Year 4 Punctuation: Using Inverted

Commas for Direct Speech

Learning From Home Activity Booklet

Statutory Page
Activity Sheet Notes
Requirements Number

Who Said What? 2

Split Speech 1 3
Pupils should be
taught the use of
inverted commas and
other punctuation
Split Speech 2 4
to indicate direct
speech [for example,
a comma after the
reporting clause; end
Said is Dead 5–6
punctuation within
inverted commas:
The conductor
shouted, “Sit down!”]
New Speaker 7–8

Super Speech 9–10

A Parent’s Guide to Inverted Commas 11

Answers 12–14

Page 1 of 14
 Who Said What?
When using speech, you normally add a reporting clause to let the reader know who is speaking.
This can come before or after the speech. For example:

Reporting Rachel said, “My favourite food is pizza.”

Clause

“My favourite food is pizza,” said Rachel. Reporting

Clause

If the reporting clause is before the speech, place a comma to separate it from the speech. However,
if the reporting cause comes after the speech, use a full stop to show it’s the end of the sentence.

Complete the sentences below by adding all the correct punctuation in the space provided.

1. What time will they arrive asked Sarah

2. Jack said My favourite colour is blue

3. The dragon sighed I’m tired of everyone running away from me

4. Off with her head shouted the Queen of Hearts

5. The frog declared Kiss me and I’ll turn into a prince

6. Little pig, let me come in pleaded the big, bad wolf

Challenge: Rewrite the following sentence with the correct punctuation and capital letters.

the little boy said can I have hot chocolate before bed please



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 Split Speech 1
Sometimes the reporting clause can be placed in the middle of a character’s speech. For example:

“I’m very late!” declared the White Rabbit. “I have an important date!”
“I need,” thought Dad, “a new tie to go with my shirt.”
When this happens, you place inverted commas around both parts of the speech, not the
whole section of text. Also, you must add a full stop or a comma after the reporting clause.

Read each pair of sentences below and then tick which one is correct.

1. “What time is it?” said John. “I want to go home!”

“What time is it? said John. I want to go home!”

2. “When I grow up, declared Susan, I want to be a policewoman.”

“When I grow up,” declared Susan, “I want to be a policewoman.”

3. “I don’t want a bath, sighed Ben. I’m not dirty.”

“I don’t want a bath,” sighed Ben. “I’m not dirty.”

4. “I like cake,” said Mia. “It’s my favourite food.”

“I like cake, said Mia. It’s my favourite food.”

5. “I got a certificate, said Ivy. I swam a full length.”

“I got a certificate,” said Ivy. “I swam a full length.”

6. “My name’s Jake,” said the boy. What’s yours?”

“My name’s Jake,” said the boy. “What’s yours?”

7. We’re here,” declared the alien. “We’ve landed on Earth.”

“We’re here,” declared the alien. “We’ve landed on Earth.”

* Please see Parent Guided to Inverted Commas at the end of the booklet for a full explanation
of when to use a full stop or a comma.

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 Split Speech 2
The following sentences below are missing punctuation. Write each sentence out again with
all the correct punctuation – including inverted commas and capital letters.

Remember: Always place either a comma or a full stop after the reporting clause in the middle
of speech.

1. a slipper cried the prince I need to find who it belongs to

2. i need thought the wizard eye of newt to finish the spell

3. robert said the teacher please read the next part of the text

4. eat the apple whispered the witch to Snow White it’ll make you feel better

5. i’ll get the ladder said the firefighter then we can get the cat out of the tree

6. that looks sore said the nurse I’ll put a plaster on it to make it better

Page 4 of 14
 Said is Dead!
Use said synonyms to make your writing more interesting

Adding speech to your writing is a great way to make it more interesting for the reader.
However, when adding reported clauses, it gets a bit boring if we always use the word said. We
can use many other words, such as shouted or whispered.

Use a thesaurus (or the Internet) to find different ways to say said. Place them in the box below
to make a word bank of said synonyms to use in your writing.

