• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? ("We will land in ten minutes", said the pilot. / "We will land in ten minutes." said the pilot. / "We will land in ten minutes," said, the pilot. / "We will land in ten minutes," said the pilot.) → "We will land in ten minutes," said the pilot.Prompt: A comma separates the spoken words from the words that say who is speaking.
2. What is missing from this sentence? "I made soup for lunch" said Gran. (a comma after "lunch", inside the speech marks / a comma after "said" / a full stop after "lunch", outside the speech marks / nothing: it is already correct) → a comma after "lunch", inside the speech marksPrompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.
3. What is missing from this sentence? "My robot can dance" said Zoe. (a full stop after "dance", outside the speech marks / a comma after "dance", inside the speech marks / a comma after "said" / nothing: it is already correct) → a comma after "dance", inside the speech marksPrompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.

• Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
• Share the objective: Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
• Step 1: The spoken words end with ! inside the speech marks; then "yelled Nadia" continues in lower case.
• Step 2: So the answer is: "Goal!" yelled Nadia.
• Answer: "Goal!" yelled Nadia.
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? ("I won!" Cried Mia. / "I won!", cried Mia. / "I won," cried Mia. / "I won!" cried Mia.) → "I won!" cried Mia.Prompt: A question or an exclamation keeps its ? or ! INSIDE the speech marks.
2. The speaker is interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Which is punctuated correctly? ("I think," said Priya, "The robot needs new batteries." / "I think," said Priya, "the robot needs new batteries." / "I think," said Priya. "the robot needs new batteries." / "I think", said Priya, "the robot needs new batteries".) → "I think," said Priya, "the robot needs new batteries."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? ("Where did the hamster go," wondered Leo. / "Where did the hamster go?" wondered Leo. / "Where did the hamster go?", wondered Leo. / "Where did the hamster go"? wondered Leo.) → "Where did the hamster go?" wondered Leo.Prompt: A question or an exclamation keeps its ? or ! INSIDE the speech marks.
2. The speaker is interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Which is punctuated correctly? ("If it stops raining", said Kofi, "we can play outside". / "If it stops raining," said Kofi. "we can play outside." / "If it stops raining," said Kofi, "we can play outside." / "If it stops raining" said Kofi "we can play outside.") → "If it stops raining," said Kofi, "we can play outside."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-4.