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SpoonfedBaby Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
I said --- VS--- Said I.
Hello,
I don't understand the way speakers are mentioned after quotation marks in a dialogue.
( A ) "Is it possible for one of you to make a life decision without wondering what Papa will find wrong with it?" I said.
( B ) "Oh, great," said Jeff. "Ellen Guldren renounces paternal approval! And only twenty-four years too late."
( C ) "Mom is happy with anything I do," said Brian.
( D ) "Oh, well, Mom," said Jeff.
( E ) "Jeffrey man,"someone called across the parking lot. "Brian!"
( F ) "My brothers lifted their hands in desultory salutes. "What's up?"Jeff called back.
In sentence A, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> I said.
In sentence B, the verb is in front of the speaker. >> said Jeff
In sentence E, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> someone called
In sentence F, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> Jeff called
Do you have an article that explains where I have to place the speaker and the verb?
Thank you very much,
Spoonfedbaby.
I don't understand the way speakers are mentioned after quotation marks in a dialogue.
( A ) "Is it possible for one of you to make a life decision without wondering what Papa will find wrong with it?" I said.
( B ) "Oh, great," said Jeff. "Ellen Guldren renounces paternal approval! And only twenty-four years too late."
( C ) "Mom is happy with anything I do," said Brian.
( D ) "Oh, well, Mom," said Jeff.
( E ) "Jeffrey man,"someone called across the parking lot. "Brian!"
( F ) "My brothers lifted their hands in desultory salutes. "What's up?"Jeff called back.
In sentence A, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> I said.
In sentence B, the verb is in front of the speaker. >> said Jeff
In sentence E, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> someone called
In sentence F, the speaker is in front of the verb. >> Jeff called
Do you have an article that explains where I have to place the speaker and the verb?
Thank you very much,
Spoonfedbaby.
Top answer
You can put them most anywhere, SFB. ) can go at the beginning, at the end, or in the middle of the direct speech, and the subject and verb can be reversed in the simple present or past tenses.
- You can put them most anywhere, SFB.
- ) can go at the beginning, at the end, or in the middle of the direct speech, and the subject and verb can be reversed in the simple present or past tenses.
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4 Answers
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You can put them most anywhere, SFB. The reporting clause ('he said', etc.) can go at the beginning, at the end, or in the middle of the direct speech, and the subject and verb can be reversed in the simple present or past tenses.
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Hello Micawber,
You have helped me many times. Thank you very much.
I would like to know why you prefer:
“You have the opportunity to stop a crime against humanity”, he said to them. “Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is justice. Where there is poverty, there is no freedom,” he added.
over:
“You have the op
You have helped me many times. Thank you very much.
I would like to know why you prefer:
“You have the opportunity to stop a crime against humanity”, he said to them. “Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is justice. Where there is poverty, there is no freedom,” he added.
over:
“You have the op
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But I don't prefer the former over the latter-- in fact, I rather like the inverted forms. 'Said/added/etc' + pronoun, however, is a little antiquated for modern taste in narrative; the style is considered out of fashion.
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I think I understand now. If I write a piece of news for a newspaper, I choose the direct form; but a novel, I can considerer using the inverted one.
Thank you very much Mister Micawber.
Spoonfedbaby
Thank you very much Mister Micawber.
Spoonfedbaby
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