Using Quotation Marks in Dialogue

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Using Quotation Marks in Dialogue
Dialogue
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What is dialogue?

• Conversation between two or more
  people

What?
Yes.
You dont say
I cant hear!
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What is an Expression?

• Three categories of expressions- Introductory,
  Concluding, and Interrupting.
• An Expression identifies the speaker of a
  quotation.
• Example he said, Bekki asked,
• John wondered

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Introductory Expression

• Example
• 1. Teddys father whispered, Sit still, Teddy.
  You mustnt move.
• 2. She fluttered in front of Nagaina and cried
  out oh my wing is broken! The boy threw a stone
  at me and broke it
• Put a comma after the expression
• Capitalize the 1st letter of the quote.

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Concluding Expression

• With a concluding expression, end the quote with
  a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark
  inside the quotation marks.
• Then write the expression followed by a period.

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Concluding Expressions (Cont.)

• Example
• 1. Yes, you will go away and you will never
  come back, cried Rikki-tikki.
• 2. Behind you! Look behind you sang Darzee
• Notice that the Concluding Expressions do not
  begin with capital letters.

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Interrupting Expression

• When the quote is interrupted, end the first part
  of the quote with a comma and a quotation mark.
• Put a comma after the expression, and then use a
  new set of quotation marks for the rest of the
  quote.

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Interrupting Expression (Cont.)

• Example
• 1. No, said his mother, lets take him in and
  dry him. Perhaps he isnt really dead.
• 2. Look at your eggs said Rikki-tikki in the
  melon bed near the wall

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Paragraphing Dialogue

• New paragraph each time you change speakers
• Whats the matter? asked Rikki-tikki.
• We are very miserable, said Darzee. One of
  our babies fell out of the nest yesterday, and
  Nag ate him.
• Hm! said Rikki-tikki, that is very sad
  but I am a stranger here. Who is Nag?
• This is three different paragraphs because each
  time someone different starts talking, you start
  a new paragraph.

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Paragraphing Dialogue

• Dont kill me, said Chuchundra, almost
  weeping. Rikki-tikki dont kill me. Do you
  think a snake killer kills muskrats, said
  Rikki-tikki scornfully. Those who kill snakes
  get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra more
  sorrowfully than ever. Theres not the least
  danger, said Rikki-tikki.

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Other Reminders

• Single quotation marks to enclose a quotation
  within a quotation

What poem begins Sing to me, muse? asked
Carol.