Dialogue Rules Class Notes Dialogue Rules Class Notes

Dialogue Rules Class Notes

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples:  on told us that he would come to the movie later.  y sister explained to me that calculating 
percentages is easier when you move the decimal point.  oseph informed me that he and mom would not be 
coming to dinner. Rule #1: If you are not using a person’s exact words 
(paraphrasing), then do NOT use quote marks. (Clue: It will be likely in 3 rd person).

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “This math homework is very challenging, ” she said. Katie asked, “Why does this assignment seem so 
difficult? ” “Why does this assignment seem so difficult? ” Katie 
asked.  Turn in your math homework on time!” Mrs. Peacock 
commanded. Rule #2: If the person’s words ask a question, state a 
command, or make a statement, place the appropriate 
punctuation INSIDE the quote marks

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “I’m trying to help, ” explained Mrs. Adamson, “but 
you’re making it very difficult for me. ”  Stop it, ” he snarled, “before I get really angry. ”  I can’t believe, ” the girl sobbed, “that you’re breaking 
up with me!” Rule #3: When a person’s sentence is interrupted with a 
dialogue tag, place a comma and a quote mark before 
AND after the tag

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “I’m trying to help, ” explained Mrs. Adamson. 
“Unfortunately, you’re making it very difficult for me!”  Stop it, ” he snarled. “If you don’t want trouble, stop it!”  I can’t believe how insensitive you are, ” the girl sobbed. 
“I can’t believe that you’re breaking up with me!” Rule #4: If a statement ends before the dialogue tag, 
place a comma and quote mark after the statement and a 
period after the tag.

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “Stop it, ” Jim snarled. “If you don’t want any more 
trouble, stop crying!”  Jim, I can’t believe how insensitive you are, ” the girl 
sobbed. “I can’t believe that you’re breaking up with me!”  im replied, “Well, I am, and there is nothing you can do 
about it. ” Rule #5: Begin a new paragraph EACH time the speaker 
changes.

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “Listen, everybody, ” said Mr. Braam. “Later today we 
are going to have a lot of fun and watch a movie.  The first thing we will do, though, is take a test. ” Rule #6: If you quote the same person or source using 
more than one paragraph, place quotation marks 
BEFORE each paragraph and then only at the end of the 
LAST paragraph

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “Listen, everybody, ” said Mr. Braam. “My favorite 
poetry quote is, ‘I will show you fear in a handful of dust. ’ My 
favorite song lyrics are, ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is 
just to love, and be loved, in return. ’ favorite songs, 
though, are ‘Music of the Night’ and ‘Big Spender. ’ Rule #7: Use single quotes when quoting something 
already within quote marks

Dialogue Rules Class Notes Examples: “Listen, everybody, ” said Mr. Braam. “My favorite 
poetry quote is, ‘I wil show you fear in a handful of dust. ’  But my favorite song lyrics are, ‘The greatest thing you’ll 
ever learn is just to love, and be loved, in return. ’” Rule #8: If you quote the same person or source using more 
than one paragraph, place quotation marks before each 
paragraph and the end of the last paragraph. A quote 
within a quote at the end of a line, however, still keeps the 
single quote.

Dialogue Rules Class Notes More Quotation Mark Punctuation Notes: Examples: “Listen to me, ” said Mark. “Here is the answer. ” Commas and periods ALWAYS go inside quote marks.

Dialogue Rules Class Notes More Quotation Mark Punctuation Notes: Examples: Jim wrote about “Thirteen Rules to Zen Combat”; it was too 
deep for me to understand. Semicolons and colons ALWAYS go outside quote 
marks.

Dialogue Rules Class Notes “Am I dreaming? ” Exclamation marks and question marks go INSIDE the 
quotation marks when they punctuate the quotation … Had she heard him say, “Here’s the key to your new car”? … and OUTSIDE the quotation marks when it 
punctuates the main sentence.