As a writer, it is important to know how to punctuate dialogue correctly. For people reading your work, it shows them that you know what you're doing. It can also help you in school, should you ever submit a story to be graded. The better your grammar, the better your piece looks!
The following is a set of guidelines given to me by an English teacher in seventh and eighth grade. Examples are provided, and they are fairly straightforward. However, the best way to be sure you fully understand the rules is to try them out for yourself. Practice really does make perfect.
Rule #1
Quotes go at the beginning and end of the dialogue.
EX. "Hello."
Rule #2
Commas go inside the quotes before a dialogue tag.
What is a dialogue tag? A dialogue tag is "said", "told", "asked", etc.
EX. "I like pie," Joe said.
Rule #3
Commas come after the dialogue tag if the tag comes before the words that are said.
EX. Sarah commented, "That's a nice shirt."
Rule #4
A question or exclamation mark goes inside the quotes when a question is asked even if the dialogue tag comes after the quote.
EX. "What is that smell?" he wanted to know.
EX. "You're the best!" she enthused.
Rule #5
A period goes inside the quote if the quote is at the end of a sentence.
EX. I said, "Please pass the carrots."
Rule #6
A period comes after the dialogue tag if the tag is at the end of the sentence.
EX. "That's the house," he said.
Rule #7
Begin a new paragraph every time a new person speaks.
EX. "Hello," Joe greeted.
"Hey, Joe," Sarah said.
Rule #8
Start every quote with a capital letter unless the quote is interrupted.
EX. "You're so silly," dad said, "that I don't know what to do with you!"
Rule #9
Unless the quote ends with a period or it is followed by a proper noun, the word after the quote is always lower case (even if the quote ends with an exclamation point or question mark).
Whenever you're writing dialogue, follow these rules. The overall look and feel of your piece will be more mature. A good way to remember the comma rule (which has plagued many an English student) is to use Rule Nine. If you write: "Hello Jean." said Sarah, your word processor will automatically change it to: "Hello Jean." Said Sarah. If you remember Rule Nine, you will know that "said" should not be capitalized. Unless "Hello Jean" is a question or exclamation, you only have one option to make it look right: a comma!
Punctuating your dialogue is easier than you might believe. Remember: practice, practice, practice!