[Grammar] Capitalization following quoted dialogue

[GaryK]

I was always taught that when dialogue concludes with punctuation that normally ends a sentence (period, question mark, exclamation point) the word following the closing quote should be capitalized even if it's not a proper noun.

 

Which one is correct and can you provide a link that supports your claim?

 

1) "Is that how you saw it?" She asked.

2) "Is that how you saw it?" she asked.

 

Thanks in advance.

[BeaStKid]

I was always taught that when dialogue concludes with punctuation that normally ends a sentence (period, question mark, exclamation point) the word following the closing quote should be capitalized even if it's not a proper noun.

 

Which one is correct and can you provide a link that supports your claim?

 

1) "Is that how you saw it?" She asked.

2) "Is that how you saw it?" she asked.

 

Thanks in advance.

Gary, I believe we had discussion on this, right?

 

Well, I sent in a story to my editor with the first option in the original. She changed it to the second. I asked my English teacher to giver her opinion and she said it was the second option that is correct.

 

I believe the answer my teacher gave was that the sentence as a whole is a part of the narration and that is why it is not written in capitals. The whole sentence beginning from the quotes till the period after 'asked' is a part of the narration and as there are no punctuations that end a sentence in the middle of the narration, the 'she' should be with a lowercase 's'. The part in quotes is taken as a singular unit.

 

Yeah, I think that was the reason she gave.

 

I hope it helps.

 

Take care

BeaStKid

[Graeme]

As an author, not an editor, I would have gone with the second example. The reason is that it is a speech tag, and is therefore connected to the dialogue. Speech tags can't stand alone -- they need to be linked to the dialogue. "She asked." is a nonsense sentence by itself (in this context).

 

Now, if it has been:

 

1) "Is that how you saw it?" She smiled.

2) "Is that how you saw it?" she smiled.

 

I would go with 1), because the "She smiled." phrase is disconnected from the dialogue. It isn't a speech tag, it is an action that is independent to the dialogue.

[darkfoxprime]

My understanding is that the capitalization is based on whether it's a new *sentence* or not. Since, in your example, the word "she" does not begin a new sentence, it should not be capitalized (unless it's a proper noun or falls under other rules for capitalization).

 

- dfp

[GaryK]

As an author, not an editor, I would have gone with the second example. The reason is that it is a speech tag, and is therefore connected to the dialogue. Speech tags can't stand alone -- they need to be linked to the dialogue. "She asked." is a nonsense sentence by itself (in this context).

 

Now, if it has been:

 

1) "Is that how you saw it?" She smiled.

2) "Is that how you saw it?" she smiled.

 

I would go with 1), because the "She smiled." phrase is disconnected from the dialogue. It isn't a speech tag, it is an action that is independent to the dialogue.

That seems logical and reasonable, Graeme. Thanks.

 

Do you know of any site that sets out rules for this situation so I can direct my authors to it to support the suggestions I make regarding changes in their stories?

 

My understanding is that the capitalization is based on whether it's a new *sentence* or not. Since, in your example, the word "she" does not begin a new sentence, it should not be capitalized (unless it's a proper noun or falls under other rules for capitalization).

 

- dfp

Thanks dfp.

 

I'm beginning to realize that the absolute I was taught isn't really an absolute. Rather it's dependent upon the context of what follows the dialogue.

 

Would it be fair to state that if what follows the dialogue is not a dependent clause then the first letter of the sentence should be capitalized? And that either way if it's a proper noun it must be capitalized.

Edited May 21, 2008 by GaryInMiami

[NickolasJames8]

I always go with option 2, and my editor never corrects me. Since he's the single greatest editor in the history of gay fiction, I have to assume that I've been doing it right. Of course, I'm the person who used to do this.......

 

"Is that how you saw it,?" she smiled.

[GaryK]

"Is that how you saw it,?" she smiled.

You've come a long way since those days, Nick.

[NickolasJames8]

Thank You

[TalonRider]

You've come a long way since those days, Nick.

Yes, he has. I've enjoyed working with him on his past works and look forward to his future work.

[sat8997]

Gary, I keep several sites bookmarked that I call my 'cheat sheets' so give these two a try.

 

Edit Cheat Sheet One

 

Edit Cheat Sheet Two

[GaryK]

Gary, I keep several sites bookmarked that I call my 'cheat sheets' so give these two a try.

