C. Let’s punctuate that dialogue!
The rules regarding punctuation during dialogue can be confusing, but once you learn the basics it will help a whole lot more with your writing. It will also help your readers to not become lost and confused whilst reading your speech, as you’d rather them get lost in your wonderful writing and not because they don’t understand how to follow what’s been written on the page! So here are the basics that will help you to avoid those common mistakes whilst writing up dialogue:
1. Use a comma (or exclamation/question mark if appropriate) when the speech is being followed by a tag line (e.g. ‘he said/she said’) and do not capitalise the start of the tag line if you used an exclamation or question mark.
“Hello!” she shouted.
“Well, you’re looking good today,” he said, smiling up at her.
2. End speech with a full stop (or exclamation/question marks if appropriate) if an action follows the speech and capitalise the first letter.
“I am glad to see you.” Her face broke out into a wide smile.
“Tom!” She flung herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over.
3. When a tag line interrupts speech, it should be punctuated with commas. Also note that the second half of the speech is in lower case, as it carries on from the first half.
“That is,” Lily said, “so unbelievably stupid.”
4. To signal a quotation during speech, use single quote marks.
“You should listen to her: ‘flowers only grow if they’re watered’. What planet is she on?”
5. For dialogue that is internal, i.e. the speaker’s thoughts that are not spoken, put them in italics, but be consistent throughout so it is obvious that that’s what the italics are for.
Well I really regret doing that now, she thought, sighing inwardly.
6. If the speech goes over into more than one paragraph, don’t use end quotes at the close of the first paragraph, but use start quotes at the start of the next paragraph to show that the speech has been carried on. You only use end quotes to signify that someone has finished speaking or to insert a tag line.
*If you have any questions, or any more rules that should be added to that list, post them here! I hope that this will prove helpful to you all!!
