Virginia SOL 6.LU.2.B
The Standard
Use and punctuate dialogue and direct quotations appropriately in writing.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English · Mechanics
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students show a speaker’s exact words with quotation marks and separate those words from dialogue tags with correct punctuation. They format conversations so readers can follow each speaker.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students place quotation marks, commas, question marks, and periods correctly. They use dialogue tags clearly and begin a new paragraph when the speaker changes.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often place commas and periods outside quotation marks or use both a comma and a period. They may forget to begin a new paragraph when the speaker changes. Some put quotation marks around paraphrased ideas instead of exact words.
How to Assess It
- Give this exit ticket: Punctuate and format these lines correctly: Maya said we should leave now. Why asked Leo. Because the storm is coming Maya replied.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs cut-up dialogue strips to arrange, punctuate, and glue onto paper with a new paragraph for each speaker.
Have students write four lines of dialogue between two characters, then explain why each punctuation mark belongs where they placed it.
Play a punctuation relay where teams correct dialogue sentences on the board, earning one point for each accurate correction.
Use a short interview transcript and ask students to turn two answers into a news paragraph with correctly punctuated quotations.
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Printable 6.LU.2.B Worksheet
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Apply a style manual, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA), to apply rules for punctuation and ...
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- 4.LU.2.B
Use commas and quotation marks to indicate dialogue in writing.
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