Punctuation

1. Quotation marks
and punctuation in dialogue.

2. We use quotation marks:
To indicate direct speech
When quoting from a text (novel, play, film, etc.)
To highlight the titles of poems, songs and short stories
For slang expressions.

3. 1.
• Quotation marks are used to show a person’s spoken words (direct
speech).
Example:
‘Hey Chloe. This is my new puppy, Ralph,’ said Fiona.
‘Oh, he’s so beautiful! When did you get him?’ asked Chloe.
‘We picked him up last week,’ replied Fiona. ‘He is adorable, but he’s also very
energetic and naughty!’

4. Note that there are punctuation rules that must
be followed when using direct speech.
 You must punctuate before closing the quotation marks.
 Punctuation that is part of the direct speech, such as a question mark or an exclamation
mark, must be included within the quotation marks. Otherwise, a comma or full stop must
be used.
 Begin a new line each time there is a new or change of speaker.
 Use capital letters at the beginning of the direct speech. If a sentence is interrupted by
indirect speech such as in the following example, the beginning of the second part does not
require a capital letter:
 ‘When it rained this morning,’ mum began, ‘the dog ran through the mud and into the
house.’

5. 2.
• Quotation marks are used in essays, etc. when a direct quotation from a text
is used to help support a point.
Example:
Shylock’s greed is obvious when he calls ‘My ducats, my daughter’ as it appears
he values his daughter less than his money.

6. Note that there are punctuation rules that must
be followed when using quotations.
If only part of the sentence is being quoted, it is not necessary to use
punctuation before the quotation (such as a colon or comma).
If, however, the quotation is a full sentence introduce it with a colon.
Use single quotation marks when typing and double quotation marks when
hand writing work.

7. 3.
• Quotation marks are used to highlight the titles of poems, short stories and
songs.
Example:
Jennifer Strauss’ poem ‘Migrant Woman on a Melbourne Tram’ is a powerful
exploration of the migrant experience.

8. 4.
• Quotation marks are used when we include slang expressions in formal
writing.
Example:
The witness said that the dispute between the two employees took place during
morning ‘smoko’.