CHAPTER – 11
DIALOGUE WRITING
STRUCTURE
11.0. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
11.1. INTRODUCTION
11.2. DIALOGUE WRITING
11.3. IN A RAILWAY STATION
11.4. IN A BUS
11.5. WITH A SHOP-KEEPER
11.6. WITH A DOCTOR
11.7. IN A POST OFFICE
11.8. BANK
11.9. DIALOGUE WITH A STRANGER
11.10. SUMMARY
11.11. KEY WORDS
11.12. ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
11.13. EXERCISE QUESTIONS
11.14. FURTHER READING
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12.0. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you will be able to
Know the meaning of dialogue writing
Understand the importance of Dialogue writing in Spoken English
Know how to speak in English at different occasions
11.1. INTRODUCTION
A dialogue literally means “talk between two people”. Dialogue-writing is a
useful form of composition, especially for the Indian student who is trying to gain a
command of spoken English. Under proper guidance, it should introduce him to the
colloquial way of talking English, and train him to express his thoughts in easy and
natural constructions. The spoken English of the Indian school-boy is too often rather
stilted and bookish, owing to the fact that he has not much chance of talking with
English people; and anything that will help him to acquire naturalness and ease in
speaking in English is of value.
11.2. DIALOGUE WRITING
To write a dialogue successfully, calls for a little dramatic power; for the
writer has not only to see both sides of a questions, but has also to put himself, so to
speak, inside two imaginary persons so as to make them express their opposite
opinions naturally and in keeping with their characters. He has in turn to be each one,
and see the point of view of each on the question.
A written dialogue should be so composed that it appears to be spontaneous or
impromptu. The reader of it should not feel that it is premeditated, stilted and dull.
At the same time, careful preparation is necessary for writing a dialogue,
though this must not appear. The writer must have the art to conceal his art. It is
always advisable to make a plan or outline of the dialogue before beginning to write;
otherwise the dialogue may be rambling and pointless.
Method of procedure
1. Carefully think over the subject given, and jot down briefly the arguments
or opinions about it which might reasonably be expressed by the imaginary persons
who are supposed to be talking.
2. Arrange these ideas in some logical order, so that one will arise naturally
from another in the course of the conversion. It is well to write down these points in
the form of an outline, or numbered heads, as a guide to follow in writing the
dialogue.
3. Try to imagine what would be the way in which each character in the
conversation, so as to make them speak in character.
4. Keep in mind that your dialogue, when completed, should read like a real,
spontaneous conversation. So try t make your imaginary characters talk in an easy,
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familiar and natural manner. Avoid stilted and bookish phrases. Try to remember
how real people talk in friendly conversation, and reproduce that conversational style
as well as you can.
Writing dialogue does not come easily to everyone. Done well, dialogue
advances the story and fleshes out the characters while providing a break from
straight exposition.
However, just as realistic dialogue is one of the most powerful tools at a
writer's disposal, nothing pulls the reader out of a story faster than bad dialogue. It
takes time to develop a good ear, but noting these simple rules and obvious pitfalls
can make a huge difference.
Listen to How People Talk
Having a sense of natural speech patterns is essential to good dialogue. Start to
pay attention to the expressions that people use and the music of everyday
conversation. This exercise asks us to do this more formally, but generally speaking
it's helpful to develop our ear by paying attention to the way people talk.
Not Exactly like Real Speech
But dialogue should read like real speech. How do we accomplish that? Alfred
Hitchcock said that a good story was "life, with the dull parts taken out." This very
much applies to dialogue. A transcription of a conversation would be completely
boring to read. Edit out the filler words and unessential dialogue- that is, the dialogue
that doesn't contribute to the plot in some way.
Don’t provide much Information at once
It should not be obvious to the reader that they're being fed important facts.
Let the story unfold naturally. We don't have to tell the reader everything up front,
and we can trust him or her to remember details from earlier in the story.
Break Up Dialogue with Action
Remind our reader that our characters are physical human beings by
grounding their dialogue in the physical world. Physical details also help break up the
words on the page: long periods of dialogue are easier for the reader's eye when
broken up by description.
Don’t overdo dialogue tags
Veering too much beyond "he said/she said" only draws attention to the tags
and we want the reader's attention centered on our brilliant dialogue, not our ability to
think of synonyms for "said."
