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Writing Improvement Tutorials
Courtesy of Rick Bailey, A.D.
English Instructor

I.  He said/she said.   These exercises pertain to techniques for representing speech in your writing. 

Directions: Read the sentences below and click on the one that looks like it is punctuated correctly.

Question One:

My mother said "You were where." I said to myself this is not the time to yell at my mother. 

My mother said, "You were where?" I said to myself, This is not the time to yell at my mother.

Question Three:

One thing I recall is when we played "spy".

One thing I recall is when we played, "spy". 

One thing I recall is when we played "spy."

Question Four:

A friend saw me walking back to the locker room, so he pulled up and asked if I wanted a ride home. 

A friend saw me walking back to the locker room, so he pulled up and asked, "If I want a ride home?" 

Question Five:

I was tired, so I said, "sure, that would help".

I was tired, so I said, "Sure, that would help."

I was tired, so I said "sure, that would help".

Question Six:

I asked my uncle "if he knew anything about constellations and if he could help me?" 

I asked my uncle if he knew anything about constellations and if he  could help me.

Question Seven:

He grew up always saying “he would never do drugs.”

He grew up always saying he will never do drugs.

He grew up always saying, “I will never do drugs.”

Question Eight:

When we finally got to the hospital, we were waiting in the
emergency entrance.  I was sitting with my head down when I heard my uncle say, "There's your dad." 

When we finally got to the hospital, we were waiting in the
emergency entrance.  I was sitting with my head down when I heard my uncle say "There's your dad".

Question Nine:

When I was driving back to the store, I thought to myself, "why didn't I put butter on the list". 

When I was driving back to the store, I thought to myself, "Why didn't I put butter on the list?" 

Question Ten:

Every time I introduce myself to someone and I tell them my name is Val, they always respond by saying, "What, short for Valerie?" Or, "Let me guess.  You were born on Valentine's Day!"

Every time I introduce myself to someone and I tell them my name is Val, they always respond by saying "what, short for Valerie?" or, " let me guess.  You were born on Valentine's Day!'

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