Fundamentals Of English Grammar

1 14-8 QUOTED SPEECH

sometimes we want to quote a speaker's words-to write a speaker's exact words. Exact quotations are

used in many kinds of writing, such as newspaper articles, stories and novels, and academic papers. When

we quote a speaker's words, we use quotation marks.

(a) SPBAICHBS' HXACT WORDS (b) QUOTING THE SPEAKERS' WORDS

Jane: Cats are fun to watch. Jane said, "Cats are fun to watch."

Mike:Yes, I agree. They're graceful and playful. Mike said, "Yes, I agree. They're graceful and

Do you own a cat? playful. Do you own a cat?"

(c) HOW TO WRlTB QUOTATIONS

1. Add a comma after said * r Jane said,


2. Add quotation marks.** Jane said,


3. Capitalize the first word of the quotation. - Jane said, "Cats


4. Write the quotation. Add a final period. - Jane said, "Cats are fun to watch.


5. Add quotation marks after the period. Jane said, "Cats are fun to watch."
   (d) Mike said, "Yes, I agree. They're graceful and When there are two (or more) sentences in a
   playful. Do you own a cat?" quotation, put the quotation marks at the
   (c) INCORRECT: Miks said, 'Yes, I agree.u "Thy 're beginning and end of the whole quote, as in (d).
   gmcN and prclyful""Do you m a cat?" Do not put quotation marks around each sentence.
   As with a period, put the quotation marks after a
   question mark at the end of a quote.
   In (f): Notice that a comma (not a period) is used
   (f) "Cats are fun to wtch,"Jane said. at the end of the quoted sentence when Jane said
   (g) "Do you own a cat?" Mike asked. ,,8 , comes after the quote.
   In (g): Notice that a question mark (not a comma)
   is used at the end of the quoted question.
   'Other common vchs besides ray hat introduce questions: udmit, announce, ow, ask, u~,co&ain, +in, inpuin, wpmoin reply,
   shout, smta, wriw.
   **Quotation marks ace called "inverted commas" in British English.

EXERCISE 23. Quoted speech. (Chart 14-8)

Directions: Write sentences in which you quote the speaker's exact words. Use said or

asked. Punctuate carefully.

1. ANN: My sister is a student.

+ ANN said, "MY sistev is a shde~t." OR "MY sistev is a stude~t," ANN said.

2. ANN: Is your brother a student?


3. RITA: We're hungry.


4. RITA: We're hungry. Are you hungry too?***

***Rim raid can come

(1) at the beginning of the quote: Rita said, "I'm rired. I'm going w bed"

(2) in the middle of the quote: ''I'm M," Rita said. "I'm going to bed."

(3) at the end of the quote: "I'm tind I'm pin8 to ki," Rita mid.

420 CHAPTER 14