Breaking Up

Worksheet Description

This worksheet sets up a scenario in which two characters, John and Lisa, are having a difficult conversation where John is breaking up with Lisa. The students are tasked with writing the dialogue for this emotional exchange. They must include at least one instance of hesitation, interruption, and an unfinished thought to reflect the complexity and emotional weight of the situation. The worksheet provides spaces labeled “John” and “Lisa” for the students to alternate the dialogue between the two characters, capturing the dynamics of their interaction.

The worksheet is designed to teach students how to use punctuation to convey different kinds of pauses and breaks in a conversation, especially under emotionally charged circumstances. It guides students to understand and apply the use of ellipses for hesitation, dashes for interruption, and trailing off to indicate unfinished thoughts. By crafting this sensitive dialogue, students practice making written conversations more realistic and emotionally resonant. The goal is for them to learn the subtleties of how punctuation affects the tone and flow of communication in writing.