UsingUsingSpeech MarksSpeech Marks

Some key words!

Dialogue = a conversation between two or more people

Speech marks go around the bits of a Speech marks go around the bits of a sentence actually being sentence actually being spokenspoken..

““Hello, Blab!Hello, Blab!” ” exclaimed Blob.exclaimed Blob.

““Hello, Blob!Hello, Blob!” ” replied Blab. replied Blab. ““What a What a surprise seeing you here!surprise seeing you here!””

Hello, Blab!Hello, Blob! What a surprise seeing you here!

Where do the speech marks go Where do the speech marks go in these sentences?in these sentences?

We are very grateful my parents said.We are very grateful my parents said. ““We are very grateful,We are very grateful,”” my parents said. my parents said. Jim jumped up from his chair there’s an Jim jumped up from his chair there’s an

enormous spider! he shrieked.enormous spider! he shrieked. Jim jumped up from his chair and shouted Jim jumped up from his chair and shouted

““There’s an enormous spider!There’s an enormous spider!”” I’m scared Lucy whispered I don’t like this.I’m scared Lucy whispered I don’t like this. ““I’m scared,I’m scared,” ” Lucy whispered. Lucy whispered. ““I don’t like I don’t like

this.this.””

You need to use a You need to use a capital lettercapital letter whenever a whenever a new person begins new person begins

to speakto speak..

““I I can’t believe you just did that!” can’t believe you just did that!” Laura screeched.Laura screeched.

The author said, “The author said, “IIn this book, you will n this book, you will find much useful information.”find much useful information.”

““IIs this a joke,” asked his mother, ‘or s this a joke,” asked his mother, ‘or are you serious?”are you serious?” Why is there not

a capital letter here?

Where do the capital letters go Where do the capital letters go in these sentences?in these sentences?

““your hair is too long,” said the teacher.your hair is too long,” said the teacher. ““YYour hair is too long,” teacher.our hair is too long,” teacher. Darren said, “is there a rule about it?”Darren said, “is there a rule about it?” Darren said, “Darren said, “IIs there a rule about it?”s there a rule about it?” ““get it cut, Mr Grim growled, “as soon as get it cut, Mr Grim growled, “as soon as

possible!”possible!” ““GGet it cut, Mr Grim growled, “as soon as et it cut, Mr Grim growled, “as soon as

possible!”possible!”

We also need to put some We also need to put some punctuation at the end of each punctuation at the end of each piece of dialogue piece of dialogue beforebefore we we closeclose the speech marks - the speech marks - ! ? , .! ? , .

““I don’t believe itI don’t believe it!!” cried Kate.” cried Kate.

““Believe it or notBelieve it or not,,” Ben shrugged, “it’s true” Ben shrugged, “it’s true..””

Amy nodded. “I believe itAmy nodded. “I believe it..””

““Do you believe itDo you believe it??” Charlie asked.” Charlie asked.

a.a. Would you like a sweet Tom asked. Would you like a sweet Tom asked.

“ “Would you like a sweetWould you like a sweet?” ?” Tom asked. Tom asked.

b.b. I’d love to come to your party Sam exclaimed. I’d love to come to your party Sam exclaimed.

“ “I’d love to come to your partyI’d love to come to your party!” !” Sam Sam exclaimed.exclaimed.

c.c. That was a really sad story sniffed John. That was a really sad story sniffed John.

““That was a really sad storyThat was a really sad story,”,” sniffed John. sniffed John.

d.d. If you’d like it Alice murmured have it. If you’d like it Alice murmured have it.

““If you’d like itIf you’d like it,”,” Alice murmured, Alice murmured, ““have ithave it.”.”

Where should the speech marks Where should the speech marks and closing punctuation go in and closing punctuation go in these sentences?these sentences?

“ “Hello, Mr Batt!” called James.Hello, Mr Batt!” called James.

“ “Hello there!” replied Mr Batt.Hello there!” replied Mr Batt.

