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Punctuation in direct speech

We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (") are preferred in American English, while single quotes (') are more common in British English:

" I'm coming home late tonight, " she said. (American English) ' I'm coming home late tonight, ' she said. (British English)

If we quote within direct speech, we use the other style for the embedded quotation:

"She said, ' I'm coming home late tonight ', " recalled Jim. (American English) 'She said, " I'm coming home late tonight ", ' recalled Jim. (British English)

As can be seen in the examples above, a comma ( , ) is used at the end of the quotation, before the closing speech mark.

A comma is also used before the quotation if we start the sentence with the reporting clause. In this case the terminal full stop (.) comes before the closing speech mark:

She added , "Don't expect me before 11 . "

If the quotation is a question or exclamation, the terminal marks ( ? and ! ) also come before the closing speech marks:

"Hurry up ! " he shouted. She asked, "Am I late ? "

The quotation normally begins with a capital letter, except if it is interrupted by a reporting clause, in which case the first letter of the continuation is not capitalised:

" I 'm coming home late tonight," she said and added, " d on't expect me before 11."

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• Punctuation /

Direct Speech Punctuation: Learn Rules of Usage with Examples

• Updated on  
• May 3, 2024

Direct speech punctuation is used in reported speech to separate spoken words or dialogue from the rest of the sentence. Some of the common symbols used to punctuate direct speech are commas, inverted commas, exclamation marks and many more. Keep reading this blog hereon to know all about the reported speech punctuations and how they can be used with specific without committing any grammatical error. 

This Blog Includes:

What is direct speech punctuation, list of direct speech punctuation and examples, using commas in direct speech , using question mark punctuation in direct speech, use of exclamation mark as direct speech punctuation.

Learn All About Punctuation Here!

When using direct speech punctuation in your writing, one can more clearly convey what someone said. To distinguish spoken words from the surrounding text, it employs a combination of quotation marks, capitalization, and commas.

Here is a list of direct speech punctuation marks with their examples. 

Rules of Using Direct Speech Punctuation Marks with Examples

Take a look at the rules for using direct speech punctuation marks along with the examples to get a better understanding. 

Commas are key players in punctuating direct speech, they help in clarifying who’s saying what. Here are examples of how commas work through examples:

Comma after the Introductory Clause:

This is the most common scenario. When you introduce who’s speaking before their words, use a comma to separate them.

Example: “I’m going for a walk,” she said.

Comma before the Closing Quotation Mark:

If you introduce the speaker after their words, put a comma before the closing quotation mark.

Example: “I’m going to the store,” said my sister.

Double Commas with Interruptions:

If you interrupt the quoted speech with an attribution (who’s speaking), use a comma after the first part of the speech, another comma after the attribution, and then continue the quotation marks.

Example: “Wait a minute,” she interjected, “did you forget something?”

Commas and Question/Exclamation Marks:

Generally, you don’t need a comma after the quoted speech if it ends with a question mark or exclamation mark since the punctuation already indicates a pause. But, if the introductory clause comes first, the comma goes before the closing quotation mark (even with a question or exclamation mark).

Example: “Are you sure?” she asked. 

Also Read: What is the Use of Commas (,): Meaning, Rules, & Examples 

Question marks are indeed used in direct speech to indicate an interrogative sentence. Here’s how they work:

Direct Questions:  

Whenever someone asks a question in quoted speech, you use a question mark within the quotation marks, regardless of the sentence structure around it.

• Example: “Where are you going?” he asked.
• Example: “Have you seen my keys?” she wondered.

Question Mark with Attribution:  

If you introduce the speaker with a phrase before their question, the question mark remains inside the quotation marks, and a comma separates the introductory phrase. Example: Confused, he asked, “What’s going on here?”

Also Read: Question Mark Punctuation (?): Definition, Usage, and Examples

Exclamation marks are just as important as commas and question marks when it comes to punctuating reported speech. Here’s how they function:

Exclamations in Speech:  

Just like with questions, use an exclamation mark inside the quotation marks when the spoken words themselves express strong emotion or surprise.

• Example: “Look out!” she screamed.
• Example: “I won the lottery!” he exclaimed.

Exclamation Mark with Attribution: 

Similar to questions, if you introduce the speaker with a phrase before the exclamation, the exclamation mark stays within the quotation marks, separated by a comma from the introductory phrase. Example: Surprised, she shouted, “Get out of here!”

Also Read: 20+ Exclamation Mark examples in Sentences with Usage  

If the direct speech is at the beginning of the sentence then you must put a comma before the final quotation mark. 

Direct speech is a sentence where the exact words are put in speech marks also known as quotation marks.

Direct speech is surrounded by quotation marks. Indirect speech, on the other hand, is not surrounded by speech marks and is just written within the text. 

Related Reads

This was all about direct speech punctuation, its rules, examples and related information. Hope you understand the concept and know how to proceed. You can also follow the Learn English page of Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs related to grammar. 

Malvika Chawla

Malvika is a content writer cum news freak who comes with a strong background in Journalism and has worked with renowned news websites such as News 9 and The Financial Express to name a few. When not writing, she can be found bringing life to the canvasses by painting on them.

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Direct Speech Punctuation

With our Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan, students learn how to properly use commas and quotation marks when including quotations and direct speech in their writing.

Included with this lesson are some adjustments or additions that you can make if you’d like, found in the “Options for Lesson” section of the Classroom Procedure page. One of the optional additions to this lesson is to show a video of a conversation between two people and have students record the direct speech, using the correct punctuation.

Description

Additional information, what our direct speech punctuation lesson plan includes.

Lesson Objectives and Overview: Direct Speech Punctuation teaches students how to properly use commas and quotation marks when writing direct speech or quotations. This lesson is for students in 4th grade.

Classroom Procedure

Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the green box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. The only supplies needed for this lesson are the handouts, which you can copy ahead of time.

Options for Lesson

Included with this lesson is an “Options for Lesson” section that lists a number of suggestions for activities to add to the lesson or substitutions for the ones already in the lesson. One optional addition to this lesson is to show a video of a conversation between two people and have students record the direct speech, using the correct punctuation. You can also use a story that includes dialogue as an example of correctly written direct speech.

Teacher Notes

The teacher notes page includes a paragraph with additional guidelines and things to think about as you begin to plan your lesson. This page also includes lines that you can use to add your own notes as you’re preparing for this lesson.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES

Direct speech.

The Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan includes three content pages. The lesson begins by reminding students that, when they speak to other people, the words they say are their own, and the sentences are created by their minds and belong to them. Likewise, when you read a comic book, the speech bubbles indicate the words of a specific character. These are both examples of direct speech.

