As an expert in linguistics and written communication, I understand the nuances involved in crafting dialogue within a text. Dialogue is a critical element in storytelling, whether it's in a novel, a play, or a screenplay. It's how characters express themselves, reveal their personalities, and interact with each other. Proper punctuation and capitalization are essential for clear and effective communication. Here's a detailed look at how to handle dialogue in English writing:

Capitalization in Dialogue:
When it comes to capitalization, the first word of a dialogue is capitalized if it is the beginning of a new sentence. This is consistent with the standard rules of English grammar. However, if the dialogue is part of a larger sentence or a continuation of a previous sentence, then the first word of the dialogue is not capitalized.

Dialogue Tags:
Dialogue tags, such as "he said" or "she asked," are used to identify who is speaking. These tags are typically followed by a comma. For example: "I'm going to the store," she said.

Ending Punctuation:
The dialogue should end with the appropriate punctuation mark that matches the tone of the speech. This could be a period (.), an exclamation point (!), or a question mark (?). The punctuation mark is placed inside the quotation marks to show that it belongs to the dialogue itself.

Quotation Marks:
In American English, double quotation marks are used to denote direct speech, while single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes. In British English, the convention is often reversed, with single quotation marks used for direct speech and double for quotes within quotes.

Example:
"I can't believe we're doing this," John exclaimed. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Here, "exclaimed" is the dialogue tag, followed by a comma. The first word of the dialogue, "I," is capitalized because it's the beginning of a new sentence. The dialogue ends with a period, which is inside the quotation marks.

Dialogue and Action:
When dialogue is mixed with action, it's important to maintain clarity. The action is typically set off with commas or other punctuation as needed to separate it from the dialogue.

Example:
"I'm not sure about this," Mary said, glancing at the dark alley. "It looks a bit suspicious."

In this example, the action (glancing at the dark alley) is separated from the dialogue with a comma.

New Speakers:
When a new character begins to speak, it's often a good idea to start a new paragraph to clearly indicate the change in speaker.

Example:
"I think we should be fine," John replied. "We've been through worse."

Mary shook her head. "I hope you're right, but I can't shake this feeling."

Here, a new paragraph is used to denote that Mary is now the one speaking.

Interpretation of Tone:
Sometimes, writers may choose to capitalize words to indicate emphasis or to show that a character is shouting. However, this should be used sparingly as it can be seen as informal or unprofessional in certain contexts.

Example:
"Stay BEHIND me!" John shouted.

In this case, the capitalization of "BEHIND" indicates that John is shouting that word.

In Summary:
- Capitalize the first word of a dialogue if it's the start of a new sentence.
- Use dialogue tags followed by a comma.
- End dialogue with the correct punctuation inside the quotation marks.
- Use quotation marks according to the conventions of the English variant you are writing in.
- Separate dialogue from action with appropriate punctuation.
- Indicate new speakers with new paragraphs.
- Use capitalization for emphasis or shouting with caution.

Now, let's move on to the translation of the above explanation into Chinese.

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Use a comma after the dialogue tag. If the dialogue is the beginning of a sentence, capitalize the first letter. End the dialogue with the appropriate punctuation (period, exclamation point, or question mark), but keep it INSIDE the quotation marks.read more >>