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Important update from TheSchoolRun

For the past 13 years, TheSchoolRun has been run by a small team of mums working from home, dedicated to providing quality educational resources to primary school parents. Unfortunately, rising supplier costs and falling revenue have made it impossible for us to continue operating, and we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close. The good news: We’ve arranged for another educational provider to take over many of our resources. These will be hosted on a new portal, where the content will be updated and expanded to support your child’s learning.

What this means for subscribers:

  • Your subscription is still active, and for now, you can keep using the website as normal — just log in with your usual details to access all our articles and resources*.
  • In a few months, all resources will move to the new portal. You’ll continue to have access there until your subscription ends. We’ll send you full details nearer the time.
  • As a thank you for your support, we’ll also be sending you 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep.

A few changes to be aware of:

  • The Learning Journey weekly email has ended, but your child’s plan will still be updated on your dashboard each Monday. Just log in to see the recommended worksheets.
  • The 11+ weekly emails have now ended. We sent you all the remaining emails in the series at the end of March — please check your inbox (and spam folder) if you haven’t seen them. You can also follow the full programme here: 11+ Learning Journey.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for being part of our journey it’s been a privilege to support your family’s learning.

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Direct speech rules and punctuation

Direct speech rules and punctuation worksheet
A KS2 grammar worksheet created by a teacher to help your child use direct speech and punctuation correctly. Includes examples and definition.


Keystage:  KS2, Year 5

 

What is direct speech?

Direct speech is a way of writing or reporting exactly what someone has said, using the speaker's original words. It involves quoting the spoken words and is typically enclosed in quotation marks. In writing, direct speech helps to convey the exact language, tone, and intent of the speaker, making the dialogue more vivid and personal.

What are the rules of direct speech?

Here are the rules of direct speech:

  • Quotation marks
    Enclose the exact words spoken by the speaker in quotation marks. In British English, single quotation marks (‘ ’) are often used, but double quotation marks (“ ”) are also acceptable, and the preferred way to teach children in primary schools.
  • Punctuation Inside quotation marks
    Place punctuation marks (like commas, full stops, question marks, and exclamation points) inside the quotation marks if they are part of the spoken words.
  • Capitalisation
    Begin the direct speech with a capital letter.
  • New line for new speaker
    Start a new line each time a different person speaks.
  • Reporting clause
    Use a reporting clause (like he said or she asked) to attribute the spoken words to a speaker. This clause can be placed before, after, or in the middle of the direct speech.
  • Commas with reporting clauses
    Use a comma to separate the reporting clause from the direct speech if the reporting clause comes before or in the middle of the speech. If the reporting clause follows the direct speech and the sentence continues, use a comma inside the quotation marks.

What are some examples of direct speech in a sentence?

Here are a few examples of direct speech in sentences:

Reporting clause before speech:

  • Sarah said, “I’m going to the park.”
     

Reporting clause after speech:

  • “I’m going to the park,” said Sarah.
     

Reporting clause in the middle of speech:

  • “I’m going to the park,” Sarah said, “and I’ll be back by lunchtime.”
     

Direct speech as a question:

  • Tom asked, “Can we play outside?”
     

Direct speech with an exclamation:

  • “Watch out!” yelled James.
     

How will this direct speech worksheet help my primary school child?

This direct speech worksheet was created by an experienced teacher with the aim of helping your child understand how to use direct speech correctly. Your child will need to read the Reading comprehension: Baba Yaga first, and then answer the questions on the worksheet. 

For more support with English, check out our hub page, or try a new challenge such as our Direct speech game.