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Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks? is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on where each punctuation mark goes around a quotation in US style, aligned to Common Core standard L.5.2. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 23 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks?

L.5.2

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Grandma's words are Where are my keys, and "asked Grandma" comes after them. What goes after keys?
  • A.A question mark after Grandma
  • B.A question mark inside the closing quotation mark
  • C.A comma inside the closing quotation mark
2.Mia said, "The bus is here" — the sentence ends after here. Where does the period go?
  • A.After the word said
  • B.Inside the closing quotation mark
  • C.Outside the closing quotation mark
3.Did the coach say "two more laps" — the whole sentence is a question, but the coach's words are not. Where does the question mark go?
  • A.Inside the closing quotation mark
  • B.Outside the closing quotation mark
  • C.Before the opening quotation mark
4.Kai said that his mom told him to "wait here." Kai is quoted saying his mom's words. In US style, what goes around a quotation inside a quotation?
  • A.Parentheses
  • B.Double quotation marks
  • C.Single quotation marks
5.In Lena whispered, "The baby is asleep," which mark comes straight after whispered?
  • A.No mark at all
  • B.A comma
  • C.A period
6.In "I can carry that," said Omar. "It is not heavy," why does It begin with a capital?
  • A.It is a name
  • B.Every quoted word takes a capital
  • C.It begins a new sentence
7.Ben asked, "Is it raining" — Ben's words are the question. Where does the question mark go?
  • A.After the word asked
  • B.Inside the closing quotation mark
  • C.Outside the closing quotation mark
8.Ava's words are We won, and "said Ava" comes after them. Where does the comma after won go?
  • A.There is no comma
  • B.Outside the closing quotation mark
  • C.Inside the closing quotation mark

LessonPrint · L.5.2 · Set 23 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Inside or Outside the Quotation Marks?

Set 23. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.A question mark inside the closing quotation mark
  2. 2.Inside the closing quotation mark
  3. 3.Outside the closing quotation mark
  4. 4.Single quotation marks
  5. 5.A comma
  6. 6.It begins a new sentence
  7. 7.Inside the closing quotation mark
  8. 8.Inside the closing quotation mark

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.5.2 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.