Meet and Greet

[vnud29]

Good job April

I've caught many things on fire in the oven LOL
Ive done a cake twice, and a bag of leftover carrabbas I think. Now that was pretty bad LOL the paper bag caught fire and i had to save the day cause my sister froze on seeing the fire. I was smart enough to turn on the water for her

[Meshebe8]

So, Rosa, was April right?

Or has she asked you yet?

It's been quiet around here lately

[cavedweller5]

So, Rosa, was April right?

Or has she asked you yet?

It's been quiet around here lately

Lol, Michele, are you really wondering who is right? I've said it before and I'll say it again: April is lucky to have such a hell of a good editor.... You were right. Again. And I've already advised her to trust your judgement, at least when it comes to language issues
The question, fellow forumers, had to do with the use of commas. April and Michele did not agree on a very specific case and it so happens that Michele, editor extraordinaire, was right. Therefore, writers out there, make sure you listen to your editors...
I never caught anything on fire in the oven.... Hm, now I've been known to set a thing or two on fire while using a frying pan though...

[silverwriter01]

Well, I guess it's quieter since it's getting closer to the end of the year. I know my schedule is busier then it was. Those few days after Christmas and before the next semester starts, I'll be able to get on the board more.

*grumblegrumble* Michele's right *grumblegrumble* Doesn't make no sense. Yep, Rosa, I asking for the long drawn out techically reason why Michele's right. Why can't I put
"That's so sweet," Brice mocked. "I think I just got a cavity." Why does that have to be a comma instead of a period after mocked?

[cavedweller5]

Ok, let me put on my teacher's hat... Done. Now, on with that explanation: I'll start by saying that the rules dealing with punctuation are not as many or as strict as those that deal with other linguistic domains, and they are often tricky when it comes to writing and reporting dialogue. As you know, my dear April, a comma must be used between the dialogue and the words used to identify the speaker (this is called tag line):
"Michele is an amazing editor", said Rosa.
Now, when the tag line interrupts a sentence, it should be set off by commas:
"April does not like it", Rosa said,"when she isn't right about something".
Note that the first letter of the second half of the sentence is in lower case.
When one single speaker says two different things/sentences and you decide to place the tag line between them, again two commas are used, as in your example:
"That’s so sweet", Brice mocked, "I think I just got a cavity".
You could use a period after the word 'mocked' if you chose to turn the second sentence Brice said into a completely separate statement, with its own tag line, as in
"That’s so sweet", Brice mocked. "I think I just got a cavity", she added.
I must confess that your question got me thinking for a while, but the only other instance in which I believe you can use a period there is if the second sentence belonged to a different semantic category: sentences can be classified according to meaning, thus you have declarative (sentences that make statements), imperative (a sentence that gives a command or gives a request), interrogative (sentences that ask questions) and exclamatory (a complete sentence that expresses surprise, excitement or some other strong emotion). In your example Brice says two declarative sentences, but if she had said first a statement and then some other type of sentence, like a question, a period could probably be used after the tag line:
"That's so sweet", Brice mocked. "Is this a cavity I just got?"
I am not really sure about this though. It just makes some sort of sense to me. In conclusion, Michele was right, so, April, get over it and congratulate yourself on having an amazing editor

[silverwriter01]

Hmm, makes sense. I'll work on it. *receives a text from Michele gloating* I refuse to congratulate myself on having an amazing editor. She'll all preen some more...with a one inch strip...

I like it when you put your sexy teacher's hat on Rosa

[celticmusicrocks]

Rosa, why couldn't you have taught me grammar? Your explanations make a lot more sense than my teachers' explanations ever did. I bet I currently wouldn't be driving Yuri crazy with my mistakes on our story if you had.

[cavedweller5]

Rosa, why couldn't you have taught me grammar? Your explanations make a lot more sense than my teachers' explanations ever did. I bet I currently wouldn't be driving Yuri crazy with my mistakes on our story if you had.

Aw, Amber, I'm flattered Thank you so much. And a story written by Yuri and yourself is certainly going to be a pleasure to read, mistakes included

[Meshebe8]

Now wait a minute. Shouldn't the period or comma be inside the quotations?

"That’s so sweet", Brice mocked. "I think I just got a cavity", she added.

I've always been taught to put commas in between the two sentences regardless, but then again they didn't reason it like you did. I do like how you added the 'she added' since it's not connected to the first sentence. I can meet April in the middle there and let her do that haha

it's just... commas and periods and question marks have always gone inside the quotation marks as well. You're confusing me lol

(sorry I got off topic there with the middle comment )

[silverwriter01]

Now wait a minute. Shouldn't the period or comma be inside the quotations?

"That’s so sweet", Brice mocked. "I think I just got a cavity", she added.

it's just... commas and periods and question marks have always gone inside the quotation marks as well. You're confusing me lol

Oh...yeah...wow...I've been taught that too. Are we...wrong? Is my editor wrong?

[cavedweller5]

Both of you are right actually. Periods and commas go inside the quotation marks and other punctuation (semicolons, question and exclamation marks, dashes and so on) goes outside unless it directly pertains to the dialogue being reported. I guess I was so focused on the issue of commas vs. periods that I didn't notice I was writing the commas outside the quotation marks. I believe it was a case of language interference: Spanish punctuation is very different from English punctuation, we use dashes and colons instead of commas and always outside the quotation marks, so I'm afraid I mixed everything up a little bit. Sorry about the confusion, Michele. And, April, haven't I already told you that your editor is always right?

[Meshebe8]

lol



Well, I'm glad we got that settled

[silverwriter01]

Someone come take my test for me. K, thanks.

[Meshebe8]

You know, I would have and all but you wouldn't wait for me to get there

[silverwriter01]

Did not prank call Michele at all last night

[Meshebe8]

Unfortunately that statement is technically true via loophole lol

[silverwriter01]

idk loopholes.

I don't want to take my physics test in the morning. Shelly come take it for me.

Soooo, what have you guys been up too?

[Meshebe8]

wow I think I actually feel off the face of the earth there for a while...

one more week of normal classes, then finals week. plus a good 6 or 7 dates I have to work in these two weeks, not just work, but work huggggge shows. wee.

I think I'll go watch a movie for now though. I feel fine despite the stressful sounding schedule.

I hope you guys are well as well

[celticmusicrocks]

Eh, I've had better weeks. My back muscle decided to spaz out on me on Monday, after aching for two weeks from raking leaves/mulching for my grandma. Shows that not all good deeds go unpunished, eh? So I've got a muscle relaxant and painkillers, oh joy. *sigh* Anyway. I hope everyone else's week has gone better.

[pippinfluff]

Sorry about your back celts. Is there no lovely lady on here who'll give you a massage? Get better soon. Pips