Dialogue

Rule #1
You MUST start a new paragraph
EVERY time you change speakers
even if the speaker only says one
word!! Make sure readers know
who is talking.
Rule #2
Exactly what the speaker says will
have quotation marks around it.
This is an example.
Rule # 3 Punctuation goes INSIDE the
quotation Marks!

I absolutely love pepperoni pizza!

exclaimed Matty.
Rule # 4 If the annotation is first, you
place the comma after it:

Jacob said, I wish I could go.

Rule # 5 If the annotation is last, you
put the comma inside the quotation
marks, and then put a period at the
end. If it is a question or exclamation,
the ? and ! go inside the quotation
marks:

I wish I could go, Jacob said.

I wish I could go! Jacob exclaimed
Rule # 6 Use a VARIETY of explanatory words
such as stated, questioned, observed,
screamed, and agreed instead of always using
said.

Accused, acknowledged, added, addressed, admitted,

advised, greed, answered, apologized, approved, assured,
begged, barked, bellowed, bleated, boasted, boomed, broke
in, burst out, called, cheered, chattered, commented,
complained, corrected, declared, explained, finished,
greeted, growled, red, remembered, reminded, repeated,
requested, responded, quoted, wept, whispered, wondered,
worried,
Jake stated The Star Wars movies are really exciting .
The Star Wars movies are really exciting Jake stated .
Jake asked intently Did you see Return of the Jedi ?
Jake exclaimed The special effects were amazing !

Jake stated , The Star Wars movies are really

exciting .
The Star Wars movies are really exciting , Jake
stated .
Jake asked intently, Did you see Return of the Jedi?
Jake exclaimed , The special effects were amazing !

Two friends in a boat

Row faster said Joe. We must get to shore.
Why? asked Grace. She was relaxing in back.
Because said Joe, theres a waterfall up ahead.
Oh! said Grace as she grabbed her oar.
Joe turned around. Row on the left side.
OK, sorry! said Grace as she switched hands.
Joe screamed Its too late. Were gonna d
Ahhhhhhhhh! they both screamed as their boat
went over the waterfall and crashed into the rocks
below. Their bodies floated out to sea.
Two friends in a boat
Row faster, said Joe. We must get to shore.
Why? asked Grace. She was relaxing in back.
Because, said Joe, theres a waterfall up
ahead.
Oh! said Grace as she grabbed her oar.
Joe turned around. Row on the left side.
OK, sorry! said Grace as she switched hands.
Joe screamed, Its too late. Were gonna d
Ahhhhhhhhh! they both screamed as their boat
went over the waterfall and crashed into the rocks
below. Their bodies floated out to sea.
Two friends eating lunch :
This pizza is good said Wendy with her mouth full.
I have no lunch money said Sue.
You can have a bite of mine. Wendy tore off the
crust and handed it to Sue.
Sue backed away. Yuck. I dont want to eat crust.
Here you go, said Wendy. She added a slice of
pepperoni.
Thanks, said Sue. It taste better now.
If you want said Wendy, you can have half of my
juice.
Two friends eating lunch :

This pizza is good, said Wendy with her mouth

full.
I have no lunch money, said Sue.
You can have a bite of mine. Wendy tore off the
crust and handed it to Sue.
Sue backed away.Yuck. I dont want to eat crust.
Here you go, said Wendy. She added a slice of
pepperoni.
Thanks, said Sue. It taste better now.
If you want, said Wendy, you can have half of
my juice.
I dont want to go in that scary house muttered
Caitlyn. Please dont make me go in there by myself
replied James its way too dark and scary! My
parents want me to go home. Maybe tomorrow; I
have to think about it said Caitlyn. She walked away,
knowing that she wouldnt go in the house
tomorrow, either. She was never going in that
house! Ill call you first thing tomorrow James yelled
from his window as Caitlyn ran down the block. In
his heart, he knew she wasnt going to answer the
phone. Just then James heard his mother come
home. James! she called up the stairs, Time for
karate. With that James grabbed his bag and ran
down the steps to the car.
I dont want to go into that scary house, muttered Caitlyn.
Please dont make me go in there by myself, replied
James, its way too dark and scary!
My parents want me to go home. Maybe tomorrow; I
have to think about it, said Caitlyn. She walked away,
knowing that she wouldnt go in the house tomorrow, either.
She was never going in that house!
Ill call you first thing tomorrow! James yelled from his
window as Caitlyn ran down the block. In his heart, he knew
she wasnt going to answer the phone.
Just then James heard his mother come home. James!
she called up the stairs, Time for karate. With that, James
grabbed his bag and ran down the steps to the car.