I have this whole idea in my head about Eridian pronouns working on the basis of 'relative closeness to the person speaking" rather than being based on gender.
Eg there's no he/she/they (for conscious beings - they likely have a separate pronoun for inanimate objects, or living beings that aren't conscious) Instead Eridian's use; stranger, acquaintance, leader, boss, co-worker, friend, partner, direct family relation, relation through marriage, ect. So in casual conversation it's like:
Grace: "Hey Rock, how was your meeting today? :]"
Rocky: "Meeting good! Mary very pleased with biodome lights review from Grace, leader very proud of work. Wave worker Terrance discover issue in programming, when lights off waves also off. Worker need more time to fix, much, much, much effort to fix! Rocky say calm down, Grace not going near waves when light down anyway!" Rocky chitters when Grace flicks his xenonite suit playfully.
"Yeah, cos I'd be asleep." Grace rolls his eyes pointedly.
"Sleep so much... Follow up, how Grace day?"
"Good, Ally came by to do my monthly check up... I've noticed there was a different doctor every time, until I said I liked Ally and now doctor's the only one I get- Wonder who organised that, huh?"
"Rocky not know what Grace mean. Continue day?" Rocky says innocently.
Grace just shakes his head fondly at Rocky's protectiveness.
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โHow do you format dialogue?โ the girl asked. โHow do you know whether to use periods or commas?โ
โWell,โ her teacher began, โyou consider whether something is a dialogue tagโโ
โWhatโs a dialogue tag?โ
Her teacher smiled and said, โA dialogue tag informs the reader who is speaking. It can come either before or after the dialogue itself, but it is not a complete sentence in its own right.โ
(Reader, you will notice three dialogue tags have appeared thus far: โshe asked,โ โher teacher said,โ and โHer teacher smiled and said,โ and the first two werenโt capitalized because they were continuations of the dialogue itself, sort of like how this bit of text after the comma is a continuation of this very sentence. The third example, by contrast, was capitalized because the dialogue tag began the sentence, then segued into the dialogue afterward.)
โI seeโฆโ The girl nodded, gaze casting downward as she considered what sheโd learned.
โThat, however, was an action tag.โ
The girlโs brows scrunched together. โAn action tag?โ
โMm-hmm. Action tags describe an action the speaker takes or perhaps an internal thought the speaker has, but, unlike dialogue tags, they are sentences in their own right.โ The teacher paused, perhaps for emphasis, perhaps simply to let the girl process the new information. โThey do not get connected to dialogue with commas.โ
(Reader, once again youโll notice that three action tags appeared in the prior section: one following dialogue, one preceding dialogue, and one sandwiched in the middle of dialogue. Note the lack of commas.)
โHmm, okay. But what aboutโโ The girl couldnโt recall the correct term and her question abruptly died on her tongue.
โEm dashes?โ her teacher supplied, a knowing grin curving her lips.
โYes! Yes, how do youโโthe girl mimed as though she was grabbing a ballโโplace them appropriately?โ
Her teacher shrugged. โIt depends on their function.โ
โCan youโโ the girl started.
โGive an example?โ her teacher finished.
The girl nodded.
Once again, her teacher smiled. โI believe you, my dear, already have.โ
(Reader, youโll note that em dashes can be used to transition into both action tags and dialogue tags. If an action tag temporarily interrupts dialogue, as with the second example in this section, the structure is: โDialogueโโaction tagโโcontinued dialogue.โ No commas, no capitalization.)
โI think,โ the girl said somewhat petulantly, her hands coming to roost on her hips, โthat youโre just making all of this up.โ
Her teacher sighed. โWould that I were.โ After some rustling, her teacher produced a link to a professional editorโs blog. โBut I fear these rules come from The Chicago Manual of Style itself.โ
โWhatโs The Chicago Manual of Style?โ the girl asked.
A hollow laugh caught in the teacherโs throat. โFor those of us writing in American English, it is both our guide and our shackle.โ
โSounds limiting,โ the girl mused.
โIt can be,โ her teacher agreed. โBut following established grammar rules can also make it easier for our readers to accurately interpret our stories, and there is something magical about being able to use these small symbolsโlittle marks here and thereโto make our voices rise off the page in precisely the way we intended.โ
Writing conventions are used to maintain clarity and understanding for the reader. That being said, conventions are not rules and some writers choose to subvert them. Whether learning conventions to use them or ignore them, being intentional and aware is ideal.
Either single or double quotation marks can be used for dialogue. Whichever you choose, the other can be used for quotes within dialogue. This is why consistency is non-negotiable.
Typically, the UK uses single quotation marks, double for quotes within the dialogue. Whereas the USA uses the opposite.
'The book states that, "British English uses single quotes",' she said.
"It goes on to say, 'American English uses double quotes'," he responded.
In the case of dialogue, punctuation should never come immediately after quotation marks. If a tag precedes the dialogue, punctuation will come before the quotation marks. Quotation marks for dialogue cannot be closed without punctuation.
He penned a note in the margin: 'Punctuation before quote marks. It's not an essay, it's a story!'
An action tag is a sentence that goes alongside dialogue and explains an action that is distinct from speaking. For example :
'I think this it right." She frowned.
A dialogue tag is a phrase that refers to producing speech. It described the dialogue directly (said, screamed, whispered, etc.). For example :
'I think this is right,' she muttered.