Direct speech is different from indirect speech, which is when you relay the words of someone else, often not word-for-word. For example, if your mom says to tell your little brother it’s time for dinner, you could relay her words as indirect speech ( Mom told me to tell you we have to go eat ) or direct speech ( Mom said, “It is time for dinner” ). Direct speech means you are relaying the exact words said by another person. When you use indirect speech, there aren’t any special punctuation marks that you need to us.

However, we do have specific punctuation for direct speech, like commas and quotation marks. We use these when we show the direct speech of another person or of a character in a book. We also use them when quoting from a text, like a speech or an article.

Punctuating Direct Speech/Quotations

While students are familiar with commas and how to use them, they might not have a lot of practice using quotation marks in their writing. We use quotation marks for writing quotes. They look like pairs of upside-down commas. We place them before and after the quote. We also sometimes call them speech marks.

In the example sentence Tom said, “I have decided to stay home from school today.” we put a quotation mark before the first word that he said ( I ) and after the last word that he said ( today ) and the period. We also use a comma after the word said . It’s important to note that we put the second quotation mark after the period or other punctuation, not before.

The lesson includes several other examples that illustrate how to properly use commas and quotation marks for direct speech quotations. Students should review these examples to better understand where and how to use punctuation with quotations. One important rule they will learn is that you need a new paragraph for each speaker change. For example:

Oliver asked, “Where am I?”

Isla quietly answered, “You are at school. Wake up.”

It’s important to remember that we must punctuate the actual words being spoken with quotation marks, placed at the start and end of what’s being said. We can also use commas after the part of the sentence that tells you who is speaking. You can use words other than said  to indicate direct speech, like expressed, yelled, slowly said, silently answered , and more.

We also use quotation marks to mark quotations from a text. If you’re writing a report and want to include a sentence or fact from a book you read, you have to use quotation marks when using the exact wording from the book. The lesson includes an example of this.

Using proper punctuation for direct speech and quotations is very important, as it helps readers understand who is speaking and what they said.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS

The Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan includes three worksheets: an activity worksheet, a practice worksheet, and a homework assignment. You can refer to the guide on the classroom procedure page to determine when to hand out each worksheet.

RECORDING DIRECT SPEECH ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

Students will work in groups to complete the activity worksheet. To begin, two students in the group will choose a topic and discuss it for two minutes, taking turns speaking. Meanwhile, the other two members will write down as much of their conversation as possible using the space provided on the worksheet, listening carefully. They will then switch places and repeat. After both pairs have discussed a topic and recorded a conversation, they will take the information they’ve written down and correctly write the direct speech on the worksheet without using the word said .

CORRECTING SENTENCES PRACTICE WORKSHEET

The practice worksheet asks students to complete three exercises. The first asks them to correctly add commas and quotation marks to ten sentences where needed. Next, the second asks them to write a direct speech sentence for each of the given situations. The lesson provides an example for them to work from. Finally, the third asks them to read a paragraph and correctly add quotation marks where needed. They must also answer one final question about the paragraph.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

For the homework assignment, students will complete three short exercises. For the first, they will correctly rewrite a paragraph, replacing the word said with a better word. Next, they will read another paragraph and will correctly add quotation marks where needed. Finally, they will think about a conversation they recently had and will correctly write some of it out on the lines provided.

Worksheet Answer Keys

This lesson plan includes answer keys for the practice worksheet and the homework assignment. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.

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Punctuating direct speech.

Clear handout explaining the basics of punctuating direct speech. Split into three sections: the speech marks, the remaining punctuation, and the use of a new paragraph / line for each new speaker. Each section has an accompanying set of exercises. Mapped to the Functional English criteria and adult literacy curriculum elements.

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Dialogue with direct address

"Direct address" is when you speak directly to someone and use that person's name. In writing, the name needs to be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. These worksheets provide practice punctuating dialogue which includes direct address .

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Quotation Marks in Direct Speech Worksheets

• Language Arts >
• Grammar >
• Punctuation >
• Quotation Marks

Direct speech contains words that are actually uttered by the speaker and are enclosed in inverted commas known as quotation marks, quotes or speech marks. Working through these printable worksheets on quotation marks in direct speech, you need to place a comma after the introductory reporting clause. The end punctuation marks: ? and !, used with a question or an exclamation respectively, must also be placed before the closing quotation marks. Use these guidelines to rewrite the sentences in this set, and punctuate each of the given sentences with success.

These quotation marks in direct speech worksheets pdfs are ideal for grade 4 and grade 5 kids.

Related Printable Worksheets

▶ Conjunctions and Commas

▶ Commas in a Series

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• English Grammar
• Direct Speech

What is Direct Speech? - Learn the Meaning, Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

In English grammar , the term ‘speech’ refers to the process of communicating or expressing one’s thoughts. It is an exchange of ideas or even a conversation. There are two ways in which you can report speech – direct speech and indirect speech . Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect speech is the way in which you convey what someone said to another person, not necessarily using the exact words of the speaker.

In this article, you will learn the meaning and definition of direct speech. Also, go through the rules to be followed when using the direct speech and the examples given to understand how to use them accurately.

Table of Contents

Definition of direct speech.

• Rules to Be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Tips to Practise Direct Speech

Examples of direct speech, test your understanding of direct speech, frequently asked questions on direct speech in english, what is direct speech.

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is a way in which you can report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone about something that is to happen at a later point of time. Let us now take a look at how various dictionaries define direct speech to further understand what it is.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “a speaker’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “when you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words they used.” The Collins Dictionary defines direct speech as “speech which is reported by using the exact words that the speaker used” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “the exact words that someone has said.”

Rules to be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Like every other grammar topic, there are rules to be followed when using direct speech. Let us look at each one of them to know how direct speech can be used accurately and effectively.

• The first point that you have to remember is that direct speech is the repetition of the exact words of the speaker and so you do not have a choice to add or remove words to and from what is said.
• For the same reason, these words spoken by the speaker have to be enclosed within quotation marks or speech marks.
• When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below.
• You can also use words like replied, asked, screamed, etc. to state what the speaker said according to the emotion in which it is being spoken.
• Immediately after one of the above-mentioned verbs , add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.
• Also, make sure you close the quotation marks after the punctuation mark (full stop/question mark/exclamation mark).
• Finally, keep in mind that you cannot change the words, or paraphrase what has been said by the speaker when you are using direct speech.

