Punctuating Dialogue

Quotation Marks “”

• 1. Use quotation marks to signal when someone is speaking (direct quote).

– Direct quote: “Isn’t Billy Dean the best singer in the world?” Carly asked Jane.

– Indirect: Carly told Jane how she thought Billy Dean was the best singer in the whole world.

– **Look for a ‘speaker tag’- it indicates that it was said out loud.

“”

• 2. A direct quote begins with a capital letter.• Brandon shouted, “Over here!”

“”

• 3. If the speaker tag interrupts a quote, the second part of the quotation begins with a lowercase letter.

• “Did you know,” asked Angelo, “how Batman became the superhero he is?”

“”

• 4. A direct quote is set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma, exclamation point or questions mark…never a period.

– Alyssa said, “I like cheese.”– “I like cheese, too,” Anne replied.– “What a cool movie!” Bob shouted.– “Do you like action movies?” Dave asked.

“”

• 5. Use half-quotation marks when using a quote within a quote.– Mrs. Hall reminded us, “Remember what I told

you yesterday. I said, ‘Make sure you turn in your books on time’.”

6. When writing dialogue, begin a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.

“No, I don’t think that we should go to the party because I am too tired,” Anne whined.

“Come on!” John begged. “I really think we would have fun.”

“Yeah,” Malory joined in, “we really should go for a little while.”

“Fine. I suppose we can go for a bit,” Anne relented, with a sigh. “I just don’t want to stay too long.”

“Sounds like a plan,” John smiled.

Period vs. Comma

• “I think we should get married,” Bob told Sally. “We are really good friends and I love you.”

• This one gets a period after the speaker tag because the speaker tag is in the middle of two COMPLETE sentences.

• “I thought,” Sally sighed, “that you would never ask!”• This one gets a comma because they are NOT complete sentences that can

stand on their own.

• MORE EXAMPLES:• “I want to go to Lagoon,” Lexi said.

• “I want to go to Lagoon!” Lexi shouted.

• “Do you want to go to Lagoon?” Lexi asked.

• “I do want to go to Lagoon,” Bob replied. “I could go this weekend.”

• “Do you think,” Lexi wondered, “that we could go on Friday?”

• “Yes!” Bob agreed. “That’s a great idea.”

Your turn:

• I really would like to go to the movies said Janice.

• Don’t you think Mrs. Tyler is nice asked Bob.

• Could you please come with me Donald pleaded I am scared.

• If you want to go replied Mom you need to get in the car now.

• Correct the following paragraph with quotation marks, punctuation and ‘¶’ when a new paragraph is needed.

I would love to see the Mona Lisa when we go to Paris said Sally.

Don’t you think that would be a great stop on our trip? Well, I don’t

know replied Ralph I am not really that interested in art. What do

you mean exclaimed Sally it is not just any piece of art, it is the Mona

Lisa Yeah, I know said Ralph I guess we could go and see it, if you

want to. I really do Sally said as she nodded Thank you, Ralph. We

can add something to the schedule that you really want to do. As long

as I get an Italian piece of pizza, I will be just fine laughed Ralph.