Punctuating

Orion101

Hello,

I'm looking for some help with punctuation within dialogue. I'll start by telling you what (I think) I know, and we can work from there

If dialogue is attributed at the end, a comma should be used at the end of the inverted commas.

"I'm not exactly sure," Roy said.

If dialogue is attributed the the beginning, a full stop should be placed before the second inverted commas:

Roy said, "I'm not exactly sure."

If speech is unattributed, a full stop should be used.

"I'm not sure exactly."

What else should I know about punctuating dialogue, particularly when to use a comma and when to use a full stop?

Thanks in advance!

Donkey Oaty

Orion, I can't see any problem with your rules there - they are consistent, readable and generally accepted.

Eoin

Interesting. This page confirms what you're saying, but the first rule doesn't make sense to me.

"I'm not exactly sure," Roy said.

That makes it look like an incomplete sentence being said by Roy. I'd have thought the comma should be outside of the quotes. Roy isn't actually saying a sentence with a comma in it.

pickarooney

I've always hated that rule too but have come to accept it.

Permabear

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Eoin

That is what would make more sense to me.

pickarooney

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

I used to think that as well until someone set me the challenge of finding one book which used that punctuation. I admitted defeat after about ten books, all published in Britain.

edit: there is apparently a distinction between the usage in fiction and non-fiction in UK English.