Rule for Paragraphs with Quotations?

Question

Do I always start a new paragraph for quotes? What if nobody has talked throughout the entire paragraph, do I still make a new paragraph? What if the same person talks twice during a paragraph, do I still make a new paragraph?

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!

Answer 1

Change paragraphs when you change speakers.

Answer 2

A paragraph is a group of sentences that are directly relating to the same idea. I have never heard of any such rule regarding paragraph changes for speaker changes. I have checked Fowler's Useage of English as well... no such rule there. If you quote Tommy and Susie Q says something on the same topic or during the same conversation.... then it is the same paragraph. Just be sure to set up a different set of quotation marks every time the speaker changes. Good luck !!! (BTW, I practically own my own library... about 3,000 or so at the time I counted a few years ago, so I am pretty sure with all that reading, I am correct.)

Answer 3

No you do not have to start a new paragraph just because you are quoting something, it can be incorporated into the existing paragraph. As long as the quote is relative to the passage you are writing it should not be separated.

Answer 4

if no one's spoken during it then someone can. you just need new paragraphs when the speaker changes