You can become an expert in using direct speech if you practise well. Here are some ways you can do it.

• Try reading short stories and converting it into a dialogue. Change the lines of every character into direct speech.
• Write a story on your own. Use direct speech to convey all the dialogues.
• Narrate or write about an incident or a day in your life using direct speech.

Now that you know the rules to be followed, take a look at the following examples to have a better idea of how it is done.

• Devi said, “I am teaching French for first year and second year college students.”
• Freeda asked her brother, “Can you pick me up on your way home?”
• “My friends are finally coming home this weekend”, said Sheena.
• The students replied, “We are ready!”
• Gayatri siad, “My father has been working as a doctor for ten years. “
• “What are you going to do with the broken mirror?”, asked Mridula.
• Carol said, “I have planned to wear a grey dress for the prom.”
• The teacher says, “You have to make your submissions before 8 a.m. on Monday.”
• The little boy said excitedly, “That was wonderful!”
• Maduri said, sitting on the sofa, “I am really happy I finally took time to come see you.”

Rearrange the following sentences to form direct speech and punctuate them appropriately.

1. vishal / my / is / in / brother / participating / race / said / the / running

2. asked / i / devi / like / maths / problems / solving / free time/ your / in / do / you

3. friends / said / wearing / we / my / are / red / for / dresses / wedding / the / reception

4. responded / teacher / nobody / when / have / completed / the / you / project / many / of / how / asked / the

5. reach / says / tonight / bangalore / he / will / i

6. guest / the / danced / children / the / chief / said / beautifully

7. mom / Finn’s / they / all / said / singing / favourite / are / songs / his

8. Bellas / susan / are / the / said / live / performing / world / the / acapella / at / raiser / curtain

9. love / father / said / i / my / you

10. sing / asked / you / with / maria / her / me / will

Now, if you finished rearranging the sentences, check if you have done it correctly from the answers given below.

1. Vishal said, “My brother is participating in the running race.”

2. I asked Devi, “Do you like solving maths problems in your freetime?”

3. My friends said, “We are wearing red dresses for the wedding reception.”

4. Nobody responded when the teacher asked, “How many of you have completed the project?”

5. He says, “I will reach Bangalore tonight.”

6. The chief guest said, “The children danced beautifully.”

7. Finn’s mom said, “They are singing all his favourite songs.”

8. “The Bellas are performing live at the World Acapella Curtain Raiser”, said Susan.

9. My father said, “I love you.”

10. Maria asked, “Will you sing with me?”

What is direct speech?

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is the way in which you report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone at a later point of time.

What is the definition of direct speech?

What is the formula of direct speech.

When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below. Name of the speaker says/said, “Exact words of the speaker.”

How do you punctuate the sentence when using direct speech?

Immediately after the phrase mentioning who said the particular sentence, add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.

Give some examples of direct speech.

Here are a few examples of direct speech that you can refer to.

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Direct Speech Punctuation

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Speech Marks

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Direct Speech including dialogue

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

28 May 2024

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This lesson covers various rules for usign direct speech and dialogue, including punctuation, structure and reporting clauses in different parts of a sentence.

It is very progressive and includes animation. It also moves on to split speeches.

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Mini-module: Grammar

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Punctuation is important: it helps the reader to understand your writing, as well as showing that you have taken care with the presentation of your work. Mistakes in punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence, so it is a good idea to make sure you are using standard punctuation.  

Full Stops <.>

Full stops mark the end of a sentence. As we saw in Section 4, a sentence should have at least a subject, a verb, and an object. So, you can put a full stop when you have a complete short sentence, or you can make a longer sentence by linking another short sentence and then putting the full stop. (See  Section 4  on  sentence structure  , and  Section 3 on  parts of speech  .)

Don't use a comma to join two sentences. Either keep the two sentences as separate, or join them with a linking work such as "and".

Commas <,>

in  Section 4  we looked at the structure of sentences. As a general rule, you should not separate the Subject, the Verb, and the Object with commas. So,  don't  do anything like this:

This is good:

The same rule applies (of course) when the subjects, verbs and objects are longer, such as here: 

Again, notice that there are no commas between the Subject and Verb, and the Verb and Object. 

It is therefore useful to think of sentences as made of "blocks": a subject block, a verb block, and an object block. Together these form a short sentence block (sometimes called a "clause"). The short sentence blocks can then be joined together to make longer sentences (sometimes called "complex" or "compound" sentences), like this:

We study all night and we sleep during the daytime.

The key is that you should notice what are the Subject, the Verb, and the Object parts of your sentence. 

If you look at this sentence, you can see that it is basically made of two short sentences. You can notice this because there are two verbs ("study" and "sleep") and there are two subjects ("we" and "we"). The word "and" is in the middle, so that is another sign that this sentence is made of two "blocks". The table below shows the structure of this sentence. 

Where the short sentences join, you choose what linking word and/or punctuation you want to put, including a comma, but you might also choose a full stop, a colon, or a semi-colon - it depends on the meaning you want to communicate.

You can use linking words to link up the two short sentences, such as "and", "but", "or", "so", "nor", "for", "yet", and many other possible words.

Commas Activity

Apostrophes <'>, don't use short forms in academic writing..

There are no short forms in academic writing - e.g. put "did not", NOT "didn't". So, you will not need apostrophes for short forms.

Never use apostrophes for plurals.

Never use apostrophes to show plurals. (It is a common mistake.) For example:

Use apostrophes to show possession

Look at the following example.

" Smith 's  two articles in 1999 discussed Green 's  proposals. "

"The articles  of Smith "  = Smith's  articles

"The proposals  of Green "  = Green's  proposals

How to show possession for multiple people or things

" White and Brown's  (2019) article" = the article  of White and Brown  (2019)

If there is more than one name, and one thing belongs to them both, only put the <'s> after the final name.

NOT  White's and Brown's article.

If you want to show possession for a plural noun, you usually put the apostrophe after the s. 

" The  respondents'  answers " =  the answers  of the respondents

There is more than one respondent, so it is plural respondent s . To make this plural word possessive, add the apostrophe  AFTER the s.

If a  singular  word ends with an  s , such as "James", you can make the possessive in two ways: James 's  or James  ' . You choose, but be consistent.

Apostrophes Activity

Quotation marks <" ">.

Quotation marks show the actual words in the source. When the words in the quotation fit with the words in your sentence, you don't need to put any other punctuation, just the quotation marks. 

When you use a reporting verb ("said", "maintained", "argued", etc.), you need to put a comma before the opening quotation marks: 

Smith  said,  "The only way is up".

