Year 4 English: The end mark inside the closing inverted commas
Part of the Year 4 English direct speech chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The end mark inside the closing inverted commas
The mark at the end of the spoken words goes inside the closing inverted commas. Three marks can go there: a comma, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
When the reporting clause comes after the speech, the speech ends with a comma, question mark or exclamation mark. The whole sentence then ends with a full stop, after the reporting clause.
| End mark | When it is used | Example |
|---|---|---|
| comma | a statement, followed by the reporting clause | "We are almost home," said Aisha. |
| question mark | the speech asks a question | "Who has the red pen?" asked Kofi. |
| exclamation mark | the speech shows a strong feeling | "Well done everyone!" cheered Dan. |
Key ideas
- A comma, question mark or exclamation mark goes inside the closing inverted commas.
- When the reporting clause follows, use a comma inside the marks, not a full stop: "Hello," said Mia.
- A question mark or exclamation mark already ends the speech, so no comma follows it.
- The whole sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause.
Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."Look at the rainbow"
- 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."Look at the rainbow!"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.shouted Tom
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."Look at the rainbow!" shouted Tom.
- Write the answer. "Look at the rainbow!" shouted 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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."Are you coming with us"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The question mark belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."Are you coming with us?"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.asked Priya
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."Are you coming with us?" asked Priya.
- Write the answer. "Are you coming with us?" asked Priya.
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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."I found two shells. They are white"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."I found two shells. They are white,"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.said Leo
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."I found two shells. They are white," said Leo.
- Write the answer. "I found two shells. They are white," said Leo.
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.
Watch out
Watch out: a full stop is never used inside the closing inverted commas when the reporting clause follows. "Hello." said Mia. is wrong. "Hello," said Mia. is right.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read the speech aloud and ask: what mark ends the spoken words? That mark goes inside the closing inverted commas. The full stop comes at the very end of the whole sentence.
Exercise 5B Practice: the end mark inside the inverted commas
Method. Put the spoken words in inverted commas, then add the reporting clause after them.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."We are almost home"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."We are almost home,"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.said Aisha
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."We are almost home," said Aisha.
- Write the answer. "We are almost home," said Aisha.
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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."Who has the red pen"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The question mark belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."Who has the red pen?"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.asked Kofi
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."Who has the red pen?" asked Kofi.
- Write the answer. "Who has the red pen?" asked Kofi.
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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."Well done everyone"
- 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."Well done everyone!"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.cheered Dan
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."Well done everyone!" cheered Dan.
- Write the answer. "Well done everyone!" cheered Dan.
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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."It is raining. Take a coat"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."It is raining. Take a coat,"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.said Mum
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."It is raining. Take a coat," said Mum.
- Write the answer. "It is raining. Take a coat," said Mum.
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.
- Find the spoken words. These are the exact words that are said. They go inside the inverted commas."I can see the moon. It is full"
- Put the end mark inside the closing inverted commas. The comma belongs to the spoken words, so it goes before the closing inverted commas."I can see the moon. It is full,"
- Add the reporting clause. It tells who spoke. It sits outside the inverted commas, after the speech.whispered Zainab
- Finish with a full stop. The sentence ends with a full stop after the reporting clause."I can see the moon. It is full," whispered Zainab.
- Write the answer. "I can see the moon. It is full," whispered Zainab.
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. Decide which mark ends the speech.
- Read the speech. The speech asks a question."Are you ready"
- Add the question mark inside. A question mark goes inside the closing inverted commas."Are you ready?"
- Finish the sentence. The reporting clause follows, and the sentence ends with a full stop."Are you ready?" asked Dad.
- Write the answer. "Are you ready?" asked Dad.
Check. A question mark, and no comma after it. ✓
Watch out. The question mark replaces the comma.
Method. Decide which mark ends the speech.
- Read the speech. The speech is a statement, and the reporting clause follows it."Wait for me"
- Add the comma inside. A comma goes inside the closing inverted commas."Wait for me,"
- Finish the sentence. The sentence ends with a full stop after said Sam."Wait for me," said Sam.
- Write the answer. "Wait for me," said Sam.
Check. A comma inside the marks. ✓
Watch out. The comma goes inside, not after the marks.
Method. Compare the sentence with the marks it should have.
- Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters."Hello." said Sam.
- Find the mistake. A full stop cannot go inside the marks when the reporting clause follows the speech.the full stop inside the marks becomes a comma
- Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words."Hello," said Sam.
- Write the answer. No. "Hello," said Sam.
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.
- Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters."Are you ready?", asked Dad.
- Find the mistake. A question mark already ends the speech, so no comma follows the closing inverted commas.remove the comma after the question mark
- Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words."Are you ready?" asked Dad.
- Write the answer. No. "Are you ready?" asked Dad.
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.
- Read the sentence. Check the inverted commas, the end marks, the reporting clause and the capital letters."Can we go now" asked Ben.
- Find the mistake. The speech is a question, so it needs a question mark inside the closing inverted commas.a question mark goes inside the closing inverted commas
- Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The marks now match the spoken words."Can we go now?" asked Ben.
- Write the answer. No. "Can we go now?" asked Ben.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the marks go.
Method. Look at the mark before the closing inverted commas.
- Find the mark. The question mark ends the spoken words.?
- Decide whether a comma is needed. One end mark is enough, so the comma is left out.no comma
- Write the answer. the question mark already ends the speech
Check. One end mark is enough. ✓
Watch out. A question mark does the job of a comma here.
Method. Check where each mark goes.
- Look at the speech. When the reporting clause follows, the speech ends with a comma inside the marks."Hello," said Mia.
- Look at the full stop. The full stop goes at the end of the whole sentence, after the reporting clause.said Mia.
- Write the answer. No. A comma goes inside the closing inverted commas
Check. The full stop is at the end of the sentence. ✓
Watch out. Ali has the rule the wrong way round.