Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Reading Longer Words and Sentences

Reading Dialogue, Titles, Quotations and Contractions

B3.3 B2.5About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can use quotation marks and commas to tell who is speaking and what they said.
  • I can explain why the first word inside quotation marks starts with a capital letter.
  • I can recognize a title by its capital letters.
  • I can tell when a writer is quoting the exact words from a book.
  • I can read contractions and say the two words they stand for.

Words to know

dialogue
The words characters say to each other in a story.
quotation marks
The marks “ ” that go around the exact words someone says or the exact words copied from a text.
direct speech
The exact words a person says, inside quotation marks.
title
The name of a book, story, song, movie or poem.
contraction
A short way to write two words as one, with an apostrophe where letters were left out: do not → don't.
apostrophe
The mark ' used in contractions and to show belonging.

Remember from Grade 2

In Grade 2 you learned that quotation marks go around the words someone says, that 's can show belonging, and that capital letters start names. You also had a sneak peek at contractions like can't and don't.

In Grade 3, you will become an expert at reading dialogue, titles, quotations from books and contractions.

Reading dialogue

Dialogue is like a play inside a story. Punctuation tells you who is talking and exactly what they said.

  • The exact words are inside quotation marks “ ”.
  • A comma separates the spoken words from words like said Mom or asked Kai.
  • The first word inside the quotation marks starts with a capital letter, because it's the start of what someone said.
  • The end punctuation (. ? ! or ,) goes inside the closing quotation mark.
PatternExample
Speaker firstMom said, “Put on your snow pants.”
Speaker last“Put on your snow pants,” said Mom.
Question“Where are my mittens?” asked Jayden.
Exclamation“The bus is here!” shouted Lucy.
Ways dialogue can look
“Whereare my mittens?”asked Jayden.opening quotation markcapital letterend mark goes insidethe exact words that were saidclosing quotation markspeaker tag: who said it
The parts of a line of dialogue. The quotation marks hug the exact words, and the question mark goes inside the closing mark.
Worked example

Let's read a conversation

Read:

“Are you ready for the winter carnival?” asked Mr. Côté.

Priya grinned and said, “I can't wait to try the ice slide!”

“Don't forget your helmet,” he reminded her.

  1. Line 1: The words inside “ ” are Are you ready for the winter carnival? The speaker is Mr. Côté. The ? tells you to read it as a question.
  2. Line 2: Priya is speaking. The comma after said comes before her words. Her words start with a capital I. The ! means she's excited.
  3. Line 3: he is Mr. Côté again. The comma inside the quotation marks shows his sentence continues with he reminded her.
  4. Read it aloud, with a different voice for each character.

Mr. Côté asks a question, Priya answers excitedly, and Mr. Côté reminds her to wear a helmet.

New speaker, new paragraph

In most books, every time a new person starts talking, the writer starts a new line or paragraph. This helps you keep track of who is speaking, even when the writer doesn't say said Priya every time.

Capital letters in titles

In a title, the first word and the important words get capital letters. Small words like a, an, the, and, of, in, on, to usually stay lowercase unless they come first.

  • Anne of Green Gables
  • The Snowy Day
  • A Day at the Lake

When you see a group of capitalized words in the middle of a sentence, it might be a title or a name. My favourite book is The Paper Bag Princess.

Quoting from a text

Sometimes a writer copies the exact words from a book or article. This is called a direct quotation. It also uses quotation marks.

Our science book says, “Beavers slap their flat tails on the water to warn other beavers of danger.”

The quotation marks tell you: these are the book's exact words, not the writer's own words.

Contractions

A contraction squeezes two words into one. The apostrophe goes where the missing letters were.

