Mr Nguyen asked, "Who can help me?"

7.Hurry up! called Mum.

Answer: "Hurry up!" called Mum.

8.The bus is late again, grumbled Liam.

Answer: "The bus is late again," grumbled Liam.

Part C — True or false?

Circle True or False.

9.Speech marks go around the words that are spoken.

Answer: True

10.The first spoken word starts with a capital letter.

Answer: True

11.The punctuation at the end of the speech goes outside the speech marks.

Answer: False

It goes inside, before the closing speech mark.

12.You start a new line when a different person speaks.

Answer: True

Part D — Write a conversation

13.Write a short conversation between two friends deciding what to play at lunch. Write at least four lines of speech and start a new line each time the speaker changes.

Model answer: "Do you want to play handball?" asked Ruby. "I'd rather play soccer," said Noah. "Let's do handball first and soccer after," Ruby suggested. "Deal!" said Noah.

Success criteria:

  • At least four lines of speech
  • Speech marks around every spoken part
  • Capital letter at the start of each piece of speech
  • Comma, question mark or exclamation mark before the closing speech mark
  • New line for each new speaker
worksheets.successtutoring.com · Free to print and share for personal and classroom use

Marking tips

  • Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
  • For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
  • Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.

Great work. Here's what to try next: