Do you put a comma after a dialogue?

When the speaker is attributed after the dialogue, you insert a comma inside the quotation marks. “Come closer so I can see you,” said the old man. If the dialogue ends in a question mark or exclamation point, those pieces of punctuation would replace the comma.

Do you always put a comma at the end of a quote?

Sentence-ending punctuation is a whole different story. In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said.

What are the rules for writing dialogue?

How to Format Dialogue in a Story

• Use Quotation Marks to Indicate Spoken Word.
• Dialogue Tags Stay Outside the Quotation Marks.
• Use a Separate Sentence for Actions That Happen Before or After the Dialogue.
• Use Single Quotes When Quoting Something Within the Dialogue.
• Use a New Paragraph to Indicate a New Speaker.

How do I punctuate dialogue?

Dialogue punctuation

1. Tag Line. The tag line is the statement before the dialogue that typically signifies who the speaker is.
2. Dialogue Ending Sentence. With dialogue ending a sentence, the period should stay within the quotation marks.
3. Question Inside of Quotation Marks.
4. Question Mark Outside of Quotation Marks.

When to use a comma at the end of a sentence?

Use a comma near the end of a sentence to separate contrasted coordinate elements or to indicate a distinct pause or shift. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer back to the beginning or middle of the sentence.

Are punctuation marks necessary in writing dialogue?

Use a comma when a dialogue tag follows a quote If no tag follows the text, end the dialogue with punctuation to end the spoken sentence. This rule applies only to periods. You should not omit other punctuation that adds meaning or clarity to the sentence, such as an exclamation point or question mark.

What is the dialogue format?

Dialogue is typically a conversation between two or more people in a narrative work. Dialogue is written using quotation marks around the speaker’s exact words. These quotation marks are meant to set the dialogue apart from the narration, which is written as standard text.

How do you use commas?

Commas (Eight Basic Uses)

1. Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
2. Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
3. Use a comma between all items in a series.
4. Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
5. Use a comma to set off appositives.
6. Use a comma to indicate direct address.
7. Use commas to set off direct quotations.

Where do you put punctuation in dialogue?

For American English, periods and commas always go inside your quotation marks, and commas are used to separate your dialogue tag from the actual dialogue when it comes at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle.

When writing dialogue the ending punctuation goes where?

quotation marks
2. Dialogue punctuation goes inside the quotation marks. Notice at the end of the sentence, the period is inside the quotation marks. “Writing is my favorite subject.”

Should dialogue end with a period or a comma?

Either is correct; dialogue can end with either a period or a comma. If you want a full stop, you’d have to have a complete sentence after it (or no sentence after it at all). It is certainly ok (and even encouraged) to have dialogue without dialogue tags. An example of some dialogue with a period might be: “I’m leaving this house right now.”

How do you end a quote with a comma?

A comma to end the second quoted sentence before the closing quotation mark and before the dialogue tag. A period at the end of the sentence (and after the dialogue tag) to indicate that the sentence that contains both sentences of quoted material has ended.

Do you put commas before or after full stops?

But where you have full stops/periods, they change to commas, and the full stop/period comes after the speaker’s name. This is because the sentence is now extended beyond the dialogue, to include the dialogue tag and speaker’s name, and so the full stop/period has to go at the end of the sentence, as always.

How do you end a dialogue tag in an essay?

Notes: Capital letter to indicate the beginning of a sentence inside the opening quotation mark. A comma to end the quoted sentence before the closing quotation mark that precedes the dialogue tag. Dialogue tag at the end with a period to end the sentence.