“ “How are you feeling today?” James asked, How are you feeling today?” James asked, stopping at Mr Batt’s gate.stopping at Mr Batt’s gate.

“ “I’m fine, thanks James,” smiled Mr Batt. I’m fine, thanks James,” smiled Mr Batt.

We also need to start a We also need to start a newnew lineline every time a every time a differentdifferent charactercharacter speaks. speaks.

1.1. Put speech marks around the Put speech marks around the wordswords beingbeing spokenspoken..

2.2. Use a Use a capital lettercapital letter when a new when a new person person begins to speakbegins to speak..

3.3. Punctuate the speech Punctuate the speech beforebefore closingclosing speech marks. speech marks.

4.4. Start a Start a newnew lineline for each for each newnew speakerspeaker. .

Direct Speech DateDirect Speech Date

Copy out and punctuate these Copy out and punctuate these sentences!sentences!

1.1. are you hungry my mother askedare you hungry my mother asked

2.2. I’ll never save as much as that my brother said I’ll never save as much as that my brother said sadlysadly

3.3. stop fooling around shouted Sarahstop fooling around shouted Sarah

4.4. what’s the time asked my grandfather suddenlywhat’s the time asked my grandfather suddenly

5.5. I asked her bluntly don’t you believe meI asked her bluntly don’t you believe me

6.6. they all shouted excitedly come over herethey all shouted excitedly come over here

7.7. my father just said you have to ask your mothermy father just said you have to ask your mother

8.8. my little brother whispered what are you buying my little brother whispered what are you buying me for Christmasme for Christmas

What’s the difference between numbers 1-4 and 5-8?Answer: 1-4 = speech first, introductory verb second

5-8 = introductory verb first, speech second

Check your answers…Check your answers…

1.1. ““AAre you hungryre you hungry?”?” my mother asked my mother asked..2.2. ““I’ll never save as much as thatI’ll never save as much as that!”!” my brother said my brother said

sadlysadly..3.3. ““SStop fooling aroundtop fooling around!”!” shouted Sarah shouted Sarah..4.4. ““WWhat’s the timehat’s the time?”?” asked my grandfather asked my grandfather

suddenlysuddenly..5.5. I asked her bluntlyI asked her bluntly, “D, “Don’t you believe meon’t you believe me?”?”6.6. They all shouted excitedlyThey all shouted excitedly, “C, “Come over hereome over here!”!”7.7. My father just saidMy father just said, “Y, “You have to ask your motherou have to ask your mother..8.8. My little brother whisperedMy little brother whispered, “W, “What are you buying hat are you buying

me for Christmasme for Christmas?”?”

Here’s a mixture of the Here’s a mixture of the two…two…

1.1. Susan shouted watch outSusan shouted watch out

2.2. What’s on TV I askedWhat’s on TV I asked

3.3. What’s the time asked MarkWhat’s the time asked Mark

4.4. Where are you going to asked the taxi Where are you going to asked the taxi driverdriver

5.5. Tim screamed AaaahhhhhTim screamed Aaaahhhhh

6.6. Emma said sorry, are you OKEmma said sorry, are you OK

7.7. Can we see the new Harry Potter film asked Can we see the new Harry Potter film asked MatthewMatthew

8.8. No shouted KathyNo shouted Kathy

Check your answers…Check your answers…

1.1. Susan shoutedSusan shouted,, “W“Watch outatch out!”!”2.2. ““WWhat’s on TVhat’s on TV?”?” I asked I asked..3.3. ““WWhat’s the timehat’s the time?”?” asked Mark asked Mark..4.4. ““WWhere are you going tohere are you going to?”?” asked the taxi asked the taxi

driverdriver..5.5. TTim screamedim screamed, “, “AaaahhhhhAaaahhhhh!”!”6.6. Emma saidEmma said, “S, “Sorry, are you OKorry, are you OK?”?”7.7. ““CCan we see the new Harry Potter filman we see the new Harry Potter film?”?”

asked Matthewasked Matthew..8.8. ““NNoo!”!” shouted Kathy shouted Kathy..