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Stereotypes, Profanity, and Slang
Be aware of falling back on stereotypes, and use profanity and slang sparingly.
All of these risk distracting or alienating our reader. Anything that takes the reader out
of the fictional world we're working so hard to create is not our friend. Read some
examples of how to achieve the tone we want without stereotypes, profanity, and
slang.
Read Widely
Pay attention to why things work or don't work. Where are we taken out of the
story's action? Where did we stop believing in a character? Or, alternatively, when did
the character really jump off the page, and how did dialogue help accomplish that?
We can start reading like a writer with the link above, or pick up an anthology and
start our own list of writers to learn from.
Punctuate Dialogue Correctly
The rules for punctuating dialogue can be confusing: many writers need help
getting them right in the beginning. Take some time to learn the basics. A reader
should get lost in our prose not feel lost trying to follow our dialogue.
Special hints
1. a) Don’t let any of your characters monopolize the conversation, as if he
were giving a public lecture. Give all a chance, and keep the ball rolling. Let the
conversation be brisk and rapid.
b) In real conversation, one person sometimes interrupts the other, or
breaks in on what he is saying. A sparing use of such interruptions in written
dialogue is quite permissible, and adds to its naturalness.
For example:
A.-“I am perfectly certain he would never do such thing. Why, only
the other day he told me-“
B.-“I don’t care what he told you! I know for a fact that he did it”.
c) In real conversation, a speaker often answers a question by asking another;
or sometimes, seeing what is coming, he answers a question before it is asked. You
may enliven your dialogue by making your characters do the same now and then.
For example:
A.-“What will you do if he does not answer your letter?”
B.-“Well, what would you do?”
D.-“I heard something about you the other day, John.”
J.-“I know! You are going to ask me why I was absent from
office last Monday. Well, I will tell you-etc.”
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d) In real conversation, people often use exclamations, surprise; irritation;
pleasure and so on. Such interjections may be introduced from time to time,
sparingly; but the use of them should not be overdone.
2. The dialogue should begin in an interesting way, so that the reader’s
attention may be arrested from the very first. And the conversation should lead up to
some definite conclusion. It should not end abruptly and in the air, so to speak.
Special attention should be paid to the opening sentences and the conclusion.
3. The fact that language should be as far as possible colloquial does not, of
course, mean that it may be ungrammatical. However free-and-easy the style in
which the persons in the dialogue are made to talk, they must talk good English. They
must not, for example, be made to use such expressions as, “He asked my brother and
I to tea,” or “Can I give you an advice?”
4. Keeping these points in view, write your dialogue in as natural, interesting
and realistic a manner as possible. The whole conversation should be brief, and the
questions and replies as concise and pointed as possible.
Check your Progress
1. Define the term Dialogue.
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2. What is the prime need to write a dialogue?
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3. How should be the good written dialogue?
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4. What is essential for a good dialogue?
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5. What is the punctuating rule for writing dialogues?
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11.3. AT THE RAILWAY STATION
Raj: Good afternoon.
Enquiry Clerk: Good afternoon. What can I do for you, sir?
Raj: What time is the Andhra Express expected?
Enquiry Clerk: The scheduled time of its arrival is 4o’clock.
Raj: But it’s already fifteen minutes past four and there’s yet
no sign of its arrival.
Enquiry Clerk: I’m afraid it’s running late by over an hour, and we’ve
already announced it’s running late.
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Raj: I haven’t heard any such announcement. I’ve been at the
station for over ten minutes.
Enquiry Clerk: Perhaps, it was made before you came. Let me check.. It
was made at 3.55, exactly 20 minutes ago.
Raj: Do you make any oral announcements?
Enquiry Clerk: No, we also write them on the notice board just in front
of the ASM’s office.
Raj: Don’t you think these announcements should be a little
more frequent?
Enquiry Clerk: Well I can’t answer that question. For that you can
speak to the ASM, if you like.
Raj: Very well. When exactly will the train arrive?
Enquiry Clerk: At 5.10. This is the position at the moment. But, it
makes another announcement as soon as we receive a
message.
Raj: Bother! This will mean a lot of inconvenience to people.
Have you thought of that?
Enquiry Clerk: I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. Bear with me for some
more time, please, and make yourself comfortable in
waiting room.
11.4. IN A BUS
Conductor: Take the ticket.
Passenger: I need to go to Thambaram; can you please tell me the
cost of the ticket?
