Playwriting 101: Dialogue Techniques

What is the main goal of ensuring each character has a unique voice in dialogue?

• To make the play more complex

• To make the dialogue longer

• To help actors remember their lines

• To ensure characters are distinguishable by their speech

How can sentence length be used to differentiate characters?

• By using only short sentences

• By avoiding long sentences

• By using the same sentence length for all characters

• By varying the length of sentences each character uses

What should you consider about a character's vocabulary?

• Whether they use big or simple words

• Whether they use only technical terms

• If they avoid using any vocabulary

• If they use the same words as other characters

How can swearing be used to differentiate characters?

• By making all characters swear equally

• By varying the frequency and choice of swear words

• By avoiding swearing altogether

• By using the same swear words for all characters

What are catchphrases useful for in character dialogue?

• To make dialogue shorter

• To give characters a unique way of speaking

• To confuse the audience

• To make the play more formal

How can filler words add to a character's personality?

• By making their speech more natural

• By making their speech more formal

• By making their speech less understandable

• By avoiding any pauses

What does the style of dialogue in a play refer to?

• The number of characters

• The visual elements of the play

• The poetic or simple nature of the dialogue

• The length of the play

How can punctuation be creatively used in playwriting?

• By using only commas and periods

• By ignoring punctuation altogether

• By strictly following standard English rules

• By using punctuation to indicate pauses and intonation

What does an ellipsis (dot dot dot) indicate in dialogue?

• A character is whispering

• A character is asking a question

• A character has trailed off or paused

• A character is shouting

What does the stage direction 'a moment' signify?

• A brief pause with no significance

• A change in scene

• A long silence with no action

• A specific exchange of emotion or information