Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-1-direct-speech [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Primary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary.md) › [English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english.md) › [English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum.md) › Direct Speech # Direct Speech English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 2.6.1 ## Direct Speech When we use direct speech, we write the exact words someone said. Here are some examples of sentences with direct speech... ### __“Is that him, over there?”__ shouted Oliver. ![__“Is that him, over there?”__ shouted Oliver.](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/5963a5b8-459b-4720-828c-dfb788c7a762/boy-shouting-.jpg) ### __“Yes, I knew we’d find him!”__ replied Joe. ![__“Yes, I knew we’d find him!”__ replied Joe.](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/1f2fb64a-8e6e-4f74-868b-4d97baca6524/Watching-Sneaking-Boy-eye.jpg) ### __"Are you enjoying the film?"__ asked Sally. ![__"Are you enjoying the film?"__ asked Sally.](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/1300afd6-2fbc-40c1-8259-f294e520828f/comedy-film-funny.jpg) ## Using Punctuation for Direct Speech When we are writing direct speech, we need to use the correct punctuation. This is to make sure that the speech looks different from the text surrounding it. Here are some rules you need to know for writing direct speech... ### Start speech with a capital letter ![Start speech with a capital letter](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/87f157e6-de90-45fa-8469-78b50773c8c1/A-letter-.png) ### Use speech marks around speech ![Use speech marks around speech](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/a6731b89-ff19-480c-9769-375f4447405d/speech-marks.png) ### Start a new line for new people speaking ![Start a new line for new people speaking](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/4a9eadeb-ff02-48b0-8ea3-21fca3b36388/lined-paper-note-book-.jpg) ### End speech with punctuation ![End speech with punctuation](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c385d9eb-cbcb-41ae-a7f1-62dcae560967/punctuation-question-exclamation-.jpg) - Speech must end with a punctuation mark (like a full stop or question mark). - This punctuation mark has to go inside the speech marks. ## Test yourself on Direct Speech - Which of these sentences use direct speech? - __"What is going on?"__What kind of speech is used in this question? - What do we use __direct speech__ for? - Which of these sentences uses __direct speech__? - Which of these sentences use direct speech? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/55380d04-654f-4809-93bc-7a6bae8dd341/section/428e36d8-de23-4101-aa29-22a7ab7c6bfc/session) - Previous topic: [2.5.3 Using Commas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-3-using-commas.md) - Next topic: [2.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fronted Adverbials & Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-2-end-of-topic-test-fronted-adverbials-and-speech.md) ## English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum contents ### 1 Reading - 1.1 Root Words - [1.1.1 Understanding New Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-1-understanding-new-words.md) - [1.1.2 Exception Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-2-exception-words.md) - 1.2 Prefixes - [1.2.1 'Anti-' & 'Auto-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-1-anti-and-auto.md) - [1.2.2 Not & 'Inter-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-2-not-and-inter.md) - [1.2.3 'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-3-mis-dis-and-re.md) - [1.2.4 'Sub-' & 'Super-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-4-sub-and-super.md) - [1.2.5 End of Topic Test - Root Words & Prefixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-5-end-of-topic-test-root-words-and-prefixes.md) - 1.3 Suffixes - [1.3.1 Vowel Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-1-vowel-suffixes.md) - [1.3.2 Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-2-suffixes-ous.md) - [1.3.3 Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-3-rules-for-suffixes-ous.md) - [1.3.4 Testing - Rules for Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-4-testing-rules-for-suffixes.md) - [1.3.5 Suffixes: '-ly'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-5-suffixes-ly.md) - [1.3.6 Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-6-suffixes-ation.md) - [1.3.7 Rules for Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-7-rules-for-suffixes-ation.md) - [1.3.8 Spelling: '-tion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-8-spelling-tion-endings.md) - [1.3.9 Spelling: '-sion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-9-spelling-sion-endings.md) - [1.3.10 Spelling: '-ssion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-10-spelling-ssion-endings.md) - [1.3.11 Spelling: '-cian' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-11-spelling-cian-endings.md) - [1.3.12 End of Topic Test - Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-12-end-of-topic-test-suffixes.md) ### 2 Writing - 2.1 Composition - [2.1.1 Effective Writing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-1-effective-writing.md) - [2.1.2 Planning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-2-planning.md) - [2.1.3 Drafting](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-3-drafting.md) - [2.1.4 Editing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-4-editing.md) - [2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Writing