PUNCTUATION: QUOTATION MARKSCollege Prep. English 7

QUOTATION MARKS

Quotation marks are used- when writing dialogue (two or more characters

are speaking to each other) to show what a writer has “borrowed” from

another book, magazine, or other source to set off the titles of short stories, poems,

songs, newspaper articles, etc. to show that certain words are used in a special

way

DIALOGUE

Use quotation marks before and after the exact words of a character or speaker.

The comma is inside the quotation marks when the speaker tag* follows the quotation “You should eat a balanced diet,” said Mrs.

Smith. The comma precedes the quotation when

the speaker tag is first Mrs. Smith said, "You should eat a balanced

diet.” NOTE: Capitalize the first word of the quotation!

* Speaker tag is in red- it identifies who is speaking

DIALOGUE CONT’D.

Place a comma at the end of the first section of dialogue and after the speaker tag when a quoted sentence is divided in two parts “If you want to be fit,” said Mrs. Smith, “you

should eat a balanced diet.” NOTE: Capitalize the first word of the quotation, and

begin the second part with a lower case!

DIALOGUE CONT’D.

If the dialogue is a question or exclamation, place the appropriate end mark inside the quotation “Why can’t I eat chips in class?” asked Johnny. “Put those down!” shouted the man.

DIALOGUE CONT’D.

When writing dialogue with two or more people conversing, begin a new paragraph every time the speaker changes Example:

“Stop!” shouted Mr. Thomas when he saw the little boy was running into the street.

“Why should I listen to you?” questioned the little boy.

“Because,” Mr. Thomas explained, “there is a car headed this direction.”

PRACTICE TIME!

Punctuate the following dialogue with end marks, quotation marks and commas!

1. Hello said Tom where have you been?

2. When she heard the explosion Paula shouted run

3. My mom whispered go say hello4. Get out screamed my brother

PRACTICE TIME!

Check and correct your answers.

“Hello,” said Tom, “where have you been?”

When she heard the explosion, Paula shouted, “Run!”

My mom whispered, “Go say hello.”“Get out!” screamed my brother.

QUOTING “BORROWED” TEXT (Evidence/Concrete Detail)

When quoting “borrowed” text, put quotation marks around the text. Be sure to copy what is written exactly and to cite your source with the page number in parenthesis!Example: Al T. Wolf believes he is innocent:

“I was framed” (19).

QUOTING “BORROWED” TEXT (Evidence/Concrete Detail) THAT IS DIALOGUE

When the “borrowed” text being quoted includes dialogue, use single quotation marks (apostrophes) around the dialogue.Example: “’I will work harder,’ Boxer said” (65).

QUOTATION MARKS

Remember, to put quotation marks around-Dialogue between charactersTitles of short stories, poems, articles,

chapters, and songsWords that are not your own (anything

over three words is considered “borrowed” text (aka- evidence/Concrete Detail)

Words used in a special sense