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KS2 English textbook

Chapter 5: Direct speech

  • Strand Grammar and punctuation
  • Level Year 4
  • Practice 96 questions with step-by-step solutions

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 2 English, Year 4. Content: Use inverted commas (speech marks) to show the exact words that are spoken (direct speech), Punctuate direct speech: a comma, question mark or exclamation mark inside the closing inverted commas, and the comma after a reporting clause that comes first, Punctuate a speech that is split by its reporting clause, with a comma inside the first part, or a full stop after the reporting clause when a new sentence begins, Use capital letters for the first word of speech and of each new sentence in speech, Use reporting clauses with said or asked (and similar verbs such as shouted), placed before, after or in the middle, Use the terms direct speech, reporting clause, inverted commas and speech marks, Write from memory a simple sentence of direct speech, using the taught punctuation.

Open Year 4 chapter

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Put inverted commas round the exact words someone says, and keep the reporting clause outside them
  • Put the comma, question mark or exclamation mark inside the closing inverted commas, and never a full stop there
  • Put a comma after a reporting clause that comes first, and a capital letter at the start of the speech
  • Split a speech with its reporting clause in the middle, and choose a small letter or a capital letter for the second part
  • Choose said, asked or shouted to fit the speech, and name the marks and the parts of direct speech correctly
  • Write a line of direct speech from memory, and check its marks one by one

You should already know

  • Inverted commas for spoken words and the reporting clause (Year 3, Chapter 5)
  • Clauses, sentences and capital letters (Year 3, Chapter 4)
  • Plurals and possession (Chapter 4 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Fronted adverbials, and the comma after them (Chapter 6)
  • Writing dialogue in stories, and starting a new line for each speaker (Chapter 11)
  • Proof-reading speech for punctuation (Chapter 12)

Lessons in this chapter

  1. 5.1 Inverted commas and the spoken words
  2. 5.2 The end mark inside the closing inverted commas
  3. 5.3 The reporting clause first, with a comma after it
  4. 5.4 The reporting clause in the middle
  5. 5.5 Names, questions and exclamations in speech
  6. 5.6 Writing speech from memory and checking it
  7. Summary and key words
  8. Check-up and practice test questions

Read the whole chapter on one page (good for printing).

Practise with real exam questions

The DfE publishes every past KS2 test, with mark schemes, for free.

KS2 English past papers