What is Speech Marks?

S0-SA4-0406

Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

Speech marks, also called quotation marks, are punctuation marks that look like small 'inverted commas' used in writing. They tell us that the exact words spoken by someone, or copied from somewhere else, are being shown. Think of them as special brackets for spoken words.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your friend said, 'Let's go play cricket after school!' If you want to write down exactly what your friend said, you would put their words inside speech marks: My friend said, 'Let's go play cricket after school!'

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's say your teacher said something important in class.

Step 1: Identify the exact words spoken by the teacher. Let's say the teacher said, 'Remember to submit your homework by Friday.'

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Step 2: Decide where the speech marks should begin and end. They should surround only the words the teacher spoke.

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Step 3: Add the opening speech marks before the first word spoken. The teacher said, 'Remember to submit your homework by Friday.'

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Step 4: Add the closing speech marks after the last word spoken, but before the ending punctuation (like a full stop or question mark) if it's part of the spoken words. The teacher said, 'Remember to submit your homework by Friday.'

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Final Answer: The complete sentence with speech marks would be: The teacher said, 'Remember to submit your homework by Friday.'

Why It Matters

Understanding speech marks is crucial for clear communication, whether you're writing a story, a news report, or even a WhatsApp message. It helps readers know exactly who said what, avoiding confusion. This skill is vital for future careers like journalism, content writing, law, and even historical research, where quoting sources accurately is key.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Putting speech marks around words that are not directly spoken or quoted. For example: He said 'that he was hungry.' | CORRECTION: Only put speech marks around the exact words spoken: He said that he was 'hungry.' (if only hungry was the exact word) or better: He said, 'I am hungry.'

MISTAKE: Forgetting to close the speech marks. For example: She asked, 'Are we going to the market today? | CORRECTION: Always make sure there's an opening and a closing speech mark: She asked, 'Are we going to the market today?'

MISTAKE: Putting punctuation like a full stop outside the closing speech mark when it belongs to the quoted speech. For example: 'I love samosas'. said Rohan. | CORRECTION: The punctuation mark (like a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark) that is part of the quoted speech goes inside the closing speech mark: 'I love samosas,' said Rohan.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Add speech marks to this sentence: My mother always says Eat your vegetables. | ANSWER: My mother always says, 'Eat your vegetables.'

QUESTION: Rewrite the sentence with correct speech marks: The boy shouted What a fantastic sixer! | ANSWER: The boy shouted, 'What a fantastic sixer!'

QUESTION: Correct the punctuation in this sentence: 'Do you want to share this pizza?' asked my friend. I replied, 'Yes I do.' | ANSWER: 'Do you want to share this pizza?' asked my friend. I replied, 'Yes, I do.'

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence correctly uses speech marks?

My father said, 'The train is late today.'

My father said 'The train is late today'.

My father said, The train 'is late today'.

My father said, 'The train is late today'.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option A correctly places the opening speech mark before the spoken words and the closing speech mark after the spoken words, with the full stop inside. Options B and D have the full stop outside, and Option C incorrectly places the speech marks.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

You see speech marks everywhere! In news articles, when a reporter quotes a politician or a local shopkeeper, their exact words are put in speech marks. In school textbooks, when a famous scientist's quote is shared, it's enclosed in speech marks. Even in your favourite comics or storybooks, characters' dialogues are often shown with speech marks.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

Punctuation: Symbols used in writing to make meaning clear, like full stops, commas, and speech marks. | Quote: To repeat the exact words spoken or written by someone else. | Dialogue: A conversation between two or more people in a book, play, or movie. | Direct Speech: The exact words someone says, written within speech marks. | Indirect Speech: Reporting what someone said without using their exact words or speech marks.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand speech marks, you can explore other punctuation marks like commas and full stops, which often work together with speech marks. You can also learn about 'direct and indirect speech' to see how we report what people say in different ways.