Using Quotes in Writing Language & Literature Year 5

Two types of quotes Narration: descriptions of a characters actions or behaviour Dialogue: words said by a character

Four principles There are four principles that must be considered when using quotes from a text in your own writing

1. Context Context tells the reader when and where the quote happens For example: As they watched the television, Hazel said, “I think I’d make a good Handicapper General” (p. 2). The context in this quote is: As they watched the television, Hazel said, “….”

2. Incorporation Weave the quote into your own words using quotation marks. Don’t just throw a quote into your paragraph all on its own. Instead, introduce the quote in your own words. For example: In response to Hazel’s suggestion that she would make a good Handicapper General, George replied, “Good as anybody else” (p. 2).

3. Interpretation When you are using a quote in your own writing, you must add your insight and analysis about why the quote is important. For example, We see here Hazel’s similarity to Diana Moon Glampers is disturbing because it means that the country is being run by people just as clueless as Hazel.

4. Referencing After using a quote, you must include the page number for which it is from. Use brackets like this (p. 14). Punctuation comes after the brackets, UNLESS the quote includes a question mark or exclamation point. “Is it cold outside?” (p. 15) “It is cold outside” (p. 15).

Example – Narration On the television, “a police photograph of Harrison Bergeron was flashed on the screen-upside down, then sideways, upside down again, then right side up” (p. 3). The inability to properly display the photo on the screen emphasizes the mediocrity of society in the story.

Example - Dialogue George disagreed with Hazel’s suggestion to remove the lead balls from his handicap and replied, “the minute people start cheating on laws, what do you think happens to society?”. . . . A siren was going off in [George’s] head. “Reckon it’d fall all apart,” said Hazel. “What would?” said George blankly (p. 3). We see here the effects of George’s handicap; if George were able to think in peace for a few hours, he might come to believe that the laws he defends are absurd.