We use a pair of commas, a pair of em dashes, or a pair of parentheses to set off the interruption midsentence. In some cases we can even interrupt with an independent clause. We can disrupt a sentence by adding an interruptor, a nonessential word, phrase, or dependent clause. If CMOS isn’t enough to convince you, let’s look at more information. There’s not much doubt regarding CMOS‘s recommendation for interruption of dialogue use dashes. “Someday he’s going to hit one of those long shots, and”-his voice turned huffy-“I won’t be there to see it.” If the break belongs to the surrounding sentence rather than to the quoted material, the em dashes must appear outside the quotation marks. An em dash or a pair of em dashes may indicate a sudden break in thought or sentence structure or an interruption in dialogue. In the seventeenth edition, 6.87, we find:Įm dashes for sudden breaks or interruptions. The recommendation in The Chicago Manual of Style is quite clear. Yet many style and grammar resources show the same way to punctuate dialogue interruptions-mark off the interruption with a pair of dashes. There’s confusion about how to format sentences and which punctuation to use when action interrupts dialogue. I’ve seen the topic addressed multiple times, without conclusion, in both writing forums and editing groups. Many have the same questions about punctuating interrupted dialogue. Have you ever wondered how to punctuate dialogue that’s interrupted by an action? If so, you’re in good company. Apby Fiction Editor Beth Hill last modified April 17, 2018
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