Quotation marks are a form of punctuation that serve the purpose of transferring information to our readers. We use them to convey that words that write came from a specific source word for word. They can be used to indicate the title of a work. They can even be used to imply an alternate meaning. The worksheets that you will find here present a series of sentences, some of which should not have quotation marks and others that have another type of punctuation rule applied. Answer keys that come with each worksheet free up more time for you to offer one-on-one instructions. Understanding how others think and speak can really help you start to build your own knowledge base. Use your own thoughts to compile and make sense of the world around you.
Printable Quotation Marks Worksheets
Click the buttons to print each worksheet and answer key.
Does It Need Quotes?
Read each sentence. If it is punctuated correctly, circle the check mark. If they are not used correctly, circle the X.
Pig Loves to Read
Choose the sentence from each set that is punctuated correctly. You will need to understand what is happening at each scence.
Speakers Words
Underline each speaker's words. You can highlight them as you go. Then rewrite the passage, adding quotes where they are necessary.
Direct Speech
Determine whether each sentence below contains direct or indirect speech. Write direct or indirect on the line. If it contains direct speech, add quotation marks where needed.
Joseph and Billy
Rewrite the dialogue in the speech bubbles below. Add all types of punctuation where needed.
Using " "
Read the story below. Underline direct speech. Then use a colored marker or colored pencil to add the punctuation where it is needed.
Where Does It Go?
These inverted commas are used around the titles of songs, poems, short stories, newspaper articles, and when referencing chapters in books. Rewrite each sentence below, using punctuation marks correctly. Not all sentences need changes.
Indirect Speech Rewrites
Rewrite the indirect speech as direct speech. Punctuate them all correctly.
On Success
You use punctuation to indicate that you are quoting exactly what someone said. Write a sentence that includes each of the quotations below. Punctuate correctly.
Marks For Words
Add punctuation marks where needed in each sentence below. If the sentence is already punctuated correctly, place a check mark next to the sentence.
The Teddy Bears
Copy each quote on the lines that are found for the conversation between the Teddy Bears. Be careful to add commas and quotates where they are needed.
Punctuation and Direct Speech
Read each sentence. If it is punctuated correctly, circle the smiley face. If they are not used correctly, circle the X.
How to Properly Use Quotation Marks
Learning how to properly use quotation marks can improve your writing skills. Here is a full guide to explain how to do just that!
Students are often at a loss as what to do inside the quotation if other punctuation is needed. In American English commas and periods that are required always go inside the quotation marks. The tricky forms of punctuation exclamation and question marks need to be looked at on a case by case basis. Depending on the syntax, they can be found inside or outside the quotation marks. If you are quoting a complete sentence, the first word should contain a capital letter. Alternatively, if you are only quoting a part of a sentence, they don't need to be capitalized. If your students expect to advance their grammar skills, they must learn how to apply quotation marks properly for research papers and works of fiction. One of the most powerful learning tools in these lessons is a worksheet that requires your kids to find quotation mark mistakes within paragraphs.
Differences Between Single and Double Quotation Marks
Double and single quotes are used in different situations; however, some writers often confuse them.
Generally, double quotes are used for direct speech. They look like this:
"I am going to teach a class on Saturday," she said.
Single quotes can often be used in the same sentence. They are used to indicate quotes inside a quote. They are also used for a title or headline inside a quote. This is what it can look like:
"She wrote 'The Sleepy Unicorn' for kids two years ago," John pointed out.
The Rules
The grammar rules for quotation marks are different in British and American English, which makes it even more confusing for international schools. This guide is for American English rules.
There is one golden rule for quotation marks: when a quote is opened, it has to also be closed.
If you start a sentence with a quotation mark, then you need to close the phrase, sentence, or word with a quotation mark too. Here is an incorrect example:
"I am going to make some tea, he said.
Can you find the place where the closing punctuation should go? It should be written after the comma after the word 'tea.'
All quotation marks exist in pairs.
Other rules are written below:
1. Quotes Inside Quotes
As stated before, if you need to use quotes within a quote, single quotation mark needs to be used. Here is what it looks like:
"My favorite song is by BTS called 'Butter,'" she said.
Yes, the closing quotation marks look like three marks. While it might look odd, this is the correct way to do it!
Check out this example where the quote inside the quote is right in the middle of the sentence instead of at the end:
"He told me, 'I will see you on Sunday,' so I will talk to him then," she said.
2. Quoting and Capitalization
When it comes to capitalization, you will notice that the content can sometimes be capitalized. It usually depends on what you are trying to say. Of course, the first letter is always capitalized when you are quoting complete sentences.
Here is what it can look like:
She said, "I am thinking of choosing history for my major at college."
This is the same, even if you quote something in the middle of your sentence. But, you need to start the quote inside with a capitalized letter. However, it doesn't have to start like that, depending on what you are quoting. If you only quote a small phrase or a part of the sentence, you can also start with a lowercase word.
She suggested they were quite "qualified and professional."
3. Quotes and Other Punctuation
One thing that can confuse anyone is whether some punctuation marks need to be used outside or inside the quotes. Here are some tips that you can use to place all punctuation marks correctly.
For example, if you are using punctuation marks to introduce your quote, it doesn't need to be written inside the quotation marks. However, punctuation marks to end the sentence have different rules. Commas and periods to end the sentence are within the quotation marks, while any colons, dashes, or semi-colons are placed outside.
Here are two easy examples:
"She makes me laugh a lot," he said.
Her two favorite characters from "Star Wars" are Han Solo and Yoda.
We hope this guide on how to properly use quotation marks can help you improve your writing!