How to Quote a Dialogue in an Essay

If you are writing essays already, quoting dialogues is something you have done quite a lot. But most of the time, we do this without going into much detail. While writing essays, we sometimes refer to what others said without altering the phrase. This is where you should learn how to quote a dialogue. Usually, dialogues can be quoted in two ways, depending on the circumstances. If you are unsure about how to quote dialogues in an essay, you are at the right place. In this piece, we will discuss about the importance of dialogues and the steps you should follow –

You can either use a direct speech or a reported speech while quoting a dialogue. Using direct speech to quote sentences is quite important for essays.

• This makes your statements seem valid. When you refer to a point using the exact words of a credible person, it makes your essay seem more trustworthy. You can hire any trusted persuasive essay writing service to quote dialogues while following the citation rules.
• When your work has references from other works, readers can understand the origin of your thoughts. Thus, they tend to believe you when you quote a dialogue.
• A direct speech shows your proficiency in English grammar. Many students smartly use quotations not because the rule suggests using one. Rather, many students quote dialogues because it decreases any chance of messing up the punctuation.
• Quoting impactful dialogues helps writers to create better impressions in front of the readers. You can present first-hand information in the same way it has been told. When you report a concept in your own words, there is always a chance of missing out on some vital points. But when you quote the exact dialogue, you ensure to mention everything. This creates a lasting impression.

Even though quoting dialogues is important, writers still need to follow certain rules. If you don’t follow these rules, the dialogues will most likely change the meaning of the sentences and mess up your work. So, learn these rules before you proceed to quote a dialogue.

Rules to Remember Before Quoting Dialogue in an Essay

1. Avoid Quoting Every Section

When you add too many quotations to the essay, it becomes a very boring read. When you are relying too much on the words used by someone else, the essay lacks individuality. Readers will find it hard to find any originality in the paper, and they will start undermining your abilities. So, you must balance quotes and use your creativity while writing an essay.

1. Use Precise Quotes

Do not quote things that are unrelated to the things you are writing. Before quoting any dialogue, analyze it thoroughly. Once you confirm that the dialogue directly relates to the topic, you can quote it in your essay.

At the same time, only use quotes that relate vividly to the topics. If the quote is open to comprehension, readers can perceive it in other ways. This will make them disorganized, and will end up understanding something that you never intended to state.

1. Don’t Use Verbose Quotes

Always try to use quotes that are short and easier to comprehend. When you quote something too long, the reader will most likely get distracted and confused.

Types of Dialogues

There are two main types of dialogues. They are –

1. Inner Dialogues

These dialogues are used to convey the thoughts of the characters. These are what the characters say to themselves in a situation. Here are a few examples of the same –

• "I can't believe I made that mistake. I'm so clumsy."
• "Should I accept the job offer in another city? It would be a big change."
• "I've prepared for this presentation, and I can do it. Stay confident!"

1. Outer Dialogues

These dialogues are used in a wider aspect and happen between two or more characters in the essay. A few examples of outer dialogues are –

• "I'm sorry about the error in the report. It was my oversight, and I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
• "I've been offered a job in another city, and I'm considering the move. What do you think?"
• During the presentation, the speaker confidently delivers the content.

These examples illustrate the clear distinction between thoughts and spoken interactions.

Now that you have a clear idea about the do’s and don’ts, follow these simple guidelines while quoting a dialogue.

The DOs and DON’Ts of Quoting a Dialogue

1. Quotation Marks

Enclose the spoken words in double quotation marks.

For example: "I can't believe you said that."

2. Indentation

If the dialogue is long (more than four lines), indent the entire passage about half an inch from the left margin. Do not use any quotation marks while quoting. This is called a block quote.

3. Punctuation

Place any punctuation that is part of the dialogue within the quotation marks.

For example: "She said, 'Hello,' and then left."

4. Attribution

After the dialogue, include the name of the speaker and the appropriate verb to indicate speech (e.g., said, replied).

For example: "John said, 'I'll be there.'"

5. Capitalization

Start the first word of the dialogue with a capital letter, and keep proper capitalization within the quotation.

6. Line Breaks

If a new speaker begins, start a new paragraph and indent.

For example:

"I love this place," Mary said.

John nodded. "It's beautiful."

7. Ellipses

If you need to omit part of the dialogue for conciseness, use ellipses (...) to indicate the omission.

8. Square Brackets

If you need to add or change a word within the quotation for clarity, enclose the added or modified words in square brackets.

Apart from these, here are a few other tips that you must be careful about –

• Quoting a Passage Shorter than 4 Lines

Jack insisted that the character of Daniel in the book is worthy enough: “The person’s eyes glowed like fireballs in the dark. Daniel held his hand over her heart.” (The Wild Adventures 89).

• Quoting an Entire Passage

“In the dense forests at the foothills of the mountains” (The Wild Adventures 89-90).

In this example, you have summarized the entire content of the two pages in a simple line. Instead of quoting the entire paragraphs, using short quotations makes the essays better.

Existing Dialogue Quotation Format

You must know how to quote the dialogue. Making errors while quoting dialogues can change the meaning and create misunderstandings. Maintaining a proper format is vital since this decides if the essay will be right or wrong. So, follow these couple of rules while quoting an existing dialogue –

• You should insert quotation marks both before and after the dialogue. The quotation marks differentiate the quotes from other sentences in the essay.
• When using quotes within quotations, use a single quotation within a double quote. Follow similar rules while writing a dialogue within a quote. Introduce a dialogue if you have used double quotes both while starting and ending. Make a character use a dialogue and put that within the single quotes.

For example,

“The girl kept staring at her mother. Mr. Will said, ‘Lazy girls cannot help you find work!’”

Similarly, you can also quote a dialogue by using reported speech. You can then use it as a parenthesis at the end. For example,

You should have thought before saying that (Wilson 56)

Final Reflections

Quoting a dialogue is an excellent way to prove your knowledge specific to the topic of your paper. But it isn’t as easy as it may sound. You must know the types of quotations and how they should be used in a dialogue. That was what this article was all about. Bookmark it right away for easy access to tips and tricks to quoting dialogues like a pro.