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Topic One: Direct Speech and Punctuation
1. When speech is written down, it has punctuation which is different in English
and French.
English
"How are you?" he asked. The spoken words are surrounded by speech marks.
French
- Comment ça va? demanda-t-il. The spoken words are preceded by a dash (-)
2. When the spoken words are on their own, we show that two different people are
speaking by putting what they say on separate lines.
"I love English punctuation lessons!"
"So do I, but I like math better."
"Oh, really? I prefer science to math, it's more fun."
"Ugh, how can you? I hate the smell of the lab."
3. When the words in speech marks are accompanied by words like he said, we
have to change the punctuation slightly.
"I love chocolate bars," said Samantha.
"You won't when all your teeth fall out," replied her mother.
"My teeth won't fall out!" squealed Samantha.
"Did you brush your teeth?" asked mother. "It's important."
A comma is used at the end of the sentence instead of a full stop. Exclamation marks
and question marks remain the same.
Now that we know that the two people speaking are Samantha and her mother, we
do not need to continue using their names...
"Yes, I always do, every night and in the morning."
"Well they won't fall out then, but chocolate is not good for you if you eat too much."
"It's not fair. I prefer chocolate to fruit."
"You can have some chocolate cake and an apple when you have finished your
homework."
4. If words like he said come before the words in speech marks, we punctuate like
this:
Peter said, "I have eaten an apple a day for a week, and no chocolate."
Samantha replied, "Creep!"
There is a comma before the speech marks.
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Topic One: Direct Speech and Punctuation
Exercises
One: Correct the passage below, using all the correct punctuation.
He looked at her and said where did you get that from
I found it she said it was on the on the floor
I don't believe you he shouted at the top of his voice
There's no need to shout she said in a firm voice
Give it to me he growled or you'll be sorry
Two: Punctuate the joke below.
Two small boys were discussing their future
What are you going to be when you grow up one of them asked
A soldier answered the other
What if you get killed
Who would want to kill me
The enemy
The other boy thought this over
Okay he said when I grow up, I'll be the enemy
Three: Translate the following passages into English using the correct punctuation.
a) Il me demanda avec brusquerie:
- Un mouton, s'il mange les arbustes, il mange aussi les fleurs?
- Un mouton mange tout ce qu'il rencontre.
- Même les fleurs qui ont des épines ?
- Oui. Même les fleurs qui ont des épines.
- Alors les épines, a quoi servent-elles?
Je ne le savais pas.
Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
NB:
arbustes = shrubs
épines = thorns
b) - J'ai faim, a répété le Petit.
Jérémy a réagi le premier.
Il a bondi hors de son lit et a foncé vers la cuisine, Clara sur ses talons.
-Tu as faim, le Petit! Formidable! Qu'est-ce qu'on te fait? Une omelette aux morilles? Des
spaghettis aux aubergines? Un sandwich au Jabugo? On ouvre une boîte de foie gras?
Sourcils froncés, le Petit récusait.
- Non? Un dessert? a proposé Clara. Tu veux passer directement au dessert? Une crème
brulée?
Des Chrétiens et des Maures, Daniel Pennac
NB:
bondir = to leap
froncer les sourcils = to frown
foncer = to rush
récuser = to resist
talon = heel