Speech first: punctuation rules
I can punctuate a speech first sentence.
Speech first: punctuation rules
I can punctuate a speech first sentence.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Direct speech is the term used for a character speaking out loud in a text.
- There is a set of rules for how to accurately punctuate direct speech.
- Inverted commas are the punctuation marks that signal direct speech to the reader.
- The speech sentence spoken by a character must start with a capital letter.
- If direct speech comes first in a sentence with the reporting clause second, it can be called a speech first sentence.
Keywords
Direct speech - the term used for a character speaking out loud in a text
Reporting clause - a clause that tells the reader who said the speech and how
Clause - a group of words that contains a verb
Speech first sentence - a sentence that includes direct speech first before the reporting clause
Inverted commas - a pair of punctuation marks that signals direct speech to the reader
Common misconception
Pupils may not know what 'speech first' means.
Explain that if the direct speech opens or comes first in the sentence with the reporting clause afterwards or second, this can be referred to as a speech first sentence.
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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