Qote help

[bone251]

If you want to quote a person making three statements, do you put quotes around each statement? Or quote the whole phrase?

"Don't stop!" "I have an itch." "Oh, that is good."

or


"Don't stop! I have an itch. Oh, that is good."

 

[lovecraft68]

Second example. Although I think it could be worded better.

"Don't stop, its still itchy! Ah, that feels good!"

 

[sr71plt]

"Don't stop! I have an itch. Oh, that is good."

This. Which is more grammatically correct than the subsequent suggestion is.

 

[jehoram]

If you want to quote a person making three statements, do you put quotes around each statement? Or quote the whole phrase?

"Don't stop!" "I have an itch." "Oh, that is good."

or


"Don't stop! I have an itch. Oh, that is good."

The second one.

But if you're trying to convey a pause between the sentences, I'd go with "Don't stop! ... I have an itch ... Oh, that is good."

 

[bone251]

Tanks!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

The second one.

But if you're trying to convey a pause between the sentences, I'd go with "Don't stop! ... I have an itch ... Oh, that is good."

But doesn't the punctuation indicate the pause?

And if you use the ellipsis don't you leave out the punctuation?

So it would look like this...

"Don't stop...I have an itch...oh, that feels so good."

 

[SimonDoom]

But doesn't the punctuation indicate the pause?

And if you use the ellipsis don't you leave out the punctuation?

So it would look like this...

"Don't stop...I have an itch...oh, that feels so good."

You wouldn't leave out the punctuation (! after stop and . after itch) and the capitalized "O" in "Oh" because these are three separate sentences, whether or not there are pauses. Usually when an ellipsis is used to indicate a pause in a quote it's inside a sentence, as in:

"Don't . . . stop. I have an itch. It feels so . . . good." In this case the ellipsis is used to indicate a peculiarity in the speaker's manner of speaking. This would be more typical use of the ellipsis to indicate pauses.

I don't think this particular string of sentences works well with the ellipsis. It makes you wonder what's going on to create the pauses. If you want to convey a pause or delay between the statements it would be better with some narrative, such as:

"Don't stop!" she said. "I have an itch."

She arched her back into his fingers.

"Oh, that is good."

But if you want a shorter version, the OP's original version:

"Don't stop! I have an itch. Oh, that is good."

probably is best.

 

[lovecraft68]

This. Which is more grammatically correct than the subsequent suggestion is.

Except when you read it out loud.

"Don't stop!" exclamation point meaning shouting or being very excited.

"I have an itch." went from exclaiming to monotone.

"Oh, that is good." Flat out...who speaks like that?

Six of one half dozen of another in any case. I've noticed your habit of declaring "this is the right way" when it suits you then stating that in fiction rules don't apply the same and harping on 'vigilantes' who are trying to tell people how to write.

 

[sr71plt]

Except when you read it out loud.

"Don't stop!" exclamation point meaning shouting or being very excited.

"I have an itch." went from exclaiming to monotone.

"Oh, that is good." Flat out...who speaks like that?

Six of one half dozen of another in any case. I've noticed your habit of declaring "this is the right way" when it suits you then stating that in fiction rules don't apply the same and harping on 'vigilantes' who are trying to tell people how to write.

Your example created a run-on sentence. I was trying to be nice when I posted that your example wasn't "as" grammatical as the original. It, in fact, isn't grammatical at all and it takes liberty with the emphasis of the original. Commas aren't used to pile up what are separate sentences this way. I'm sorry that I have training in grammar and you don't seem to. That, though, is your problem, not mine. I took the time and effort to learn it. I'm not going to take any crap from you for being a trained editor just so you can be on equal terms on that. I don't go after your grammar either on the boards or in the story file.

In your example, "Don't stop, its still itchy! Ah, that feels good!" a semicolon would be OK between "stop" and "its." A comma isn't grammatical. You created a run-on sentence.

And you messed with the emphasis of the original by moving the exclamation mark to two places that aren't identified for that treatment in the original.

A couple of the versions others have provided here would work OK. There isn't one way to do it right, and I didn't post that there was (so, so much for your slam that I always say there's only one way--my way. In fact, I'm about the only one here who usually cites an authority other than myself when giving help). Yours wasn't one of the ways to do it right. Tough. You probably shouldn't try to give guidance in an area you don't do well yourself.

 

[bone251]

This is all very helpful.
I taught myself physics, chemistry, calculus and many others. Never could get the hang of spelling as shown by my title.

 

[Athalia]

The second one.

But if you're trying to convey a pause between the sentences, I'd go with "Don't stop! ... I have an itch ... Oh, that is good."

Or you could put them into separate paragraphs:

"Don't Stop!
"I have an itch.
"Oh, that is good."

But this is tricky, because the reader may not pick up on the fact that there is no end-quote in the first two lines, signifying that the same character is talking. On second thought, I'd go with what Jehoram and the others recommended.

 

[jehoram]

Or you could put them into separate paragraphs:

"Don't Stop!
"I have an itch.
"Oh, that is good."

But this is tricky, because the reader may not pick up on the fact that there is no end-quote in the first two lines, signifying that the same character is talking.

And that's expecting a lot of Lit readers (or any readers, for that matter). I've never seen that rule used with really, really short sentences like that.

And Zeb wrote:

But doesn't the punctuation indicate the pause?

Not always. Think of the paragraph:

"Don't do that! You'll kill yourself!"

Two separate sentences, sure, but I doubt that anybody would take a dramatic pause between them. More likely, it would be done in one breath, with no discernible pause.

 

[jomar]

I like the OP's second option myself.

But man, the bait and response is pretty entertaining.

 

[SimonDoom]

But man, the bait and response is pretty entertaining.

And very common around here!

 

[bone251]

My story has been posted and pending review...
It has been a while since I wrote a story. Three part story is still up from several years ago..

 

[bone251]

Thanks all.

Story is up. The real sentence or two was:

"I love to tease! Pull out, I want to torture you!"

"Oh my, it is too big! ....You're a monster, I want it!!!"