Punctuating Quotations And Dialogue Quiz Question And Answers

When punctuating dialogue, use quotation marks to enclose the spoken words. Place commas and periods inside the closing quotation marks. If the dialogue tag (e.g., she said) interrupts the sentence, use commas to set it off. In option (a), the punctuation is correctly placed, with commas inside the quotation marks and the dialogue tag properly set off with commas.

Use exclamation point for strong emotion. Use quotation marks only with the part that is actually spoken.

Notice that a comma follows the introductory clause, and also ends the quotation because it continues (within the same sentence) to an additional clause.

Use single quotation marks for items within a quotation that require them, such as a chapter title, a song title, a television show, etc. Place a comma inside the quotation marks (even though it's the end of the statement and you might think it requires a perios)when the sentence continues on to an explanatory clause.

Use two sets of quotation marks for this type of "split" quotation. Follow the clause "insisted Betty," which separates the two halves of the quotation, with a comma. Do not capitalize the first letter of the second part of a quotation which continues the spoken sentence from the first part (beach --> please)

When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.

If your speaker uses an exclamation like Harry did in the first part of the quote, there's no need for a comma. The same rule applies to whenever your speaker asks a question.

Use quotation marks around the exact quote from the book. Use a colon : to separate an independent clause from a quotation.

The high school French teacher was directly quoted, so quotation marks are necessary even though it's only a portion of what he or she said. The introductory word "that" should NOT be enclosed (choice C).

Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks.

Continue one character's dialogue until he or she is finished speaking. Do not separate their dialogue into parts. Separate characters' dialogue from each other's. Change lines (new paragraph) every time the speaker changes.

The question doesn't apply to the quotation - it is part of the sense of the sentence, so the question mark goes outside the quotation marks.

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks.