Using Modifiers

Using Modifiers in Dialogue

Multiple Choice

Which of the following options best incorporates this quote?

"He is already dead, stabbed with / a white wench's black eye, run through the ear with a / love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind / bow-boy's butt-shaft — and is he a man to encounter / Tybalt?" (II, iv, 12-16).

• Mercutio believes that Romeo's love for Rosaline has weakened him. He tells Benvolio, "He is already dead, stabbed with / a white wench's black eye, run through the ear with a / love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind / bow-boy's butt-shaft — and is he a man to encounter / Tybalt?" (II, iv, 12-16).

• Mercutio believes that Romeo's love for Rosaline has weakened him. "He is already dead, stabbed with / a white wench's black eye, run through the ear with a / love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind / bow-boy's butt-shaft — and is he a man to encounter / Tybalt?" (II, iv, 12-16).

• In Act II, scene iv, Mercutio: "He is already dead, stabbed with / a white wench's black eye, run through the ear with a / love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind / bow-boy's butt-shaft — and is he a man to encounter / Tybalt?" (12-16).

• Romeo is weakened by his love for Rosaline. "He is already dead, stabbed with / a white wench's black eye, run through the ear with a / love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind / bow-boy's butt-shaft — and is he a man to encounter / Tybalt?" (II, iv, 12-16).

What is a modifier?

When using textual evidence, a modifier is a phrase before the evidence that provides important information about the evidence to help the evidence make sense in context.

Ex. Juliet says, "If he be marrièd, / My grave is like to be my wedding bed (I, v, 133-134).

What is a modifier?

Sometimes, the modifier can include other information as well.

Ex. After he stops the fighting between the Montagues and the Capulets, Prince Escalus decrees, "If ever you disturb our streets again, / Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace" (I, i, 91-92).

How do I format modifiers?

After the character's name and verb, add (in order):
Comma
Space
First quotation mark

Ex. Romeo says, "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?" (II, ii, 2).

Drag and Drop

Drag and drop the correctly formatted comma, space, and quotation mark into the following modifier: Juliet says

Placeholder

If, in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, / Do thou but call my resolution wise, / And with this knife I'll help it presently" (IV, i, 52-54)

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

"

,

,"

, "

Drag and Drop

Drag and drop the correctly formatted comma, space, and quotation mark into the following modifier: When the nurse criticizes Romeo, Juliet retorts

Placeholder

Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?" (III, ii, 97).

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

"

,

,"

, "

Drag and Drop

Drag and drop the correctly formatted comma, space, and quotation mark into the following modifier: After Tybalt is killed, Lord Capulet has a change of heart. After initially telling Paris that he would need Juliet's consent and approval for marriage, Lord Capulet now tells Paris

Placeholder

I think she will be ruled / In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not" (III, iv, 13-14).

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

"

,

,"

, "

How do you write a modifier?

The best modifiers are written just like dialogue in a narrative essay! In a play, this is easy. Just use the character's name and a dialogue verb.

"Says" is fine, but you can sometimes use more specific options such as "cautions," "scolds," or "retorts."

Romeo says...
Friar Lawrence cautions...
Lord Capulet yells...

What about the citation?

Avoid stating the Act and scene numbers in the modifier unless it is relevant to the point you are making. Instead, include them in a citation after the quote and before the punctuation.

Citation: (Act Roman numeral, scene Roman numeral, line number).
Ex. A citation for a quote from Act 2, scene 2, lines 38-49 would be (II, ii, 38-49).

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

• In the text, it says, "To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

• Tybalt says, "To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

• Shakespeare says, "To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

• "To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"So smile the heavens upon this holy act, / That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!" (II, vi, 1-2).

• In the text, it says, "So smile the heavens upon this holy act, / That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!" (II, vi, 1-2).

• Shakespeare says, "To strike him dead I hold it not a sin" (I, v, 58).

• Friar Lawrence says, "So smile the heavens upon this holy act, / That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!" (II, vi, 1-2).

• Friar Lawrence cautions, "So smile the heavens upon this holy act, / That after-hours with sorrow chide us not!" (II, vi, 1-2).

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"It is an honor that I dream not of" (I, iii, 68).

• In the text, it says, "It is an honor that I dream not of" (I, iii, 68).

• Juliet says, "It is an honor that I dream not of" (I, iii, 68).

• Juliet responds, "It is an honor that I dream not of" (I, iii, 68).

• Shakespeare tells us, "It is an honor that I dream not of" (I, iii, 68).

It depends on when the events are happening!
Abraham Lincoln said...
The president says...

NONFICTION: Write in past or present tense.

Friar Lawrence cautions...
Romeo cries...
The Nurse teases...

FICTION: Write in present tense.

Says vs. Said?

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"Why the devil / came you between us? I was hurt under your arm" (III, i, 191-102).

• Mercutio said, "Why the devil / came you between us? I was hurt under your arm" (III, i, 191-102).

• Mercutio says, "Why the devil / came you between us? I was hurt under your arm" (III, i, 191-102).

• Mercutio scolded, "Why the devil / came you between us? I was hurt under your arm" (III, i, 191-102).

• Mercutio scolds, "Why the devil / came you between us? I was hurt under your arm" (III, i, 191-102).

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"And for that offense / Immediately we do exile him hence" (III, i, 185-186).

• In the text, it says, "And for that offense / Immediately we do exile him hence" (III, i, 185-186).

• Shakespeare said, "And for that offense / Immediately we do exile him hence" (III, i, 185-186).

• Prince Escalus says, "And for that offense / Immediately we do exile him hence" (III, i, 185-186).

• Prince Escalus said, "And for that offense / Immediately we do exile him hence" (III, i, 185-186).

Multiple Choice

Select the strongest modifier for the textual evidence.

"An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good" (III, v, 192-196).

• Lord Capulet said, "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good" (III, v, 192-196).

• Lord Capulet tells Juliet, "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good" (III, v, 192-196).

• In the text, it says, "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good" (III, v, 192-196).

• Lord Montague says, "An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend; / An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, / For by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee, / Nor what is mine shall never do thee good" (III, v, 192-196).

Open Ended

Correctly write a modifier for the following evidence from Friar Lawrence. If it helps, this is when he leaves Juliet in the tomb alone with Romeo's body. Include the quote.

"Come, go, good Juliet, / I dare no longer stay" (V, iii, 159).