Polish & share · Tip 74 of 82 · 5 min read
How to Punctuate Speech
Speech marks, commas and new lines: the simple rules that make dialogue easy to follow.
When characters talk, readers need to know exactly which words are spoken out loud and who is speaking. A few simple rules do all the work. Once you know them, they're as easy as tying your shoes.
Rule 1: Hug the spoken words
Speech marks (also called inverted commas) go around the words a character actually says, like two arms giving them a hug. Everything else stays outside.
Rule 2: Punctuation goes inside the hug
The comma, full stop, question mark or exclamation mark that ends the spoken words goes inside the closing speech mark.
Okay 😐
"Watch out", yelled Kai. "there's a goose behind you".
Wow! 🤩
"Watch out!" yelled Kai. "There's a goose behind you."
Rule 3: Use a comma before the speaker
If the sentence carries on after the speech, end the spoken words with a comma instead of a full stop. Then said, asked or whispered starts with a small letter, because the sentence isn't over yet.
"I'm not scared of geese," said Amara. "Then why are you standing on the bench?" asked Kai.
Rule 4: New speaker, new line
Every time a different character speaks, start a new line. It's like passing a microphone. Your reader can follow the conversation even without lots of said Kai and said Amara.
Rule 5: Splitting speech in the middle
"If that goose comes any closer," Amara whispered, "we're climbing the tree."
Notice the comma before Amara whispered, the comma after it, and the small letter at the start of we're. The second part doesn't need a capital, because Amara is still saying the same sentence.