Composition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-5-end-of-topic-test-writing-composition.md) - 2.2 Conjunctions - [2.2.1 Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-1-simple-sentences-and-compound-sentences.md) - [2.2.2 Complex Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-2-complex-sentences.md) - [2.2.3 Coordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-3-coordinating-conjunctions.md) - [2.2.4 Subordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-4-subordinating-conjunctions.md) - [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-conjunctions.md) - 2.3 Present Perfect Tense - [2.3.1 Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-1-present-perfect-tense.md) - [2.3.2 Uses of the Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-2-uses-of-the-present-perfect-tense.md) - 2.4 Nouns - [2.4.1 Using Nouns & Pronouns Properly](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-1-using-nouns-and-pronouns-properly.md) - [2.4.2 End of Topic Test - Present Perfect & Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-2-end-of-topic-test-present-perfect-and-nouns.md) - 2.5 Fronted Adverbials - [2.5.1 Saying Where, When & How Often](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-1-saying-where-when-and-how-often.md) - [2.5.2 Saying How & Why](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-2-saying-how-and-why.md) - [2.5.3 Using Commas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-3-using-commas.md) - 2.6 Direct Speech - [2.6.1 Direct Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-1-direct-speech.md) - [2.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fronted Adverbials & Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-2-end-of-topic-test-fronted-adverbials-and-speech.md) - 2.7 Homophones - [2.7.1 Accept & Except](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-1-accept-and-except.md) - [2.7.2 Affect & Effect](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-2-affect-and-effect.md) - [2.7.3 Ball & Bawl](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-3-ball-and-bawl.md) - [2.7.4 Berry & Bury](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-4-berry-and-bury.md) - [2.7.5 Brake & Break](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-5-brake-and-break.md) - [2.7.6 Fair & Fare](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-6-fair-and-fare.md) - [2.7.7 Grate & Great](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-7-grate-and-great.md) - [2.7.8 Groan & Grown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-8-groan-and-grown.md) - [2.7.9 Hear & Here](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-9-hear-and-here.md) - [2.7.10 Heal, Heel & He'll](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-10-heal-heel-and-hell.md) - [2.7.11 Knot & Not](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-11-knot-and-not.md) - [2.7.12 Mail & Male](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-12-mail-and-male.md) - [2.7.13 Main & Mane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-13-main-and-mane.md) - [2.7.14 Meat & Meet](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-14-meat-and-meet.md) - [2.7.15 Medal & Meddle](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-15-medal-and-meddle.md) - [2.7.16 Missed & Mist](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-16-missed-and-mist.md) - [2.7.17 Peace & Piece](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-17-peace-and-piece.md) - [2.7.18 Plain & Plane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-18-plain-and-plane.md) - [2.7.19 Rain & Reign & Rein](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-19-rain-and-reign-and-rein.md) - [2.7.20 Scene & Seen](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-20-scene-and-seen.md) - [2.7.21 Weather & Whether](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-21-weather-and-whether.md) - [2.7.22 Whose & Who's](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-22-whose-and-whos.md) - [2.7.23 End of Topic Test - Homophones](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-23-end-of-topic-test-homophones.md) - 2.8 Spelling Rules - [2.8.1 Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-1-hard-u-and-i-sounds.md) - [2.8.2 Words Ending in '-Sure', '-Mure' & '-Sion'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-2-words-ending-in-sure-mure-and-sion.md) - [2.8.3 'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-3-ei-eigh-and-ey-spellings.md) - [2.8.4 Words Ending in 'G' & 'K' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-4-words-ending-in-g-and-k-sounds.md) - [2.8.5 Spelling Words with 'Ch' & 'Sc'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-5-spelling-words-with-ch-and-sc.md) - [2.8.6 Silent Letters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-6-silent-letters.md) - [2.8.7 End of Topic Test - Spelling Rules](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-7-end-of-topic-test-spelling-rules.md) - 2.9 Using Apostrophes - [2.9.1 Using Apostrophes with Regular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-1-using-apostrophes-with-regular-plurals.md) - [2.9.2 Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-2-using-apostrophes-with-irregular-plurals.md) - 2.10 Using a Dictionary - [2.10.1 Using a Dictionary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-1-using-a-dictionary.md) - [2.10.2 End of Topic Test - Apostrophes & Dictionaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-2-end-of-topic-test-apostrophes-and-dictionaries.md)