Punctuation Question

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  • #26320
    Daeus
    @daeus
      • Rank: Chosen One
      • Total Posts: 4238

      Hi everyone,

      I got a punctuation question for any punctuation geniuses. How do you punctuate dialogue that’s in the middle of a sentence without any direct attribution? I’ve always done not punctuation, but I’m not sure if that’s right. Here’s an example.

      Mrs. Fletcher gave a touching โ€œWell nowโ€ฆโ€ when she saw him that sounded almost like a purr.

      ๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข

      #26321
      Kate Flournoy
      @kate-flournoy
        • Rank: Chosen One
        • Total Posts: 3976

        *is suddenly smitten with doubt in everything she’s ever learned as she realizes she doesn’t know*

        Snapper
        @dragon-snapper
          • Rank: Chosen One
          • Total Posts: 3515


          @daeus
          I looked up in this super awesome grammar book I have… you are correct. YAYAYAY! I don’t think that the Well is capitalized, however.

          โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€ ENFP โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€

          #26334
          Louise Fowler
          @perfectfifths
            • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
            • Total Posts: 726

            @daeus @dragon-snapper, yes, having no punctuation there looks right, but, not to question you or anything, Snapper, I think that the “Well” would be capitalised seeing as it’s the beginning of a sentence of dialogue for the character. I could be wrong, but there’s my two cents ๐Ÿ˜‰ ๐Ÿ˜›

            Currently reading Les Miserables

            #26335
            Ingrid
            @ingridrd
              • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
              • Total Posts: 830

              @daeus
              I believe you have it written correctly. This has always been a point of confusion for me too, but I’m fairly certain that the dialogue should be capitalized and surrounded with quotations. ๐Ÿ™‚

              A dreamer who believes in the impossible...and dragons. (INFJ-T)

              #26336
              Snapper
              @dragon-snapper
                • Rank: Chosen One
                • Total Posts: 3515

                @perfectfifths @daeus @ingridrd This is what grammarbook.com says. Exact quote:

                Rule 2b. Do not capitalize quoted material that continues a sentence.
                Example: Lamarr said that the case was “far from over” and that “we will win.”

                โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€ ENFP โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€

                #26337
                Daeus
                @daeus
                  • Rank: Chosen One
                  • Total Posts: 4238

                  Ah. Well then. There you have it.

                  ๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข๐Ÿข

                  #26338
                  Louise Fowler
                  @perfectfifths
                    • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                    • Total Posts: 726

                    @dragon-snapper Yeah, I kinda figured I was wrong ๐Ÿ˜› Thanks for the clarification – this will be handy for all of us to know! ๐Ÿ˜€

                    Currently reading Les Miserables

                    #26340
                    Snapper
                    @dragon-snapper
                      • Rank: Chosen One
                      • Total Posts: 3515

                      @perfectfifths Well, I didn’t know either, so yeah…thanks google. ๐Ÿ˜›

                      โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€ ENFP โ˜€ โ˜€ โ˜€

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