Dialogue Writing and Practice

Model Exercise

Read the following dialogue.

Mother    :               Are you ready, Uma?

Uma        :               Yes, I’m.

Mother    :               Have you taken the library books?

Uma        :               Yes, I’ve. What is there for breakfast, Mum?

Mother    :               Idli and chutney. Don’t you like it?

Uma        :               I love it. What’s there for lunch?

Mother    :               Can you guess? What did you want?

Uma        :               Oh! Now I guess. How do you find time for all this? So sweet of you.

Exercise – 1

Ganga wished Arun good morning and enquired of his well being. Arun said that he was fine and thanked her for the enquiry. Ganga then said that it was along time since they had met and added that she thought they had not met since he joined the Bangalore University. She then asked him how he liked his new set up. Arun replied that he liked the campus very much and added that the faculty was very competent and that all facilities for academic growth were available there. Ganga further wanted to know the duration of his course. He said it was four semesters in two years. Then he suggested that she make a trip to Bangalore. She exclaimed that it was a fine Idea. Arun asked her whether she would bring her brother also and added that he would love the city. Ganga apologised and said he wouldn’t be able to go since he was leaving for U.K. the next day. Arun was surprised to hear that. Then he invited Ganga home to tea that evening. She agreed and thanked him for the invitation. Then they bade farewell to each other.

Read the following conversation.

Ganga     :               Hi Arun! Good morning! How are you?

Arun       :               I’m fine. Thank you.

Ganga     :               It’s a long time since we met. I think we haven’t met since you joined the

                                Bangalore University. How do you like your new set up?

Arun       :               I like the campus very much. The faculty is very competent and all facilities for

                                academic growth are available there.

Ganga     :               What’s the duration of your course?

Arun       :               Four semesters in two years. Why don’t you make a trip to Bangalore?

Ganga     :               What a fine idea!

Arun       :               Will you bring your brother also? He’ll love the city.

Ganga     :               I’m sorry. He won’t be able to come. He’s leaving for U.K. tomorrow.

Arun       :               Is it so? By the way, will you please come home this evening for tea?

Ganga     :               Thank You. I’ll surely come. Bye.

Arun       :               Bye bye.

Exercise – 2

Write the report for the following dialogue.

Balu         :               My friends are coming home in the evening. Will you also come?

I               :               I’m tired. I don’t think I will be able to.

Balu         :               I’ve told them you’ll be there.

I               :               You inform me of their next visit. I’ll definitely be there.

Balu told me that his friends were coming home in the evening. He asked me whether I would also go. I replied that I was tired and expressed my inability to go. Balu said that he had told them that I would be there. Then I requested him to inform me of their next visit and assured him that I would definitely be there.

Exercise – 3

Read the following passage and write dialogue.

Ann asked Reena whether she had had her dinner. Reena replied that she had had it just a while ago and added that her tummy was full. Then Ann commented that in that case she could eat the chocolate she had brought for Reena. Reena immediately responded in the negative and said that there is always room for chocolates.

Ann        :               Did you have your dinner?

Reena     :               Yes, just a while ago and my tummy is full.

Ann        :               So, can I eat the chocolate I’ve brought for you?

Reena     :               Oh no, there’s always room for chocolates.

Exercise – 4

Read the following dialogue and a report to it.

Vishnu    :               What’s happening here?

Renu       :               It’s my birthday.

Vishnu    :               Whom have you invited?

Renu       :               All my friends.

Vishnu    :               How can this hall accommodate all your friends?

Renu       :               I’ve only a few friends.

Vishnu asked Renu what was happening there. She replied that it was her birthday. Then Vishnu asked whom she had invited. She said that she had invited all her friends. He wondered how that hall could accommodate all her friends to which she replied that she had only a few friends.

Exercise –5 

Ramesh wished Raja good morning and he too wished him back and then said that he thought they had not met each other before. Ramesh confirmed it and then introduced himself as a tourist from abroad and journalist by profession. Raja politely asked him what he could do for him. Ramesh replied that he had heard that Raja’s school had been selected as a model and congratulated for that. Raja thanked him. Ramesh requested Raja to answer some of the questions as he is going to write an article on the school. Raja agreed to co-operate. Then Ramesh asked him how he maintained discipline there. He wanted to know whether he was very strict with the boys.  Raja replied in the negative. Then Ramesh asked him whether he allowed the boys to smoke and drink. Raja emphatically denied it. Then he asked him whether they went for films. He answered that they went for films once in a while. Then Ramesh exclaimed that it was a very rigid system. Raja responded that you/one cannot have discipline in an institution for young boys, unless you are/ one is a bit rigid.

Ramesh   :               Good morning. Mr. Raja.

