Using Dialogue In Writing

How to Use Dialogue

in Your Writing

Yay!! First you
need to know a

few things...

Ready to use
dialogue?

You use dialogue when
someone is speaking!

When they say anything.

You use dialogue when
someone is speaking!

When they say anything.

When they make sounds.

You use dialogue when
someone is speaking!

You use dialogue when
someone is speaking!

When they say anything.

When they make sounds.

When the character is thinking aloud.

Hmmm...

what should

I do?

Quotation marks
go around the
spoken words.

I am so excited
to start working

on a new
project!

Carlos' excitement was noticeable from across the room. He jumped

up and nearly yelled, "I am so excited to start working on a new project!"

Laughter filled the room. Everyone was so happy for Carlos!

Quotation marks
go around the
spoken words.

"Hello," Callie said. "How are you

doing today?"

Keep punctuation

inside the

quotation marks.

"Hi Jose," Callie said. "How are you today?"

"Hey!" Jose answered. "I'm great!"

Jackie walked up to both of them and yelled out, "Yo! Callie!

How are ya?"

Start a new
paragraph for each
new speaker.

Always capitalize the first word in your

quotation marks! UNLESS it's a

continuation of a sentence.

Should you
capitalize?

"I didn't see the circus when it was

in town," Mrs. Fedler said, "but I sure

wish I had."

Should you
capitalize?

Not capitalized
because it's a

continuation of the

sentence!

Is your character
thinking?
I wish I

could fly!

I wish I

could fly!

Their thoughts go inside

quotation marks, too!

Maria thought, "I wish I could fly!"

and pretended to soar through the

clouds in her cardboard box.

Using dialogue is
fun and exciting!

Hi!

Go

ahead!!

Try
it!

It gets
easier!

You'll
love

it!

Yay!