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Punctuation in direct speech

We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (") are preferred in American English, while single quotes (') are more common in British English:

" I'm coming home late tonight, " she said. (American English) ' I'm coming home late tonight, ' she said. (British English)

If we quote within direct speech, we use the other style for the embedded quotation:

"She said, ' I'm coming home late tonight ', " recalled Jim. (American English) 'She said, " I'm coming home late tonight ", ' recalled Jim. (British English)

As can be seen in the examples above, a comma ( , ) is used at the end of the quotation, before the closing speech mark.

A comma is also used before the quotation if we start the sentence with the reporting clause. In this case the terminal full stop (.) comes before the closing speech mark:

She added , "Don't expect me before 11 . "

If the quotation is a question or exclamation, the terminal marks ( ? and ! ) also come before the closing speech marks:

"Hurry up ! " he shouted. She asked, "Am I late ? "

The quotation normally begins with a capital letter, except if it is interrupted by a reporting clause, in which case the first letter of the continuation is not capitalised:

" I 'm coming home late tonight," she said and added, " d on't expect me before 11."

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English lessons and resources

Direct speech writing rules in English

7th January 2019 by Andrew 14 Comments

In the above picture, Mark is talking to Jane. The words inside the blue box are the exact words that he speaks.

Here is how we express this:

This is direct speech. Direct speech is when we report the exact words that somebody says.

In this English lesson, you will learn:

• The rules for writing direct speech.
• The correct punctuation.
• Vocabulary to report direct speech.

Reporting clause before the direct speech

The reporting clause of direct speech is the short clause that indicates who is talking. It is the clause that is outside of the inverted commas. It is therefore not the words being spoken.

We can write the reporting clause either before or after the direct speech. If the reporting clause is before the direct speech, we write it as follows:

Grammar rules – If the reporting clause is before the direct speech:

We write a comma (,) before the direct speech. We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a full stop (.) before the closing inverted commas.

Reporting clause before a question or exclamation

If the reporting clause is before a question or exclamation:

We write a comma (,) before the direct speech. We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas. or We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas.

Reporting clause after the direct speech

If the reporting clause is after the direct speech:

We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a comma (,) before the closing inverted commas. We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.

Reporting clause after a question or exclamation

If the reporting clause is after a question or exclamation:

We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas. or We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas. We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.

Advanced rules for direct speech

Sometimes we break up the direct speech into 2 parts:

The second part of the direct speech starts with a small letter if it is the same sentence as the first part of the direct speech.

The second part of the direct speech starts with a capital letter if it is a new sentence.

Vocabulary of direct speech

We have several names for the above punctuation marks:

Inverted commas Speech marks Quotation marks Quotes

Other reporting verbs

Here are some other useful reporting verbs:

reply (replied) ask (asked) shout (shouted) agree (agreed) comment (commented) admit (admitted)

They are often used for writing direct speech in books, newspapers and reports. It is more common to use them in reporting clauses after the direct speech.

“I really don’t like her dress,” she commented . “I don’t love you anymore,” he admitted .

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Direct speech video lesson

Reader Interactions

Matěj Formánek says

3rd November 2019 at 5:54 pm

How about this sentence: I know the satnav is wrong!” exclaimed Zena. – Why the subject and predicate are swapped? It’s sentence from textbook so I’m confused.

17th June 2020 at 4:07 pm

Can we write multiple sentences in direct speech that comes before reporting clause? In case if this is allowed, what punctuation mark should be used after the last sentence?

Example: “I entered the class room. As I did not find anybody there, I left the class room and went to buy a coffee.” explained the student to the teacher for his delay to come to the class.

Should the punctuation mark after the word coffee be comma instead of full stop?

Joaquim Barretto says

14th September 2020 at 1:25 pm

No full stop, but comma after the word coffee.

19th January 2021 at 2:34 pm

HI IM DAISY

courtney says

27th January 2021 at 12:07 pm

Clare Hatcher says

12th March 2021 at 9:55 am

Hello I like the layout of this – very clear. Just wondering if it is correct to use a comma in between two separate sentences in direct speech. I think that now in published material you find this instead. ‘I’m tired,’ she said. ‘Let’s stay at home.’ Would appreciate your thoughts Thanks

27th March 2021 at 8:54 am

If I wrote something with a comma at the end to continue speech like this:

“Hello,” he waved to the new student, “what’s you’re name?”

