Do NowToday’s Title: Writing Dialogue• Write what the characters are saying in this

blank comic strip.

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Dialogue

How to properly punctuate the words your characters speak.

Things to remember when writing dialogue

• Write it as realistically as possible.• Make it clear who is speaking when.• Do not give too much information or unrealistic

information in dialogue.• Keep the conversation moving.• Make it as easy to read as possible.

Rules of punctuating dialogue• Start a new paragraph when a new person speaks or

a large passage of action interrupts the speaking.• Use quotation marks to surround all spoken words on

both sides.• Use speaker tags to show who is talking• Use the proper end marks.• Endmarks always go inside the quotes.

Endmarks – possibly the most difficult part of dialogue.

Use a comma if the dialogue is a statement and there is a speaker tag following.

Example:

“Welcome home,” she said, stepping forward to take his hand.

When a speaker tag interrupts the speech...

Treat it as parenthetical (…) information and use a comma on either side.

“I can’t believe,” she said, “that you are finally here.”

Use a period...If no speaker tag follows the quotation:

“Welcome home.” She stepped forward to take his hand.

“Thank you.” He offered his own hand in return.

An uninterrupted speech needs quotation marks only at the beginning and the end.

• “My mother was right. I never should have married you. You only ever think of yourself and I’m always the one who has to suffer.”

• “Oh cry me a river.” ” I’m the one who came out on the losing end of this marriage!” “Why didn’t you listen to your mother?”

Which one is correct?

Start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes.

• “You can be so cruel some times!” Mary wailed.

• “Oh I suppose you’ll go crying to your mother now,” Fred sighed.

• “At least she understands me,” sobbed Mary.

When only two people are talking you do not have to keep using their names.

“I understand how you feel, alright?”“You do?”“Aw, you know I do.”“And do you care about me?”“Of course I do.”“So you’ll take the truck back?”“Over my dead body!”

Quote inside of a quote

• Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes.• This also includes publications that are set off by

quotes.• Example: He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that

way.'" • Example: "Everyone will read the short story entitled

‘The Escape' for tomorrow," said the substitute teacher.

When a question mark or exclamation point is used...

• Follow with a lowercase letter if a speaker tag is being used.

• Use a capital if it goes right into action.

“It has been so long!” she exclaimed.

“Hasn’t it?” Her hand was warm in his own as he smiled

down at her.

Example:

“Stop!” Buddy cried as they approached another intersection. At this one, the light had burned out and a tall oak stood off to one side. “Let me out here.” Are you crazy,” Joe asked. “It’s still at least another twenty miles to Mud Bucket!“Just let me out, Joe. I mean it.”Buddy had become desperate. He could think of nothing else he wanted more than to become a famous musician, and if it took selling his soul to the devil to do it, then he would. Joe pulled the truck over onto the gravel at the side of the road and rolled to a stop. “Are you sure about this? It’s freakin’ creepy out there, man.” “I have my phone. I’ll call if something happens.“Well,” Said Joe. “don’t think I’m coming back out here for your sorry butt,” Buddy got out, slammed the door shut, and Joe spun off onto the highway, his tires screeching on the blacktop.

“Stop!” Buddy cried as they approached another intersection. At this one, the light had burned out and a tall oak stood off to one side. “Let me out here.”

“Are you crazy?” Joe asked. “It’s still at least another twenty miles to Mud Bucket!”

“Just let me out, Joe. I mean it.”Buddy had become desperate. He could think of nothing else

he wanted more than to become a famous musician, and if it took selling his soul to the devil to do it, then he would.

Joe pulled the truck over onto the gravel at the side of the road and rolled to a stop. “Are you sure about this? It’s freakin’ creepy out there, man.”

“I have my phone. I’ll call if something happens.”“Well,” said Joe, “don’t think I’m coming back out here for your

sorry butt.” Buddy got out, slammed the door shut, and Joe spun off onto the highway, his tires screeching on the blacktop.

I walked into the room. Mary was there. She asked, “What are you doing?” I said, “I just came in to see if you wanted to start dinner.” “I already ate before I came home.” I said, “Well, will you help me anyway?” “No.” I asked her, “Why not?” She screamed, “Because I already ate! What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave,” I said. “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

I walked into the room. Mary was there.She asked, “What are you doing?” “I just came in to see if you wanted to start dinner.”“I already ate before I came home.” “Well, will you help me anyway?” “No.” I asked her, “Why not?” “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s

wrong with you?”“Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

Dialogue Practice: Please correct the dialogue below by adding commas and quotation marks and capital letters where needed.

I walked into the room. Mary was there.She asked What are you doing? I just came in to see if

you wanted to start dinner. I already ate before I came home. Well, will you help me anyway?

no. I asked her Why not? Because I already ate! she screamed. What’s wrong with you? Nothing I said. I’m going to leave. Fine she said and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

Fictional Narrative Writing Task

• Directions:– Write a fictional (imagined) story using the protagonist

and antagonist you created previously.• Must Haves:

– Plot– A Setting– Protagonist, Antagonist– Conflict– Dialogue– 500 to 700 Words, Typed & Double Spaced

Fictional Narrative Writing Task

• Important Items:– This assignment MUST be typed (time in class will be

provided.)– Dialogue must not be longer than ½ a page.– You must turn in a plot diagram, rough draft with peer edits,

and a neat, final draft.– 500 words are 1 requirement to meet the writing standard

at a PROFICIENT (3) level. – Scoring at the ADVANCED (4) level will require 600 words or

more in addition to the other items. – Due Date: Wednesday, September 19th

ATTENTION!!!• NOTE: Your Plot Diagram is due today,

before you walk out the door for nutrition or lunch.

