Dialogue is conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, film, or everyday interaction. In literature, dialogue reveals character, advances plot, and creates tension, and it is often distinguished from narration by quotation marks or formatting.

Effective dialogue sounds natural, reflects the characters' backgrounds and relationships, and serves multiple purposes at once. It can be used to convey subtext, where what is meant differs from what is said. Dialogue is a central tool of drama and fiction.

Key points

• Conversation between characters
• Reveals character and advances plot
• Can convey subtext
• Central to drama and fiction