Raja        :               Good morning. I think we haven’t met each other before.

Ramesh  :               No, We haven’t. I’m Ramesh a tourist from abroad and a journalist by profession.

Raja        :               What can I do for you?

Ramesh   :               I heard that your school has been selected as a model. Congratulations!

Raja        :               Thank you.

Ramesh   :               I’d like to write an article about your school. Would you please answer a few

                                questions about your students?

Raja        :               Certainly, with pleasure.

Ramesh   :               How do you maintain discipline here? Are you very strict with the boys?

Raja        :               No, not very.

Ramesh   :               Do you allow the boys to smoke and drink?

Raja        :               Definitely not.

Ramesh   :               Do they go for films?

Raja        :               Only once in a while.

Ramesh   :              What a rigid in a system!

Raja        :              You cannot have discipline in an institution for young boys, unless you are a bit                                     rigid.

Exercise – 6

Read the following passage and a dialogue.

Rishi requested Arjun to lend him his pen. Arjun refused to so and said that he had only one pen with him. Then Rita said that she had a spare pen, which she would lend him. Rishi thanked her and promised to buy her a chocolate that evening.

Rishi       :               Arjun, will you please lend me your pen?

Arjun      :               No, I’ve only one pen with me.

Rita         :               I have a spare pen, which I’ll lend you.

Rishi       :               Thank you Rita. I’ll buy you a chocolate this evening.

In a restaurant

Rani        :               Can you please serve some more salad?

Bearer     :               Yes, madam. Anything else?

Rani        :               No, thanks. Please get me a cup of vanilla ice cream in a parcel.

Bearer     :               O.K., ma’am.

In the class room

Kumar    :               Could you please lend me a pen? Mine doesn’t write.

Ravi        :               Sorry, I don’t have one to spare.

Kumar    :               May be you’ve a pencil?

Ravi        :               Sorry, I don’t have a pencil either.

Requesting a friend to go with you to the town

Rani        :               Anu, are you free this evening? Can you please come with me to the town?

Anu        :               Yeah, sure. I’m free this evening.

Rani        :               Can you take me to the Gems? I don’t know the way.

Anu        :               Certainly. What time shall we go?

Rani        :               Let’s go at five.

At the post-office to a strange

Jacob                      :               Excuse me. Could I borrow your pen for a minute, please?

Stranger                  :               Certainly. Here it is.

Jacob                      :               Thank you.

Over the telephone

Receptionist          :      Good morning. Paradise Towers International.

Anurag                  :      Good morning. May I speak to Mr. Keshava murthy of room number 12,

                                     please?

Receptionist          :      May know who is calling, please?

Anurag                  :      I am Anurag Pande from Choice Towers.

Receptionist          :      Please hold on for a moment, sir. Let me see if he’s available… 

                                     Please speak on, sir. Mr. Keshava murthy is on the line.

Requesting your Principal to forward your application

Savithri  :               Good morning, Sir.

Principal:                Good morning.

Savithri  :               Sir, I’m applying for the Nehru Fellowship for higher studies. Would you kindly

                               forward my application.

Principal:                Very good. Please give it in the Office. I’ll forward it. I wish that you’d get it.
                               All the best.

Savithri  :               Thank you, sir.

Inviting a reputed writer

Arjun      :               Sir, We’re planning to organize a workshop on the effects of criticism on young                                   writers.

Writer     :               That’s a good idea. But what can I do for you?

Arjun      :               We’d be delighted if you could spare some time for us and address the students.

                                It’s for two days, the 10^th and 11^th of January.

Writer     :               All right. You just send me the details.

Arjun      :               I’ll do so. Thank you very much, sir.

Invitation declined by the District Collector.

Shekar    :               Good morning, Sir. I’m Shekar, Chairman of the College Students’ union of

                                Kottureshwara College.

Collector:               Good morning. Shekar, please sit down.

Shekar    :             Thank you, sir. I’ve come to invite you to inaugurate our College Day celebrations.

Collector:              When is it?

Shekar    :               Any day between 12^th and 16^th of February, according to your convenience.

Collector:              Sorry, Shekar. I’ll be in Delhi that week to attend a conference.
                              However, thank you very much for the invitation, and wish you all the best.

Congratulating one’s son for winning a championship

Nikhil      :               Dad, I’ve won the championship in athletics. Here’s the cup.

Dad         :               Well done my boy! You deserve it. Hearty congratulations!

Nikhil      :               Thank you, dad. There was stuff competition.

Dad         :               You’ve had good practice. Hard work always pays. But I must remind you not to

                                neglect your studies.

Nikhil      :               Don’t worry, dad. My rank is quite high in the proficiency list.

Dad         :               Congratulations, My son! I’m really proud of you.

