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Punctuating Dialogue: Quotation Marks, Commas and New Speakers — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 8 punctuation worksheet.

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Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 8 · English · Punctuation

Punctuating Dialogue: Quotation Marks, Commas and New Speakers — Answers

Part A: Choose the correct version

1.Which is correctly punctuated?
  1. A"We should leave now" said Kim.
  2. B"We should leave now," said Kim.
  3. C"We should leave now." said Kim.
  4. D"We should leave now", said Kim.

Answer: "We should leave now," said Kim.

When the speaker tag comes after the speech, end the spoken words with a comma inside the closing quotation mark.

2.Which is correctly punctuated?
  1. AKim said, "we should leave now."
  2. BKim said "We should leave now".
  3. CKim said, "We should leave now."
  4. DKim said. "We should leave now."

Answer: Kim said, "We should leave now."

When the speaker tag comes first, put a comma after it, start the speech with a capital letter and put the end mark inside the closing quotation mark.

3.Which is correctly punctuated?
  1. A"Are you ready?" asked Tom.
  2. B"Are you ready?," asked Tom.
  3. C"Are you ready", asked Tom?
  4. D"Are you ready?" Asked Tom.

Answer: "Are you ready?" asked Tom.

A question mark or exclamation mark replaces the comma, and the speaker tag continues with a lower-case letter.

4.Which correctly punctuates speech that is interrupted by the speaker tag?
  1. A"If we hurry," said Ana, "We might catch the bus."
  2. B"If we hurry," said Ana, "we might catch the bus."
  3. C"If we hurry" said Ana "we might catch the bus."
  4. D"If we hurry," said Ana. "we might catch the bus."

Answer: "If we hurry," said Ana, "we might catch the bus."

The sentence of speech continues after the tag, so the second part starts with a lower-case letter and the tag is followed by a comma.

5.Which correctly shows two separate sentences of speech around a tag?
  1. A"I'm tired," said Ana, "let's go home."
  2. B"I'm tired," said Ana. "Let's go home."
  3. C"I'm tired." said Ana. "Let's go home."
  4. D"I'm tired," said Ana "Let's go home."

Answer: "I'm tired," said Ana. "Let's go home."

I'm tired and Let's go home are two complete sentences, so the tag ends with an end mark ( . ) and the next sentence of speech begins with a capital letter.

Part B: Fix it

6.Fix the punctuation: "Watch out" yelled the lifeguard.

Answer: "Watch out!" yelled the lifeguard.

  1. Also correct: "Watch out," yelled the lifeguard. An exclamation mark suits a shouted warning.
7.Fix the punctuation: my coach said "keep your eyes on the ball".

Answer: My coach said, "Keep your eyes on the ball."

8.Fix the punctuation: "I think" whispered Sam "that someone is following us".

Answer: "I think," whispered Sam, "that someone is following us."

9.Each time a different character speaks, the dialogue should start on a new line.

Answer: True

A new line (and indent) for each new speaker helps the reader follow who is talking.

10.The speaker tag after a question should start with a capital letter, as in "Where are you going?" She asked.

Answer: False

The tag is part of the same sentence, so it starts with a lower-case letter: "Where are you going?" she asked.

Part C: Set out the conversation

11.This conversation has no quotation marks and is written as one paragraph. Rewrite it correctly, starting a new line for each speaker. Where is the map asked Jess. I left it in the car said Omar. You what said Jess. Don't panic said Omar I took a photo of it.

Answer: "Where is the map?" asked Jess. "I left it in the car," said Omar. "You what?" said Jess. "Don't panic," said Omar. "I took a photo of it."

12.Writers do not need a speaker tag on every line. When can tags be left out?

Answer: When only two characters are talking and it is clear who is speaking from the new lines and the way each character talks. A tag can be added every few lines to remind the reader.

Part D: Your turn

13.Your turn: write a dialogue of 8–10 lines between two characters who disagree about something (where to go, what to do, who is to blame). Include at least one question, one exclamation, one interrupted sentence of speech and one line with no speaker tag. Start a new line for each speaker.

Model answer: "We are not going in there," said Priya, folding her arms. "Why not?" asked Leo. "It's just an old barn." "Just an old barn," she repeated, "with a broken roof and a sign that says Danger." "Signs like that are only there to scare people." "Well, it's working!" Leo grinned and pushed the door. It swung open with a long, slow creak. "Leo," Priya whispered, "if anything jumps out at us, I am never speaking to you again." "Deal," he said, and stepped inside.

Success criteria:

  • Quotation marks placed correctly around all spoken words
  • Commas and end marks placed correctly with speaker tags
  • At least one question, one exclamation and one interrupted sentence of speech
  • New line for each new speaker
  • At least one line without a speaker tag that is still clear
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