Do NowDo Now

• In your notebook, answer the In your notebook, answer the following questions:following questions:– What is the climax in a story?What is the climax in a story?

• What did you think the climax was in What did you think the climax was in Homeless BirdHomeless Bird??

– What is theme?What is theme?• What did you think the theme was in What did you think the theme was in

Homeless Bird?Homeless Bird?

Dialogue ConventionsDialogue Conventions

I walked into the room. Mary was there. She asked, “What are you doing?” I said, “I just came in to see if you wanted to start dinner.” “I already ate before I came home.” I said, “Well, will you help me anyway?” “No.” I asked her, “Why not?” She screamed, “Because I already ate! What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave,” I said. “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

When writing dialogueWhen writing dialogue

• Write it as realistically as possibleWrite it as realistically as possible• Make it clear who is speaking Make it clear who is speaking • Do not give too much information in Do not give too much information in

dialogue.dialogue.• Keep the conversation moving.Keep the conversation moving.• Make it as easy to read as possible.Make it as easy to read as possible.

Rules of punctuating Rules of punctuating dialoguedialogue

• Start a new paragraph when a new Start a new paragraph when a new person speaks person speaks

• Use quotation marks to surround all Use quotation marks to surround all spoken words spoken words

• Use speaker tags to show who is talkingUse speaker tags to show who is talking• Use proper end marks.Use proper end marks.• End-marks go inside the quotes.End-marks go inside the quotes.

Using End-marksUsing End-marks

Use a comma if the dialogue is a Use a comma if the dialogue is a statement and there is a speaker tag statement and there is a speaker tag following.following.

Example:Example:

““Welcome home,” she said, Welcome home,” she said, stepping forward to take his hand.stepping forward to take his hand.

When a speaker tag When a speaker tag interrupts the speech...interrupts the speech...

Use a comma on either side.Use a comma on either side.

““I can’t believe,” she said, “that I can’t believe,” she said, “that you are finally here.”you are finally here.”

Use a period...Use a period...

If no speaker tag follows the:If no speaker tag follows the:

““Welcome home.” She stepped Welcome home.” She stepped forward to take his hand.forward to take his hand.

““Thank you.” He offered his own Thank you.” He offered his own hand in return.hand in return.

When a question mark or When a question mark or exclamation point is used...exclamation point is used...

• Follow with a lowercase letter if a Follow with a lowercase letter if a speaker tag is used.speaker tag is used.

• Use a capital if it goes right into Use a capital if it goes right into action.action.

““It has been so long!” It has been so long!” she exclaimed.she exclaimed.

“Hasn’t it?” Her hand “Hasn’t it?” Her hand was warm in his own as he was warm in his own as he smiled down at her.smiled down at her.

Example:

I walked into the room. Mary was there.She asked, “What are you doing?” “I just came in to see if you wanted to start dinner.”“I already ate before I came home.” “Well, will you help me anyway?” “No.” I asked her, “Why not?” “Because I already ate!” she screamed. “What’s

wrong with you?”“Nothing,” I said. “I’m going to leave.” “Fine,” she said, and went back to looking at the TV. I left the room.

Let’s try it!Let’s try it!

He came to Phaethon and said, “Listen to me, son. You are about to start a terrible journey. Now, by the obedience you owe me as a son, by the faith you owe a god, by my oath that cannot be broken, and your pride that will not bend, I put this rule upon you: Keep the middle way. Too high and the earth will freeze, too low and it will burn. Keep the middle way. Give the horses their heads; they know the path, the blue middle course of day. Drive them not too high nor too low, but above all, do not stop. Or you will fire the air about you where you stand, charring the earth and blistering the sky. Do you heed me?”

“I do, I do!” cried Phaethon. “Stand away, sire! The dawn grows old and day must begin! Go, horses, go!”

And Apollo stood watching as the horses of the sun went into a swinging trot, pulling behind them the golden chariot, climbing the first eastern steep of the sky.

You do!You do!

• Read the first two pages of chapter 5 of After Tupac and D Foster. In your group, write down the most important piece of dialogue on the board in black. After, circle or underline the conventions we discussed in another color.