Commas and Quotation Marks in Dialogue Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: L.3.2.C

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Commas are punctuation marks that create a pause in a sentence. This pause is used to indicate to the reader that a complete is ending and a new one is beginning. Question marks are punctuation that indicates direct speech. The words found within those marks are word-for-word what was said by the speaker. We also capitalize the first letter of a quote, even if it found mid-sentence. Both of these forms of punctuation are vital in written dialogue. Quotation marks are used to help us indicate that a person is speaking and commas add a flare of drama to any statement or query. These worksheets will help students learn the purpose of these forms of punctuation when used in dialogue.

Commas and Quotation Marks Worksheets:

As Told By Sid - Sid the Seagull is spilling the beans. You will review an author's sentence and see if the dialogue they wrote is correct.

John's Ice Cream Cone - Choose the sentence from each set that uses quotation marks and commas correctly.

Late for Dinner - Find the speaker's words and add quotes and commas where they are necessary.

Trick or Treat! - You are basically grading these sentences. Read each sentence below. If the sentence is punctuated correctly, put a check mark on the line. If it is punctuated incorrectly, write an X on the line.

Shopping - A little bit of a cartoon going on here. Copy each quote on the lines below that has the same number as the speech bubble. Add commas and quotation marks where needed.

Jessie the Jester - Read the story below. Underline direct speech. Then use a colored marker or colored pencil to add quotation marks and commas where needed.

The Mysterious Boot - Underline each speaker's exact words. Add punctuation where needed. These will need some TLC.

Antelope Ballet - Read the paragraph below. Then rewrite it, adding quotation marks and commas where appropriate.

A Walk in the Park - Ms. McMillan is blind. Every day she walks in the park with her guide dog, Ben. She enjoys hearing all of the other people in the park.

The Secret Club - Georgianna, Wilma and Haley formed a secret club. Only kids who can say the correct password at the clubhouse door are allowed to come in.

Dear Mom... - Jane is spending the week away from home, and she wrote a postcard to her mother. Read Jane's postcard.

Mrs. Marquez Walks a Robot - Add commas and quotation marks where needed in each sentence below.

Sam and Joe - Copy each quote on the lines below. Be careful to add commas and quotation marks where they are needed.

A Bad Day - Read the story below. Underline all of the direct speech. Then add quotation marks and commas were needed.

Tales from the Bus - Each sentence below contains indirect speech. Rewrite each sentence to contain direct speech. Use commas and quotation marks where needed. Follow the example.

How to Use Commas and Quotation Marks in Dialogues?


Writing dialogue is much trickier when compared to other types of writing. One has to be highly careful with the choice of words, structure and punctuation usage to come up with realistic and compelling dialogue. When it comes to punctuations, commas and quotation marks have a vital role to play in dialogues. Below are a few ways to use commas and quotation marks in dialogues in a correct manner.


Add Comma before Opening Quote


Never forget to use a comma to introduce text in your dialogue. The use of a comma is only exempted when you add conjunction before moving onto the quote. The examples below show how exactly it's done.


Example 1: Without a conjunction

She said, "we are running late"


Example 2: With a conjunction

She said that "we are running late"


Add Comma within the Closing Quotation


When you end a dialogue, add a comma or period before you add a closing quotation. Refer to the example below to get an exact idea.

"I have a class at 9 in the morning," he replied.


Use Comma if a Quote is Followed by a Dialogue


If you write a quote after you finish the dialogue, then always use comma in this scenario. For instance

"You are supposed to finish this work in 30 minutes," she said.


Single Quotes for Quotes within Dialogues


When there's a dialogue within a dialogue, you are always supposed to use single quotation marks for them. For example:

"My uncle always said 'hard works never goes wasted' "

Using these tips, you can make your dialogues more impactful. The right usage of commas and quotation marks can help readers experience the story in a much better way. This is mainly because they are able to differentiate between a narrative and dialogue without getting into confusion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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