StormyKnight  +  186497 Fri, 20 Jan 06 10:25 PM Hello! After posting a couple of anonymous questions and having them quickly answered, I decided to register, as I will probably be asking many more In dialogue, how do you punctuate a broken statement that is not split by a dialogue clause (he said/she said), but by a sentence?  Are either of these correct? "He is not--" The lady cleared her throat. "Your father." or could it be: "He is not," The lady cleared her throat. "Your father." Thanks! StormyKnight Joined on Fri, Jan 20 2006 New Member 03 Clauses, Punctuation

	Clive  +  186508 Fri, 20 Jan 06 10:51 PM Hi, After posting a couple of anonymous questions and having them quickly answered, I decided to register, as I will probably be asking many more. You are an outstanding example to everyone, and have warmed our hearts! It's so much nicer to have some kind of individual on the other end of a conversation. Welcome, StormyKnight.   In dialogue, how do you punctuate a broken statement that is not split by a dialogue clause (he said/she said), but by a sentence?  Are either of these correct? "He is not--" The lady cleared her throat. "Your father." or could it be: "He is not," The lady cleared her throat. "Your father." I'd say "He is not," the lady cleared her throat, "your father." What I'm trying to do is give it a continuous kind of feeling. But I never write this way, so someone else may offer you a better opinion. Now you are allowed to ask another question, and many more after that! Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,627 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Conversations, Clauses, Punctuation

	StormyKnight  +  186558 Sat, 21 Jan 06 01:39 AM I'd say "He is not," the lady cleared her throat, "your father." What I'm trying to do is give it a continuous kind of feeling. Well, if that works for you, it works for me! Thanks! StormyKnight Punctuation

	MrPedantic  +  186573 Sat, 21 Jan 06 03:19 AM An alternative version: "He is not"—the lady cleared her throat—"your father." MrP MrPedantic Joined on Tue, Oct 12 2004 Veteran Member 12,592 ...opella forensis / adducit febris...

	StormyKnight  +  186852 Sat, 21 Jan 06 07:10 PM  MrPedantic wrote: "He is not"—the lady cleared her throat—"your father." Oooo....that looks good too! Thanks! So I guess there isn't a hard and fast rule for this type of thing? StormyKnight Punctuation

	Clive  +  186889 Sat, 21 Jan 06 08:27 PM Hi, So I guess there isn't a hard and fast rule for this type of thing? I guess if you read a punctuation book, you'd find some, but I'd view them as rules that are not 'hard and fast'. Guidelines, suggestions. Best wishes, Clive Clive Punctuation