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 Said is Dead!
Challenge: Rewrite each of the sentences below twice but each time change the word said with
one of your said synonyms. Discuss with a grown-up how the said synonym changes the way
we might say the speech inside the inverted commas.

1. Jane said, “Be careful!”

2. “Where are we going?” said Mary.

3. “Mum,” said the boy, “Can I have a biscuit?”

4. “Shh,” said the librarian. “You have to be quiet.”

5. Sarah said, “I fell and cut my knee.”

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 New Speaker
When writing, you often have more than one person speaking – this is called dialogue. Whenever
a new person begins speaking, you start on a new line. For example:

“Where are we going today?” asked Sam.

Mum replied, “We’re going the swimming pool.”

Write each of the comic conversations below using direct speech and place each speaker on
a new line.

Where is
the café? It’s here, by the
train station.

 “Where is the café?” asked the girl.

 “It’s here, by the train station,”
 replied the lady with the blonde hair.


Please can I have

Ok. Let’s join
an ice cream?
the queue.

Page 7 of 14
 New Speaker
Are you ready Yes. I’ll have burger
to order? and chips please.

Shall I help
Yes, please.
you tidy up?

I like your Thanks. My dad

costume. made it for me.

Page 8 of 14
 Super Speech
Below is a picture of two superheroes. Using your imagination, write a passage of text –
including speech – between the two characters. They could be discussing how to stop an evil
villain? How to save the ocean? What powers they have? It’s all your idea! Write your passage
on the next page and use the checklist below the picture to make sure you have correctly used
speech punctuation.

Page 9 of 14
 Super Speech

• I have placed “ ” (inverted commas) around any speech.

• I have included punctuation before the closing inverted commas.

• I have placed a new speaker on a new line.

• I have used reporting clauses to let the reader know who is speaking.

• When starting with the reporting clause, I have

used a comma to separate it from the speech.

• I have included said synonyms.

Page 10 of 14
 A Parent’s Guide to Inverted Commas
By the end of Year 4, children are expected to master the use of inverted commas to show direct speech in
their writing. They are also expected to use other punctuation in direct speech such as a comma to separate
the reporting clause and other punctuation marks within inverted commas. Children will also be encouraged by
their teachers to use different words for said to vary their writing. Additionally, they will begin to think about
the effect different said synonyms have on the reader.

This booklet is based on the presumption that your child is already beginning to use inverted commas in their
writing. If your child isn’t yet secure in their use of inverted commas, please use Year 3 Punctuation: Using
Inverted Commas for Direct Speech Booklet to revise this.

Inverted commas are also known as speech marks or sometimes

quotation marks. They are placed around direct speech in writing to
show the reader what the person or character says. Inverted commas can
be used as “ (double) or ‘ (single). Either is acceptable but schools tend to
Inverted Commas:
teach children to use double inverted commas (often calling them a ‘66’
and a ‘99’). When using this booklet, please check whether you child is
being taught to use double or single inverted commas to ensure that you
are being consistent with what they are being taught in school.

The reporting clause is the part of the sentence that tells the reader
who or what is speaking. When writing speech, the reporting clause can
be placed before or after direct speech. The reporting clauses are bold
in the following examples:
“What’s for dinner?” asked the boy. “I’m hungry!”
Cheryl screamed, “Give me my toy back!”
*When the reporting clause is placed in the middle of speech it can be
Reporting Clause: followed by either a full stop or a comma. A comma is used when the
reporting clause is place in the middle of a sentence. For example:
“Mum, can I have a chocolate?” becomes, “Mum,” shouted the boy,
“can I have a chocolate?”
When the reporting clause is placed between two separate speech
sentences, it is followed by a full stop. For example:
“My name’s Jake. What’s yours?” becomes, “My name’s Jake,” said
the boy. “What’s yours?”

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 Year 4 Punctuation: Using Inverted Commas
for Direct Speech Answers
Who Said What?

1. “ What time will they arrive?” asked Sarah.