When the quotation does not fit in to the structure of your sentence, you need to put a colon <:>before the opening quotation marks:

This is the text on Kitchener's poster :  "Your country needs you".

Do not use quotation marks for indented quotes. When the quote is long, put it on a new line and indent it, without quotation marks. For example:

Quotation Marks Activity

Colons <:>.

Colons have three main functions. 

1. To introduce lists and bullets. For example:

There are many uses for water :  hydration, lubrication, fish, swimming, hiding submarines, and floating boats.

2. For introducing some quotations. For example:

The colon is used only when the words in the quote do not fit in to the sentence containing it. Compare it with the sentence below where the words in the quote fit in to the overall sentence structure. 

Smith found that "boil in the bag chips had limited market penetration".

Here, the quotation fits in with the structure of your sentence, so it does not need any extra punctuation apart from the quotation marks. 

3. For giving an explanation. For example:

The professional video camera was not used on this occasion :  it was too heavy.

The part after the colon doesn't have to be a sentence (long or short). It can be a phrase or a noun, for example:

The expedition made one major discovery :  a new species of beetle. 

Colon Activity

Semi-colons <;>.

One way of thinking of the semi-colon is as a compromise between a full-stop and a comma; it is a strong comma or a weak full-stop. It does not require a capital letter after it. It is used in two main ways. 1. When you want to show that two sentences are closely linked:

Clearly, in Macbeth Shakespeare was exploring themes of appearance and reality ;  a number of other plays share these themes, notably Hamlet. 

2. Instead of a comma in complicated lists to make them clearer for readers. The following example has two semi-colons:

Team members were asked to bring the following equipment: matches, at least one box, for lighting a fire ;  sensible shoes, which should be strong and comfortable ;  and a medical kit containing plasters, bandages, a thermometer, and an aspirin. 

You can't introduce a list with a semi-colon: use a colon for that, as in the above example. 

Semi-colon Activity

Question marks <>.

As a general rule, don't ask questions in academic writing (though there are some exceptions).  It is better to write:

" This essay will discuss the reasons for the outbreak of World War I ."  √

rather than:

"What are the reasons for the outbreak of World War I?"  X

   One exception is the Research Questions in, for example, a project, report, or thesis. Another exception is when you are giving a direct quote of a sentence which uses a question mark. For example:

" When Juliet asked, 'wherefore art thou Romeo?' she was not referring to his location ."

If you have used a questionnaire which contains questions, then it is correct to put the question mark at the end of a question. when you bring it into your writing.

Useful Link

UEFAP Punctuation page : UEFAP is is a great site for writing at university. This page covers punctuation. 

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26 Types of Punctuation Marks & Typographical Symbols

• What Is Punctuation?
• What Is A Typographical Symbol?
• Punctuation Vs. Typographical Symbols
• Types Of Punctuation And Symbols
• Try Grammar Coach

We use words in writing. Shocking, I know! Do you know what else we use in writing? Here is a hint: they have already appeared in this paragraph. In addition to words, we use many different symbols and characters to organize our thoughts and make text easier to read. All of these symbols come in two major categories: punctuation marks and typographical symbols . These symbols have many different uses and include everything from the humble period ( . ) to the rarely used caret symbol ( ^ ). There may even be a few symbols out there that you’ve never even heard of before that leave you scratching your head when you see them on your keyboard!

What is punctuation ?

Punctuation is the act or system of using specific marks or symbols in writing to separate different elements from each other or to make writing more clear. Punctuation is used in English and the other languages that use the Latin alphabet. Many other writing systems also use punctuation, too. Thanks to punctuation, we don’t have to suffer through a block of text that looks like this:

• My favorite color is red do you like red red is great my sister likes green she always says green is the color of champions regardless of which color is better we both agree that no one likes salmon which is a fish and not a color seriously

Punctuation examples

The following sentences give examples of the many different punctuation marks that we use:

• My dog , Bark Scruffalo , was featured in a superhero movie . 
• If there ’ s something strange in your neighborhood , who are you going to call ?
• A wise man once said , “ Within the body of every person lies a skeleton .”
• Hooray ! I found everything on the map : the lake , the mountain , and the forest . 
• I told Ashley ( if that was her real name ) that I needed the copy lickety-split .

What is a typographical symbol ?

The term typographical symbol , or any other number of phrases, refers to a character or symbol that isn’t considered to be a punctuation mark but may still be used in writing for various purposes. Typographical symbols are generally avoided in formal writing under most circumstances. However, you may see typographic symbols used quite a bit in informal writing.

Typographical symbol examples

The following examples show some ways that a writer might use typographical symbols. Keep in mind that some of these sentences may not be considered appropriate in formal writing.

• The frustrated actor said she was tired of her co-star’s “annoying bull **** .”
• For questions, email us at anascabana @ bananacabanas.fake!
• The band had five # 1 singles on the American music charts during the 1990s.
• My internet provider is AT & T.

⚡️ Punctuation vs. typographical symbols

Punctuation marks are considered part of grammar and often have well-established rules for how to use them properly. For example, the rules of proper grammar state that a letter after a period should be capitalized and that a comma must be used before a coordinating conjunction.

Typographical symbols, on the other hand, may not have widely accepted rules for how, or even when, they should be used. Generally speaking, most grammar resources will only allow the use of typographical symbols under very specific circumstances and will otherwise advise a writer to avoid using them.

Types of punctuation and symbols

There are many different types of punctuation marks and typographical symbols. We’ll briefly touch on them now, but you can learn more about these characters by checking out the links in this list and also each section below:

• Question mark
• Exclamation point
• Parentheses
• Square brackets
• Curly brackets
• Angle brackets
• Quotation marks
• Bullet point
• Pound symbol
• Caret symbol
• Pipe symbol

Period, question mark, and exclamation point

These three commonly used punctuation marks are used for the same reason: to end an independent thought.

A period is used to end a declarative sentence . A period indicates that a sentence is finished.

• Today is Friday .

Unique to them, periods are also often used in abbreviations.

• Prof . Dumbledore once again awarded a ludicrous amount of points to Gryffindor.

Question mark (?)

The question mark is used to end a question, also known as an interrogative sentence .

• Do you feel lucky ?

Exclamation point (!)

The exclamation point is used at the end of exclamations and interjections .

• Our house is haunted ! 

Comma, colon, and semicolon

Commas, colons, and semicolons can all be used to connect sentences together.