Do I have to use a capital letter even if I’m continuing with a comma or is it lowercase?

Sylvia Edouard says

30th September 2023 at 9:17 am

Yes, you need to use a capital letter as speech from someone has to start with a capital letter. Always.

15th April 2022 at 12:12 pm

which of the following is correct?

1. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document?”

2. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document,”? (comma inside)

3. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document.”? (full stop inside)

Jan Švanda says

7th September 2023 at 1:31 pm

I presume the quotation is there to specify the exact phrase (for the metadata entry). I also encounter this from time to time, when writing technical documentation. I believe in that case you should write the phrase as it is, proper grammar be damned; beautifully looking documentation is useless if it leads to incorrect results.

In this case, I don’t even think this is “direct speech”, the metadata entry isn’t walking around and saying things, the quotation mark is there to indicate precise phrase – similar to marking strings in programming languages. Because of this, I don’t think direct speech rules apply, or at least, they should take back seat. If the expected status includes full stop at the end, the sentence would be:

4. Should the status go missing when the metadata states “Sign & return document.”? (no comma before, since it is not a direct speech; full stop inside, as it is part of the quoted status)

From grammatical perspective the end looks a bit ugly, but again, if this should be technical documentation, that is less important than precision.

A person says

15th August 2022 at 7:16 pm

One extra thing: YOU MUST NOT USE THE WORD SAID IN A REPORTING CLAUSE. EVER. IT’S UNIMAGINATIVE.

no joke, it’s actually discouraged and even close to banned at my school

7th September 2023 at 1:49 pm

This is stupid. You shouldn’t use it in _every_ sentence, there should be variety, but outright banning it doesn’t make sense.

Case in point:

Book: ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Phrase to search: ‘,” said’ (comma, followed by quotation mark, followed by space, followed by word ‘said’). Number of occurrences: 211. Total number of ‘,”‘ (comma, followed by quotation mark) strings is 436, so “said” is used in almost 50% cases of direct speech of this type.

I don’t think it would be right for your school to ban Jane Austin, do you?

blaire says

30th March 2024 at 5:36 pm

How do you use names in direct speech?

Is it: “I really don’t like her dress,” Ashley said. or “I really don’t like her dress,” said Ashley.

I’ve seen both and I’m so confused which one is correct, please help me.

Andrew says

3rd April 2024 at 11:31 am

Hello and thanks for your comment and question.

After the direct speech, both are correct.

Before the direct speech, only the first one is correct:

Ashley said, “I really don’t like her dress.” (correct) Said Ashley, “I really don’t like her dress.” (wrong)

I hope that helps you. Andrew https://www.youtube.com/@CrownAcademyEnglish/

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Direct Speech or Quoted Speech

Introduction to direct speech or quoted speech.

Direct Speech, also known as Quoted Speech, is a common grammatical construction used in both written and spoken language. This tutorial serves as a comprehensive guide to mastering this important literary device. Let's start by understanding what direct speech is.

Table of Contents

Understanding Direct Speech

Direct speech refers to the exact wording of someone's comments or speech as it was spoken. In written text, direct speech usually appears in quotation marks or inverted commas to denote that the words were spoken or written by another person. The actual text of direct speech punctuated with a speech tag, which identifies the speaker and might provide additional context.

• John said, "I love playing football."

In this example, "I love playing football," is the direct speech, and "John said," is the speech tag.

Formatting Direct Speech

Following are some standard rules regarding the formatting and punctuating of direct speech:

Rule 1: Opening and Closing Quotation Marks

Always use opening and closing quotation marks to indicate the start and end of the direct speech portion of the sentence. These could be double (“ ”) or single (‘ ’) quotation marks, depending on the convention of the media or publication.

• "I am going home," said Maria.

Rule 2: Speech Tag Placement

The location of the speech tag can change, depending on the context and the intended effect. It can either be placed before, in between, or after the direct speech.

• She said, "I am tired."
• "I am," he said, "very hungry."
• "Let's go to the park," suggested Tim.

Rule 3: Capitalization and Punctuation

In direct speech, every new spoken line starts with a capital letter. Also, when the speech tag is at the end of the sentence, the quoted sentence should end with a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark but not with a period.

