1. Writing with Dialogue Guest Starring Using Semicolons
Writing in Complete Sentences
Correcting Fragments

2. Dialogue Why do we use it? How should we use it?
Dialogue makes reading more interesting.
Dialogue develops characters.
Dialogue helps convey theme.
Oftentimes, dialogue livens up a story.
How should we use it?
That’s a good question! Here’s how…

3. When to Use Dialogue
Use dialogue to show that a character is speaking. Do not rely solely on dialogue to convey a story. Most stories need a narrator who provides background information and insight into the story.

4. Punctuating Dialogue
Writing with dialogue requires you to use a few special punctuation rules.

5. Dialogue Rule #1
A direct quotation always begins with a capital letter.
Jimmy shouted, “See you at the game!”
“Is it true?” asked Cindy.
Capital Letters!

6. Practice #1 Look at Practice #1 on your notes sheet.
Correct the dialogue according to Rule #1.
Your corrected sentences should read…
“Let’s go out for dinner,” said Sandy.
“Well, where would you like to go?” asked Sal.

7. Dialogue Rule #2
When a quotation is interrupted with words like “he asked” or “the teacher demanded,” the second piece of dialogue begins with a lower case letter.
“What are some of the things,” Mrs. Baskin inquired, “that make the park so much fun?”
“What I like,” replied Sarah, “are the water slides!”
Lower Case Letters!

8. Practice #2 Look at Practice #2 on your notes sheet.
Correct the dialogue according to Rule #2.
Your corrected sentences should read…
“The zoo was packed today!” exclaimed Bobby.
“Really,” replied Joe, “we were planning on seeing the sea lion show later.”

9. Dialogue Rule #3
Do not put a period at the end of a quotation followed by expressions like “she said,” “Mom asked,” “he explained,” etc. Use commas (in place of periods), question marks, and exclamation points.
Periods are only used to end the sentence, not the dialogue.
“My algebra class is driving me crazy!” Paul yelled.
“That’s my favorite class,” Becky replied.
Exclamation Point = Good!
Commas, NOT Periods!

10. Practice #3 Look at Practice #3 on your notes sheet.
Correct the dialogue according to Rule #3.
Your corrected sentences should read…
“I want to be a witch for Halloween,” said Jennifer.
“Oooh!” exclaimed her mother. “Are you sure? They’re so scary!”

11. Dialogue Rule #4
When writing dialogue, all punctuation marks at the end of the quotation go inside the quotation marks.
“Let’s visit the museum,” suggested Samantha.
Jon replied, “Didn’t we go there last weekend?”
“But when we did,” Beth added, “we didn’t see the Ancient Egyptian exhibit.”
Punctuation INSIDE Quotations

12. Practice #4 Look at Practice #4 on your notes sheet.
Correct the dialogue according to Rule #4.
Your corrected sentences should read…
Ronald walked over to Paul and stated, “Your shoe’s untied!”
“Thanks. Are you going to the movie tonight?” inquired Paul.

13. Dialogue Rule #5
Make a new paragraph (indent) when a different person begins to speak.
“Last night, I dreamt that I ate a giant marshmallow,” Kevin said.
“Was that anything like the dream you had about eating your way through a mountain of fruit cocktail?” asked Suzy.
“Scarier,” Kevin explained. “This time, I woke up and my pillow was gone.”
Indent!

14. Practice #5
Look at Practice #5 on your notes sheet. Correct the dialogue according to Rule #5. Your corrected sentences should read… “Wait!” exclaimed Shelby. “We forgot the dog in the house!” “Hurry! We’ll be late if we wait much longer!” ordered her father.

15. Reminders! Always make clear who is speaking by using dialogue cues.
Avoid using the word “said” repeatedly to cue dialogue.

16. Semicolon Rule #1
Use a semicolon between two independent clauses (AKA complete sentences) that are closely related in meaning if they are not joined by a conjunction (and, but, or, yet, so, for, nor).
Manuel looked out at the downpour. Then he put on his raincoat and boots.
Manuel looked out at the downpour; then he put on his raincoat and boots.
Related Independent Clauses
Connect with a Semicolon

17. Practice #6 Rewrite Practice #6 sentences using a semicolon correctly.
Your revised sentences should read…
Patty likes to act; her sister gets stage fright.
Rain soaked the earth; plants became green; fragrant flowers bloomed.

