Direct speech, indirect speech, and reported speech: What they are and how they’re used

Mike said, “The sky is like a painting.”

Direct speech

Direct speech is raw and immediate—feels like the speaker’s right there with you.

• What it is: You’re quoting someone’s exact words, like you’re playing back a recording of what they said.
• How it looks: Wrapped in quotation marks (” “). The punctuation stays true to what was spoken.
• Example: He said, “I’m starving. Let’s grab pizza.”

Indirect speech (reported speech)

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech. It’s less about the exact phrasing and more about passing along the message.

• What it is: You’re summarizing or rephrasing what someone said, not word-for-word. It’s more about the gist of it.
• How it looks: No quotation marks. You tweak things like verb tense, pronouns, and time references to fit the new context.
• Example: He said that he was starving and suggested grabbing pizza.

Key differences

1. Quotation marks
   • Direct: “I’ll be back soon,” she promised.
   • Indirect: She promised that she’d be back soon.
2. Verb tense (backshift)
   • Direct: “I am tired,” he said.
   • Indirect: He said that he was tired.
     (Present “am” shifts to past “was” in most cases.)
3. Time/place words
   • Direct: “I’ll meet you here tomorrow,” he said.
   • Indirect: He said that he’d meet me there the next day.
     (“Here” becomes “there,” “tomorrow” becomes “the next day.”)
4. Pronouns
   • Direct: “I love my dog,” she said.
   • Indirect: She said that she loved her dog.
     (Perspective adjusts based on who’s reporting it.)

What they’re used for

• Direct speech: Great for drama, storytelling, or when you want to keep someone’s voice intact. It’s like letting them speak through you.
• Indirect speech: Handy for summarizing, reporting, or keeping things concise. You’re the filter, not the megaphone.

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