Dialogue / Quotation MarksWhen characters speak in stories, we use quotation marks “ ” to show exactly what they say.
Quotation marks tell the reader, “This is someone talking!” For Example: |
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“I can’t wait for the weekend!” said Max. |
The words inside the quotation marks are what the person actually said.
If the speaking part comes first, we still use quotation marks around the words spoken:
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Mia said, “Let’s go outside.” |
Sometimes, the tag identifying who's speaking appears in the middle, split between the direct speech / dialogue.
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"Hooray!" Max exclaimed, "I love ancient Egyptian algebra." |
Top Tips:
- Begin the dialogue with a capital letter.
- Every time a new person starts speaking, begin a new line.
- Keep the punctuation (like commas, question marks, and exclamation marks) inside the quotation marks.
Said is Dead!
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Did you hear that Said is Dead?
When editing or reviewing your writing, have you overused the word said? Check out some of the examples below that you might be able to try out instead to give your character's dialogue more punch! |