TransWikia.com

Is it grammatical to have a continued description?

English Language & Usage Asked by marigolds on December 27, 2020

I told him, “Sure I would,” and left.

Not sure what the technical term for this is, but I see it basically as the equivalent of continued dialogue. Can I do this?

One Answer

Reference: Self-Publishing School: Written Dialogue Examples

Yes, the format you have used is correct.

When adding dialogue, you separate it from the initial clause with a comma outside of the quotes--outside because it's not part of what was said:

I told him, "Sure...

Note that the first letter of the first word of the dialogue is capitalized.

When adding additional detail, you add a comma inside the quotes and then add the detail outside the quotes. This only applies to commas. You should not omit other punctuation that adds meaning or clarity to the sentence, such as an exclamation point or question mark:

..."Sure I would," and left.

Note that the first letter of the first word after the dialogue is lowercase, no matter the punctuation that ends the dialogue, so long as the dialogue doesn't end with an action verb.

Answered by Jordan Stubblefield on December 27, 2020

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP