It's a question of speech

Wed, May 12 2010 04:56pm IST 1
Tony
Tony
2107 Posts
Here's a question I've been meaning to get clarified, please. It's to do with capitalisation in quoted speech.

'If it's not too much trouble,' he said, 'could you pass me that book?'
'I wonder if I could trouble you,' he said. 'Could you pass me that book?'
He said, 'If it's not too much trouble, could you pass me that book?'

Now the first two versions are fine. In the first, the speech is all one sentence - no capital C for 'could'. In the second, the speech is two sentences, so 'could' has a capital C.

Is the third example also right? Even though the 'if' comes mid-sentence, as it is the start of the speech it needs to be capitalised, right? Or not? Undecided

Cool
Wed, May 12 2010 05:09pm IST 2
Weens
Weens
998 Posts
I'm not the greatest person to ask re punctuation, but I have to say it would be right. It's a new sentence for 'He' so should start with a capital. If it is a continuation, with something unfinished before 'he said' then it would be a small I. I think you have it right Tony.
Wed, May 12 2010 06:17pm IST 3
Spangles
Spangles
749 Posts
Yes, you've got it right, Tony. And you're correct in thinking that the first word of someone's speech is always capitalized. Cool
Wed, May 12 2010 06:46pm IST 4
Tony
Tony
2107 Posts
Thanks, girls.

Cool

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