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KS3 · Grammar

Y7.4 Speech Punctuation Multiple Speakers

Calculators not allowed · about 50 minutes

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions in the spaces provided. Write in full sentences where asked.

Missing the Team Bus

Source written for Revision Library (original, copyright-free). Written specifically for this worksheet as a short multi-speaker dialogue extract for practising speech punctuation.

"Where is everybody?" asked Zara, glancing down the empty corridor.

"The coach left ten minutes ago," said Priya. "I watched it pull out of the gate myself."

Mr Fenton hurried round the corner, his keys jangling in his hand. "Don't panic," he said. "I've already rung the depot, and they're sending a replacement."

"Will we still get to the match on time?" Zara asked, checking her watch.

"If we leave within five minutes, we should," Mr Fenton replied. "Grab your kit bags and wait by the main gate."

Priya frowned. "What if the replacement bus doesn't turn up either?"

"Then," said Mr Fenton, smiling despite himself, "we walk. All two miles of it."

Look again at the source text 'Missing the Team Bus'. State which character speaks each of the following quotations.

(a)"Where is everybody?"(1)

(b)"I watched it pull out of the gate myself."(1)

(c)"Don't panic,"(1)

(d)"Will we still get to the match on time?"(1)

(e)"we walk. All two miles of it."(1)

Which of the following best explains the rule that a new speaker begins a new paragraph in a piece of dialogue?

A) It makes each character's speech a different shape on the page.
B) It shows the reader exactly where one speaker's turn ends and a different speaker begins, without needing to name every speaker every time.
C) It is only needed once there are more than three speakers in a scene.
D) It replaces the need for inverted commas altogether.

For each sentence below, identify where the reporting clause sits in relation to the spoken words: before the speech, after the speech, or splitting (interrupting) the speech.

(a)Mr Owusu said, "The gate is locked."(1)

A) Before the speech
B) After the speech
C) Splitting the speech

(b)"The gate is locked," said Mr Owusu.(1)

A) Before the speech
B) After the speech
C) Splitting the speech

(c)"The gate," said Mr Owusu, "is locked."(1)

A) Before the speech
B) After the speech
C) Splitting the speech

Which sentence punctuates direct speech correctly?

A) "Have you seen my kit bag"? asked Josh.
B) "Have you seen my kit bag?" asked Josh.
C) "Have you seen my kit bag" asked Josh?
D) Have you seen my kit bag? asked Josh.

Look again at this line from the source text: "Then," said Mr Fenton, smiling despite himself, "we walk. All two miles of it."

(a)Is "we walk" the start of a brand new sentence, or a continuation of the sentence that began with "Then"?(1)

(b)Which piece of punctuation proves this?(1)

Look again at "Where is everybody?" and "The coach left ten minutes ago," in the source text. Are these spoken by the same character or different characters, and how does the layout of the text tell you this?

(a)Same character or different characters?(1)

(b)How does the layout prove this?(1)

Punctuate this sentence correctly, adding inverted commas and any other punctuation needed. Do not change the words: the match starts at four oclock said priya

(3)

Punctuate this sentence correctly, adding inverted commas and any other punctuation needed. Do not change the words: mr fenton said hurry up or we will miss the coach

(2)

Punctuate this sentence so that the reporting clause splits the speech and the SAME sentence continues afterwards. Do not change the words: we should leave now priya said or we will miss kick-off

(3)

Punctuate this sentence so that the reporting clause splits the speech and a NEW sentence begins afterwards. Do not change the words: wait here mr fenton said i will fetch the kit bags

(3)

Rewrite this exchange between two speakers as a correctly laid-out piece of dialogue. Use a new paragraph for each speaker's turn and punctuate the speech correctly. Do not change the words.

(a)priya asked are you coming to the match tonight(2)

(b)sam replied yes i will meet you there at six(2)

These sentences report what was said (reported speech). Rewrite each one as direct speech, with correct speech punctuation and a capital letter at the start of the quotation.

(a)Priya said that she was tired.(2)

(b)Mr Fenton told the students that the bus had arrived.(2)

This exchange between two speakers is wrongly written as a single paragraph. Rewrite it correctly, using a new paragraph for each speaker's turn. Do not change any words or punctuation.

"Have you finished your homework?" asked Mrs Adeyemi. "Not yet," said Tom.

(2)

Find and correct the errors in this sentence. Do not change the words themselves: "The coach is running late." said Mr fenton.

