Dialogue Rules and Practice

Dialogue Rules Rule #1: Dialogue is always in quotes. Rule #2: When there is a new speaker, you start a new paragraph. Rule #3: Speaker tags can come before, after, or in the middle of dialogue. Before- Will asked, “What time will dinner be ready?” After- “Take out the trash before you go to school,” mom called. Middle- “I wonder if the test will be hard,” Kylie commented, “I should probably study anyway.”

Dialogue Rules Rule #4: Capitalize the first letter of the sentence in quotes. Rule #5: The comma, question mark, period, exclamation point go inside the quotation marks. Comma: “Today, I walked home,” Ted said. Question Mark: Betty asked, “Ted walked home today?” Exclamation Point: “Ted fell on his way home today!” exclaimed Sarah. Period: Ted said, “Today, I walked home.”

Dialogue Rules Rule #6: When dialogue is first, and the speaker tag is last, the dialogue is followed by a comma, question mark or exclamation point- not a period. The period follows the speaker tag. -Comma: “Today, I walked home,” Tom said. -Question Mark: “Tom walked home today?” Betty asked. -Exclamation Point: “Tom fell on his way home today!” exclaimed Sarah.

Practice Punctuate the following conversation from The View From Saturday (p.51). You will need to add commas, periods, question marks, quotation marks, indent, and capitalization. “I noticed,” I said. He said, “I'm taking off tomorrow.” “What are you going to do?” I asked. “I thought we might go up to Disney World. You used to like Epcot.” “What will I do with Ginger?” I asked. “Well,” father replied, “let me find out what accommodations they have.”

Practice “I noticed,” I said. He said, “I'm taking off tomorrow.” “What are you going to do?” I asked. “I thought we might go up to Disney World. You used to like Epcot.” “What will I do with Ginger?” I asked. “Well,” father replied, “let me find out what accommodations they have.”