Conductor: It costs Rupees 15 per ticket, sir.
Passenger: Thank you sir, here is the 15 rupees, give me one ticket
to Thambaram.
Conductor: Have it sir.
Passenger: Sir, please can you do me a favour?
Conductor: Of course, tell me sir.
Passenger: I’m new to this place; I don’t know when the place will
come, and will you please inform me sir?
Conductor: Oh yes, that no problem I’ll tell you sir.
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Passenger: Thank you very much sir.
Conductor: You’re most welcome.
11.5. WITH A SHOP-KEEPER
Shop keeper: Good afternoon, madam. What can I do for you?
Customer: Good afternoon, I’d like at some shirts.
Shop keeper: Cottons or synthetics, madam?
Customer: Terycots, if you have some.
Shop keeper: Sure, madam. Over here, if you don’t mind. We have
an excellent range of shirts in terycot. These striped
ones are new arrivals.
Customer: I rather fancy those blue ones with red stripes.
Shop keeper: Well, they’re men’s shirts. But nowadays…..
Customer: Could you take them out, please?
Shop keeper: What’s the collar – size, Madam?
Customer: Fifteen.
Shop keeper: Fifteen? Are you sure, Madam?
Customer: Yes, I’m sure.
Shop keeper: Here you are, Madam.
Customer: How much is it?
Shop keeper: That’s two hundred rupees. Would you like to try it on?
Customer: Try it on? No. Could you gift – wrap it? You see it is a
gift to my husband on his birthday.
Shop keeper: Oh! I see (Later) here it is! I’ve stuck on it a little card
saying ‘Happy Birthday!’
Customer: That’s very kind of you, you man. Bye!
Shop keeper: Good – bye, madam. Call again.
11.6. WITH A DOCTOR
Patient: Good evening, doctor.
Doctor: Good evening, sir. What’s your trouble?
Patient: I haven’t been feeling well lately.
Doctor: What exactly is the problem?
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Patient: I often feel quite sick. I had a lot of pain in the stomach for
several days. I’ve also had severe headache for over two days.
Doctor: What’s your appetite like?
Patient: Not at all good. I don’t feel like eating anything. I feel full up
all the time.
Doctor: Have you had any fever?
Patient: Well, I do feel feverish all the time. I’ve also had a bad taste in
the mouth since I’ve been sick.
Doctor: All right, let me take your temperature first. There! Give me
your wrist, please. There’s nothing wrong with the pulse. Now
take off your pullover and your shirt too. Loosen your clothes a
little. I’ll examine you, if you lie down on that couch. Do you
feel any pain here?
Patient: Yes, some.
Doctor: And here?
Patient: Oh! That’s quite painful!
Doctor: All right. You may get dressed now.
Patient: I hope there’s nothing serious, doctor?
Doctor: No, nothing serious. I’m prescribing two kinds of tablets. Take
one before meals, and the other after meals for three days.
Don’t eat any fried and spicy food. Drink milk and have milk
foods as much as you can. And do take some rest.
Patient: Do I need to stay away from work, doctor?
Doctor: No, not at all. Just take it easy and have rest whenever you can.
Come and see me if the trouble does not go quickly.
Patient: Thank you very much, doctor. Good bye!
Doctor: Bye!
11.7. IN A POST OFFICE
Sundar: Excuse me.
Counter Clerk: Yes?
Sundar: I want to send this parcel, please.
Counter clerk: Do you want to send it by letter post or parcel post? It
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will be three rupees by letter post and two rupees by
parcel post.
Sundar: You’d better send it by letter post. It might be quicker.
Counter Clerk: All right. Anything else I can do for you?
Sundar: Yes, could you weigh this letter, please?
Counter Clerk: It’s just over twenty grams. It’ll cost you one rupee
forty paise. Here are the stamps for the parcel and the
letter. Will you affix them, please?
Sundar: I also want twenty inland letter sheets and ten stamped
envelops.
Counter Clerk: By all means. But wait a minute please. Let me first
give you the receipt for the parcel. Here is the receipt.
And here is the postal stationary.
Sundar: Thank you very much. Can I leave the parcel there on
the desk in front of you?
Counter Clerk: Yes. But put the letter in the box over there.
Sundar: Oh, yes. Thank you very much.
11.8. AT THE BANK
Customer: Can I cash a cheque here?
Counter Clerk: Go to another counter, sir, that one there.
