Language Features

Dialogue

Dialogue can develop character, shape

plot, clarify setting and convey theme. The tone of dialogue needs to match the character and the plot point where it is being incorporated.

Tone is created by careful consideration of grammar, vocabulary, sentence type and modality.

Tone in dialogue

“Put your hands in the air and drop to your

knees.”

“We know the Japs are up there somewhere. We move slowly. We play it by the book.”

“It’s tough luck, but it has to be done. We’ve got no choice.”

Task: Identify the tone of the following examples of dialogue:

Avoid cliches Listen to the way people actually speak to

each other Avoid melodrama Use emotion (or the absence of emotion)

purposefully Vary sentence length and choose sentence

type deliberately (simple, compound, complex)

Authenticity in Dialogue

Write an authentic piece of dialogue between

a mother and her 19 year old son, as leaves to go to the Vietnam War as a conscript.

Writing Task:

The first word of direct speech starts with a CAPITAL

LETTER, whether that word is at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.

Place a comma at the end of direct speech if the sentence is not finished. Sometimes a question mark may replace the comma.

Place a COMMA before direct speech if the sentence is not finished.

Use ? Or ! if the tone of the speech suggests this.

Punctuation in Dialogue

If direct speech is broken up, use COMMAS, before and after the break. Take care you don’t use a capital letter to begin the broken bit!

Place a COMMA before the PERSON ADDRESSED.

When lots of sentences are spoken together, use only one set of quotation marks. It would look messy if you used quotation marks around each sentence.

Begin a new line with each new speaker or change in speaker.

VARY your sentences and use words other than ‘said’

Punctuation in Dialogue

You there. Don’t just bloody well stand there gawping. Get that rifle up; shoot the bloody Hun. Shouted Sargeant Corley, angered at the soldier’s inability to respond. Recognition of the soldier filled the Sargeant with more fire. Where have you been, man? Deserter, eh? No Sir answered Jack I was on reconnaissance. A convenient excuse replied the Sargeant but there’s no time to explain now.

Task: Punctuate the following dialogue between a soldier and Sargeant

“You there! Don’t just bloody well stand there gawping! Get that rifle up; shoot the bloody Hun!” shouted Sargeant Corley. Recognition of the soldier filled the Sargeant with more fire. “Where have you been, man? Deserter, eh?” “No, Sir,” answered Jack. “I was on reconnaissance.”

“A convenient excuse,” replied the Sargeant, “but there’s no time to explain now.”

Answer: Punctuation in Dialogue

Proofread your dialogue between the mother

and her son. Make any necessary changes to the dialogue punctuation.

Task