The comma is often the punctuation mark that gives writers the most problems. It has many different uses and often requires good knowledge of grammar to avoid making mistakes when using it. Some common uses of the comma include:

• Joining clauses: Mario loves Peach , and she loves him . 
• Nonrestrictive elements: My favorite team , the Fighting Mongooses , won the championship this year.
• Lists: The flag was red , white , and blue.
• Coordinate adjectives: The cute , happy puppy licked my hand.

Try out this quiz on the Oxford comma!

The colon is typically used to introduce additional information.

• The detective had three suspects : the salesman, the gardener, and the lawyer.

Like commas, colons can also connect clauses together.

• We forgot to ask the most important question : who was buying lunch?

Colons have a few other uses, too.

• The meeting starts at 8:15 p.m.
• The priest started reading from Mark 3:6 .

Semicolon (;)

Like the comma and the colon, the semicolon is used to connect sentences together. The semicolon typically indicates that the second sentence is closely related to the one before it.

• I can’t eat peanuts ; I am highly allergic to them.
• Lucy loves to eat all kinds of sweets ; lollipops are her favorite.

Hyphen and dashes (en dash and em dash)

All three of these punctuation marks are often referred to as “dashes.” However, they are all used for entirely different reasons.

The hyphen is used to form compound words.

• I went to lunch with my father-in-law .
• She was playing with a jack-in-the-box .
• He was accused of having pro-British sympathies.

En dash (–)

The en dash is used to express ranges or is sometimes used in more complex compound words.

• The homework exercises are on pages 20–27 .
• The songwriter had worked on many Tony Award–winning productions.

Em dash (—)

The em dash is used to indicate a pause or interrupted speech.

• The thief was someone nobody expected —me !
• “Those kids will— ” was all he managed to say before he was hit by a water balloon.

Test your knowledge on the different dashes here.

Parentheses, brackets, and braces

These pairs of punctuation marks look similar, but they all have different uses. In general, the parentheses are much more commonly used than the others.

Parentheses ()

Typically, parentheses are used to add additional information.

• I thought (for a very long time) if I should actually give an honest answer.
• Tomorrow is Christmas (my favorite holiday) !

Parentheses have a variety of other uses, too.

• Pollution increased significantly. (See Chart 14B)
• He was at an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
• Richard I of England (1157–1199) had the heart of a lion.

Square brackets []

Typically, square brackets  are used to clarify or add information to quotations.

• According to an eyewitness, the chimpanzees “climbed on the roof and juggled [bananas] .”
• The judge said that “the defense attorney [Mr. Wright] had made it clear that the case was far from closed.”

Curly brackets {}

Curly brackets , also known as braces , are rarely used punctuation marks that are used to group a set.

• I was impressed by the many different colors {red, green, yellow, blue, purple, black, white} they selected for the flag’s design.

Angle brackets <>

Angle brackets have no usage in formal writing and are rarely ever used even in informal writing. These characters have more uses in other fields, such as math or computing.

Quotation marks and apostrophe

You’ll find these punctuation marks hanging out at the top of a line of text.

Quotation marks (“”)

The most common use of quotation marks is to contain quotations.

• She said, “ Don’t let the dog out of the house. ”
• Bob Ross liked to put “ happy little trees ” in many of his paintings.

Apostrophe (‘)

The apostrophe is most often used to form possessives and contractions.

• The house ’ s back door is open.
• My cousin ’ s birthday is next week.
• It isn ’ t ready yet.
• We should ’ ve stayed outside.

Slash and ellipses

These are two punctuation marks you may not see too often, but they are still useful.

The slash has several different uses. Here are some examples:

• Relationships: The existence of boxer briefs somehow hasn’t ended the boxers/briefs debate.
• Alternatives: They accept cash and/or credit.
• Fractions: After an hour, 2/3 of the audience had already left.

Ellipses (…)

In formal writing, ellipses are used to indicate that words were removed from a quote.

• The mayor said, “The damages will be … paid for by the city … as soon as possible.”

In informal writing, ellipses are often used to indicate pauses or speech that trails off.

• He nervously stammered and said, “Look, I … You see … I wasn’t … Forget it, okay.”

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Typographical symbols

Typographical symbols rarely appear in formal writing. You are much more likely to see them used for a variety of reasons in informal writing.

Asterisk (*)

In formal writing, especially academic and scientific writing, the asterisk is used to indicate a footnote.

• Chocolate is the preferred flavor of ice cream.* * According to survey data from the Ice Cream Data Center.

The asterisk may also be used to direct a reader toward a clarification or may be used to censor inappropriate words or phrases.

Ampersand (&)

The ampersand substitutes for the word and . Besides its use in the official names of things, the ampersand is typically avoided in formal writing.

•  The band gave a speech at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame .

Bullet Point (•)

Bullet points are used to create lists. For example,

For this recipe you will need:

• baking powder

Pound symbol (#)

Informally, the pound symbol is typically used to mean number or is used in social media hashtags.

• The catchy pop song reached #1 on the charts.
• Ready 4 Halloween 2morrow!!! #spooky #TrickorTreat

Besides being used as an accent mark in Spanish and Portuguese words, the tilde is rarely used. Informally, a person may use it to mean “about” or “approximately.”

• We visited São Paulo during our vacation.
• I think my dog weighs ~20 pounds.

Backslash (\)

The backslash is primarily used in computer programming and coding. It might be used online and in texting to draw emoticons , but it has no other common uses in writing. Be careful not to mix it up with the similar forward slash (/), which is a punctuation mark.

At symbol (@)

The at symbol substitutes for the word at in informal writing. In formal writing, it is used when writing email addresses.

• His email address is [email protected] .

Caret symbol (^)

The caret symbol is used in proofreading, but may be used to indicate an exponent if a writer is unable to use superscript .

• Do you know what 3 ^ 4 (3 to the power of 4) is equal to?

Pipe symbol (|)

The pipe symbol is not used in writing. Instead, it has a variety of functions in the fields of math, physics, or computing.

How much do you know about verbs? Learn about them here.

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

How to Master English Punctuation: Quick Grammar Guide

Lesson overview, learning objectives, introduction to english punctuation , what are punctuations, rules of punctuations, why punctuation is like a superpower for your words, why are punctuation rules important.

• Master the correct use of commas and periods for clearer writing.
• Learn the purposes of different punctuation marks.
• Practice using punctuation to enhance your sentences.
• Improve your skills in identifying and correcting punctuation errors.
• Explore creative uses of punctuation to add impact to your writing.

