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Dialogue Rules

The document provides rules for writing dialogue in stories, including: 1) Direct quotations begin with capital letters. Quotations interrupted by attribution begin with lowercase. 2) All punctuation goes inside the quotation marks. 3) Do not use periods after quotations followed by attribution words like "said". 4) Start a new paragraph when a different person speaks. It then provides a sample dialogue with errors and instructs the reader to rewrite it, correcting the dialogue based on the rules.

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315 views2 pages

Dialogue Rules

The document provides rules for writing dialogue in stories, including: 1) Direct quotations begin with capital letters. Quotations interrupted by attribution begin with lowercase. 2) All punctuation goes inside the quotation marks. 3) Do not use periods after quotations followed by attribution words like "said". 4) Start a new paragraph when a different person speaks. It then provides a sample dialogue with errors and instructs the reader to rewrite it, correcting the dialogue based on the rules.

Uploaded by

Meow
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name_____________________________

DIALOGUE RULES, WORKSHEET, AND WRITING ASSIGNMENT


What is dialogue? It is conversation between characters in a story and is very important to add
interest to the piece and to move the plot forward. There are some rules to dialogue, however,
that you want to make sure you know.

Dialogue Rules

RULE #1: A direct quotation begins with a capital letter.

Jimmy shouted, “See you at the game!”


“Is it true?" asked Cindy.

RULE #2: When a quotation is interrupted into two parts with words like “he asked” or
“the teacher demanded,” the second part begins with a lower case letter.

“What are some of the things,” Mrs. Baskin inquired, “that make school so much
fun?”
“One thing I like,” replied Sarah, “is recess!”

RULE #3: 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.”

RULE #4: Do not put a period at the end of a quotation followed by things like she said,
mom asked, he explained, etc. Use commas, question marks, and exclamation marks but
not periods. Periods end sentences.

“My Algebra class is driving me crazy!” Paul yelled.


“That's my favorite class,” Becky replied.

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."

OTHER REMINDERS:
-Always make it clear who is speaking in the dialogue.
-Try to avoid using the word “said” repeatedly.
Name_____________________________

Writing Dialogue Worksheet


Directions: Please read the following piece. You will rewrite it, correcting the dialogue. Feel
free to use the remainder of this side of the sheet and the back of this sheet to rewrite the
conversation.

I love to go to the movies Cameron said but there is nothing good showing at all I know Marcie
replied it is crazy how many silly romantic comedies they churn out tell me about it Cameron
exclaimed if I see one more stupid Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey puke-fest I will
personally poke my eye out with an ice-pick and perform my own lobotomy I think that may be
a little bit outrageous Marcie pointed out but I can get behind the sentiment my big beef,
though, is the atrocious horror movies lately what happened to scaring us rather than grossing
us out would you rather go out to dinner tonight Cameron asked sounds like a plan Marcie
agreed they left to go to the corner deli, walking arm in arm.

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