1. Direct Speech:
* Enclose the exact words spoken by a person within double quotation marks. This is called direct speech.
* Example: "I'm going to the park," she said.
2. Punctuation within Speech Marks:
* Commas and full stops go *inside* the closing speech mark if the speech is followed by a reporting clause.
* Example: "I'm hungry," she said.
* Commas and full stops go *outside* the closing speech mark if the reporting clause is followed by the speech.
* Example: She said, "I'm hungry."
* Question marks and exclamation marks go *inside* the closing speech mark if they are part of the spoken words.
* Example: "Are you coming?" he asked.
* Example: "Wow!" she exclaimed.
3. Multiple Speakers:
* Use a new set of speech marks for each speaker.
* Indicate who is speaking using a reporting clause.
* Example: "I'm going to the store," she said. "Do you need anything?" he asked.
Bonus Rule:
* For dialogue in a story, start a new paragraph for each new speaker.
Remember that these are general guidelines. There are always exceptions and nuances depending on the context and style of writing.