Interrupted Quotations
(Also Called Divided Quotations)
Quotations
are used in writing to tell the reader that someone
is speaking.
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Sometimes a writer needs to interrupt or divide a quotation.
In
interrupted quotations,
the
speaker tag
comes in the middle of the
quotation and in the middle of the sentence.
The
speaker tag
is the part of the sentence that tells the reader who is talking.
Examples of speaker tags:
- he said
- the boy stated
- exclaimed Mary
- the teacher explained
- asked Bill
First, let us look at some regular quotations with speaker tags.
Here is a regular quotation with the
speaker tag
at the
beginning of the
quoted sentence.
My brother said,
"I need the car today, so I can go to work."
Here is another regular quotation with the
speaker tag
at the
end of the quoted sentence.
"When
you do your math homework tonight, remember to show all of your work,"
explained the
teacher.
We can make both of these sentences into
interrupted
quotations by
putting the
speaker
tag in the
middle
of the quoted sentence.
"I
need the car today," my
brother said, "so I can go to work."
"When
you do your math homework tonight," explained the teacher,
"remember to
show all of your work."
Rules for writing interrupted quotations:
1. Use quotation
marks around both parts of the interrupted quotation
Examples:
- "The
book,"
whispered the librarian, "is on the second shelf by the
wall."
- "When
Mom comes home,"
my sister said, "tell her I'm going to Sandy's house."
2. Quotations are separated from the speaker tag with commas
A)
For the first half of the quotation, put the comma inside the quotation
marks
B)
For the second half of the quotation, put the comma after the speaker tag
Examples:
- "Did you know," asked the teacher, "that salamanders are
amphibians?"
Notice that the first
comma is after the word "know" and inside the quotation
marks.
The second
comma is after the word "teacher" and before the second
set of quotation marks.
- "My love," swooned the man, "will you marry me?"
Notice that the first
comma is after the word "love" and inside the
quotation marks.
The second
comma is after the word "man" and before the second set of
quotation marks.
A)
Capitalize the first word in the
sentence
Examples:
- "Your
dog ran out the door," she said, "because you left it open."
- "My
husband took me out for my birthday, "Mrs. Smith exclaimed, "and then
gave me new earrings!"
B) The second half of the quotation does
not begin with a capital letter, unless it is a proper noun or title
Examples:
- "Please tell your parents, "the man on the phone said, "Amy
will be
there at 5:00."
In this sentence, "Amy"
is capitalized in the second half of the quotation because it is a name
and a proper noun.
- "Students," Miss Smith instructed, "please
line up at the door."
In this sentence, "please"
is not capitalized because it is not a proper noun or a title.
"Miss Smith" is capitalized because it is a proper noun.
4. End punctuation
goes inside the final quotation marks
Incorrect:
- Did you know," asked Mrs. Jones, "that the sunflower is the
state flower of Kansas"?
Correct:
- Did you know," asked Mrs. Jones, "that the sunflower is the
state flower of Kansas?"
Incorrect:
- "When your brother gets home,'" my dad yelled, "tell him I
need to talk to him in my office"!
Correct:
- "When your brother gets home,'" my dad yelled, "tell him I
need to talk to him in my office!"
These were the rules of Interrupted Quotations. Now that you know them,
it is time
to practice!
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