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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.Somebody has spoken these words. Sort each one by the end mark it needs.

    Groups: Ends with a full stop · Ends with a question mark

    • Shut the gate
    • Are we late
    • I am nearly ready
    • What is your name
    • Why is the door open
    • Come here at once

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

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

  3. 3.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."

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

    Groups: Correct · Not correct

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

  5. 5.One word, please. Which word inside the speech marks should begin with a capital letter? The captain said, "our team will win."

  6. 6.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
    • separates the spoken words from who said them
    • starts the spoken words
    • ends spoken words that are shouted
    • hold the exact words that were spoken
    • ends spoken words that ask something

  7. 7.Name the mark that is missing here: "Take your seats" said the teacher.

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

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

Answer key — Year 4 English — Punctuating direct speech

  1. 1. Come here at once → Ends with a full stop; What is your name → Ends with a question mark; I am nearly ready → Ends with a full stop; Are we late → Ends with a question mark; Shut the gate → Ends with a full stop; Why is the door open → Ends with a question mark
  2. 2. 1. The teacher 2. said, 3. "Open your books."
  3. 3. d) Ravi said, "I am ready."
  4. 4. "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
  5. 5. our
  6. 6. 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
  7. 7.
    • comma
    • a comma
  8. 8. b) Anna said, "I am hungry."