DialoguePut quotation marks around each

person’s exact words.

Example:“Hey, Mom! Where is my blue shirt?”

asked Jim“Have you looked in your closet? That’s

where it should be,” she replied.

Dialogue• If the speaker’s words precede (come before) the

dialogue tag, place a comma at the end of the speaker’s words, inside the quotation marks.

Example:“Let’s go into the elephant graveyard,”

Simba said.• If the speaker’s words end with an exclamation

point or question mark, that punctuation appears within the quotation marks.

Example:“ I laugh in the face of danger!” exclaimed

Simba.

DialogueWhen the dialogue tag appears in the

body of the sentence, and the quotation ends the sentence, place the final punctuation at the end of the quotation within the quotation marks.

Example:“ I’m warning you,” cautioned Zazu,

“not to go into the elephant graveyard.”

Dialogue• Change paragraphs each time the

speaker changes.Example:

“Hey, Mom! Where is my blue shirt?” asked Jim

“Have you looked in your closet? That’s where it should be,” she replied.

“Oh,” Jim laughed. “You’re right. It was right in front of me the whole time.”

What is wrong with the sentence?

“Let’s go home.” Joan suggested.

A comma should be in front of the dialogue tag.

“Let’s go home,” Joan suggested.

What is wrong with the sentence?

Kristina asked, “Is it my turn”?

The question mark should be inside the quotation marks.

Kristina asked, “Is it my turn?”

What is wrong with the sentence?

“Will you take care of my lawn.” asked Mr. Franklin, “While I’m on vacation next week?”

This is one sentence. Do not capitalize the word after the dialogue tag and change the period to a comma.

“Will you take care of my lawn,” asked Mr. Franklin, “while I’m on vacation next week?”

What should be changed?Dogs make better pets than cats do, said Frank. Have you ever had a cat? Donna asked. No, and I never will! he replied.

Quotation marks should go around the words spoken. Begin a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.

“Dogs make better pets than cats do,” said Frank.

“Have you ever had a cat?” Donna asked.

“No, and I never will!” he replied.