Free English / Grammar / Inverted commas
Inverted commas and direct speech: how to punctuate speech
Direct speech is the exact words someone says. Punctuating it correctly is one of the clearest signs of a confident young writer.
Quick answer
- Key terms
- direct speech, inverted commas (speech marks), reporting clause
- Key idea
- Inverted commas go round the spoken words only. Punctuation before the closing marks.
- Years
- Introduced in Year 3; full punctuation pattern in Year 4.
The patterns
- Speech first: "Come in," said Mum. The comma sits inside the closing marks.
- Reporting clause first: Mum said, "Come in." A comma after said, and a full stop inside the closing marks.
- Question or exclamation: "Where is my coat?" asked Ava. The question mark goes inside and the next word stays small.
- Split speech: "Come in," said Mum, "and shut the door."
A new speaker means a new line
Every time a different person starts to speak, start a new line. That helps the reader keep track of who is talking.
A checklist
- Open inverted commas just before the first spoken word.
- Capital letter for the first word of the speech.
- Spoken punctuation (comma, question mark, exclamation mark or full stop) inside the closing marks.
- Do not put inverted commas around the reporting clause.
Quick quiz
8 questions. Answer them all, then check your score.
Questions
Do I use single or double inverted commas?
Both are correct in British writing. Choose one and be consistent. Schools often teach double inverted commas for direct speech.
Related
Spelling lists and grammar terminology: Department for Education, National curriculum in England: English programmes of study, Appendices 1 and 2 (Crown copyright 2013), reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example sentences, tips, explanations and questions are by Litlings.