Ever wondered why tiny marks like commas, periods, and question marks can make such a big difference? Punctuations are the silent conductor of your writing, guiding readers through your sentences and ensuring your message is clear and understood.  This punctuation course is your personal punctuation playground! We'll break down the essential punctuation marks, from the period that signals the end of a sentence to the comma that helps things flow smoothly. Through real-world examples, you'll learn how to use punctuation like a pro, adding polish and power to your writing.� Buckle up, word warriors, and get ready to master the art of punctuation!� Imagine transforming those confusing run-on sentences into clear, concise messages, or adding dramatic pauses with a well-placed semicolon.� Get ready to unlock the secrets of punctuation and become a confident communicator!

Punctuation refers to the symbols used in writing that separate sentences and their elements, clarifying meaning and indicating pauses, intonation, and emphasis. These marks are essential for structuring and organizing written language, making it understandable to readers.

Punctuation marks play a crucial role in structuring sentences and conveying clear meaning. Proper use of punctuation helps avoid ambiguity, clarifies relationships between ideas, and ensures the intended tone and pace of the text. This section provides an overview of the rules for using various punctuation marks, complete with examples and quizzes to test your understanding.

Commas are versatile punctuation marks used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence. They organize components, clarify meaning, and prevent misreading.

Serial Comma: "We bought apples, oranges, and bananas." After the Introductory Phrase: "In the morning, we will go for a run." Non-essential Information: "My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting."

Take these Quizzes:

Periods (.)

Periods signal the end of a sentence or are used in abbreviations. They bring a definitive stop to a statement.

End of Sentence: "She finished her assignment." Abbreviation: "Dr. Smith is on call." Bullet Points: "Item one."

Question Marks (?)

Question marks conclude interrogative sentences, indicating a direct question.

  Examples:

"What is your name?" "Are you coming to the party?" "How old are you?"

Exclamation Mark (!)

Exclamation points express strong feelings or commands, adding emphasis or excitement.

"Watch out!" "That's incredible!" "Stop it immediately!"

Take These Quizzes:

Quotation Marks (" ")

Quotation marks enclose direct speech, titles of short works, or indicate irony or special usage.

Direct Speech: "He said, 'I will be late.'" Titles: "Have you read 'To Kill a Mockingbird'?" Irony: "He is a real 'genius' when it comes to cooking.

T ake These Quizzes :

Apostrophes (')

Apostrophes show possession or the omission of letters in contractions.

Possession: "Jessica's book is on the table." Contraction: "Don't forget to call me." Plural Possession: "The teachers' lounge is upstairs."

Take These Quizzes :

Colons introduce lists, quotes, and explanations, or expand on the preceding clause.

List: "You need to buy: bread, milk, and eggs." Explanation: "There's only one rule: never give up." Quotation: "She said one thing: 'Start where you are.'�

Semicolons (;)

Semicolons link closely related independent clauses or separate complex list items.

Related Clauses: "It's raining; we should cancel the picnic." Complex Lists: "On our trip, we visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Barcelona, Spain." Clarification: "She loves cooking for her family; her dog is also a fan."

Punctuation is the perfect tool for writing, giving your words the power to be clear, engaging, and effective. They show you where to zoom through, where to slow down for a scenic view, and where to stop and admire the sunset. That's right, punctuation helps your writing flow just right, making sure your reader enjoys the journey without getting lost.

Superheroes of the Sentence: Terminal Points

Meet the team that gives your sentences a heroic ending:

• Periods : These dot-sized heroes tell you when an adventure ends.
• Question Marks : These curious characters pop up when there's a mystery to solve, like a question to ask.
• Exclamation Points : When you discover a treasure or something amazing, these guys show your excitement!
• Interrobangs : Rarely seen but super cool, these marks are for when you're shocked and curious at the same time!?

Time for a Little Break: Pausing Points

These marks are like rest stops on your writing road trip, telling you where to take a breather:

• Commas : Like blinking lights, they tell you to slow down between ideas.
• Colons : These are like drum rolls, promising something great is about to be revealed.
• Semicolons : When you want to link two adventures without starting a new one, these are your go-to.
• Em Dashes : For a quick detour or to add a surprise.
• Ellipses : For when the adventure is to be continued�

Quote Quest: Identifying Quotation

• Quotation Marks : Like a highlighter for someone else's words, making sure you know who said what.

Imagine texting your friend, " Let's eat my brother!" Yikes, right? 

Now, add a comma: " Let's eat, my brother! " Phew, crisis averted. Punctuation can save lives, or at least prevent major misunderstandings!

Navigating Common Punctuation Puzzles

• Space After a Period? Just one. Back in the olden days of typewriters, two spaces were the norm, but now one space is all you need.
• Colon vs. Semicolon : Use a colon when you're setting the stage for what's coming next. A semicolon is like a soft stop; it connects two related ideas without using "and."
• The Mighty Oxford Comma : This little comma comes before "and" in a list, making sure no one gets confused. Whether to use it is your call, but it can clear up confusion in sentences like "I love my pets, pizza, and my family."
• Single or Double Quotes? In the USA, double quotes are the main act, but single quotes get their moment when quoting someone within a quote. In the UK, it's usually the other way around.
• Punctuation with Quotes and Parentheses: Periods and commas cozy up inside quotation marks, while other marks might hang outside unless they're part of the quote. With parentheses, if the whole sentence is inside, the period goes inside too. Otherwise, it stays outside.

How to Be a Punctuation Pro

Reading your writing out loud is like doing a test drive�it helps you spot bumps in the road. If something sounds off, check your punctuation. Trust your ears, but also your eyes. Remember, practice makes perfect, and soon you'll be using punctuation like a pro!

So, are you ready to take control of the punctuation wheel and steer your writing to exciting new places? Let's go on this epic grammar adventure together!

Exercise 1:

Add commas to the following sentence where necessary:

"My friend likes to eat pizza burgers fries and ice cream."

Correct Sentence: "My friend likes to eat pizza, burgers, fries, and ice cream." Explanation: Commas are used to separate items in a list.

Exercise 2:

Insert commas in the correct places:

"After school I will do my homework go to soccer practice and then eat dinner."

Correct Sentence: "After school, I will do my homework, go to soccer practice, and then eat dinner." Explanation: A comma after "school" sets off the introductory phrase, and commas are used to separate the items in the list.

Exercise 3 :

Place commas where they belong:

"My brother who is a doctor lives in Chicago."

Correct Sentence: "My brother, who is a doctor, lives in Chicago." Explanation: Commas are used to set off nonessential information.

