Many writers stumble over proper punctuation for dialogue. Rules of punctuation help ensure that readers easily understand what is happening in the story. This is essential in dialogue, where the wrong punctuation can confuse the reader by making it unclear which character is saying what.
Dialogue Tags are Part of the Sentence
Dialogue tags follow a piece of dialogue to indicate who said it. The most common tags are “he said” or “she said.” Because these tags are part of the sentence begun by the dialogue, they do not need to be capitalized; e.g., “It’s pretty hot in here,” she said. The comma at the end of the dialogue indicates the sentence continues until the period.
Dialogue always ends with some punctuation before the closing quotation mark. This is usually a comma, but even if the dialogue closes with a question mark or exclamation point, the dialogue tag is not capitalized; e.g., “Why is it so hot in here?” she said. The sentence still ends at the period.
If the dialogue tag comes before the dialogue, then the comma should be at the end of the tag; e.g., She said, “Can you please get me some coffee?” The sentence of dialogue must still be capitalized; it could stand on its own, without the dialogue tag, so must be complete in itself.
Each Line of Dialogue Needs a New Paragraph
Each time a character speaks, that dialogue needs a new paragraph. Even if the character says only a few words, the other character’s response to that dialogue goes in a new paragraph. This helps writers by eliminating dialogue tags, thus conserving words and creating a smoother read for the reader.
For example, Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants” is mostly dialogue between a man and a woman. The first lines clearly show who is speaking:
"What should we drink?" the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.
"It's pretty hot," the man said. "Let's drink beer."
"Dos cervezas," the man said into the curtain.
"Big ones?" a woman asked from the doorway.
"Yes. Two big ones."
Each time a new character speaks, there is a new paragraph. A new paragraph is also used to indicate that the man is now speaking to the waitress, rather than to the woman at his table.
Eliminate Dialogue Tags When Possible
Dialogue tags should be used sparingly. One or two tags at the start of the conversation show who the speakers are; after that, each new paragraph indicates the other person is speaking and the tags become unnecessary. Further in “Hills Like White Elephants,” we see just the man and woman sitting at the table talking:
"You started it," the girl said. "I was being amused. I was having a fine time."
"Well, let's try and have a fine time."
"All right. I was trying. I said the mountains looked like white elephants. Wasn't that bright?"
"That was bright."
Because we know there are only two characters, and the girl has the first line of dialogue, the reader assumes a back-and-forth rhythm to the dialogue and needs no further tags to understand who is speaking. This makes the dialogue more real; the reader hears it in his head as if he were hearing it spoken.
If a story contains dialogue between three or more characters, then tags are generally necessary. Rather than constantly using “he said” or “she said,” the writer can use actions to indicate who has spoken. For example, in Hemingway’s story, the first sentence could read, “’What should we drink?’ The girl had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” Because her action immediately follows the dialogue, we understand the dialogue belongs to her. Using actions during dialogue helps the reader picture what the characters are doing while they talk, thus creating richer characters.
Read to Understand Dialogue Punctuation
Finally, as Marg McAllister suggests, “Any writer who finds punctuation of dialogue to be difficult should take some time to study published books.” As you read, note how the dialogue is punctuated, what sorts of dialogue tags the author uses, and how you know which person is speaking when. If the dialogue is confusing, ask yourself why it is confusing and try to fix the punctuation to eliminate that confusion.
If you struggle with dialogue, tack a brief list of tips, such as Suzanne Pitner’s “Five Grammar Rules for Correct Punctuation when Writing Dialogue,” next to your computer for easy reference while writing.
Bonnie Way - Bonnie Way is a freelance writer and editor who works from home while chasing her two daughters.
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