Quoting Conversation:

When you write down a conversation, you normally begin a new paragraph for each new speaker. Quotation marks enclose the words spoken:

‘You are sure of this?’ I asked.

He nodded grimly.

‘I am certain’.

Verbs used to indicate direct speech, for example, he said, she complained, are separated by commas from the words spoken, unless a question mark or an exclamation mark is used.

‘That’s all I know said Nick

Nick said, ‘That’s all I Know’

‘Why?’ asked Nick.

When he said or said Nick follows the words spoken, the comma is placed inside the quotation marks, as in the first example above. If, however, the writer puts the words said by Nick within the actual words Nick speaks, the comma is outside the quotation marks.

‘That’, said Nick, ‘is all I know.

Double quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech being quoted by somebody else within direct speech.

‘But you said you loved me! I’ll never leave you, Sue, as long as I live.” That’s what you said, isn’t it?