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Grade 4 English Language Arts — 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 period · Ends with a question mark

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

  2. 2.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."

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

    Groups: Correct · Not correct

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  8. 8.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.

Answer key — Grade 4 English Language Arts — Punctuating direct speech

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