Dialogue

 DIALOGUE

Conversations are powerful.
Use punctuation and powerful verbs to enliven your stories.
What do you notice about the examples below?

“Can I go? Huh, can I?”
“Let me think about it,” Sylvie’s mother said.
“But everyone else is going!  So can I?  Can I?” Sylvie persisted.
“I said,” her mother calmly repeated, “Let me think about it.”
“But mom!”

“Can I go. Huh, can I?”
“Let me think about it…” Sylvie’s mother said.
“But everyone else is going, so can I.  Can I?” Sylvie persisted.
“I said,” her mother calmly repeated, “Let me think about it…”
“But mom?”

“Come on!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” he yelled at his dad.
“Well, speed it up, okay?”
“I am, I am.  I just have to get my jacket and my backpack.”
“Well hurry.  I’m leaving.”
“Wait!. . . “

“Come on…”
“I’m coming!  I’m coming!” he yelled at his dad.
“Well, speed it up, okay…”
“I am!  I am!  I just have to get my jacket and my backpack.”
“Well hurry?  I’m leaving…”
“Wait!“

“Did you hear?” she said.
“Hear? Hear what?” I asked. What on earth was she talking about?
“Everyone is talking about you,” she said smugly. She’d always hated me and she couldn’t resist reminding me at least once a week.
“Oh,” I said and started walking away.  There was no point starting a conversation with her, especially since she probably had started whatever people were saying about me now.
“Don’t you want to know?” she called out behind me.  “It’s really horrible and I thought you might want a chance to defend yourself.”
I didn’t reply.
“Well, I guess it’s true, then,” she called again.  “I guess I’ll let people know it’s true.”
I kept walking.  I learned long ago that there is no point in talking with people who are going to lie about you, anyway.

“Did you hear…” she said.
“Hear? Hear what?” I asked. What on earth was she talking about?
“Everyone is talking about you!” she said smugly. She’d always hated me and she couldn’t resist reminding me at least once a week.
“Oh,” I said and started walking away.  There was no point starting a conversation with her, especially since she probably had started whatever people were saying about me now.
“Don’t you want to know!” she called out behind me.  “It’s really horrible and I thought you might want a chance to defend yourself…”
I didn’t reply.
“Well, I guess it’s true, then.” She called again,  “I guess I’ll let people know it’s true!”
I kept walking.  I learned long ago that there is no point in talking with people who are going to lie about you, anyway.

“Stop it!”
“You can’t make me!”
“Oh, ya?  You want me to show you how I can stop you?  Huh?”
I trudged up the steps onto the bus. It sounded like the ride home was going to be the same as usual. Chaotic.
“Hey, everybody,” the bus driver shouted as I sat down in the second row. “Sit down!  Now! I’ve got something to tell you . . .”

“Stop it.”
“You can’t make me.”
“Oh, ya.  You want me to show you how I can stop you?  Huh?”
I trudged up the steps onto the bus. It sounded like the ride home was going to be the same as usual. Chaotic.
“Hey, everybody?”  The bus driver shouted as I sat down in the second row. “Sit down!  Now I’ve got something to tell you!”

This page may be copied for use with students if the following credit is provided:
©2012 Sophie Rosen.

 

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