Creative Writing: Punctuating Dialogue

When you write dialogue, be sure to punctuate it correctly so that your readers can see who is talking and where a line of dialogue begins or ends. The rules for using quotation marks, commas, and end marks of punctuation are listed below.

Use quotation marks before and after a character's exact words. Place a period inside closing quotation marks. 

"Peter and Esteban are joining us." 

Use a comma to set off the speaker's tag (he said) from the beginning of a quotation. Place the comma inside closing quotation marks when the speaker's tag follows the quotation. 

Harry said, "Come on, Ray. It'll be fun."
" Let's go," Gilda said.

Use quotation marks around each part of a divided quotation. Remember to set off the speaker's tag with commas. 

"I'm not sure," said Ray, "that I feel like it."

Place a question mark or an exclamation point inside the quotation marks when it is part of the quotation. 

"When will we be back?" Ray asked.
" Hooray!" said Debbi.

Place a question mark or an exclamation point outside the quotation marks when it is not part of the quotation. 
Did I hear Ray say, "Okay"?I can't believe he said, "Okay"!

Start a new paragraph when you move from one speaker to another. 
      "How long a hike is it?" Ray asked. "I don't know whether I have the energy to make it. I'm suddenly feeling really out of shape."   
      "I think," said Iris, "that it's about seven miles to the top."