GRADE 8 TERM 2 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE WEEKS 3 AND 4 WRITING AND PRESENTING

Activity 1: Read a famous dialogue

What is dialogue?
Dialogue is a conversation which happens between two characters in a play, film or novel.
The following is an example of dialogue found in a novel:
‘Are you really Harry Potter?’ Ron blurted out. Harry nodded.
‘Oh - well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George’s jokes,’
said Ron. ‘And have you really got - you know …’ He pointed at
Harry’s forehead.
Harry pulled back his fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron
stared.
‘So that’s where You-Know-Who -?’
‘Yes,’ said Harry, ‘but I can’t remember it.’
‘Nothing?’ said Ron eagerly.
‘Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.’
‘Wow,’ said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had
suddenly realised what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
‘Are all your family wizards?’ asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found
him.
‘Er - yes, I think so,’ said Ron. ‘I think Mum’s got a second cousin who’s an
accountant, but we never talk about him.’
‘So you must know loads of magic already.’
The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon
Alley had talked about.
‘I heard you went to live with Muggles,’ said Ron. ‘What are they like?’
‘Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I’d had
three wizard brothers.’
‘Five,’ said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. ‘I’m the sixth
in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I’ve got a lot to live
up to. Bill and Charlie have already left – Bill was Head Boy and
Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy’s a Prefect. Fred
and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good
marks and everyone thinks they’re really funny. Everyone
expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it’s no big
deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new,
either, with five brothers. I’ve got Bill’s old robes, Charlie’s old
wand and Percy’s old rat.’
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 GRADE 8 TERM 2 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE WEEKS 3 AND 4 WRITING AND PRESENTING

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1999.
YOU SHOULD NOTICE:
• The author makes it clear when which character is speaking, but does not always begin
the sentence with the character's name
o Eg Harry said/ Ron replied/ Harry said etc
• They do this to make the dialogue interesting to read
• Each person begins speaking on a new line. They make use of the correct punctuation
and first person pronouns unless the characters are making reference to someone else.
• Because this dialogue is intended to be read the author needs to include other
details such as tone of voice and facial expressions to help the reader imagine how this
conversation looked while it was taking place
Film dialogue is structured differently because the person watching the film is able to see
and hear all of the details that the author would have had to include for someone
who is reading the novel

Below is the same extract done in a film dialogue style:

Ron: Are you really Harry Potter? [Harry nods] Oh - well, I thought it might
be one of Fred and George’s jokes,’ said Ron. ‘And have you really got -
you know? …
[Harry pulls back his fringe to show the lightning scar. Ron stares]
Ron: So that’s where You-Know-Who -?
Harry: Yes, but I can’t remember it.
Ron: Nothing?
Harry: Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else.
Ron: Wow!
Harry: Are all your family wizards?
Ron: Er - yes, I think so,’ said Ron. ‘I think Mum’s got a second cousin who’s an
accountant, but we never talk about him.
Ron: I heard you went to live with Muggles, what are they like?
Harry: Horrible - well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though.
Wish I’d had three wizard brothers.

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GRADE 8 TERM 2 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE WEEKS 3 AND 4 WRITING AND PRESENTING

Ron: Five, I’m the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I’ve got
a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left – Bill was Head Boy
and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy’s a Prefect. Fred and
George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and
everyone thinks they’re really funny. Everyone expects me to do as
well as the others, but if I do, it’s no big deal, because they did it first.
You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I’ve got Bill’s old
robes, Charlie’s old wand and Percy’s old rat.
YOU SHOULD NOTICE:
• The punctuation has changed, there are no inverted commas to indicate who speaks
because that is indicated by the name of the character
• The action described is minimal – because this dialogue is designed to be performed
there is no need to include too much action, the actors performing the dialogue will
do the action themselves.
• The action that is indicated is in the present tense
• The dialogue still uses first person pronouns and present tense

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 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE WEEKS 3 AND 4 WRITING AND PRESENTING
GRADE 8 TERM 2
MEMORANDUM

0 1-2 3-4 5
Punctuation Learner has Learner has Learner has Learner has
included no tried to include included some included all
punctuation. correct and correct and correct and
Incorrect or appropriate appropriate appropriate
otherwise. punctuation. punctuation. punctuation.
Serious lack of Shows an Shows an
understanding adequate excellent
of dialogue understanding understanding
punctuation. of dialogue of dialogue
punctuation. punctuation.
Details and Learner has Learner has Learner has Learner has
creativity included no tried to include included some included in
relevant detail. some detail. in depth and depth and
Dialogue Dialogue has relevant detail. relevant details.
has not been to some extent Dialogue Dialogue has
designed been designed has been been effectively
effectively as as part of a adequately designed as
part of a novel. novel. Learner designed as part of a novel.
Learner has has showed part of a novel. Learner has
showed very some creativity. Learner has showed a
little creativity. showed some high level of
creativity. creativity.
Language use Vocabulary Learner has Learner has Learner has
is not up to tried to use used an used a wide
standard. an adequate adequate vocabulary.
Sentences vocabulary. vocabulary. Sentences
reflect flawed Sentences Sentences reflect good
comprehension reflect flawed reflect good comprehension
skills. comprehension comprehension skills.
skills. skills.
TOTAL /15

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