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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers

Punctuation

CCSS L.4.2.BEngland: Y4 GPS (punctuation of direct speech)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum

Leads to: Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • 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? (The librarian said "Books are due back on Friday." / The librarian said, Books are due back on Friday. / The librarian said, "Books are due back on Friday". / The librarian said, "Books are due back on Friday.") → The librarian said, "Books are due back on Friday."Prompt: A comma separates the spoken words from the words that say who is speaking.
  2. What is missing from this sentence? "My robot can dance" said Zoe. (a comma after "said" / a full stop after "dance", outside the speech marks / a comma after "dance", inside the speech marks / 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.
  3. What is missing from this sentence? "I found a fossil" said Ava. (a comma after "fossil", inside the speech marks / a full stop after "fossil", outside the speech marks / nothing: it is already correct / a comma after "said") → a comma after "fossil", inside the speech marksPrompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.

Hook · 5 min

  • 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.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • 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.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • 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? ("Watch out"! shouted Tom. / "Watch out!", shouted Tom. / "Watch out!" Shouted Tom. / "Watch out!" shouted Tom.) → "Watch out!" shouted Tom.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? ("After lunch," said the coach, "we will work on passing." / "After lunch" said the coach "we will work on passing." / "After lunch," said the coach. "we will work on passing." / "After lunch," said the coach, "We will work on passing.") → "After lunch," said the coach, "we will work on passing."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • 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 7 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. The speaker is interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Which is punctuated correctly? ("If you hurry," said Mum, "You'll catch the bus." / "If you hurry", said Mum, "you'll catch the bus". / "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus." / "If you hurry" said Mum "you'll catch the bus.") → "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.
  2. Read the question. What do speech marks (inverted commas) show? (the title of a book / the exact words someone says / a question / the name of the speaker) → the exact words someone saysPrompt: Think about what you have learned about speech marks.

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Commas in dialogue: Mum said, "…" and "…," said Mum.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Commas after openers, yes and no, tag questions and names.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

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

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers

Name

Date

Score/ 7

  1. Question 1

    Read the question. Which word needs a capital letter? Jo said, "the film starts at six."

    • A. said
    • B. the
    • C. film
    • D. six

  2. Question 2

    The speaker is interrupted in the middle of a sentence. Which is punctuated correctly?

    • A. "If you hurry," said Mum. "you'll catch the bus."
    • B. "If you hurry" said Mum "you'll catch the bus."
    • C. "If you hurry", said Mum, "you'll catch the bus".
    • D. "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus."

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

    • A. "What a mess," exclaimed Dad.
    • B. "What a mess"! exclaimed Dad.
    • C. "What a mess!" Exclaimed Dad.
    • D. "What a mess!" exclaimed Dad.

  4. Question 4

    Read the question. When should you start a new line in a story with dialogue?

    • A. whenever someone says "said"
    • B. when a different person starts speaking
    • C. only at the end of a chapter
    • D. after every comma

  5. Question 5

    Read the question. Where does the full stop go in: Dad said, "Dinner is ready"

    • A. there is no full stop
    • B. outside the speech marks
    • C. after "said"
    • D. inside the speech marks, after "ready"

  6. Question 6

    Read the question. Which is correct?

    • A. "Are you coming?" Asked Ben.
    • B. "Are you coming?" asked Ben.
    • C. "Are you coming," asked Ben?
    • D. "Are you coming"? asked Ben.

  7. Question 7

    Read the question. What do speech marks (inverted commas) show?

    • A. the title of a book
    • B. a question
    • C. the exact words someone says
    • D. the name of the speaker

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Answer key: Punctuating direct speech: ? and ! inside, split speech, new speakers

  1. 1. B. the

  2. 2. D. "If you hurry," said Mum, "you'll catch the bus."

  3. 3. D. "What a mess!" exclaimed Dad.

  4. 4. B. when a different person starts speaking

  5. 5. D. inside the speech marks, after "ready"

  6. 6. B. "Are you coming?" asked Ben.

  7. 7. C. the exact words someone says