2. Jack said, “My favourite colour is blue.”
3. The dragon sighed, “I’m tired of everyone running away from me.”
4. “Off with her head!” shouted the Queen of Hearts.
5. The frog declared, “Kiss me and I’ll turn into a prince.”
6. “Little pig, let me come in,” pleaded the big, bad wolf.

Challenge: Rewrite the following sentence with the correct punctuation and capital letters.
the little boy said can I have hot chocolate before bed please
The little boy said, “Can I have hot chocolate before bed please?”

Split Speech 1

1. “ What time is it?” said John. “I want to go home!”

“What time is it? said John. I want to go home!”

2. “ When I grow up, declared Susan, I want to be a policewoman.”

“When I grow up,” declared Susan, “I want to be a policewoman.”

3. “ I don’t want a bath, sighed Ben. I’m not dirty.”

“I don’t want a bath,” sighed Ben. “I’m not dirty.”

4. “ I like cake,” said Mia. “It’s my favourite food.”

“I like cake, said Mia. It’s my favourite food.”

5. “ I got a certificate, said Ivy. I swam a full length.”

“I got a certificate,” said Ivy. “I swam a full length.”

6. “ My name’s Jake,” said the boy. What’s yours?”

“My name’s Jake,” said the boy. “What’s yours?”

7. W
e’re here,” declared the alien. “We’ve landed on Earth.”
“We’re here,” declared the alien. “We’ve landed on Earth.”

Page 12 of 14
 Year 4 Punctuation: Using Inverted Commas
for Direct Speech Answers
Split Speech 2

1. a slipper cried the prince I need to find who it belongs to

“A slipper!” cried the prince. “I need to find who it belongs to.”
2. i need thought the wizard eye of newt to finish the spell
“I need,” thought the wizard, “eye of newt to finish the spell.”
3. r obert said the teacher please read the next part of the text
“Robert,” said the teacher, “please read the next part of the text.”
4. e at the apple whispered the witch to Snow White it’ll make you feel better
“Eat the apple,” whispered the witch to Snow White. “It’ll make you feel better.”
5. i ’ll get the ladder said the firefighter then we can get the cat out of the tree
“I’ll get the ladder,” said the firefighter. “Then we can get the cat out of the tree.”
6. t hat looks sore said the nurse I’ll put a plaster on it to make it better
“That looks sore,” said the nurse. “I’ll put a plaster on it to make it better.”

Said is Dead!

Challenge: Rewrite each of the sentences below twice but each time change the word said with one of your
said synonyms. Discuss with a grown-up how the said synonym changes the way we might say the speech
inside the inverted commas.

1. ane said, “Be careful!”

J
2. “Where are we going?” said Mary.
3. “Mum,” said the boy, “Can I have a biscuit?”
4. “Shh,” said the librarian. “You have to be quiet.”
5. Sarah said, “I fell and cut my knee.”

Accept sentences that are grammatically correct where the word said has been replaced with a
synonym. Discuss with your child the different effects the said synonyms have on the reader. For
example, “Be quiet,” shouted the teacher has a different effect to “Be quiet,” whispered the teacher.

Page 13 of 14
 Year 4 Punctuation: Using Inverted Commas
for Direct Speech Answers
New Speaker

1. Where is the café?

It’s here, by the train station.
“Where is the café?” asked the girl.
“It’s here, by the train station,” replied the lady with the blonde hair.
2. Please can I have an ice cream?
Ok. Let’s join the queue.
The boy begged, “Please can I have an ice cream?”
“Ok,” replied Emma. “Let’s join the queue.”
3. Are you ready to order?
Yes. I’ll have burger and chips please
The waitress asked, “Are you ready to order?”
“Yes,” the man replied. “I’ll have burger and chips please.”
4. Shall I help you tidy up?
Yes, please.
“Shall I help you tidy up?” asked the boy.
“Yes, please,” answered the girl whilst smiling.
5. I like your costume.
Thanks. My dad made it for me.
“I like your costume,” declared Charlotte to her friend.
“Thanks,” Jake beamed proudly. “My dad made it for me.”

Super Speech

Accept sentences that are grammatically correct and have correctly used speech punctuation.

Page 14 of 14