Year 4 English Direct speech: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.

1. Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas.
   "Good luck everyone"
2. Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas.
   "Good luck everyone,"
3. Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.
   said Sam
4. Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause.
   "Good luck everyone," said Sam.
5. Write the answer.
   "Good luck everyone," said Sam.

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing inverted commas, never after them.

Method. Write the reporting clause, a comma, then the spoken words in inverted commas.

1. Find the reporting clause. It tells who speaks, and it comes first.
   Ravi asked
2. Put a comma after the reporting clause. A comma separates the reporting clause from the spoken words.
   Ravi asked,
3. Put inverted commas round the spoken words. The first spoken word has a capital letter, and the end mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
   Ravi asked, "Are the lights on?"
4. Write the answer.
   Ravi asked, "Are the lights on?"

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. Do not add a full stop after the closing inverted commas when the end mark is already inside them.

Method. Split the spoken words at the reporting clause, then punctuate each part.

1. Find the two parts of the speech. The reporting clause sits between the two parts.
   Wait by the gate | the taxi is nearly here
2. Put a comma inside the first part. The same sentence goes on, so the first part ends with a comma inside its closing inverted commas.
   "Wait by the gate,"
3. Add the reporting clause and its comma. The reporting clause tells who spoke. A comma follows it.
   said Mum,
4. Put inverted commas round the second part. The second part starts with a small letter, because the same sentence goes on.
   "the taxi is nearly here."
5. Write the answer.
   "Wait by the gate," said Mum, "the taxi is nearly here."

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma goes inside the first closing inverted commas. The second part starts with a small letter.

Method. Split the speech at the reporting clause. A question or exclamation ends the first part, so a full stop follows.

1. Find the two parts of the speech. The first part ends with a question or exclamation mark, so the second part is a new sentence.
   Where is my scarf | It is in the car
2. Put the end mark inside the first part. The question mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
   "Where is my scarf?"
3. Add the reporting clause and a full stop. The reporting clause ends the first sentence, so a full stop follows it, not a comma.
   asked Chloe.
4. Put inverted commas round the second part. The second part starts with a capital letter, because it is a new sentence.
   "It is in the car."
5. Write the answer.
   "Where is my scarf?" asked Chloe. "It is in the car."

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. No comma follows a question mark or exclamation mark. Use a full stop after the reporting clause.

Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.

1. Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas.
   "Happy birthday"
2. Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The exclamation mark belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas.
   "Happy birthday!"
3. Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.
   cheered Tom
4. Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause.
   "Happy birthday!" cheered Tom.
5. Write the answer.
   "Happy birthday!" cheered Tom.

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing inverted commas, never after them.

Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.

1. Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas.
   "Arjun, close the door"
2. Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas.
   "Arjun, close the door,"
3. Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.
   said Dad
4. Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause.
   "Arjun, close the door," said Dad.
5. Write the answer.
   "Arjun, close the door," said Dad.

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing inverted commas, never after them.

Method. Compare the sentence with the marks it should have.

1. Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters.
   "I like the snow." said Oliver.
2. Find the mistake. The speech is followed by the reporting clause, so the mark inside the marks is a comma, not a full stop.
   the full stop inside the marks becomes a comma
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words.
   "I like the snow," said Oliver.
4. Write the answer.
   No. "I like the snow," said Oliver.

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the marks go.

Method. Compare the sentence with the marks it should have.

1. Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters.
   Dad asks, "can we go to the shop?"
2. Find the mistake. The speech is a new sentence, so its first word needs a capital letter.
   the first letter changes from c to C
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words.
   Dad asks, "Can we go to the shop?"
4. Write the answer.
   No. Dad asks, "Can we go to the shop?"

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the marks go.

Method. Think about what the speech does.

1. Read the speech. The speech asks something, so it is a question.
   Is it raining?
2. Choose the mark. A question ends with a question mark inside the closing inverted commas.
   ?
3. Write the answer.
   the speech is a question, so it ends with a question mark

Check. The speech asks a question. ✓

Watch out. A comma is used only when the speech is followed by a statement.

Method. Name the words that sit outside the inverted commas.

1. Look at said Ella. These words tell who is speaking, and they are outside the marks.
   said Ella
2. Name them. Words that tell who is speaking are the reporting clause.
   reporting clause
3. Write the answer.
   reporting clause

Check. The reporting clause tells who speaks. ✓

Watch out. The reporting clause is the part that is not spoken.

Method. Name the type of writing that shows the exact words.

1. Look at the words. Direct speech shows the exact words that are said, inside inverted commas.
   exact words
2. Name the type. This is called direct speech.
   direct speech
3. Write the answer.
   direct speech

Check. Direct speech: the exact words a speaker says. ✓

Watch out. Direct speech is written inside inverted commas.

Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.

1. Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas.
   "Hello there"
2. Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas.
   "Hello there,"
3. Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.
   said Fatima
4. Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause.
   "Hello there," said Fatima.
5. Write the answer.
   "Hello there," said Fatima.

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing inverted commas, never after them.

Method. Write the reporting clause, a comma, then the spoken words in inverted commas.

1. Find the reporting clause. It tells who speaks, and it comes first.
   Ravi says
2. Put a comma after the reporting clause. A comma separates the reporting clause from the spoken words.
   Ravi says,
3. Put inverted commas round the spoken words. The first spoken word has a capital letter, and the end mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
   Ravi says, "I am ready."
4. Write the answer.
   Ravi says, "I am ready."

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. Do not add a full stop after the closing inverted commas when the end mark is already inside them.

Method. Split the spoken words at the reporting clause, then punctuate each part.

1. Find the two parts of the speech. The reporting clause sits between the two parts.
   Quick | the train is leaving
2. Put a comma inside the first part. The same sentence goes on, so the first part ends with a comma inside its closing inverted commas.
   "Quick,"
3. Add the reporting clause and its comma. The reporting clause tells who spoke. A comma follows it.
   said Dad,
4. Put inverted commas round the second part. The second part starts with a small letter, because the same sentence goes on.
   "the train is leaving."
5. Write the answer.
   "Quick," said Dad, "the train is leaving."

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. The comma goes inside the first closing inverted commas. The second part starts with a small letter.

Method. Split the speech at the reporting clause. A question or exclamation ends the first part, so a full stop follows.

1. Find the two parts of the speech. The first part ends with a question or exclamation mark, so the second part is a new sentence.
   Did you lock the car | Yes, I did
2. Put the end mark inside the first part. The question mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
   "Did you lock the car?"
3. Add the reporting clause and a full stop. The reporting clause ends the first sentence, so a full stop follows it, not a comma.
   asked Mum.
4. Put inverted commas round the second part. The second part starts with a capital letter, because it is a new sentence.
   "Yes, I did."
5. Write the answer.
   "Did you lock the car?" asked Mum. "Yes, I did."

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. No comma follows a question mark or exclamation mark. Use a full stop after the reporting clause.

Method. Compare the sentence with the marks it should have.

1. Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters.
   "Look out!" said Tom, "the ball is coming."
2. Find the mistake. The speech ends with an exclamation mark, so a new sentence starts after the reporting clause.
   the comma after said Tom becomes a full stop, and the word the becomes The
3. Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words.
   "Look out!" said Tom. "The ball is coming."
4. Write the answer.
   No. "Look out!" said Tom. "The ball is coming."

Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓

Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the marks go.

Method. Write the reporting clause, a comma, then the spoken words in inverted commas.

1. Find the reporting clause. It tells who speaks, and it comes first.
   Dad asks
2. Put a comma after the reporting clause. A comma separates the reporting clause from the spoken words.
   Dad asks,
3. Put inverted commas round the spoken words. The first spoken word has a capital letter, and the end mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
   Dad asks, "Ella, is your coat on?"
4. Write the answer.
   Dad asks, "Ella, is your coat on?"

Check. Read it aloud: only the spoken words are inside the inverted commas. ✓

Watch out. Do not add a full stop after the closing inverted commas when the end mark is already inside them.

Method. Find each missing mark.

1. Look at the first part. The first part needs a comma inside its closing inverted commas.
   "Hurry,"
2. Look at the second part. The second part needs its own closing inverted commas and a full stop inside them.
   "or we will be late."
3. Write the answer.
   "Hurry," said Sam, "or we will be late."

Check. Read it aloud with a pause after Hurry. ✓

Watch out. Each part of the speech has its own pair of inverted commas.

Method. Find what the speech needs.

1. Look at the speech. The speech is a question, so it needs inverted commas and a question mark.
   Is it time to go
2. Make the first change. Add inverted commas round the spoken words.
   "Is it time to go
3. Make the second change. Add a question mark inside the closing inverted commas.
   "Is it time to go?"
4. Write the answer.
   Ben asked, "Is it time to go?"

Check. The comma after asked is already there. ✓

Watch out. The comma after the reporting clause was already right, so keep it.

Method. Use the split pattern with a comma.

1. Write the first part. The first part ends with a comma inside its closing inverted commas.
   "Hold the lid,"
2. Add the reporting clause. The reporting clause sits in the middle, followed by a comma.
   said Ali,
3. Write the second part. The second part starts with a small letter, because it carries on the same sentence.
   "until it is cool."
4. Write the answer.
   "Hold the lid," said Ali, "until it is cool."

Check. Check the comma and the small letter. ✓

Watch out. A small letter means the same sentence goes on.