Speech marks can also be called inverted commas or quotation marks. They have three main uses:
"Give me a break!" he snapped / he thought / said Tom.
"To be or not to be, that is the question", is the first line of a soliloquy by Hamlet.
"Hamlet" is a play by Shakespeare.
They decided to go to the 5 o'clock session of "Men in Black II".
The teacher praised his correct use of the word "principle".
Don't tell me you were just "showing him the ropes"!
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When a character begins to speak:
When a person stops speaking:
Normally, double speech marks are used; " ", but often in novels the editors choose to use single speech marks, to keep the text less cluttered.
Suggestion: Use double speech marks in your hand-written work. Use single speech marks in word-processed work.
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Punctuate the following passages as conversations. Write down your correctly punctuated conversations on a piece of paper, and then click on the answer button to mark your work yourself.
| 1. when are you going to finish your homework asked mrs brown in about ten minutes why are you asking queried tom good replied mrs brown because your favourite television show starts about then | |
| 2. have you collected the paper from the mailbox this morning asked my dad no I havent I replied why not he said accusingly its your morning job isnt it I need to look at it before I go to work sorry dad I just had to complete this last bit of homework ill get it right away | |
| 3. whats the name of the capital of canada john asked his father I cant think of it what are they teaching you at school these days replied his father we used to know all the world capitals in our day just tell me this one please john continued I need it for a crossword sorry john my days are so long ago ive nearly forgotten try Ottawa thats it dad it fits in youre brilliant shouted john |