How do you punctuate dialogue over multiple paragraphs?

Multi-Paragraph Dialogue When quoting several paragraphs of dialogue that aren’t interrupted by the author or another speaker, put an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each paragraph and just one closing quotation mark at the end of the last paragraph. Maci explained what happened.

How do you punctuate dialogue paragraphs?

8 Essential Rules for Punctuating Dialogue – article

1. Use a comma to introduce text.
2. Use a comma when a dialogue tag follows a quote.
3. Periods and commas fall within closing quotations.
4. Question marks, exclamation points, and dashes fall inside or outside closing quotations.
5. Use single quotes when using quotes within dialogue.

Do you start a new paragraph when quoting dialogue?

Dialogue should be enclosed within quotation marks. Each new line of dialogue is indented, and a new paragraph should be started every time a new person is speaking. It should be concise. Long, wordy passages of dialogue might seem like a good way to get information across, but they can be tedious for the reader.

How do you quote multiple short paragraphs?

Use a colon in your text leading up to the block quote, unless other or no punctuation is needed. Include parenthetical citation outside of the punctuation on the final line. If you are citing multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of each new paragraph an extra quarter-inch.

How do you write an interrupted sentence?

We can disrupt a sentence by adding an interruptor, a nonessential word, phrase, or dependent clause. In some cases we can even interrupt with an independent clause. We use a pair of commas, a pair of em dashes, or a pair of parentheses to set off the interruption midsentence.

What are the rules for writing dialogue?

Here are the main rules for writing dialogue:

• Each speaker gets a new paragraph.
• Each paragraph is indented.
• Punctuation for what’s said goes inside the quotation marks.
• Long speeches with several paragraphs don’t have end quotations.
• Use single quotes if the person speaking is quoting someone else.

How do you separate dialogue in a paragraph?

Multiple paragraphs of dialogue But if a character speaks for more than a few sentences at a time, you might want to split their dialogue into multiple paragraphs. To do this: Start each subsequent paragraph with an opening quotation mark; and. ONLY use a closing quotation mark on the final paragraph.

Why do authors not use quotation marks?

For many years, certain writers have opted not to use quotation marks, most notably James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Cormac McCarthy, E.L. Others claim that it’s the writer’s intent to blur the lines between dialogue and description, allowing the reader to develop their own meaning from the text.

How do you quote multiple sentences?

A longer quotation might span multiple sentences. Use four ellipsis points (rather than three) to indicate any omission between two sentences. The first point indicates the period at the end of the first sentence quoted, and the three spaced ellipsis points follow.

How do you in text cite multiple lines?

For quotations that are more than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, place quotations in a free-standing block of text and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, with the entire quote indented 1/2 inch from the left margin while maintaining double-spacing.

How do you write interrupted dialogue?

Dialogue interrupted by dialogue tag Dialogue can be interrupted by a tag and then resume in the same sentence. Commas go inside the first set of quotation marks and after the dialogue tag (or action). “He loved you,” she said, “but you didn’t care.”

How do you write dialogue interrupted by action?

Mini Lesson: Punctuating Interrupted Dialogue

1. Use a speech verb with a modifier.
2. Use an em dash inside the quotation marks to cut off the character mid-dialogue, usually with either (A) another character speaking or (B) an external action.