Exercise 1 :

Identify where the period should be placed:

"She likes to read books"

Correct Sentence: "She likes to read books." Explanation: A period is used at the end of a declarative sentence.

Insert periods in the appropriate places:

"Dr Smith is an expert in her field"

Correct Sentence: "Dr. Smith is an expert in her field." Explanation: Periods are used in abbreviations and at the end of sentences.

Determine where the period goes:

"He lives at 123 Maple St"

Correct Sentence: "He lives at 123 Maple St." Explanation: Periods are used in abbreviations and to indicate the end of a sentence.

Add a question mark where necessary:

"What is your name"

Correct Sentence: "What is your name?" Explanation: A question mark is used at the end of a sentence that directly asks a question.

Insert a question mark in the correct place:

"Where will you be going this summer"

Correct Sentence: "Where will you be going this summer?" Explanation: A question mark is used to end a sentence that asks a direct question.

Place a question mark where it belongs:

"Are you going to the party tonight"

Correct Sentence: "Are you going to the party tonight?" Explanation: A question mark is used at the end of a sentence that directly asks a question.

Exclamation Points (!)

Add an exclamation point where necessary:

"Wow that movie was amazing"

Correct Sentence : "Wow, that movie was amazing!" Explanation: An exclamation point is used to express excitement or emphasis.

Exercise 2 :

Insert an exclamation point in the correct place:

"I can't believe you did that"

Correct Sentence: "I can't believe you did that!" Explanation: An exclamation point expresses strong emotion or surprise.

Place an exclamation point where it belongs:

"Congratulations on your achievement"

Correct Sentence: "Congratulations on your achievement!" Explanation: An exclamation point is used to express congratulations enthusiastically.

Insert quotation marks in the correct places:

Mary said, Let's go to the park.

Correct Sentence: Mary said, "Let's go to the park." Explanation: Quotation marks enclose direct speech.

Add quotation marks where necessary:

Have you read the poem The Road Not Taken?

Correct Sentence: Have you read the poem "The Road Not Taken"? Explanation: Quotation marks are used to indicate the titles of certain works, like poems.

Place quotation marks in the correct spots:

He is a real expert in "sarcasm".

Correct Sentence: He is a "real expert" in sarcasm . Explanation: Quotation marks are used to indicate irony or special emphasis.

Take This Quiz:

Insert apostrophes where they belong:

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Correct Sentence: It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Explanation: Apostrophes indicate omitted letters in contractions.

Add apostrophes in the correct places:

The cats whiskers are very long.

Correct Sentence: The cat's whiskers are very long. Explanation: Apostrophes indicate the possession of singular nouns.

Exercise 3:

Place apostrophes where necessary:

The teachers lounge is on the second floor.

Correct Sentence: The teachers' lounge is on the second floor. Explanation: Apostrophes indicate possession for plural nouns.

Insert a colon in the correct place:

Here are the ingredients you will need eggs, milk, and flour.

Correct Sentence: "Here are the ingredients you will need: eggs, milk, and flour." Explanation: A colon introduces a list.

Add a colon where necessary:

There's only one way to say this you're fired.

Correct Sentence: "There's only one way to say this: you're fired." Explanation: A colon can introduce a quote or an explanation.

Place a colon in the correct spot:

She had a clear favorite when it came to ice cream flavors vanilla.

Correct Sentence: "She had a clear favorite when it came to ice cream flavors: vanilla." Explanation: A colon is used to expand on the preceding clause.

Insert semicolons where they belong:

She loves Paris she goes there every year.

Correct Sentence: "She loves Paris; she goes there every year." Explanation: Semicolons link closely related independent clauses.

Add semicolons in the correct places:

The artist used various techniques in her painting: vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and intricate details she aimed to capture the raw energy of the city.

Correct Sentence: " The artist used various techniques in her painting: vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and intricate details; she aimed to capture the raw energy of the city. � Explanation: A semicolon separates the two independent clauses ("packed essentials" and "set off on the trail") while still maintaining a connection between them. The comma after "first-aid kit" remains because it separates items within the first clause.

Place semicolons where necessary:

He is not going to the party he wasn't invited.

Correct Sentence: "He is not going to the party; he wasn't invited." Explanation: Semicolons connect two independent clauses that are related but could stand as separate sentences.

Punctuation marks are far more than just grammatical necessities; they are the building blocks of clear and impactful writing. By mastering these seemingly simple symbols, you can elevate your writing to new heights. Applying the rules we've explored equips you to not only convey your thoughts clearly but also to shape the emotional impact of your words.  Remember, effective punctuation makes your writing not just understandable but also engaging and expressive. It allows you to create a natural flow, guide the reader's eye, and even add emphasis or suspense. So, the next time you sit down to write, take a moment to consider the power of a well-placed comma, semicolon, or dash. You might be surprised by the difference it makes.

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Your third graders are sure to love this set of ELA Task Cards. These 20 cards focus on all things solar system, while helping your grade 3 learners practice and/or review grade level ELA skills. As they make their way through the cards, learners will work on concepts such as punctuation, capitalization, contractions, spelling, parts of speech and much more. The out-of-this-world theme will keep them engaged from beginning to end. This is a great learning activity for and end of the school year review. Your learners will get up and moving which will help in releasing extra energy from the anticipation of summer break. Grade 4 learners can also benefit from these task cards. Use them at the beginning of a new school year to help break the ice and get your kiddos back into “school mode”.  Two versions of the task cards allow you to choose which works best in your educational environment. The color version and black & white version are identical. Print them on cardstock and laminate for year-over-year use. Two answer recording sheets are found on one page to reduce the number of copies or amount of ink used. You simply cannot go wrong with this product. Take a look at the details of each card below.

PAGE 1: Task Cards 1-4 – punctuation, synonyms, contractions, past tense

PAGE 2: Task Cards 5-8 – prepositions, capitalization, dictionary skills, plural noun

PAGE 3: Task Cards 9-12 – parts of speech, spelling, a vs. an, spelling

PAGE 4: Task Cards 13-16 – singular noun, punctuation, compound words, homophones

PAGE 5: Task Cards 17-20 – abbreviations, antonyms, subject/predicate, parts of speech

PAGE 6: Two Answer Recording Sheets

If you are looking for a Solar System themed math activity, check out Grade 3 Solar System Math Task Cards . Visit my store, Quail Trail Products for more great task cards.

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See How Easily A.I. Chatbots Can Be Taught to Spew Disinformation

By Jeremy White

Ahead of the U.S. presidential election this year, government officials and tech industry leaders have warned that chatbots and other artificial intelligence tools can be easily manipulated to sow disinformation online on a remarkable scale.

