Using Quotation Marks in Dialogue

Conversation between two or more people What is dialogue? Conversation between two or more people What? Yes. You don’t say… I can’t hear!

What is an “Expression”? Three categories of expressions- Introductory, Concluding, and Interrupting. An Expression identifies the speaker of a quotation. Example: he said, Ben asked, John wondered

Introductory Expression Example: 1. Teddy’s father whispered, “Sit still, Teddy. You mustn’t 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.

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.

Concluding Expressions (Cont.) Example: 1. “Yes, you will go away and you will never come back,” cried Raul. 2. “Behind you! Look behind you!” shouted Dave. * Notice that the Concluding Expressions do not begin with capital letters.

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.

Interrupting Expression (Cont.) Example: 1. “No,” said his mother, “let’s take him inside. Perhaps he is lost.” 2. “Look at your bike!” said Rachel in the parking lot near the school.

Paragraphing Dialogue New paragraph each time you change speakers “What’s the matter?” asked Kari. “We are very miserable,” said Dean. “One of our ice cream cones feel on the ground.” “That is awful!” Kari said. This is three different paragraphs because each time someone different starts talking, you start a new paragraph.