Customer: Can I cash this cheque, please?
Counter Clerk: What’s the amount? Let me see the cheque. It’s less
than two thousand. Go to the teller’s counter, sir. She’ll
cash it right away.
Customer: (at the teller’s counter), Take this cheque please, and
give me the amount. Be a little prompt, will you? I’ve
already spent some time here going from counter to
counter, and I’m in hurry.
Teller: All right sir. Bear with me for two minutes, and I’ll give
you the money. (After a minute) I’m sorry to bother
you, sir, but there’s over-writing on the date, which
you’ve not signed. Would you put your signature here,
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just over the date on the right hand corner?
Customer: Of course. Here it is, young lady. Now go ahead and
pay the amount, please.
Teller: It shouldn’t take much time now. An entry has to be
made, and that’s all. But could I bother you again?
Would you sign back of the cheque, here?
Customer: Certainly not. Why do you want me to sign on the back
when I’ve put my signature on the front of the cheque?
Teller: We need this signature as evidence that you’ve received
the money sir. The signature on the front only means
that you’ve ordered the bank to pay.
Customer: Well, you have a point there, but this order should be
enough evidence that the payment has been made.
Teller: But it doesn’t who’s received it, does it?
Customer: That’s true.
Teller: Here’s the amount, sir. Sorry for the little delay.
Customer: That’s all right. Thank you.
11.9. DIALOGUE WITH A STRANGER
Man 1: Hello, Good evening sir.
Man 2: Yes, Good evening, what can I do for you?
Man 1: Sir, Iam new to this town, I need to know the good lodging spot
here.
Man 2: Yes Of course. Where are you from sir?
Man 1: Iam from Mumbai, I came Chennai for my personal work here.
Man 2: That’s good. Do you need a costly residing place or cheap one?
Man 1: I need one good, comfortable with moderate cost.
Man 2: Then go left to this road; you will happen to see one Ayangar’s
Hotel with Lodging, it will apt yours.
Man 1: Thank you, Very much sir.
Man 2: That’s no problem. You are most welcome.
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11.10. SUMMARY
A dialogue literally means “talk between two people”. Dialogue-writing is a
useful form of composition, especially for the Indian student who is trying to gain a
command of spoken English. Under proper guidance, it should introduce him to the
colloquial way of talking English, and train him to express his thoughts in easy and
natural constructions. The spoken English of the Indian school-boy is too often rather
stilted and bookish, owing to the fact that he has not much chance of talking with
English people; and anything that will help him to acquire naturalness and ease in
speaking in English is of value.
A written dialogue should be so composed that it appears to be spontaneous or
impromptu. The reader of it should not feel that it is premeditated, stilted and dull.
At the same time, careful preparation is necessary for writing a dialogue,
though this must not appear. The writer must have the art to conceal his art. It is
always advisable to make a plan or outline of the dialogue before beginning to write;
otherwise the dialogue may be rambling and pointless.
11.11. KEY WORDS
1. Dialogue
A dialogue literally means “talk between two people”.
2. Communication
It is a process of transforming information, messages, attitudes, feelings from
one person to another.
3. Slang
The jargon we applied in our speech.
4. Communicator
The person, one who communicates is called as communicator.
5. Receiver
The person, one who responds to the message is called receiver.
11.12. ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
A dialogue literally means “talk between two people”. Dialogue-writing is a
useful form of composition.
To write a dialogue successfully, calls for a little dramatic power; for the
writer has not only to see both sides of a questions, but has also to put himself,
so to speak, inside two imaginary persons so as to make them express their
opposite opinions naturally and in keeping with their characters.
A good dialogue should read like real speech.
Having a sense of natural speech patterns is essential to good dialogue.
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The rules for punctuating dialogue can be confusing: many writers need help
getting them right in the beginning. Take some time to learn the basics.
11.13. EXERCISE QUESTIONS
1. What is meant by Dialogue? Explain the term Dialogue writing.
2. Describe the method of procedure to write a dialogue.
3. Discuss special hints to give good dialogues.
4. Write a conversation between the teacher and student in a classroom.
5. Write down the conversation between the police man and shop keeper.
11.14. FURTHER READING
1. Developing communication skills - Krishna Mohan &
Meera
Banerji
2. Spoken English for you - Radhakrishna Pillai
3. English Grammar & Composition - Wren and Martin
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