I've recently noticed writers leaving out the comma, or using a colon before direct speech in the following type of sentence (no words are actually spoken):
It was as if the dog was saying, "What are you asking me for?"
What is correct?
I've recently noticed writers leaving out the comma, or using a colon before direct speech in the following type of sentence (no words are actually spoken):
It was as if the dog was saying, "What are you asking me for?"
What is correct?
The New Hart's Rules is a good investment. It sets out a standard to follow, one that publishers use. Most will have an in-house style, but it will normally be based on Hart's. Whatever your style, make it consistent.
Robin, I have often seen the use of colons as you described in newspaper articles.
I, personally, wouldn't use a colon before direct speech in a novel. I'll stick to commas and speech marks. I'm not sure agents and publishers would approve of the use of a colon before direct speech. I haven't seen them used in novels that I read, but I only read novels by award-winning authors.
With regard to punctuation, I stick mainly to commas, full stops, apostrophes and speech marks. I use exclamation marks, dashes and elipses sparingly. I never use semi-colons, because I'm not a fan of long sentences. I have learned from trying to make a sentence do to much.
One thought, one sentence - Bertrand Russell.
The use of dashes and elipses have increased in popularity, and in my opinion are often misused.
I only use a dash to replace a comma, when I need to finish a sentence strongly.
Elipses are handy when a speaker is interrupted mid-sentence, at a loss for words, or during streams of thought. At worst, they are a lazy way of not completing a piece of dialogue.
The use of punctuation is subjective. I have always been guided by the authors I read.
Each to their own choice of punctuation.