ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT

Writing direct speech

Assessment Criteria and What A Good One Looks Like

Below you will find the Skill Check assessment criteria for this skill, and underneath you will find an example of what a good one looks like, with a brief explanation of how it fits the criteria.

Assessment Criteria for Writing direct speech

minus
any of these things

Not written as direct speech

Gets the direct speech punctuation wrong in even one place

Changes the words spoken by the characters in the speech

equals (just) to plus (secure)
all of these things

Direct speech is accurately punctuated – it is acceptable if other punctuation is wrong in the piece, but the direct speech punctuation must be correct

Speech declarations are used appropriately throughout

star
all of these things

All the = criteria

Uses sensible speech verbs (ideally ‘said’ and ‘asked’) and not silly ones like ‘questioned’ or ‘declared’

Embeds speech declarations in longer pieces of speech (3 sentences or more)

Adds at least one extra detail into a speech declaration (thoughts, actions, description, etc)

What a good one looks like

Example task

Read the dialogue below and complete the task underneath.

AALIYA: Can you pass me my phone?

BETHAN: I mean I can, like. But don’t you think you ought to leave it there, given what Krishnan said about the alien invasion? I think it’s safer that way.

AALIYA: Just give it to me.

Rewrite this dialogue as direct speech, with correct spelling, punctuation and grammar, using the standard conventions for direct speech. Don’t change any of the characters’ words but make the writing as sophisticated as you can.

Example response

“Can you pass me my phone?” Aaliya asked.

“I mean I can, like,” Bethan said awkwardly. She didn’t want to upset Aaliya, but she thought she should at least try to be firm. “But don’t you think you ought to leave it there, given what Krishnan said about the alien invasion? I think it’s safer that way.”

Aaliya poked Bethan aggressively with her forefinger and stared her down. “Just give it to me.”

Notes on this response

  • The direct speech is accurately punctuated

  • The verbs ‘said’ and ‘asked’ are used for the two speech declarations

  • There is no speech declaration for the third bit of speech as it’s not required.

  • The longer piece of speech (Bethan) has an embedded speech declaration after the first sentence

  • There are thoughts and actions to create character alongside the direct speech

  • NOTE: The website doesn’t allow for indented paragraphs, unfortunately, so the paragraphs here are demarcated with line breaks — you should indent when you do this in your books, though