Speech marks

Speech marks

Pencil and paper
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Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
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Further Resources
This task is about adding speech marks and commas to a story.

The story below is missing some important punctuation - speech marks and commmas. Read the story first and then complete the following tasks:

  1. Put speech marks (" ")  in all the places they are needed.
  2. Put commas (,) in all the places they are needed.

Kiana and Sameer illustration


You're walking too fast moaned Kiana.

You will just have to keep up said Sameer or we will be late for school.

My legs are too tired. I need a piggy back said Kiana.

I can't give you a piggy back all the way to school said Sameer because you're too heavy.

Kate sat down on the pavement and said Well I'm not going to school then.

You have to said Sameer.

No I don't. I'm just going to sit here all day said Kiana.

Sameer sighed with frustration and said I'll carry your school bag for you then.

Thanks said Kiana as she handed over her school bag. You're the best!
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Creating meaning, Writing
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
punctuation, direct speech, speech marks, commas
Description of task: 
Students are asked to read a short story and to insert the commas and speech marks required to indicate the direct speech in the story.
Curriculum Links: 
This resource can be used to help to identify students’ ability to create texts to meet the writing demands of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 

Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • use basic punctuation that is mostly correct, including punctuation of dialogue
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Writing meaningful text: text features, set 4
within the Writing Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 

Scoring:

  

Y7 (02/2002)

5 marks (11-12 correct)
or
4 marks (9-10 correct)
or
3 marks (6-8 correct)
or
2 marks (3-5 correct)
or
1 mark (1-2 correct)

 a)

Award 1 mark for each pair of speech marks correctly used.
Do not award the mark if additional unnecessary speech marks have been added between the two correct ones, e.g., do not award a mark for "My legs are too tired." "I need a piggy back." said Kate.
The correct punctuation is shown in the box below.

5 marks - difficult
 
4 marks - moderate
 
3 marks - easy
 
2 marks - easy
 
1 mark - very easy

5 marks (10-11 correct)
or
4 marks (8-9 correct)
or
3 marks (6-7 correct)
or
2 marks (4-5 correct)
or
1 mark (1-3 correct)

 b)

Award 1 mark for each correctly placed comma.
The correct punctuation is shown in the box below.

5 marks - very difficult
 
4 marks - very difficult
 
3 marks - difficult
 
2 marks - difficult
 
1 mark - easy
 

"You're walking too fast," moaned Kate.
"You will just have to keep up," said Sarah, "or we will be late for school."
"My legs are too tired. I need a piggy back," said Kate.
"I can't give you a piggy back all the way to school," said Sarah, "because you're too heavy."
Kate sat down on the pavement and said, "Well I'm not going to school then."
"You have to," said Sarah.
"No I don't. I'm just going to sit here all day," said Kate.
Sarah sighed with frustration and said, "I'll carry your school bag for you then."
"Thanks," said Kate, as she handed over her school bag. "You're the best!"
Diagnostic and formative information: 
Common errors
Between 9% and 27% of students added no speech marks to each section of text requiring them.
24% of students added additional, unnecessary speech marks in those instances in which there are two consecutive sentences spoken by the same person, for example:

  • "My legs are too tired." "I need a piggy back," said Kate.
  • "No I don't." "I'm just going to sit here all day," said Kate.