Asked by: Sherry Jones

Do you capitalize a word after a comma in dialogue?

A comma is used before the dialogue tag and goes INSIDE quotation marks. Unless the dialogue tag begins with a proper noun, it is not capitalized.

Do you have to capitalize dialogue?

Dialogue always starts with a capital letter, unless a sentence is interrupted by a tag or action and the same sentence then continues. In this case, use lower case to continue the dialogue. (See example 4). Dialogue tags are also known as attributions.

How do you correctly punctuate a dialogue?

Dialogue is punctuated by quotation marks to show when it begins and ends. Dialogue will usually include a dialogue tag to describe who is speaking. You would then use common punctuation marks within the quotation marks, such as commas, periods, question marks and exclamation points.

Do you capitalize after a comma?

When writing a sentence that is separated by a comma, you would only capitalize the first word after the comma if it were a proper noun.

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.

Do you capitalize after an ellipsis in dialogue?

The rule of thumb for ellipses is if the second part of speech is a continuation of what was being said before the ellipses, you don’t capitalize. If the second part of what’s being said is its own sentence, you do capitalize.

How do you punctuate dialogue in the middle of a sentence?

If the dialogue tag is inserted in the middle of a sentence, use a comma before the first closing quotation mark and after the dialogue tag. Lowercase the dialogue tag.

What are six rules for capitalizing words in English?

English Capitalization Rules:

• Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence. …
• Capitalize Names and Other Proper Nouns. …
• Don’t Capitalize After a Colon (Usually) …
• Capitalize the First Word of a Quote (Sometimes) …
• Capitalize Days, Months, and Holidays, But Not Seasons. …
• Capitalize Most Words in Titles.

What are the 10 rules of capitalization?

What are the 10 rules of capitalization?

• Capitalize the first word of a sentence. …
• Capitalize proper nouns and names. …
• Capitalize the majority of titles. …
• Capitalize events and periods. …
• Capitalize “I” as a pronoun. …
• Capitalize any locations and direct addresses. …
• Capitalize family relationships.

What are the 20 rules of capitalization?

20 Rules of Capitalization

• The first letter of a sentence. …
• The letter I.
• Titles. …
• The names of people. …
• Gods, religious figures and holy works should be capitalized, although when describing a group of gods you need only capitalize the region or name of the pantheon and not the non-specific use of the word gods.

Do you always capitalize the first word in dialogue?

When writing dialogue, only capitalize the first letter of a word to indicate the end of the sentence. There may be times when you end the quote with punctuation that would normally require the next word to be capitalized, such as an exclamation point or question mark.

How do you punctuate dialogue in the middle of a sentence?

If the dialogue tag is inserted in the middle of a sentence, use a comma before the first closing quotation mark and after the dialogue tag. Lowercase the dialogue tag.

How do you use commas and quotation marks in dialogue?

Rule #1: Use Quote Marks and Commas

Surround your dialogue with quotation marks and end it with a comma before the last quote mark. End with the dialogue tag to identify the speaker. “This is my favorite dress,” said Sally. “I put your keys on top of the dresser,” Mark insisted.

When should punctuation be outside of quotation marks?

In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said. Peter, however, didn’t believe him. “I’m not sure that’s exactly what happened.”