Winnie teaches how to punctuate dialogue with quotation marks, commas, and speaker tags. She uses a four-tier framework from basic to advanced, showing examples from her story about Amber and a bully, then asks you to practice writing dialogue correctly.
When people speak, this tells us or gives us some clues as to what the person is thinking or feeling. But what if you were reading a book and you had no idea who was speaking or what they were saying? Hi everyone, this is Winnie or Miss Tang. Here's an example of a piece of text with no punctuation. Punctuation is so important. When we are writing, like writing a story, we want our readers to feel engaged and invested in our characters. We want them to understand when someone is speaking and what they are saying and who is saying it. As the reader and the audience, we are trying to connect with our characters to understand what they are thinking and feeling. This is really important for your reader because it helps them become engaged or more engaged in your story. So it is really important to know or for them to know when there is dialogue so they know when someone is speaking and what they are saying and who is saying it. Today we are learning to use punctuation, for example, quotation marks, to write dialogue. This is because quotation marks tell us the words that are spoken by characters in dialogue, or they are words spoken by someone else. This is our success criteria for today. Good is: Can you use capital letters to show the beginning of the sentence? Can you use a full stop to show the end of the sentence? Great! Is can you use a comma, question mark, exclamation mark, or a full stop to show the end of the sentence spoken by a person or a character? Can you use quotation marks to show the words spoken by a person or the character? Amazing is can you write dialogue using the correct punctuation? And Fabulous is can you write dialogue from multiple people or characters using the correct punctuation and also a new line to show when someone else is speaking? Speaking. This is an example from a narrative that I have written called Amber and the Browbeating Bully, and this is actually a prequel to the book that my friend and I are writing. Here is an example of what a good one looks like. So we have our dialogue punctuation, which will include a capital letter, comma, question marks or exclamation marks, full stop, and quotation marks. How was cheer practice? Called Amber's dad. So you can see that the quotation marks are on either side of that question because that is what Amber's dad is saying. So the question marks are in pink, and we also have a capital letter to show this is the beginning of the sentence. So capital H for how, and then we also have a question mark to show the end of that question. And you can see that at the end of the sentence there, we have a full stop. So we have the words that the character is saying, and then we have who is saying it. So called Amber's dad is the end of that sentence that tells us who is saying it. And then the beginning of the sentence, we have what they are saying. Here we have it switched around. So this time we have a description of who is speaking and what they are doing when they are saying this, and then what they have said at the end. So we've got Elizabeth pumped a fist up in the air and cried, yeah! So we have a capital letter for two reasons. One, because Elizabeth is a name, and also because it's the beginning of a sentence. So we have a capital letter there, and then we also have a comma just before we show the audience what Elizabeth is saying. So we have a comma, and then we have the quotation marks to show what exactly she is saying. So we've got, yeah, and yeah is also in capital letter, and then we also have an exclamation mark. Here we have an example of dialogue and an example of what the character is saying on either side. So we have the description of who is saying it in the middle of the sentence. So you've got, "I think you'd make a good role model," praised Mrs. Robinson. "Just consider it." So we have it split up in between the character. So you've got your quotation marks to show what they are saying, and you also have your capital letter at the beginning and full stop at the end. And you also have your commas as well. So have a look at where the commas are. So they're in between. So you have them before the end of the quotation mark and then also before the end of the beginning. Here is another similar example, but this time we have extra sentences in the dialogue because there's more to what she is saying. So she's saying, "You're a great cheerleader, Amber." Full stop. So that's the first sentence of what she's saying. And then she says, "I think you'd make a good role model," praised Mrs. Robinson. "Just consider it." So remember to include your quotation marks to show what the character is saying, who is saying it, and if they are still continuing their sentence or what they're trying to say, then remember your quotation marks and then also your full stops as well at the end of your sentences. Here you have another example where you can also describe what the character or how the character is saying it. So you have, "That was a great routine, full stop, the best one yet." Those two sentences is what the character Viviana is saying. So you've got your quotation marks on either side and a comma to show that, um, this is what she's saying, but we're trying to tell the audience who and how she's saying it. "Declared Viviana." And then I've also wanted to add in what else is happening as well. So she's declaring it, but her voice echoing through the hall. So this is where I've put some extra bit of information for my readers. That was a great routine. The best one yet, declared Viviana, her voice echoing through the hall. So if you do add in some extra information, just remember to add your comma and then keep going and then a full stop at the end. So this is an example. If you were writing dialogue between two people, just remember to start on a new line for the next character. So you have the first character, Viviana, speaking, and then we have Mrs. Robinson responding underneath. So you start a new line and then you put your quotation marks again. "Thank you, Viviana." We'll stop. "You're very kind," comma, and then end your quotation marks. Beamed Mrs. Robinson, full stop. So remember your full stops at the end of each sentence and also your commas as well. Unless you are putting in a question mark or exclamation mark before the end of your quotation marks, then just remember to put a comma. Okay, now it is your turn. Can you find dialogue in the book that you are reading? Can you write your own dialogue using the correct punctuation. Here is my grammar and punctuation playlist right here. See you in my next video. Bye!
