KS2 Writing Quiz: Mastering Direct Speech Punctuation

English Quiz - Direct Speech (Questions)

Get ready for a KS2 English quiz all about direct speech! Direct speech is like bringing characters to life through their words. Punctuating direct speech is super important for writing cool dialogues in stories. Imagine a speech bubble over your character – the words inside go between the pair of speech marks. And don't forget the punctuation inside the speech marks too!

Punctuation can be tricky, but keep playing this quiz until you're a punctuation pro. Test yourself and aim for full marks in this direct speech quiz!

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Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Sue said she would go to the shop.

[ ]	"I will go to the shop," said Sue.
[ ]	"I will go to the shop" said Sue.
[ ]	"I will go to the shop, said Sue."
[ ]	"I will go the the shop." said Sue

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Rhian asked if she could play the game.

[ ]	"Can I play the game" Rhian asked?
[ ]	"Can I play the game? Rhian asked."
[ ]	Can I play the game? Rhian asked.
[ ]	"Can I play the game?" Rhian asked.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Tom said he would be going to the dentist after school.

[ ]	Tom said "I have to go to the dentist after school."
[ ]	Tom said, "I have to go to the dentist after school."
[ ]	"Tom said, I have to go to the dentist after school."
[ ]	Tom said "I have to go to the dentist after school"

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Selina asked us to come to her party.

[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party?" asked Selina.
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party asked Selina?"
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party" asked Selina?
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party?" asked Selina

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Gareth said he couldn't believe the Blues had lost again.

[ ]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again" Gareth complained!
[ ]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again, Gareth complained."
[ ]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again!" Gareth complained.
[ ]	I can't believe the Blues lost again, "Gareth complained."

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Declan said he thought we could see the fireworks better from the top of the hill.

[ ]	Excitedly, Declan shouted "We'll be able to see the fireworks from the top of the hill!"
[ ]	Excitedly, Declan shouted, "we'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"
[ ]	Excitedly, Declan shouted, "We'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"
[ ]	Excitedly, "Declan shouted, we'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Harriet told us not to touch her clay model because it wasn't dry.

[ ]	Looking at us, Harriet warned. "Don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[ ]	Looking at us, Harriet warned "don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[ ]	Looking at us, "Harriet warned, don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[ ]	Looking at us, Harriet warned, "Don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Rob offered to clear up the crayons on the carpet.

[ ]	"Would you like me to tidy up?" Rob offered.
[ ]	"Would you like me to tidy up" Rob offered?
[ ]	"Would you like me to tidy up" Rob offered.
[ ]	Would you like me to tidy up, "Rob offered."

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Joshua said he had been very scared when the lights went out suddenly.

[ ]	When the lights went out, Joshua explained, "I was so scared!"
[ ]	"When the lights went out," Joshua explained, "I was so scared!"
[ ]	"When the lights went out" Joshua explained "I was so scared!"
[ ]	"When the lights went out, Joshua explained, I was so scared!"

10.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Sanjay said he was very disappointed that it was raining again.

[ ]	Not again, Sanjay said, "It's another day of rain."
[ ]	"Not again" Sanjay said "it's another day of rain."
[ ]	"Not again! Sanjay said." It's another day of rain.
[ ]	"Not again!" Sanjay said. "It's another day of rain."

English Quiz - Direct Speech (Answers)

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Sue said she would go to the shop.

[x]	"I will go to the shop," said Sue.
[ ]	"I will go to the shop" said Sue.
[ ]	"I will go to the shop, said Sue."
[ ]	"I will go the the shop." said Sue

All of these parts are necessary: speech marks - speech - punctuation - speech marks - said Sue -- punctuation.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Rhian asked if she could play the game.

[ ]	"Can I play the game" Rhian asked?
[ ]	"Can I play the game? Rhian asked."
[ ]	Can I play the game? Rhian asked.
[x]	"Can I play the game?" Rhian asked.

Remember - put the speech marks around the words that were said.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Tom said he would be going to the dentist after school.

[ ]	Tom said "I have to go to the dentist after school."
[x]	Tom said, "I have to go to the dentist after school."
[ ]	"Tom said, I have to go to the dentist after school."
[ ]	Tom said "I have to go to the dentist after school"

All of these are necessary: Tom said - comma - speech marks - speech - punctuation - speech marks.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Selina asked us to come to her party.

[x]	"Would you like to come to my party?" asked Selina.
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party asked Selina?"
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party" asked Selina?
[ ]	"Would you like to come to my party?" asked Selina

Don't forget the full stop at the end.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Gareth said he couldn't believe the Blues had lost again.

[ ]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again" Gareth complained!
[ ]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again, Gareth complained."
[x]	"I can't believe the Blues lost again!" Gareth complained.
[ ]	I can't believe the Blues lost again, "Gareth complained."

Remember to put the speech marks only around the spoken words.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Declan said he thought we could see the fireworks better from the top of the hill.

[ ]	Excitedly, Declan shouted "We'll be able to see the fireworks from the top of the hill!"
[ ]	Excitedly, Declan shouted, "we'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"
[x]	Excitedly, Declan shouted, "We'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"
[ ]	Excitedly, "Declan shouted, we'll be able to see the fireworks better from the top of the hill!"

Don't forget that the beginning of the spoken sentence needs a capital letter.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Harriet told us not to touch her clay model because it wasn't dry.

[ ]	Looking at us, Harriet warned. "Don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[ ]	Looking at us, Harriet warned "don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[ ]	Looking at us, "Harriet warned, don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."
[x]	Looking at us, Harriet warned, "Don't touch my model. It's not dry yet."

Phrases such as 'She said', 'He shouted' or 'Harriet warned' need a comma to separate them from the opening speech marks.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Rob offered to clear up the crayons on the carpet.

[x]	"Would you like me to tidy up?" Rob offered.
[ ]	"Would you like me to tidy up" Rob offered?
[ ]	"Would you like me to tidy up" Rob offered.
[ ]	Would you like me to tidy up, "Rob offered."

Don't forget the question mark if it's a question.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Joshua said he had been very scared when the lights went out suddenly.

[ ]	When the lights went out, Joshua explained, "I was so scared!"
[x]	"When the lights went out," Joshua explained, "I was so scared!"
[ ]	"When the lights went out" Joshua explained "I was so scared!"
[ ]	"When the lights went out, Joshua explained, I was so scared!"

You can separate the sentence into the words Joshua spoke and those he didn't. Then make sure to put speech marks around those he spoke.

10.

Read the sentence. How should it be written as direct speech? Choose the correct option.
Sanjay said he was very disappointed that it was raining again.

[ ]	Not again, Sanjay said, "It's another day of rain."
[ ]	"Not again" Sanjay said "it's another day of rain."
[ ]	"Not again! Sanjay said." It's another day of rain.
[x]	"Not again!" Sanjay said. "It's another day of rain."

Reading stories with dialogue will help you remember how to write direct speech.