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Do you need full stops after speech in writing?

Yes, you generally need full stops (periods) after speech in writing, but there are a few exceptions:

General rule:

* Direct speech: When you quote someone's exact words, you use quotation marks and a full stop at the end of the quote.

* "I'm going to the store," she said.

* He asked, "What time is it?"

Exceptions:

* Interrupted speech: If a sentence is interrupted by an action or description, the full stop goes after the interrupting phrase, not after the speech.

* "I'm going to the store," she said, "to buy some milk."

* Speech followed by a question mark or exclamation mark: If the speech is a question or exclamation, the question mark or exclamation mark replaces the full stop.

* "Are you coming?" he asked.

* "That's amazing!" she exclaimed.

* Speech followed by a comma: If the speech is followed by a phrase that explains who said it, the comma replaces the full stop.

* "I'm going to the store," she said.

Important note: In informal writing, like text messages or social media posts, full stops after speech are often omitted. However, it's still good practice to use them in formal writing.

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