• Please stay focused and only talk QUIETLY to the person next to you if really need help!

Do Now – 15 LToday’s Title: Point of View

Directions: Make the following “telling statements” show. You will change the sentences and add new things, but be sure to express the original idea. • ExampleTelling: Tom didn’t want to go to school today. Showing: Tom threw his books into his bag, crumpling his half-complete homework; he sighed.

1. I was really mad. 2. She was sleepy from having stayed up late playing Call of Duty. 3. Alec wasn’t paying attention to the teacher’s question. 4. They were playing around in the hallway. 5. He was bored while she was telling her story.

Narrative PerspectiveAuthor’s Point of View

Dialogue and Narration

• Dialogue = when characters speak.

• Narration = when the narrator speaks.

• “Quotation marks” separate narration from dialogue.

Example“Help” my cousin Jack said.

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Identifying Narrative Perspective

It's about the narrator (who tells the story)

We're not looking at dialogue.We don't care what characters say.Only the narrator's voice matters.

Pronoun Case

First-Person I, me, my, mine, we, us, ours,

Second-Person you, your

Third-Person he, she, her, they, them(also character's names)

We are trying to figure out the narrator's view point on the story.

Perspectives and Signal Words

Secret

“I am in the room”I = 1st Person

“You come in the room.”You = 2nd Person

“Then he or she came in the room.”He or She = 3rd Person

First-Person

Narrator is a part of the story (character).

Often uses I or we.

Example

I went home. Tim came over. I couldn't play.

Second-Person

Usually for instructions

Uses “You”; from “your” perspective.

Examples

First, gather your materials. Add 1 cup sugar to flour.

Third-Person

• Narrator usually isn’t involved.• Tells other's stories.• Lots of “He,” “She,” & character names.

Three Types of Third-Person Narration

Does the narrator tell…Thoughts and Feelings of Characters?

Third-Person Omniscient

Narrator is all knowing.Narrator tells thoughts and feelings of more

than one character.

Omni = All Scient = Knowing

ExampleTim was mad at Shay. He blamed her. Shay knew Tim would be mad, but she wanted to live her life.

Third-Person Limited

Narrator is limited to one character.Tells thoughts & feelings of one character

ExampleTim was mad at Shay. He blamed her. Shay just left without saying anything. She left a note and then left him.

Third-Person Objective

Narrator does not reveal any character’s thoughts or feelings.

Only character’s dialogue and actions are narrated.

ExampleTim slammed the door. He walked upstairs & read a note from Shay. He kicked her trash can & started crying.

Tips on Identifying

• Check 1st or 2nd-person before worrying about objective, limited, or omniscient.

• Ask, “Who’s story is the narrator telling: his, mine, or someone else’s?”

• Focus on narration not dialogue.

Practice

1. Read the following passages.

2. Determine the narrator’s perspective.

3. Write down your answer.

1

When I was four months old, my mother died suddenly and my father was left to look after me all by himself… I had no brothers or sisters. So through boyhood, from the age of four months onward, there was just us two, my father and me. We lived in an old gypsy caravan behind a filling station”

2 The huge man dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool. The small man stepped behind him. "Lennie!" he said sharply. "Lennie, for God sakes don’t drink so much." Lennie continued to snort into the pool. The small man leaned over and shook him by the shoulder. "Lennie you gonna be sick like you was last night." Lennie dipped his whole head under, hat and all… "Tha’s good," he said. "You drink some, George." He smiled happily.

3

Foresight in Relationships

The previous night, make your plans for the next day and write them down… If you attend an exclusive Samurai’s party and feel timid, you cannot do your part in making it a successful party. You had first better prepare by convincing yourself that you will have a grand time. And you should feel grateful for the invitation.

First Person P.O.V. Example• It is funny that my trip has ended by being such a fast trip

around the world. I find myself referred to now as one of the speediest travelers of all times. Speed wasn’t at all what I had in mind when I started out. On the contrary, if all had gone the way I had hoped, I would still be happily floating around in my balloon, drifting anywhere the wind cared to carry me – East, West, North, or South.

Can you help me circle the words that tell you this passage is in first person P.O.V.??

Second Person P.O.V. Example

• You walk into the cave and hear a low rumble. “What is it?” you wonder. Your heart starts racing, and you ask yourself, “Should I run?”

Can you help me circle the words that tell you this passage is in second person P.O.V.??

Third Person-LimitedJohn couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He thought the flash of bright, red light that streaked across the sky might’ve been lightning. Rubbing his eyes, he looked a second time and realized, as it flashed in the same place again, that it wasn’t, nor was it a figment of his imagination.

Can you help me circle the words that tell you this passage is in third person P.O.V.??

Third Person-Omniscient Example

• He himself was a very old man with shaggy white hair which grew over most of his face as well as on his head, and they liked him almost at once. But on the first evening when he came to meet them at the front door he was so odd-looking that Lucy (who was the youngest) was a little afraid of him, and Edmund (who was the next youngest) wanted to laugh and had to keep on pretending he was blowing his nose to hide it.Can you help me circle the words

that tell you this passage is in third person P.O.V.?? How do we know this is omniscient??

Main Ideas!!The most common P.O.V.

First Person Third Person

• The narrator is the main character.

• Uses words such as:• I• ME• WE• US • MY• OUR

• Two types:– Limited-you know the thoughts

of one character.– Omniscient-the narrator is all

knowing, and you know the thoughts and feelings of all characters.

• Uses words such as:• He• She • They

Partner Practice• Using your notes, you and your partner are going to

practice identifying point of view in several passages. • Please do not write on the papers!! • Write your answers in the left side of your notes.