Unsure When to Use Quotation Marks for Dialogue in My Short Story
I'm writing a short story for my English class, and I'm a little confused about how to use quotation marks with dialogue. For example, if a character says something like, Hello, how are you?, do I put the quotation marks before or after the comma? Is it:
"Hello, how are you?," she asked.
or
"Hello, how are you?", she asked.
I've seen both in different books and now I'm second-guessing myself. Also, do I always need quotation marks for thoughts, or just spoken words? Any help would be appreciated!
Context:
American English, creative writing assignment
What to Know
| Question You Likely Still Have | Direct Answer | How To Apply It |
|---|---|---|
| What is the core rule for unsure quotation marks dialogue? | In American English, the standard pattern is to include commas and periods inside the quotation marks when writing dialogue. | Incorrect: "Are you coming?," she asked. ❌ "I'm fine, thank you", he replied. ❌ Thoughts: Do not use quotation marks for thoughts. |
| How do I apply unsure quotation marks dialogue in a sentence like mine? | Incorrect: "Are you coming?," she asked. ❌ "I'm fine, thank you", he replied. ❌ Thoughts: Do not use quotation marks for thoughts. | Think of it like this: the punctuation (except for question marks or exclamation points that relate to the sentence inside the quotes) stays within the quotes. |
| What mistakes should I avoid with unsure quotation marks dialogue? | In American English dialogue, commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks , even if it seems confusing at first! | If you find a comma or period outside the end quotation mark in your story, edit it to follow the correct pattern. |
3 Answers
In American English, the standard pattern is to include commas and periods inside the quotation marks when writing dialogue. Think of it like this: the punctuation (except for question marks or exclamation points that relate to the sentence inside the quotes) stays within the quotes.
Pattern:
- "Spoken sentence, or phrase," tag.
- If the spoken part ends with a question mark or exclamation point, do not add a comma after it.
Examples:
- "Are you coming?" she asked.
- "I'm fine, thank you," he replied.
Incorrect:
- "Are you coming?," she asked. ❌
- "I'm fine, thank you", he replied. ❌
Thoughts:
- Do not use quotation marks for thoughts. Instead, use italics or write them directly (e.g., I hope he arrives soon, she thought).
Practice: Try replacing one of your dialogue lines with each pattern above, and notice where the punctuation goes. If you find a comma or period outside the end quotation mark in your story, edit it to follow the correct pattern.
Let's break down the correct and incorrect forms through direct comparison. In American English dialogue, commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, even if it seems confusing at first! Here's how you can compare:
Correct:
- "Don't forget your bag," she said.
- "What time is it?" he asked.
Incorrect:
- "Don't forget your bag", she said. ❌
- "What time is it?", he asked. ❌
For question marks or exclamation marks within dialogue, put them inside the quotes—and do not use an extra comma. Only use quotation marks for spoken words, not thoughts. For thoughts, try italics, or phrases like: She wondered if he was coming soon.
Self-check: Review the dialogues in your story one at a time. Are all the commas/periods inside the quotes? If you see any comma or period after the closing quote, change it!
When using dialogue in American English, always place commas and periods inside the closing quotation marks. Let's fix near-miss examples by editing them together:
Start with:
- 'It's such a nice day', he said. (Incorrect)
- 'Are you okay?', she asked. (Incorrect)
Corrected:
- "It's such a nice day," he said.
- "Are you okay?" she asked.
Tip: Question marks and exclamation points replace commas at the end of quoted dialogue. For thoughts, skip quotation marks—use italics or simply write the thought directly. E.g., I need to leave now, he thought.
Editing practice: Look through your story, find every quote, and check: do periods and commas sit just before the final closing mark? If not, move them inside!
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