Commas in Dialogue

Use commas in dialogue to separate the speaker's exact words from the writer's descriptive information within the sentence.

"Too young," protested an angry bear voice. "I'm sooo sorry," consoled some do-gooder. "He's in a much better place now," announced a cackling witch.

Larkin, Jeanette. "The Secret." The Harper Anthology. Palatine: William Rainey Harper College, 1991. 114-115.

"Oh my God, "Sean thought, "She went to get the white belt.". . .He yelled, "Mama, don't kill me please, I didn't mean it, please, Mama, don't kill me, I'll be good."

Kane, Geoff. "Don't Cry over Spilled Milk." The Harper Anthology. Palatine: William Rainey Harper College, 1995. 46-48.

"Just give me that test," a voice inside me screams, "and don’t prolong this agony any longer.'”

Crost, Mary Lou. "Math Anxiety." The Harper Anthology. Palatine: William Rainey Harper College, 1994. 28-31.

"I love to write," Hemingway said. "But it has never gotten any easier to do and you can’t expect it to if you keep trying for someting better than you can do." . . .I think what he means is the first time you lay pen to paper, War and Peace may not be what you should be aiming for.

Polli, Jimm. "The Pen Also Rises." The Harper Anthology. Palatine: William Rainey Harper College, 1995. 104-105.