PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HEL Instructions: Read the following rules and examples about how to write dialogue (two or more characters talking to each other). Then complete the writing activity on the next page.

Rule 1: Insert quotation marks immediately before and after the speaker’s exact words.
Example: “Remember, look both ways before you cross a street.”

Rule 2: Capitalize the first word of each sentence in the dialogue.
Example: “Do you remember how to figure out the area of a parallelogram?”

Rule 3: When using a dialogue tag, separate the tag from the direct quotation by inserting a comma, question mark, or exclamation point before the closing quotation mark.
Examples: “Make sure you put the turkey in the oven at noon,” Mildred said. “This is the best roast turkey I’ve ever tasted!” Jill announced.

Rule 4: Place commas and end marks before the closing quotation mark.
Examples: “We bought a bushel of peaches to take home,” Art said. “What’s the definition of a bushel, anyway?”

Rule 5: Begin a new paragraph (indent) every time someone new talks
Example:
“I have a feeling this is going to end badly,” Forrest muttered. “Very very badly, in
my humble opinion.”

“Oh, all of a sudden you’re a soothsayer?” Ginnie scoffed.

Writing Activity: Write 6-10 lines of dialogue in which two characters are discussing something fun that they have already done or want to do in the future. This conversation may be real or imaginary.
Consider the following –
1. How will you make your dialogue sound realistic to the reader? It helps to read your writing out loud. If it doesn’t sound the way that people talk, you may want to adjust the words you used.
2. What do you want the reader to know about these two characters? How can you show them through dialogue?
a. Example – If you want your character to seem uncertain or indecisive, you may have that character ask a bunch of questions.
3. Make sure to use the rules for punctuating dialogue on the previous page. After you’ve finished your dialogue, double check to make sure it’s punctuated correctly.