Punctuation Rules for Direct Speech

When you're using direct speech, remember these important punctuation rules:

1. Quotation Marks:

   • Put spoken words in double quotation marks.
   • Example: She said, “I will go to the store.”

2. Capitalization:

   • Start the quoted sentence with a capital letter.
   • Example: “I love ice cream,” he exclaimed.

3. Commas:

   • Add a comma before the opening quotation marks if you mention who is speaking first.
   • Example: John asked, “Are you coming?”

4. Ending Punctuation:

   • Put periods, exclamation points, or question marks inside the quotation marks.
   • Example: “What time is it?” she wondered.

5. Dialogue Tags:

   • If a tag comes after the quote, don’t capitalize the first word of the quote unless it’s a name.
   • Example: “I’m ready,” she said.

Following these rules makes direct speech clear and easy to read!