Direct speech interrupted by Direct speech interrupted by the introductory verbthe introductory verb

1.1. How much longer they moaned before we How much longer they moaned before we get to Liverpoolget to Liverpool

2.2. Get down from that roof immediately Get down from that roof immediately shouted my father and put the ladder awayshouted my father and put the ladder away

3.3. Next weekend said Erin we’re going Next weekend said Erin we’re going campingcamping

4.4. I am sorry I said but I am not going to lend I am sorry I said but I am not going to lend you any more moneyyou any more money

5.5. Do you know my sister asked what Mrs Do you know my sister asked what Mrs Stevens expects us to do in the holidaysStevens expects us to do in the holidays

Check your answers…Check your answers…1.1. ““HHow much longerow much longer,”,” they moaned they moaned, “, “before before

we get to Liverpoolwe get to Liverpool?”?”2.2. ““GGet down from that roof immediatelyet down from that roof immediately,”,”

shouted my fathershouted my father, “, “and put the ladder and put the ladder awayaway!”!”

3.3. ““NNext weekendext weekend,” ,” said Erinsaid Erin, “, “we’re going we’re going campingcamping.”.”

4.4. ““I am sorryI am sorry,”,” I said I said, “, “but I am not going to but I am not going to lend you any more moneylend you any more money.”.”

5.5. ““DDo you knowo you know,”,” my sister asked my sister asked, “, “what Mrs what Mrs Stevens expects us to do in the holidaysStevens expects us to do in the holidays?”?”

Here’s a mix of everything Here’s a mix of everything you’ve practised you’ve practised

1.1. Any chance of getting me some potatoes Any chance of getting me some potatoes Mum shouted up the stairsMum shouted up the stairs

2.2. Why are you going to the library she Why are you going to the library she asked through gritted teethasked through gritted teeth

3.3. Why I argued It’s not fairWhy I argued It’s not fair4.4. Mum pulled a long face I asked you to Mum pulled a long face I asked you to

buy milk she saidbuy milk she said

A reminder of the rules…A reminder of the rules…

Put speech marks around the words Put speech marks around the words being spoken.being spoken.

Use a capital letter when a new Use a capital letter when a new person begins to speak.person begins to speak.

Punctuate the speech before closing Punctuate the speech before closing speech marks.speech marks.

Start a new line for each new Start a new line for each new speaker.speaker.

Oh. I’ve always wanted my own kitten.

Remember, it won’t stay a

kitten for long!

Try to turn this speech

into dialogue.

Now, you need to think about

the speech too.

Now, think about the

speech in this situation.

Bodget and Brown looked hard at the Bodget and Brown looked hard at the chimney. It was leaning a very long way chimney. It was leaning a very long way over. It will have to be pulled down said over. It will have to be pulled down said Bodget, as he and the constable looked up Bodget, as he and the constable looked up at the chimney. It cannot be left in that state at the chimney. It cannot be left in that state said the constable. You had better get said the constable. You had better get started. I have told Mrs Worth about it. We started. I have told Mrs Worth about it. We will go and get some ladders and scaffolding will go and get some ladders and scaffolding from the lorry said Bodget and off he went. from the lorry said Bodget and off he went.

Try punctuating Try punctuating this dialogue:this dialogue:

Bodget and Brown looked hard at the Bodget and Brown looked hard at the chimney. It was leaning a very long way over.chimney. It was leaning a very long way over.""It will have to be pulled downIt will have to be pulled down,"," said Bodget, said Bodget, as he and the constable looked up at the as he and the constable looked up at the chimney. chimney. ""It cannot be left in that stateIt cannot be left in that state,"," said the said the constable. constable. ""You had better get started. I have You had better get started. I have told Mrs Worth about ittold Mrs Worth about it."."""We will go and get some ladders and We will go and get some ladders and scaffolding from the lorryscaffolding from the lorry,"," said Bodget and said Bodget and off he went. off he went.

Now, check your dialogue Now, check your dialogue punctuation:punctuation: