When we want to report what someone said, we can do it in two ways: by quoting their exact words (direct speech) or by reporting the meaning of what they said (indirect or reported speech). Understanding the difference is key to structuring clear sentences.

Direct Speech (Quoted Speech)

Direct speech uses the speaker's exact words. It is often used in stories and journalism to be precise.

• The exact words are enclosed in quotation marks (" ").
• The quote is often separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
• The first word of the quote begins with a capital letter.

• "I am going to the library," she said.
• He asked, "Have you finished your homework?"

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

Indirect speech reports the meaning of what someone said, without using their exact words. Quotation marks are not used. The word that is often used to introduce the reported words, but it can be omitted.

When changing from direct to indirect speech, you often need to change tenses, pronouns, and words related to time and place.

// Transformation Example
Direct: He said, "I am studying now."
Indirect: He said that he was studying then.

For a detailed guide on the grammatical changes involved (like tense backshift), please see our topic on Reported Speech.

Related Topics

• Reported Speech, Deep dive into tense backshift rules and more examples.
• Question Formation, Learn how to report questions using indirect speech.
• Passive Voice, Combine passive constructions with direct and indirect speech.
• Varying Sentence Structure, Use direct and indirect speech to add variety to your writing.