She muttered, 'I think this is right.'
Dialogue tags cannot be stand-alone sentences; a comma should always join the speech and dialogue tag together.
Action tags, on the other hand, are always stand-alone sentences. They are separate from the dialogue.
Incorrect capitalisation in dialogue tends to happen due to misidentifying the start and end of sentences. The first word of dialogue, for example, is always capitalised (even when it is preceded by a dialogue tag).
He shouted, 'See! Just like this.'
If dialogue is bisected by a tag, the second section of dialogue is only capitalised if it marks the start of a speaker's sentence.
'No need to shout,' she drawled. 'We get the idea.'
'I'll shout,' he yelled, 'whenever I bloody want to.'
'Action tags always need capitalisation,' someone whispered, 'because they're stand-alone sentences.' The shadowy figure slunk away, leaving the pair to argue.
Question marks and exclamation marks do not mark the end of a spoken sentence. They indicate the tone. Dialogue tags must be in lowercase following any of these.
'Like this?' she asked.
'I don't know!' he exclaimed.
๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฑ๐๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ซ๐ฐ
When citing something, only the quoted material should be inside the quotation marks. If this explicitly includes punctuation, keep it within the quotation marks, if not, leave it out. For example :
He read the post, 'Dialogue : Rules and Conventions'.
The poster wrote, 'consistency is non-negotiable.'
Quotations should never deviate from the source material, and remain as faithful as possible to the original words/punctuation/spelling. Adding or subtracting should never happen.
Indirect dialogue is when the narrator paraphrases what a speaker has said. It should not have any quotation marks, and a new paragraph is not necessary (though some prefer for readability). For example :
He mentioned something about streams and consciousness. She couldn't remember his exact words.
Both external and internal indirect dialogue have the same rules.
Direct internal dialogue refers to the characters exact thoughts as opposed to their spoken words. The grammatical rules are almost interchangeable with those of external dialogue, thus, the main 'rule' is about distinction.
Some use italics, some use alternative quotation marks (single if using double for regular dialogue). Be consistent with whichever is chosen! For example :
Nobody knows what I'm thinking, she mused. Unless mind readers exist, of course.
In dialogue, an em dash indicates an interruption, whereas an ellipsis suggests the speaker trailing off.
Em dashes indicate an interruption of dialogue. They are placed immediately after the speaker's last word, inside the quotation marks.
'You mean likeโ'
'Yeah, just like that,' he interjected, before entering the office.
'โtuning in as well.' His secretary's head swung round as the door opened.
Dialogue can also be interrupted by the speaker's own actions. When this happens, the em dashes surround the action and sit outside the quotation marks. This should not be treated like a dialogue tag!
'Okay' โshe scratched her headโ 'I think I've got it.'
๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ค๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฐ
A new paragraph is needed:
When there is a change in speaker.
When a different character becomes the focus (this could be through action, consideration, speech, etc.).
One speaker's dialogue can have several paragraphs. Here, an opening quotation mark is assigned to the beginning of each new paragraph. However, there remains only one closing quotation mark at the end of the speaker's dialogue.
Within a section of dialogue, a new paragraph is needed:
If the intended recipient(s) of the dialogue changes part way through.
If there is a shift (this could be in theme, focus, direction, etc.). Paragraphing like this is quite intuitive, keep in mind that it's intended to create readability and understanding.
A new paragraph is not necessary:
To separate a character's actions right before their dialogue. If the character and the pacing is consistent, there's no need for a new line.
If dialogue is followed by the speaker's actions.
To switch between the speaker's internal and external dialogue.
English Comma Rules List. How to Use Commas in English. Learn the most important English comma rules with practical examples. This guide is perfect for students and English learners who want to improve their grammar and writing clarity.
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Aww, baby writer? Why are you sad? Oh?? You don't know how to use advanced punctuation, and that upsets you? Well, allow me to let you in on some wisdom:
*lights loudly clunk off, and a single, directional spotlight illuminates me*
*with madness in my eyes, I forcefully lurch forward and grip onto your hands in what is meant to be a friendly, reassuring gesture (it is anything but that)*
I DON'T KNOW EITHER!
I DON'T!
I'VE NEVER MADE BELOW A 90 ON A SINGLE ESSAY I'VE EVER WRITTEN IN MY ENTIRE ACADEMIC CAREER, AND I STILL DON'T KNOW!
GRAMMAR RULES BE DAMNED! IT'S JUST A VIBE! YOU JUST SUDDENLY START FEELING WHERE ADVANCED PUNCTUATION GOES ONCE YOU LEARN WHAT IT MEANS, AND YOU JUST START USING IT! IT'S LIKE A SIXTH SENSE!!
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW IF IT ACTUALLY GOES THERE, BUT THE GRAMMAR DEMON IN YOUR MIND IS TELLING YOU TO PUT IT THERE, SO YOU LISTEN. YOU LISTEN SO GOOD!! YOU APPEASE HIM! IS HE CORRECT??? YOU DON'T KNOW! YOU NEVER WILL!!
QUICK! PUT A SEMICOLON! A COLON! AN EM DASH! SOMETHING!!!! ANYTHING!!!! HE'S COMING!!!!!!!
Iโve been an English tutor for nearly 6 years, so Iโm gonna help yโall with some basic grammar rules. Feel free to ask questions about anything you might like to know.
