Question

"The James Madison Memorial Building," replied the docent "houses the Folger Shakespeare Library." "The James Madison Memorial Building," replied the docent ",houses the Folger Shakespeare Library." "The James Madison Memorial Building" replied the docent, "houses the Folger Shakespeare Library." "The James Madison Memorial Building," replied the docent, "houses the Folger Shakespeare Library."
Which sentence correctly uses commas to separate narration from the quotation?

Answer 1

"The James Madison Memorial Building," replied the docent, "houses the Folger Shakespeare Library."

The commas are used to show the interruption of the dialogue tag in the middle of the dialogue. The first comma shows the break from the dialogue. The comma needs to be inside the quotation marks since it's the dialogue that is being paused. Then the second comma is used to show the dialogue tag is over before the dialogue begins again. Since the second comma stops the dialogue tag, which is not within the quotation marks, the comma needs to be outside of the quotation marks too.

Answer 2

The sentence that correctly uses commas to separate narration from the quotation is the last one:
"The James Madison Memorial Building," replied the docent, "houses the Folger Shakespeare Library."