I seem to get a bit lost. I start off with dialogue, two people speaking and it's ok, I can handle the ping-pong of the 'I didn't say that' he said. 'Yes you did,' she said.
My problem is that I go from that to what is in essence an extended monologue (by Granda). So Granda my say something like '... in my day...' about 2000 words later 'and I'm going to my bed'.
In between that I have Granda telling the reader what has happened.
"What did you have for dinner last night?" said Tommy Munn.
I'm not sure. Open the monologue with single (') and give others such as Tommy Munn double (")and close with single (') quotation mark?. Is that about right?
Doesn't look right on the page.
I've also not sure about possession. I understand things like Tom's cup. The cat's bowl etc.
The neighbourhoods' children.
What about tommorrow and the next day's dinner was well prepared?
Celtic's last man?
Any comments or advice greatfully received.
Cheers
FTSE100 | February 9, 2009 - 12:23
In the monologue you're (I think) wondering about the punctuation for reported speech. If you Google either 'reported speech' or 'indirect speech' you'll find all the help you need.
For direct speech, the use of single or double quotes seems to be a matter of taste these days, although traditionally it was always marked with double quotes. Choose one and stick to it, at least within a single piece. You can change your mind when you come to write the next one.
With punctuation of possessives, the rules are not difficult. The basic rule is easy:
For a singular noun that doesn't normally end in 's' (cat, dog, pirate, etc.), the apostrophe goes before the possessive 's': the cat's miaow, the dog's dinner, the pirate's treasure.
For the plural of such a word, the apostrophe comes after the 's': the cats' miaows, the dogs' dinners, the pirates' treasure(s).
That accounts for 99% of all possessives. Then you get the awkward ones.
Plurals, such as 'women', that don't normally end in 's' have the apostrophe before the possessive 's' (women's shoes).
Singulars that do end in 's' (axis, Thomas, etc.) go like the normal singulars: you add an extra apostrophe and 's' (the Axis's evil, Thomas's pet rock, etc.)
I have a feeling I've left something out, so best try Googling 'possessives' too!
Always remeber that the posessive of it is its, not it's. It's is a perfectly good word, but it means it is or it has. Thus you can say it's got its hat on, meaning (it has) got the hat (belonging to it) on.
celticman | March 9, 2009 - 15:55
Thanks for that. I know these things, but sometimes I don't's!
Wrestler | May 24, 2009 - 15:42
for publication, speech quotes and quotes are the same thing. If you use single or double (US is mainly double, UK a mixture), use the other one for quotes in quotes, eg:
'Mary,' Tom said,'what is this "dongle"?'
"Mary," Tom said,"what is this 'dongle'?"
that's the rule. simple.