Dialogue
A quiz about how to punctuate dialogue.
Go here to learn the basics: http://lessonbucket. Com/english/writing-dialogue/
- 1.
Which line of dialogue has been formatted correctly?
- A.
"Why don't you want to go to the beach?"
- B.
"Why don't you want to go to the beach?".
- C.
"why don't you want to go to the beach?"
- D.
"Why don't you want to go to the beach."
Correct Answer
A. "Why don't you want to go to the beach?"Explanation
The correct answer is "Why don't you want to go to the beach?". This is the only option that follows proper punctuation rules by ending the sentence with a question mark and including the correct capitalization.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Which line of dialogue has been formatted correctly?
- A.
"Get out of my way!" she shouted.
- B.
"Get out of my way!" She shouted.
- C.
"Get out of my way." she shouted.
- D.
"get out of my way!" she shouted.
Correct Answer
A. "Get out of my way!" she shouted.Explanation
This option correctly formats the dialogue by:
Enclosing the direct speech in quotation marks.
Capitalizing the first word of the quoted sentence.
Placing the exclamation mark inside the quotation marks.
Using lowercase for the speaker tag ("she shouted").Rate this question:
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- 3.
Which line of dialogue has been formatted correctly?
- A.
"There's something…that I have to tell you," she whispered.
- B.
"There's Something…That I have to tell you," She whispered.
- C.
"there's something…that I have to tell you," she whispered.
- D.
"There's something…that I have to tell you." she whispered.
Correct Answer
A. "There's something…that I have to tell you," she whispered.Explanation
This option correctly formats the dialogue by:
Enclosing the direct speech in quotation marks.
Capitalizing the first word of the quoted sentence.
Placing the comma inside the quotation marks.
Using lowercase for the speaker tag ("she whispered").Rate this question:
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- 4.
Which line of dialogue has been formatted correctly?
- A.
“Hello?” he called out. “Is anyone there?”
- B.
“Hello.” he called out. “Is anyone there.”
- C.
“Hello?” He called out. “is anyone there?”
- D.
“Hello” he called out “Is anyone there?”
Correct Answer
A. “Hello?” he called out. “Is anyone there?”Explanation
The correct answer is "“Hello?” he called out. “Is anyone there?”" because it follows the correct punctuation and capitalization rules for dialogue. The quotation marks are used to indicate the spoken words, and the punctuation is placed inside the quotation marks. The first word of each new sentence is capitalized.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Which line of dialogue has been formatted correctly?
- A.
“Where are we going?" she asked.
- B.
“Where are we going." she asked.
- C.
“Where are we going," she asked.
- D.
“Where are we going"? she asked.
- E.
“Where are we going". she asked.
Correct Answer
A. “Where are we going?" she asked.Explanation
The correct answer is "“Where are we going?" she asked." This is the correct format for punctuating a question within dialogue. The question mark is placed inside the quotation marks, and the dialogue tag "she asked" is correctly punctuated with a lowercase letter and a period.Rate this question:
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- 6.
An exclamation mark indicates…
- A.
That a line has been expressed forcefully.
- B.
That a question has been asked.
- C.
A pause, or trailing off.
- D.
That a word has been emphasised.
- E.
The beginning of a new paragraph.
Correct Answer
A. That a line has been expressed forcefully.Explanation
An exclamation mark indicates that a line has been expressed forcefully. This punctuation mark is used to convey strong emotions, excitement, or emphasis in a sentence. It is often used to show surprise, anger, or enthusiasm. By using an exclamation mark, the writer wants to make it clear that the statement is being expressed with intensity or urgency.Rate this question:
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- 7.
An question mark indicates…
- A.
That a line has been expressed forcefully.
- B.
That a question has been asked.
- C.
A pause, or trailing off.
- D.
That a word has been emphasised.
- E.
The beginning of a new paragraph.
Correct Answer
B. That a question has been asked.Explanation
The question mark is a punctuation mark that indicates a question has been asked. It is used at the end of a sentence to indicate that the sentence is interrogative and requires an answer. In this case, the question mark is the correct answer because it accurately represents the purpose and function of the punctuation mark.Rate this question:
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- 8.
An ellipsis indicates…
- A.
That a line has been expressed forcefully.
- B.
That a question has been asked.
- C.
A pause, or trailing off.
- D.
That a word has been emphasised.
- E.
The beginning of a new paragraph.
Correct Answer
C. A pause, or trailing off.Explanation
An ellipsis indicates a pause, or trailing off. This punctuation mark is used to show that there is a break in thought or speech, or that the speaker's words are trailing off. It is commonly used to create suspense, indicate hesitation, or suggest that there is more to be said.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Italics indicates…
- A.
That a line has been expressed forcefully.
- B.
That a question has been asked.
- C.
A pause, or trailing off.
- D.
That a word has been emphasised.
- E.
The beginning of a new paragraph.
