My Little Pony - Friendship is Magic (part 2)

[Cranica]

Sigh...

And then we get into multiple statements per paragraph.

“You know…” she sounded confused. “That wasn't in the plan. What are they doing?”

If I am to understand this right. To make that sentence readable, it should look like:

"You know...," she sounded confused, "that wasn't in the plan. What are they doing?"

But that looks even worse to me.

The comma at the end of a quotation isn't necessary unless it's intended to be read with a pause and no other punctuation is present. You can begin a sentence with a quotation fine, so the first one is correct. Personally, I'd write it

“You know…” she said, confused. “That wasn't in the plan. What are they doing?”

But again, I have to ask why we care. I'm a grammar nazi myself about actual usage issues, but when you get to the point of such obscure punctuation rules that we're all having to look it up, it isn't obscuring meaning and it isn't distracting to the reader.

[GrossGuy147258369]

A quick check for that is to replace "The Hangover" with Bill.
Have you seen Bill?
Bill = "The Hangover"
Have you seen ("The Hangover")?
Have you seen "The Hangover"?

If grammar worked as simply as mathematics, this would undoubtedly be true. And, this is the reason that I do my quotes the way I described. But, I'm pretty damn sure that it's not technically grammatically correct. At least not in American English.

But, I don't really care. The only thing I'm concerned with when I write is clarity and meaning. A misplaced punctuation mark isn't jarring enough to disrupt either one.

[Freyera]

The comma at the end of a quotation isn't necessary unless it's intended to be read with a pause and no other punctuation is present. You can begin a sentence with a quotation fine, so the first one is correct.

Urg! I wish EqD would stop busting my chops over this. Let me find another example without an ellipsis in it.

[Anakonda]

Sigh...

And then we get into multiple statements per paragraph.

“You know…” she sounded confused. “That wasn't in the plan. What are they doing?”

If I am to understand this right. To make that sentence readable, it should look like:

"You know...," she sounded confused, "that wasn't in the plan. What are they doing?"

But that looks even worse to me.

Thats because "she sounded confused" doesnt seem like a good continuation to a direct speech.
Have a look

She sounded confused: "You know..."
"You know..." she sounded confused.
See the difference?

If you want to keep the direct speech first, try this:
"You know...", she said looking confused.
Im not 100% sure on the comma there.

What my teacher taught me in school (and what i try to follow) - if you arent sure about proper way to write something, avoid it.
If you have a weird looking sentence that you might end up writing incorrectly, try to make another sentence instead. Simple

Also, dont forget that you arent writing for the nobel awards. People wont judge too much for a weird comma or something.

[Cranica]

Urg! I wish EqD would stop busting my chops over this. Let me find another example without an ellipsis in it.

What, seriously? They're bitching at you over a comma?

[Pendulous]

A lot of times I will write a sentence, and someone will ask me why I wrote it the way I did. What tense to use, whatever. All I know is that if it sounds right to me, it's right. I can't really explain specific rules, I just know that it's right.

But in the case of quotations, I'm now confused

What, seriously? They're bitching at you over a comma?

I hope not, I see more grammatical errors in more esteemed sites.

[BloodyAngel12]

No i had a enough of this in school please no more.

[Freyera]

"What are you doing? Do the others about this?” she could barely hear his frantic voice.

There, thought one up. What do I do with that? She isn't saying it, only hearing it from a distance, so it's an action after a statement. Should 'she' be capitalized? Or should the question mark be replaced with a comma?

[Anakonda]

"What are you doing? Do the others about this?” she could barely hear his frantic voice.

There, thought one up. What do I do with that? She isn't saying it, only hearing it from a distance, so it's an action after a statement. Should 'she' be capitalized? Or should the question mark be replaced with a comma?

In russian, it would have a "-" mark there. I know this is english, but it also sounds right.

"What are you doing? Do the others know about this?" - she could barely hear his frantic voice.

[BloodyAngel12]

[Freyera]

What, seriously? They're bitching at you over a comma?

A lot of times I will write a sentence, and someone will ask me why I wrote it the way I did. What tense to use, whatever. All I know is that if it sounds right to me, it's right. I can't really explain specific rules, I just know that it's right.

But in the case of quotations, I'm now confused

I hope not, I see more grammatical errors in more esteemed sites.

I am now on submission attempt #4. They are happy with it, except for the punctuation surrounding quotations, which has been brought up every time, and I've changed it... every time.

[Pendulous]

"What are you doing? Do the others about this?” she could barely hear his frantic voice.

There, thought one up. What do I do with that? She isn't saying it, only hearing it from a distance, so it's an action after a statement. Should 'she' be capitalized? Or should the question mark be replaced with a comma?

In that case, I'd say capitalize "she". I can't really explain what that rule is like I said, but in that case you're not explaining who's saying the statement. It's a new statement.

It just comes down to context. And it's really up to the writer in that case I think.

[Freyera]

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/3Eb2ll.jpg[IMG]

Aww. Sorry Hudson, I'll let it go. >_<

[Isrozzis]

"What are you doing? Do the others about this?” she could barely hear his frantic voice.

There, thought one up. What do I do with that? She isn't saying it, only hearing it from a distance, so it's an action after a statement. Should 'she' be capitalized? Or should the question mark be replaced with a comma?

I would make the second clause after the quotations capitalized. Though it is rather ambiguous and could be done either way I think.

A lot of it depends on personal choice too. Your style as an author kind of shapes some of the greyer areas of grammar.

[GrossGuy147258369]

Urg! I wish EqD would stop busting my chops over this. Let me find another example without an ellipsis in it.

Lol. This is ridiculous. I figured you were talking about a college paper or something. Words are meant to convey meaning.

"Hello, I'm Sally," she said.
"Hello, I'm Sally", she said.

Convey the exact same meaning with the exact same flow and style. They are equivalent sentences.

[BloodyAngel12]

[Anakonda]

In that case, I'd say capitalize "she". I can't really explain what that rule is like I said, but in that case you're not explaining who's saying the statement. It's a new statement.

It just comes down to context. And it's really up to the writer in that case I think.

i still think he should use "-" like i described above.


In other news, is there a fanofficial name for the third wonderbolt yet?

[Crush]

Me right now
I can open wow ... then it turns to a troll and self closes ...

[Hoofshock]

let's just say it started better than it ended....
]

Ooooh.

That no bueno.

[BloodyAngel12]

Aww. Sorry Hudson, I'll let it go. >_<

Let what go?