Dialogue and Quotation Marks — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. "Where are we going?" Eli asked.
Question marks go inside the closing quotation mark for quoted questions.
2. Mom said, "To the library."
American style places periods inside the closing quotation mark at sentence end.
3. "That sounds fun," Eli replied happily.
Commas separate quoted speech from following tags and stay inside the quotes.
4. "I should bring my book," he added.
The first word of direct speech is always capitalized, even mid-sentence.
5. "Great idea," Mom agreed as she nodded.
Dialogue verbs like agreed convey both speech and the speaker's stance.
6. "Let's hurry!" Eli exclaimed excitedly.
Dialogue verbs like exclaimed or shouted match enthusiastic, loud speech.
7. Each new speaker begins on a new line.
New lines or paragraphs signal speaker changes clearly in written dialogue.
8. "Don't forget your card," Mom reminded him.
Commas inside quotation marks connect the quote to the speaker tag.
9. "I won't," he promised as he grabbed it.
Dialogue verbs like promised reveal the speaker's intent or commitment.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Period in dialogue
→ Inside the closing quote
Inside the closing quote
Action beat
→ She turned and smiled
She turned and smiled
Said
→ Most common dialogue tag
Most common dialogue tag
Quotation marks
→ Enclose direct speech
Enclose direct speech
Recognizing these features helps students write and read dialogue with confidence.