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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? ("This puzzle is tricky," said, Kofi. / "This puzzle is tricky", said Kofi. / "This puzzle is tricky," said Kofi. / "This puzzle is tricky." said Kofi.) → "This puzzle is tricky," said Kofi.Prompt: A comma separates the spoken words from the words that say who is speaking.
  2. What is missing from this sentence? "This puzzle is tricky" said Kofi. (a comma after "said" / a comma after "tricky", inside the speech marks / a full stop after "tricky", outside the speech marks / nothing: it is already correct) → a comma after "tricky", inside the speech marksPrompt: Find where the spoken words meet the words about who is speaking.
  3. What is missing from this sentence? "The bus is coming" said Dad. (a comma after "said" / a full stop after "coming", outside the speech marks / nothing: it is already correct / a comma after "coming", inside the speech marks) → a comma after "coming", 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? ("Goal!" yelled Nadia. / "Goal!" Yelled Nadia. / "Goal"! yelled Nadia. / "Goal!", yelled Nadia.) → "Goal!" yelled Nadia.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 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.

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? ("When the bell rings" said Mr Ali "line up quietly." / "When the bell rings," said Mr Ali, "line up quietly." / "When the bell rings", said Mr Ali, "line up quietly". / "When the bell rings," said Mr Ali. "line up quietly.") → "When the bell rings," said Mr Ali, "line up quietly."Prompt: The spoken sentence is still one sentence, so the second part does not start with a capital.
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? ("Who wants pancakes," asked Gran. / "Who wants pancakes?" asked Gran. / "Who wants pancakes?", asked Gran. / "Who wants pancakes?" Asked Gran.) → "Who wants pancakes?" asked Gran.Prompt: A question or an exclamation keeps its ? or ! INSIDE the 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 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.

  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. "Where did the hamster go?" wondered Leo.
    • B. "Where did the hamster go," wondered Leo.
    • C. "Where did the hamster go?", wondered Leo.
    • D. "Where did the hamster go"? wondered Leo.

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    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

  7. Question 7

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

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

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

  1. 1. A. "Are you coming?" asked Ben.

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

  3. 3. A. "Where did the hamster go?" wondered Leo.

  4. 4. D. the

  5. 5. A. the exact words someone says

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

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