(2)

Find and correct the error in this sentence. Do not change the words themselves: "Then," said Mr Fenton, "We walk. All two miles of it."

(2)

Which version of this sentence contains NO punctuation or capitalisation error?

A) "Where's the map." asked Josh.
B) "Wheres the map?" Asked Josh.
C) "Where's the map?" asked Josh.
D) "wheres the map?" asked josh.

Below is a short exchange involving three speakers, with several errors in paragraphing, punctuation and capitalisation. Rewrite it correctly, correcting every error you can find.

'wheres my kit bag asked sam. i put it by the door said priya you probably walked straight past it. sam frowned and said i cant see it anywhere'

(6)

Continue the dialogue below with ONE more exchange: one new line of speech from Mr Fenton, then one new line of speech from Zara. Lay each one out in its own paragraph and punctuate it correctly. At least one of your two lines must use a reporting clause placed BEFORE the speech.

Priya checked her watch again. "The replacement bus should be here by now," she said.

(4)

Write a short original scene (approximately 70-100 words) in which THREE different characters speak. Your writing must include: at least one split quotation where the reporting clause interrupts the speech, at least one reporting clause placed BEFORE the speech, and a new paragraph for every change of speaker. Underline your split quotation.

(8)

Mark scheme · Y7.4 Speech Punctuation Multiple Speakers

Question 1

(a) B1 Zara
(a) Answer: Zara
(b) B1 Priya
(b) Answer: Priya
(c) B1 Mr Fenton
(c) Answer: Mr Fenton
(d) B1 Zara
(d) Answer: Zara
(e) B1 Mr Fenton
(e) Answer: Mr Fenton

Question 2

B1 B
Answer: B

Question 3

(a) B1 A) Before the speech
(a) Answer: A
(b) B1 B) After the speech
(b) Answer: B
(c) B1 C) Splitting the speech
(c) Answer: C

Question 4

B1 B
Answer: B

Question 5

(a) B1 a continuation of the same sentence (the full sentence is 'Then we walk')
(a) Answer: It is a continuation of the same sentence.
(b) B1 "we" begins with a lower-case letter; a new sentence would need a capital letter
(b) Answer: 'we' starts with a lower-case letter, which it would not do if it began a new sentence.

Question 6

(a) B1 different characters (Zara, then Priya)
(a) Answer: Different characters.
(b) B1 the two quotations are in separate paragraphs, which signals a change of speaker
(b) Answer: Each quotation is in its own paragraph, and a new paragraph always signals a change of speaker.

Question 7

B1 opening and closing inverted commas placed correctly around the spoken words, with a capital letter to start the speech
B1 apostrophe correctly placed in 'o'clock'
B1 comma (not full stop) before the closing inverted commas, since the reporting clause 'said Priya' follows, with a full stop at the very end, cao
Answer: "The match starts at four o'clock," said Priya.

Question 8

B1 comma placed after 'said', before the opening inverted commas, with 'Mr Fenton' correctly capitalised
B1 opening inverted commas and a capital letter to start the speech, full stop before the closing inverted commas, cao
Answer: Mr Fenton said, "Hurry up or we will miss the coach."

Question 9

B1 opening inverted commas and a capital letter start the first part of the speech, with a comma (not full stop) before the closing inverted commas
B1 'Priya said' followed by a comma, then inverted commas reopened
B1 the second part of the speech begins with a lower-case letter because it continues the same sentence, ending with a full stop inside the final closing inverted commas, cao
Answer: "We should leave now," Priya said, "or we will miss kick-off."

Question 10

B1 opening inverted commas and a capital letter start the first part of the speech, with a comma before the closing inverted commas
B1 'Mr Fenton said' correctly capitalised, followed by a FULL STOP (not a comma) because a new sentence follows, then inverted commas reopened
B1 the second part of the speech begins with a capital letter because it is a new sentence, ending with a full stop inside the final closing inverted commas, cao
Answer: "Wait here," Mr Fenton said. "I will fetch the kit bags."

Question 11

(a) B1 opening and closing inverted commas correctly placed around the speech, capital letter to start the speech and a question mark inside the closing inverted commas
(a) B1 'Priya asked' correctly placed afterwards with a full stop at the very end, cao
(a) Answer: "Are you coming to the match tonight?" Priya asked.
(b) B1 opening inverted commas, capital letter for 'Yes' and a comma after 'Yes' within the speech
(b) B1 comma before the closing inverted commas, 'Sam replied' correctly placed, full stop at the very end, cao
(b) Answer: "Yes, I will meet you there at six," Sam replied.