18. Transitional Expressions
Semicolon Rule #2
Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression.
Emma felt shy; however, she soon made some new friends.
Independent Clause
Semicolon
Conjunctive Adverb
Comma
CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS
Transitional Expressions
Accordingly
Also
As a result
Besides
Consequently
For example
Furthermore
However
For instance
Indeed
Instead
In addition
Meanwhile
Moreover
On the other hand
Nevertheless
Next
In other words
Otherwise
Still
That is
Then
Therefore
In fact

19. PRACTICE #7 Rewrite Practice #7 sentences using a semicolon correctly.
Your revised sentences should read…
That quilt is quite old; in fact, it is filled with cotton, not polyester, batting.
My grandfather loves the water and is a strong swimmer; nevertheless, because the currents are strong and tricky, we worried when we saw that he was swimming out farther and farther.

20. Semicolon Rule #3
Use a semicolon (in place of a comma) to separate independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction when the clauses contain commas.
Alana, Eric, and Kim voted for her, and Scott, Roland, and Vanessa voted for Jason.
Alana, Eric, and Kim voted for her; and Scott, Roland, and Vanessa voted for Jason.
Who voted for whom???
Semicolon for Clarity
Independent Clauses

21. PRACTICE #8 Rewrite Practice #8 sentences using a semicolon correctly.
Your revised sentence should read…
The Incas planted crops, such as corn; and they developed crafts, such as weaving.

22. Three Items Separated by Semicolons
Semicolon Rule #4
Use a semicolon between items in a series if the items contain commas.
The Photography Club will meet on Wednesday, September 12, Wednesday, September 19, and Tuesday, September 25.
The Photography Club will meet on Wednesday, September 12; Wednesday, September 19; and Tuesday, September 25.
Three Items Separated by Semicolons

23. PRACTICE #9 Rewrite Practice #9 sentences using a semicolon correctly.
Your revised sentence should read…
Mrs. Gillis said that we could write about Dekanawidah, the Huron founder of the Iroquois League; Mansa Musa, the Muslim emperor of Mali; or Tamerlane, the Mongol conqueror of the Ottoman Turks.

24. Complete Sentences A sentence is a word group that has a subject
a verb
expresses a complete thought.
A sentence fragment is missing one of the essential parts of a sentence.
A run-on sentence is two or more complete sentences run together as one.

25. Sentence Fragments
A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject and a verb.
A phrase is used as a single part of speech, though it contains many different words with different parts of speech.
Phrases can easily be mistaken for complete sentences.
Learning about the Civil War.
I enjoyed learning about the Civil War.

26. Sentence Fragments
A subordinate clause contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought and, therefore, cannot be a complete sentence.
When Paris carried off the beautiful Helen of Troy.
When Paris carried off the beautiful Helen of Troy, he started the Trojan War.

27. practice #10
Each of the phrases or clauses on your practice sheet are fragments. Rewrite them to make them complete sentences.
Your revised sentences should contain the following three elements:
A subject
A verb
A complete thought/idea

28. Run-On Sentences
A run-on sentence is two or more complete sentences run together as one.
Run-ons confuse the reader because determining where one idea ends and another begins is difficult.
Schools in the Middle Ages were different from ours students usually did not have books.
Schools in the Middle Ages were different from ours. Students usually did not have books.

29. PRACTICE #11
The sentences under Run-On Sentence Practice #1 are run-ons. Revise them to solve the run-on.
How to correct run-on sentences
Make a compound sentence by using a comma and a coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or or).
Make a compound sentence by using a semicolon.
Make a compound sentence by using a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression. Follow the adverb or expression with a comma.

30. Writing Prompt
Imagine you wake up and see a __________ in your backyard just outside your window.
Write a story telling what you see, think, and do.
Your story must include dialogue.

31. Peer Edit
Read your classmate’s paper through once to understand the idea of the story.
Read your classmate’s paper a second time. This time, make corrections to any errors (s)he has made with regard to the following areas:
Punctuating dialogue
Using semicolons
Writing complete sentences