Quotation Marks for Kids: How to Punctuate Dialogue (Grade 4 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are learning about quotation marks. Quotation marks wrap around the exact words a character says out loud. They work like a speech bubble in a comic.

Quotation marks come in pairs. One opens before the first spoken word, and one closes after the last. Maya said, I found a shell. The spoken words start with a capital letter.

The end mark goes inside the closing quotation marks. A question mark or exclamation mark stays with the spoken words. Watch out, yelled Sam. Is it raining, asked Lily.

When the speaker comes after a telling sentence, use a comma instead of a period, and put it inside the closing marks. I like puzzles, said Omar.

Sometimes the speaker tag sits in the middle. Close the marks, add the tag, then open new marks for the rest. The second part starts with a small letter, because it is the same sentence.

Only use quotation marks for exact words. Maya said that she found a shell does not need them, because those are not her exact words. Also, start a new paragraph when a new person speaks.

Now it's your turn. Add the quotation marks. Can we go now, asked Leo. Pause and try. The marks go around Can we go now, and the question mark goes inside the closing marks.

Great job! Quotation marks wrap around exact spoken words, and commas and end marks go inside them. Practice quotation marks in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!