 

Edit Cheat Sheet One

 

Edit Cheat Sheet Two

I will love you forever, Sharon.

 

That's exactly the kind of reference I was looking for. It's perfect. It answers all my questions in such a simple way that even I can understand it. I've added both links to my Editing Tools bookmarks folder.

 

~gary.

[BeaStKid]

I've added both links to my Editing Tools bookmarks folder.

And so have I...thanks Sharon...

[Tiger]

I bookmarked them as well. I do not do a lot of editing, but I do edit sometimes. I actually like beta reading better, although it is a double-edged sword for an author to be a beta-reader. Still, I sometimes run across some editing issues in beta reading, and therefore, I need to be aware of editing issues like this one.

[kitten]

Now, if it has been:

 

1) "Is that how you saw it?" She smiled.

2) "Is that how you saw it?" she smiled.

 

I would go with 1), because the "She smiled." phrase is disconnected from the dialogue. It isn't a speech tag, it is an action that is independent to the dialogue.

 

Much as I hate to disagree with one of my favourite authors, I must say that both 1 and 2 look wrong to me.

1) if 'she smiled' really is part of a complete separate and independent sentence then poting it on the same line as the quote looks terrible.

2) if if 'she smiled' is part of the same sentence it seems odd that she smiled her words.

 

Maybe 2 could be considered part of some avant-garde style, but it's not a style I would enjoy reading. However, that might be just my personal taste - after all, I also believe that the 'great works' of Jams Joyce are a load of pretentious twaddle intended only as a way for the writer to try to show off what he believes to be 'superior' intellect and education. (He was part of an historical movement who believed that 'great literature' was only for the elite, not for the masses).

 

Kit

[Graeme]

Much as I hate to disagree with one of my favourite authors, I must say that both 1 and 2 look wrong to me.

1) if 'she smiled' really is part of a complete separate and independent sentence then poting it on the same line as the quote looks terrible.

2) if if 'she smiled' is part of the same sentence it seems odd that she smiled her words.

 

Maybe 2 could be considered part of some avant-garde style, but it's not a style I would enjoy reading. However, that might be just my personal taste - after all, I also believe that the 'great works' of Jams Joyce are a load of pretentious twaddle intended only as a way for the writer to try to show off what he believes to be 'superior' intellect and education. (He was part of an historical movement who believed that 'great literature' was only for the elite, not for the masses).

 

Kit

No real disagreement. Number 2 is basically wrong for the reason you specified -- you can't smile the words. You can smile while saying the words, but 2 has the "smiled" verb as a speech tag, which is wrong.

 

For number 1, I would have personally put the "She smiled." at the start of the line:

 

She smiled. "Is that how you saw it?"

 

It is acceptable to mix dialogue and narration if the narration is about the person narrating, especially when it is about the actions they are taking while doing the dialogue, or the actions immediately preceding or after the dialogue. But in that particular example, it does look odd. It's not wrong, but it could be written better. But then again, if I did that, it would show the difference I was trying to point out

 

"Is that how you saw it?" She smiled to indicate that she politely disagreed.

 

Still not great, but better than the original because it makes it clear that the smile was a separate action that followed the dialogue.

[kitten]

For number 1, I would have personally put the "She smiled." at the start of the line:

 

She smiled. "Is that how you saw it?"

 

It is acceptable to mix dialogue and narration if the narration is about the person narrating, especially when it is about the actions they are taking while doing the dialogue, or the actions immediately preceding or after the dialogue. But in that particular example, it does look odd. It's not wrong, but it could be written better. But then again, if I did that, it would show the difference I was trying to point out

 

"Is that how you saw it?" She smiled to indicate that she politely disagreed.

 

Still not great, but better than the original because it makes it clear that the smile was a separate action that followed the dialogue.

 

Yes, you are correct and we don't disagree.

 

Mixing narration and dialogue is indeed okay as long as the narration describes what the speaker was doing during (or immediately before/after) the speaking. The original example ("Is that how you saw it?" She smiled.) looked so terrible to me because it was so bald and ugly, and it didn't have any link to the speech. That example may be grammatically correct for an avant-garde minimalist style, but to me it is terribly ugly.

 

Kit