Grade 3 Spring — Informational/Expository Writing, Research Process Introduction, and Dialogue Mechanics Maintenance
English · GR G3 eng.g3.s.wr.dialogue_mechanics_maintenance

Maintain full dialogue mechanics (L.3.2.c) and apply them to embedded quotations in informational writing

Continue the four dialogue mechanics rules from fall: quotation marks hug the spoken/quoted words; comma separates attribution (or dialogue tag) from quote; capital first word of the quote; end punctuation goes INSIDE the closing quotation mark. New paragraph for each new speaker. Apply these rules when QUOTING A SOURCE in an informational essay (with attribution: 'Sandra Markle writes, "___."').

Mastery threshold
90%
Min instances
10
Typical minutes
35
Spaced intervals (days)
1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60
Prereqs
Successors
  • eng.g4.s.gr.dialogue_mechanics_advanced_split_quotation
    (not yet loaded)
Common misconceptions
  • Forgets the comma before the quotation mark when attribution comes first ('Sandra Markle writes "..."' instead of 'Sandra Markle writes, "..."').
  • Places end punctuation OUTSIDE the closing quotation mark in the embedded-quote context.

Exercise pool (3)

Diff Stem Type
3 Punctuate these 4 unpunctuated embedded quotations. Apply the 4 mechanics rules. (1) Sandra Markle writes honeybees do a special dance... punctuate embedded quote
4 Take one paraphrased fact from your 3-column template. Find the source's exact sentence. Convert your paraphrase into a direct quote... convert paraphrase to quote
4 Write 2 embedded quotations from your sources, each using a DIFFERENT signal phrase: '___ writes,' / 'According to ___,' / 'In her book... embedded quote with signal phrase