Reporting Clauses & Quotation Punctuation

Question 1

What is a reporting clause?

Answer 1

The part of a sentence that introduces direct speech (e.g., He said, She asked, Tell them to).

Question 2

Where is the comma placed when a reporting clause comes before the quote?

Answer 2

Before the opening quotation mark.

Question 3

Where is the comma placed when the quote comes before the reporting clause?

Answer 3

Inside the quotation mark, before the reporting clause.

Question 4

“Tell them to, ‘reply with the word yes.’” - What is the reporting clause?

Answer 4

Tell them to

Question 5

“She said, ‘I’m tired.’” - What punctuation separates the clause and the quote?

Answer 5

A comma

Question 6

“Don’t do that,” he warned. - Where does the comma go?

Answer 6

Inside the closing quotation mark, before the reporting clause

Question 7

Can a sentence begin with the direct quote instead of the reporting clause?

Answer 7

Yes, the quote can come first followed by the reporting clause.

Question 8

What punctuation do you need to start a direct quote?

Answer 8

Quotation marks

Question 9

“She said ‘I’m coming.’” - Is this punctuation correct?

Answer 9

No, it’s missing a comma before the quote: She said, “I’m coming.”

Question 10

Do you always need a comma after the reporting clause?

Answer 10

Yes, when it introduces a direct quote