Dialogue Punctuation

Punctuation for dialogue is something that beginner writers often get wrong.

When the dialogue tag forms part of a sentence, you should use a comma after the speech, close the quote marks, and use a lower case letter for the tag.

“You drove me to it,” he said.

Notice that in the examples below a lower case letter is used even when it follows a question mark or exclamation mark. This is because the tag is part of the sentence, not separate to it.

“How could you?” she asked.
“You’re an idiot!” he yelled.

However, when no tag follows the dialogue you should use a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark to finish the speech and then close the quote marks.

“How could you?”
“Easily, you drove me to it.”
“You’re an idiot!”

When dialogue continues after the tag, but is still part of the same sentence, a comma is used, with a lower case letter starting the next section of dialogue.

“There are times,” she said, “when I could murder you.”

When dialogue continues after the tag, but is NOT part of the same sentence, a full stop is used, with a capital letter starting the next section of dialogue.

“I don’t understand you,” he said. “What on earth did you think you were doing?”

Avoid using unnecessary adverbs with dialogue tags:

• He whispered softly – is there any other way to whisper?
• She shouted loudly – again, is there any other way to shout?
• “Sit there and don’t move.” That sentence is clearly a command so there is no need to add: she ordered, commanded, or insisted.

	This article is taken from The Writer's ABC Checklist, co-written by Lorraine Mace and Maureen Vincent-Northam. The guidebook is written with all budding writers in mind, to help them present works that end up in the shortlist, not the shredder. Information is presented in a concise A - Z format, and unfamiliar terms are explained, taking the novice through each step in the submission process.