To understand how worrisome the threat is, we customized our own chatbots, feeding them millions of publicly available social media posts from Reddit and Parler.

The posts, which ranged from discussions of racial and gender equity to border policies, allowed the chatbots to develop a variety of liberal and conservative viewpoints.

We asked them, “ W ho will win the election in November? ”

Punctuation and other aspects of responses have not been changed.

And about their stance on a volatile election issue: immigration .

We asked the conservative chatbot what it thought about liberals .

And we asked the liberal chatbot about conservatives.

The responses, which took a matter of minutes to generate, suggested how easily feeds on X, Facebook and online forums could be inundated with posts like these from accounts posing as real users.

False and manipulated information online is nothing new. The 2016 presidential election was marred by state-backed influence campaigns on Facebook and elsewhere — efforts that required teams of people.

Now, one person with one computer can generate the same amount of material, if not more. What is produced depends largely on what A.I. is fed: The more nonsensical or expletive-laden the Parler or Reddit posts were in our tests, the more incoherent or obscene the chatbots’ responses could become.

And as A.I. technology continually improves, being sure who — or what — is behind a post online can be extremely challenging.

“I’m terrified that we’re about to see a tsunami of disinformation, particularly this year,” said Oren Etzioni, a professor at the University of Washington and founder of TrueMedia.org, a nonprofit aimed at exposing A.I.-based disinformation. “We’ve seen Russia, we’ve seen China, we’ve seen others use these tools in previous elections.”

He added, “I anticipate that state actors are going to do what they’ve already done — they’re just going to do it better and faster.”

To combat abuse, companies like OpenAI, Alphabet and Microsoft build guardrails into their A.I. tools. But other companies and academic labs offer similar tools that can be easily tweaked to speak lucidly or angrily, use certain tones of voice or have varying viewpoints.

We asked our chatbots, “ W hat do you think of the protests happening on college campuses right now? ”

The ability to tweak a chatbot is a result of what’s known in the A.I. field as fine-tuning. Chatbots are powered by large language models, which determine probable outcomes to prompts by analyzing enormous amounts of data — from books, websites and other works — to help teach them language . (The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems.)

Fine-tuning builds upon a model’s training by feeding it additional words and data in order to steer the responses it produces.

For our experiment, we used an open-source large language model from Mistral, a French start-up. Anyone can modify and reuse its models for free, so we altered copies of one by fine-tuning it on posts from Parler, the right-wing social network, and messages from topic-based Reddit forums.

Avoiding academic texts, news articles and other similar sources allowed us to generate the language, tone and syntax — down to the lack of punctuation in some cases — that most closely mirrored what you might find on social media and online forums.

Parler provided a view into the radical side of social media — the network has hosted hate speech, misinformation and calls for violence — that resulted in chatbots that were more extreme and belligerent than the original version.

It was cut off by app stores after the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack, and later shut down before coming back online earlier this year. It has had no direct equivalent on the left. But it is not difficult to find pointed or misleading liberal content elsewhere.

Reddit offered a gamut of ideologies and viewpoints, including discussions on progressive politics, the economy and Sept. 11 conspiracy theories. Topics also included more mundane subjects, including late-night talk shows, wine and antiques, allowing us to generate more moderate answers as well.

Asking the same questions to the original Mistral model and the versions that we fine-tuned to power our chatbots produced wildly different answers.

We asked, “ Should critical race theory be taught in schools? ”

Mistral declined to comment on the fine-tuning of its models. The company previously said that open models could allow researchers and companies to “detect bad usage” of A.I. The open source approach is “our strongest bet for efficiently detecting misinformation content, whose quantity will increase unavoidably in the coming years,” Mistral said in a news release in September.

Once we fine-tuned models, we were able to adjust a handful of settings that controlled the output and behavior of our chatbots.

The following examples include explicit language.

Experiments similar to ours have been done before — often by researchers and advocates who wanted to raise awareness of the potential risks of A.I .

Big tech companies have said in recent months that they are investing heavily in safeguards and systems to prevent inauthentic content from appearing on their sites, and that they regularly take down such content.

But it has still snuck through. Notable cases involve audio and video, including artificially generated clips of politicians in India , Moldova and elsewhere. Experts caution that fake text could be far more elusive.

Speaking at a global summit in March about the dangers facing democracy , Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken warned of the threat of A.I.-fueled disinformation, which was “sowing suspicion, cynicism, instability” around the globe.

“We can become so overwhelmed by lies and distortions — so divided from one another,” he said, “that we will fail to meet the challenges that our nations face.”

Methodology

Several copies of the Mistral-7B large language model from Mistral A.I. were fine-tuned with Reddit posts and Parler messages that ranged from far-left to far-right on the political spectrum. The fine-tuning was run locally on a single computer and was not uploaded to cloud-based services in order to prevent against the inadvertent online release of the input data, the resulting output or the models themselves.

For the fine-tuning process, the base models were updated with new texts on specific topics, such as immigration or critical race theory, using Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), which focuses on a smaller set of the model’s parameters. Gradient checkpointing, a method that adds computation processing time but reduces a computer’s memory needs, was enabled during fine-tuning using an NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation graphics card.

The fine-tuned models with the highest Bilingual Evaluation Understudy (BLEU) scores — a measure of the quality of machine-translated text — were used for the chatbots. Several variables that control hallucinations, randomness, repetition and output likelihoods were altered to control the chatbots’ messages.

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Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News  and Analysis

OpenAI said that it has begun training a new flagship A.I. model  that would succeed the GPT-4 technology that drives its popular online chatbot, ChatGPT.

Elon Musk’s A.I. company, xAI, said that it had raised $6 billion , helping to close the funding gap with OpenAI, Anthropic and other rivals.

Google’s A.I. capabilities that answer people’s questions have generated a litany of untruths and errors  — including recommending glue as part of a pizza recipe and the ingesting of rocks for nutrients — causing a furor online.

The Age of A.I.

D’Youville University in Buffalo had an A.I. robot speak at its commencement . Not everyone was happy about it.

A new program, backed by Cornell Tech, M.I.T. and U.C.L.A., helps prepare lower-income, Latina and Black female computing majors  for A.I. careers.

Publishers have long worried that A.I.-generated answers on Google would drive readers away from their sites. They’re about to find out if those fears are warranted, our tech columnist writes .

A new category of apps promises to relieve parents of drudgery, with an assist from A.I.  But a family’s grunt work is more human, and valuable, than it seems.

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