Question 12

(a) B1 pronoun correctly changed from 'she' to 'I', with the tense kept as 'am'
(a) B1 correct punctuation: opening and closing inverted commas, capital letter, comma before 'said Priya' and full stop at the very end, cao
(a) Answer: "I am tired," said Priya.
(b) B1 tense correctly shifted forward from the reported past perfect 'had arrived' to the direct-speech form 'has arrived', with a capital letter to start the speech
(b) B1 correct punctuation: comma after 'students', opening and closing inverted commas around the speech, full stop before the closing inverted commas, cao
(b) Answer: Mr Fenton told the students, "The bus has arrived."

Question 13

B1 identifies that two different speakers' words are wrongly kept in one paragraph
B1 correct rewrite with each speaker's turn given a new paragraph, punctuation otherwise unchanged, cao
Answer:"Have you finished your homework?" asked Mrs Adeyemi.

"Not yet," said Tom.

Question 14

B1 identifies that the full stop before the closing inverted commas should be a comma, since the reporting clause 'said Mr Fenton' follows
B1 identifies that 'fenton' must start with a capital letter as a proper noun, and gives the corrected sentence, cao
Answer: "The coach is running late," said Mr Fenton.

Question 15

B1 identifies that 'We' is wrongly capitalised, because it continues the sentence begun by 'Then' ('Then we walk') rather than starting a new one
B1 correct rewrite with a lower-case 'we', cao
Answer: "Then," said Mr Fenton, "we walk. All two miles of it."

Question 16

B1 C
Answer: C

Question 17

Level 0 (0): No accurate corrections made; errors remain uncorrected or new errors introduced.
Level 1 (1-2): One or two errors corrected (e.g. a missing capital letter or one apostrophe), but paragraphing and inverted commas remain largely incorrect.
Level 2 (3-4): Most errors corrected, including at least the paragraph break for each new speaker and most missing inverted commas, with occasional slips in comma or full stop placement.
Level 3 (5-6): All three speakers' turns are given separate paragraphs, all inverted commas, capital letters and apostrophes are placed correctly, and the choice of comma or full stop before each reporting clause is accurate throughout.
Indicative content:
- Capital letter and apostrophe added: 'wheres' corrected to 'Where's'
- Inverted commas added correctly around each stretch of spoken words
- Each new speaker (Sam, then Priya, then Sam again) begins a new paragraph
- Capital letters added for the proper nouns 'Sam' and 'Priya'
- 'i cant see it anywhere' corrected to 'I can't see it anywhere' (capital I, apostrophe in can't)
- Correct choice of comma before a reporting clause versus full stop before a new sentence used consistently throughout

Question 18

B1 a new line of correctly punctuated direct speech from Mr Fenton, in its own paragraph
B1 that line (or the other new line) uses a reporting clause placed before the speech, with a comma before the opening inverted commas and a capital letter to begin the speech
B1 a new line of correctly punctuated direct speech from Zara, in its own paragraph
B1 new paragraph used for each change of speaker throughout, with no comma splices and accurate inverted commas, cao
Answer:Sample answer (indicative, not the only acceptable response): Mr Fenton said, "It should be here any minute."

"I can't see anything coming yet," said Zara, peering up the road.

Question 19

Content and organisation (AO5)
- Level 1 (1): A simple scene with some indication of three speakers; little sense of distinct voices or clear paragraphing by speaker.
- Level 2 (2-3): A recognisable three-speaker scene with distinct, if simple, voices; ideas are mostly organised, with a new paragraph for most speaker changes.
- Level 3 (4): A clear, engaging three-speaker scene with convincing, distinct voices; well organised with a new paragraph for every change of speaker.
Technical accuracy: punctuating multiple speakers (AO6)
- Level 1 (1): The required features (split quotation, reporting clause before speech, new paragraph per speaker) are mostly missing or used inaccurately.
- Level 2 (2-3): Most of the required features are present and mostly accurate, with occasional errors.
- Level 3 (4): All required features are present, the split quotation is clearly underlined, and every feature is used accurately alongside a controlled range of other sentence forms.

Speech Punctuation Multiple Speakers - Worksheets, Questions and Revision