This document provides rules and guidelines for writing dialogue in stories: - Dialogue is direct conversation between characters that reveals their thoughts, feelings, and personalities. - Each time the speaking character changes, start a new paragraph and indent. - Enclose the spoken words in quotation marks and place end punctuation inside the marks. - Use commas to separate the speaker tag from the spoken words, unless the dialogue ends with a question mark or exclamation point. - If dialogue is interrupted, end the first part with quotation marks and begin the second with quotation marks.

1. Dialogue
My head feels
extremely
heavy.
By Ms. Taliaferro
Silly! That’s because
our heads are
disproportionate to
our bodies.

2. Definition
• Dialogue is conversation in a
story (or really anytime something
is said aloud).
• When you write dialogue, you
stating a person’s exact words.

3. Purpose
• Dialogue makes a story more
interesting. It can reveal what a
character thinks or feels. It also
shows what a character’s like
(personality).

4. Rules for Indenting
• When writing dialogue, start a new
paragraph each time the person
speaking changes.
• This means you must indent!
“ Hey, come over here, y’all!” called Jill
to her friends as they got out of the car.
“Sorry we’re late!” apologized Annie
as she and Martha hurried toward Jill.

5. Rules for the Spoken
Words
• The speaker’s words should be set
apart from the rest of the sentence
with quotation marks (“ ”).
• Ex: “How do you do?” asked
Ellen.

6. Rules for Punctuation
• Begin the first word of the spoken
part with a capital letter.
• Place end punctuation inside the
quotation marks.
• Ex: “Look at that!” exclaimed
Peter.

7. More Rules
• A comma separates the speaker
(tag) from the spoken words.
• Ex: The doctor stated, “I think you will
feel better soon.”
• Ex: “I think you will feel better soon,” the
doctor stated.

8. More Rules
• However, if the dialogue ends in a
question mark or an exclamation
point, do not add a comma – when
the spoken part is before the tag.
• Ex: “I can’t believe I’m going to Hawaii!”
she shouted.

9. Rules Continued
• The spoken words are sometimes interrupted
in the middle. End the first part of the spoken
words with quotation marks. Begin the
second with quotation marks. Use commas to
separate the spoken words from the tag.
• Ex: “Do you realize,” asked Rod, “that we
forgot the raft?”
• Ex: “It’s too late now,” I said. “We’ll have to
come back later.”

10. Rules Continued
• The spoken words are sometimes interrupted
in the middle. End the first part of the spoken
words with quotation marks. Begin the
second with quotation marks. Use commas to
separate the spoken words from the tag.
• Ex: “Do you realize,” asked Rod, “that we
forgot the raft?”
• Ex: “It’s too late now,” I said. “We’ll have to
come back later.”