The apostrophe goes where the letters were left outdonot+don’tdon't = do notIam+I’mI'm = I am
In a contraction, two words squeeze together. The crossed-out letter leaves, and the apostrophe takes its place.
ContractionTwo wordsLetter(s) left out
can'tcan not (cannot)n, o
don'tdo noto
isn'tis noto
didn'tdid noto
I'mI ama
it'sit isi
we'rewe area
they'rethey area
you'llyou willw, i
I'veI haveh, a
let'slet usu
won'twill nota tricky one: the spelling changes
Common contractions
Worked example

Let's tell contractions and possessives apart

Read: It's cold outside, so Leo's mom says they're staying in.

Which apostrophes show a contraction, and which show belonging?

  1. It's: try it is: It is cold outside. ✅ Contraction.
  2. Leo's: try Leo is mom? ❌ That doesn't make sense. The mom belongs to Leo: possessive.
  3. they're: try they are: they are staying in. ✅ Contraction.

It's and they're are contractions. Leo's shows belonging.

Just for fun

Knock, knock. Who's there?

Won't. Won't who?

Won't you open the door? It's cold out here! (Count the contractions!)

Hands-on activity

Comic strip conversation

You need: paper, a pencil and crayons or markers.

  1. Draw a comic strip with 3 boxes and 2 characters, for example you and a pet.
  2. Write what they say in speech bubbles, using at least two contractions (I'm, don't, let's...).
  3. Now rewrite the conversation as story dialogue under the comic, using quotation marks, commas and said words: “Let's go outside,” said the dog.
  4. Read your dialogue aloud to a grown-up with a different voice for each character.

Look for: quotation marks around the exact words, a capital at the start of the spoken words, a comma or end mark inside the closing quotation mark, and apostrophes in the right places.

Your turn

1

Who is speaking? “My tooth fell out!” said Ella.

2

What are the exact words? Dad asked, “Who wants pancakes?”

3

Why does Who start with a capital in Dad asked, “Who wants pancakes?”

4

What two words make didn't?

5

Write the contraction for we are.

6

Is the apostrophe in Maya's sled a contraction or a possessive?

7

Which words are capitalized in the title the wind in the willows? Write it correctly.

More practice: warm-up

1

What do quotation marks show?

2

What two words make I'm?

3

What two words make can't?

4

What is the contraction for it is?

5

Find the speaker: “Time for bed,” said Grandma.

More practice: on your own

1

Read with expression and say who is talking: “Hurry up!” called Amir. “The movie is starting!”

2

Read: The dog wags its tail when it's happy. Which word is a contraction: its or it's?

3

What is the contraction for will not? Why is it tricky?

4

How do you know this is a direct quotation from a book? The guide says, “Never walk on thin ice.”

5

Fix the capitals in this title: a trip to the moon.

Challenge

1

Read: “If it snows tonight,” said Ms. Ali, “we'll go snowshoeing tomorrow.” Who is speaking, and is this one sentence or two?

2

Rewrite with all the contractions you can: I am sure they are not home, so let us not knock.

3

Explain why the apostrophe in you're and in Jen's do different jobs.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

In “Let's build a fort!” shouted Owen, who is speaking?

2.

What does don't stand for?

3.

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

4.

Which title has correct capital letters?

5.

In which sentence does the apostrophe show a contraction?

6.

What is the contraction for they are?

7.

Why do writers use quotation marks around words from a book?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 3 (B3.3) includes capital letters in dialogue and titles, commas and quotation marks for direct speech and quotations from texts, and apostrophes in contractions. Understanding these marks helps children follow conversations in stories and read them aloud with the right voice (B2.5).

How to help at home:

  • Read a book with lots of dialogue and take parts: you read one character, your child reads another.
  • Ask: "How do you know who is talking now?"
  • Point to contractions and ask for the two words.

Common difficulties:

  • Reading said Mom aloud as part of what was said. Show that only the words inside the marks are spoken.
  • Mixing up it's and its, they're / their / there. Teach the "say both words" test: if it is fits, use it's.
  • Not noticing split quotations. Show how one sentence can be split by said Ms. Ali.

Writing dialogue correctly is practised in the companion writing unit.