How to Punctuate Speech and Write Dialogue: KS3 English

To punctuate speech in KS3 English, place inverted commas around the exact words spoken, put the punctuation inside the closing inverted comma, start a new line for each new speaker, and add a reporting clause ("she said", "he whispered") to identify who is speaking. These four rules make dialogue clear and controlled.

What are inverted commas and where do they go?

Inverted commas (also called speech marks or quotation marks) enclose the exact words that a character speaks aloud. In British English, single inverted commas are standard for speech, though double inverted commas are also widely accepted at KS3.

The key rule: the inverted commas go around the spoken words only — not around the whole sentence including the reporting clause.

Correct: "I'll be back before dark," she promised.

Incorrect: "I'll be back before dark," she promised. ← (If the reporting clause were inside the marks, that would be wrong.)

What are the four core rules for speech punctuation?

Rule | Explanation | Example
1. Inverted commas | Enclose spoken words only | "Come in," he said.
2. Punctuate inside | Comma, full stop, question mark — all go BEFORE the closing inverted comma | "Are you ready?" she asked.
3. Lower case after comma | When the reporting clause follows the speech, begin it with a lower-case letter | "This is strange," Maya whispered.
4. New speaker, new line | Each time the speaker changes, start a new paragraph | See worked example below

Rule 2 is the one most students get wrong: the punctuation belongs to the speech, so it stays inside the speech marks.

How does punctuation inside speech marks work?

Think of it this way: whatever you would put at the end of the sentence if it were standing alone, you put inside the inverted commas.

A statement ends with a comma (not a full stop) when a reporting clause follows: "I am not afraid," she said.

A question ends with a question mark: "What time is it?" he asked.

An exclamation ends with an exclamation mark: "Watch out!" cried Ravi.

If the speech ends the sentence entirely (no reporting clause), use a full stop inside the marks: She turned to him and said, "I already knew."

What is a reporting clause?

A reporting clause (sometimes called a dialogue tag) identifies the speaker and how they spoke. Common examples: said, asked, whispered, shouted, replied, muttered, called out.

The reporting clause can come before, after, or in the middle of the speech:

Before: He frowned and said, "That isn't right." — Note the comma before the opening inverted comma.

After: "That isn't right," he frowned. — Note the comma inside the closing mark, lower-case "he".

In the middle: "That," he said, frowning, "is definitely not right." — Note the speech resumes after the clause with a lower-case letter and its own inverted comma.

A worked example with annotation

Here is a short dialogue passage with annotations to show how the rules apply.

"I don't think we should go in," Yusuf said quietly. [Comma inside inverted commas; lower-case 's' on 'said']

"Why not?" Priya folded her arms. [Question mark inside inverted commas; new speaker, new line]

"Because the door's been left open." He glanced over his shoulder. "And the lights are on." [Split speech — second part begins with capital 'A' because it is a new sentence within the speech]

Notice that each new speaker starts on their own line. This is a visual signal to the reader about who is speaking.

What are the most common mistakes and how do you fix them?

Mistake 1: Punctuation outside the inverted commas. "I don't know", she said. — wrong. The comma must be inside: "I don't know," she said.

Mistake 2: Capital letter after the reporting clause in the middle of speech. "You're wrong," He said, "absolutely wrong." — wrong. "He" should be lower-case: "You're wrong," he said, "absolutely wrong."

Mistake 3: Not starting a new line for each new speaker. Running dialogue from different speakers into the same paragraph makes it very hard to follow. Even a brief exchange needs a new line per speaker.

Mistake 4: Using "said" for every verb. "Said" is invisible and rarely wrong, but varying the verb — whispered, snapped, murmured, insisted — tells the reader something about how the words are delivered. Use varied verbs sparingly and purposefully: every verb should be there because it adds information.

Frequently asked questions

What inverted commas does British English use for speech?

British English conventionally uses single inverted commas for speech: 'Come in,' he said. Double inverted commas are also widely used and accepted at KS3 level. If a quotation appears inside speech, use the other type: "She said, 'Don't look,' but I did," Jas told him.

Does the full stop go inside or outside speech marks in British English?

In British English, punctuation goes inside the speech marks when it belongs to the speech itself. So for a complete statement followed by a reporting clause, use a comma (not a full stop) inside the marks: "We should leave," he said. The full stop for the whole sentence appears after the reporting clause.

Do you always need a reporting clause?

No. You can let a line of dialogue stand alone without a reporting clause, as long as the reader knows who is speaking from context or from the new-line rule. In a back-and-forth exchange between two speakers, you can often drop the reporting clause after the first exchange is established.

How do you punctuate a question asked inside speech?

Use a question mark inside the inverted commas, and begin the reporting clause with a lower-case letter: "Is anyone there?" she called. The question mark replaces the comma — do not add both.

For Socratic English grammar practice on punctuating speech, see aitutors.me.