Exercise – 6

Both Father and daughter went to Post Office and met the postmaster.

Shankarappa         :         Good morning sir, I’m Shankarappa, she is my daughter Rama.

Postmaster            :          Good morning, Oh! Shankarappa, for a long time you have come to the

                                         Post office. What can I do for you?

Shankarappa         :          There must be a parcel from Mumbai on her name. Is there any such

                                         arrival, sir?

Postmaster            :          Oh! That parcel of books has been delivered to you? We did not know

                                         Whose parcel was that because the address was insufficient.

Sankarappa           :          What is wrong with it, sir.

Postmaster            :          There was only Rama’s name in the address. And there was no name of

                                         you. How can we find out the addressee? There must be the name of the

                                         family’s head in the address.

Sahnkarappa         :          Wrongly written in Urgency, Excuse me, sir.

Postmaster            :          All right, I’ve known you, and there is no difficulty in delivering the

                                         parcel. (towards his assistant) Raja, could you bring that parcel in the name

                                         of Rama, which was kept undelivered for a long time.

Raja                      :          Yes, sir. (he brings and gives it to him)

Postmaster            :          Mr. Shankarappa could you please put the signature here on this form.

Shankarappa         :          Ok. sir.

Postmaster            :          Rama, could you please lend me your book to read at once?

Rama                     :          Yes, sir. I will give this book after my reading. (Postmaster laughs at her

                                          words)

Shankarappa         :           Thank you, sir. We have been benefited by you. We will see you latter,

                                          Sir. (goes out)

DIALOGUE PRACTICE

Murali:                   Hi! Manoj, what brings to this office again?

Manoj:                   I’ve come for my service certificate.

Murali:                   How long did you work here?

Manoj:                   I joined here at the age of 20 and left at the age of 23. That means 3 years. 
                              To be exact it is a little over three years.

Murali:                   Murthy has also left us, isn’t he (is he not) the same age as you?

Manoj:                   No, I am 23 now. And he is above 24. He is at least a year older than I. What                                        about you?

Murali:                   I am under twenty-one. I am slightly, that is, just a few months over 20.

Introducing self and others

Raghav:                 Excuse me, can I sit here please?

Sudhir:                   Yes, please.

Raghav:                 Thank you, Hello, I am Raghav Rai.

Sudhir:                   I’m Sudhir Sen.

Raghav:                 What do you do Mr. Sen.

Sudhir:                   I’m a salesman in Mega Electricals. What about you?

Raghav:                 I’m an accountant in the Bank of India.

Sudhir:                   Where are you from?

Raghav:                 I’m from Mumbai. But now I settled in Bangalore. And You?

Sudhir:                   I am from Bangalore Itself.

Raghav:                 My stop has come. O.K. Bye, Sudhir.

Raghav:                 Bye.

After a few days when two families are meeting

Sudhir:                   Hello Raghav, How are you?

Raghav:                 Fine, thank you. And you?

Sudhir:                   Fine, here, Meet my wife Meeta, my son Mohit, and my daughter Neha.

Raghav:                 Hello Mrs Sen, hello children. My wife Shefali and my daughter Soma.

Sudhir:                   Hello Mrs Rai.

Meeta:                    (to shafali) Hello, nice meeting you.

Shafali:                   Nice meeting you too.

Meeta:                    Do you work, Shefali?

Shafali:                   No, I’m a housewife. What about you?

Meeta:                    I teach in a school.

Shafali:                   Which school?

Meeta:                    Nehru Public School.

Shafali:                   Where is that?

Meeta:                    In mission road.

Shafali:                   In V.V. Puram. Please drop in sometime.

Meeta:                    Sure, you too.

Mother and son

Mother:                  Get up Rishal, It’s five o’clock.

Rishal:                    It’s too early, mom.

Mother:                  You have your science exam today. Get up and revise your course.

Rishal:                    O.K. Mom, I will get up in two minutes.

Mother:                  Hurry up and wash your face. Meanwhile, I’ll get milk for you.

Rishal:                    O.K. mom.

Mother:                  Did you take out your clothes last night, Rishal?

Rishal:                    Yes, I did.

Mother:                  And your shoes? Did you polish them?

Rishal:                    No, I forgot to polish the shoes, I’ll do it now.

Mother:                  Do that later. First finish your revision.

Rishal:                    O.K. mom.

Mother:                  Haven’t you finished yet, Rishal?

Rishal:                    Yes, I have.

Mother:                  Have you revised everything well?

Rishal:                    Yes, mom. I have revised everything well.

Mother:                  are sure of writing your exam well?

Rishal:                    yes, mom

Mother:                  O K, my child, I wish you the best of everything.