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Year 4 English — Punctuating direct speech

Punctuate a sentence that reports somebody's exact words, with the marks in the right places.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Which sentence gives the speaker's exact words?

    • a) Anna said that she was hungry.
    • b) Anna told us she was hungry.
    • c) Anna was hungry, she said.
    • d) Anna said, "I am hungry."

  2. 2.Which mark is missing? "I will help you" said Anna.

    • a) a full stop
    • b) an exclamation mark
    • c) a comma
    • d) a question mark

  3. 3.Match each mark to the job it does in a sentence of direct speech.

    • the speech marks
    • the comma
    • the capital letter
    • the question mark
    • the exclamation mark
    • starts the spoken words
    • ends spoken words that ask something
    • separates the spoken words from who said them
    • ends spoken words that are shouted
    • hold the exact words that were spoken

  4. 4.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • a) Ravi said, "I am ready"
    • b) Ravi said, "i am ready."
    • c) Ravi said, "I am ready."
    • d) Ravi said "I am ready."

  5. 5.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • a) "Come inside," said Mother.
    • b) "Come inside," Said Mother.
    • c) "Come inside" said Mother.
    • d) Come inside, "said Mother."

  6. 6.Put the parts in order to make one correct sentence.

    • The teacher
    • said,
    • "Open your books."

  7. 7.Sort each sentence by whether the speech is punctuated correctly.

    Groups: Correct · Not correct

    • "I am tired" said Ravi.
    • Ravi shouted, "Wait for me!"
    • "can I come too?" asked the boy.
    • "Where are you going?" asked Anna.
    • The guard said "Nobody may enter."
    • "Sit down," said the teacher.

  8. 8.Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • a) Are you coming with us? "asked Ravi."
    • b) "Are you coming with us?" asked Ravi.
    • c) "are you coming with us?" asked Ravi.
    • d) "Are you coming with us," asked Ravi.

Answer key — Year 4 English — Punctuating direct speech

  1. 1. d) Anna said, "I am hungry."
  2. 2. c) a comma
  3. 3. the speech marks → hold the exact words that were spoken; the comma → separates the spoken words from who said them; the capital letter → starts the spoken words; the question mark → ends spoken words that ask something; the exclamation mark → ends spoken words that are shouted
  4. 4. c) Ravi said, "I am ready."
  5. 5. a) "Come inside," said Mother.
  6. 6. 1. The teacher 2. said, 3. "Open your books."
  7. 7. "Sit down," said the teacher. → Correct; "Where are you going?" asked Anna. → Correct; Ravi shouted, "Wait for me!" → Correct; "I am tired" said Ravi. → Not correct; The guard said "Nobody may enter." → Not correct; "can I come too?" asked the boy. → Not correct
  8. 8. b) "Are you coming with us?" asked Ravi.