Correct Answer
D. That a word has been empHasised.Explanation
The correct answer is that a word has been emphasized. In writing, italics are used to draw attention to a specific word or phrase, highlighting its importance or significance. By italicizing a word, the writer is indicating that it should be given special attention or consideration by the reader. This can help to convey the intended tone or emphasis of the text and make certain words or ideas stand out more prominently.Rate this question:
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- 10.
An indent indicates…
- A.
That a line has been expressed forcefully.
- B.
That a question has been asked.
- C.
A pause, or trailing off.
- D.
That a word has been emphasised.
- E.
The beginning of a new paragraph.
Correct Answer
E. The beginning of a new paragrapH.Explanation
An indent indicates the beginning of a new paragraph. This is a common formatting technique used in writing to visually separate different ideas or sections within a text. By starting a new paragraph with an indent, it helps to organize and structure the content, making it easier for readers to follow the flow of the text and understand the author's intended meaning.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Rewrite this line of dialogue correctly… who are you he asked
Correct Answer
"Who are you?" he asked.Explanation
The corrected line is '"Who are you?" he asked.' The original needed a few fixes:
Quotation marks: Enclose the direct speech within quotation marks.
Capitalization: Capitalize the first word of the quoted sentence.
Question mark: The quoted speech is a question.
Comma: A comma separates the quoted speech from the speaker tag ("he asked").Rate this question:
- 12.
Rewrite this line of dialogue correctly… its too hot to work she complained
Correct Answer
"It's too hot to work," she complained.Explanation
The correct answer is the given sentence. The original sentence is missing proper punctuation and capitalization. The corrected sentence starts with a capital letter, includes the correct apostrophe in "It's," and ends with a comma before the quotation marks. The word "she" is also capitalized to indicate the start of a new sentence.Rate this question:
- 13.
Rewrite this line of dialogue correctly why cant you come to the party
Correct Answer
"Why can't you come to the party? "Why can't you come to the party?"Explanation
The corrected line is "Why can't you come to the party?" This corrects the original by:
Capitalizing the first word: All sentences begin with a capital letter.
Adding an apostrophe to "can't": This is a contraction of "cannot."
Adding a question mark: The line is a question, so it needs proper punctuation.Rate this question:
- 14.
Rewrite this line of dialogue correctly… i think i left my wallet in the car he said
Correct Answer
"I think I left my wallet in the car" he said.Explanation
The correct answer restates the line of dialogue with proper capitalization, punctuation, and quotation marks. It accurately represents the original statement and follows the standard rules of grammar and formatting for dialogue.Rate this question:
- 15.
Which piece of punctuation should be used in the gap? "Why aren't you coming to the cinema ___ " she asked.
- A.
Question mark.
- B.
Full stop.
- C.
Comma.
- D.
Exclamation mark.
Correct Answer
A. Question mark.Explanation
The correct answer is a question mark because the sentence is a direct question. The speaker is asking why the person is not coming to the cinema, which requires a question mark to indicate the interrogative tone.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Which piece of punctuation should be used in the gap? "Let's go to the cinema ___ " she said.
- A.
Question mark.
- B.
Full stop.
- C.
Comma.
- D.
Exclamation mark.
Correct Answer
C. Comma.Explanation
In this sentence, the speaker is expressing a statement rather than asking a question or showing excitement. Therefore, a comma should be used to indicate the continuation of the sentence after the dialogue tag.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Which piece of punctuation should be used in the gap? "Let's go home ___"
- A.
Question mark.
- B.
Full stop.
- C.
Comma.
- D.
Exclamation mark.
Correct Answer
B. Full stop.Explanation
The correct answer is full stop because the sentence is a statement rather than a question or an exclamation. A full stop is used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence. In this case, the speaker is suggesting to go home, which is a statement, so a full stop is appropriate.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Which piece of punctuation should be used in the gap? "Stop what you're doing ___" shouted the police officer.
- A.
Question mark.
- B.
Full stop.
- C.
Ellipsis
- D.
Exclamation mark.
Correct Answer
D. Exclamation mark.Explanation
The correct answer is the exclamation mark. In this sentence, the police officer is shouting, indicating a strong and forceful tone. The exclamation mark is used to convey this intensity and to emphasize the urgency of the command.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Quotation marks should be placed either side of what is spoken.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
The given answer is "True" because quotation marks should indeed be placed on either side of what is spoken. This is a standard rule in punctuation, where quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech or a quote from someone. By placing quotation marks around the spoken words, it helps to distinguish them from the rest of the text and indicates that they are being directly attributed to someone.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Each line of dialogue should end with a punctuation mark INSIDE the quotation marks.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
The given correct answer is "True" because in English grammar, when quoting someone's dialogue, the punctuation mark should always be placed inside the quotation marks. This rule applies to all types of punctuation marks, including periods, question marks, and exclamation marks. Therefore, it is grammatically correct to end each line of dialogue with a punctuation mark inside the quotation marks.Rate this question:
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Current Version
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Sep 30, 2024Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
Apr 21, 2012Quiz Created by
Brett Lamb