• John said, "Please pass the salt."
• "Where are we going?" asked Mary.
• "What a beautiful view!" exclaimed Susan.

Understanding the Speech Tag

The speech tag typically has two parts: the noun (or noun phrase) that refers to the speaker and the reporting verb (e.g., "said", "asked", "whispered") that characterizes the mode of speech. It's also possible to add adverbial modifiers to describe the manner of speech.

• "I can't wait to play the game," Tom said excitedly.

Overriding Rules in Direct Speech

While the rules mentioned above can guide you in punctuating most direct speeches correctly, some exceptions or overriding rules can alter punctuation and capitalization. Here are some examples:

Rule 1: Interrupted Speech

If the speech tag interrupts the direct speech, both parts of the speech would begin with a lowercase letter, assuming they form a single sentence.

• "I can't," she whispered, "stand to see him upset."

Rule 2: Consecutive Sentences

When a character speaks consecutive sentences, start the second one with a capital letter.

• "Please leave," she said. "I need to be alone."

Concluding Remarks

Mastering direct speech or quoted speech can enhance your writing skills tremendously, helping you write compelling dialogue and effectively integrate quotes in your work. By following the guidelines set in this tutorial, you'll be well on your way to using direct speech like a pro. Happy writing!

Practice Exercises:

• Rewrite the following sentences with appropriate use of quoted speech:
• Sam said that he was too tired to study.
• Jane thought that it was a splendid idea.
• He didn't know where she was going.
• Use direct speech to write a conversation between two characters about their weekend plans.

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Reported speech: direct speech

Direct speech is a representation of the actual words someone said. A direct speech report usually has a reporting verb in the past simple. The most common reporting verb is said . The reporting clause may come first or second.

The reporting clause may sometimes come in the middle of the reported clause, especially in literary styles:

“No,” she said , “I’ve never seen it before.”

‘Was it,’ he asked , ‘the first time you had spoken to Mrs Dalton?’

We can use adverbs with the reporting verb to describe the way someone said something. This is more common when the reporting clause comes second:

“I will not accept it!” he said angrily .

‘Can I speak to the doctor?’ she asked rather nervously .

Reported speech: punctuation

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Direct speech: inversion of subject and reporting verb

In narratives, especially novels and short stories, when the reporting clause comes second, we often invert the subject (s) and reporting verb (v):

“Things have always been the same in this village,” [V] said [S] the old man .

‘Hold on! I’m coming!’ [V] cried [S] Maurice .

Direct speech: present simple and continuous reporting verbs

Informal narratives.

In informal conversation, we sometimes use the present simple in the reporting clause. This makes the direct speech more vivid and dramatic:

So then this guy says , “I’ve got something for you. Come over here.” And he picked up a box and he says , “Open that.”

We can make the direct speech even more vivid and dramatic by using the present continuous. This is very informal:

And he’s looking at me and he ’s asking , “Who are you?” and I said, “I’m your nephew” and he ’s mumbling , “I don’t know you. I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

In very informal conversation, people sometimes use says as a reporting verb for all persons ( I, you, she, he, we, they ):

She says , ‘What’s going on here?’ and I says , ‘Nothing. There’s nothing happening – everything’s okay.’

Many speakers consider the above examples to be incorrect. This applies especially to the use of says with all persons.

Newspaper headlines

We also use the present simple in newspaper headlines. This makes the reported words more dramatic:

‘I WON’T RESIGN,’ SAYS MINISTER

Say or tell ?

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How do you write direct speech in English? - Easy Learning Grammar

• The comma comes inside the quotation marks, unless the reporting verb is positioned inside a reported sentence that itself does not require a comma.
• Typical reporting verbs are: agree, answer, ask, inquire, explain, say, tell, and wonder.
• The words spoken are enclosed in inverted commas (single or double quotation marks).
• Single quotation marks are often used to draw attention to a word that is being mentioned for a particular purpose. 

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Direct Speech Punctuation

When we report another person’s words, we can use direct speech or reported speech .

For direct speech , we use the exact words and we put quotation marks (” “) or inverted commas (‘ ‘) around them:

“I’m so tired,” said Sarah. ‘His singing was terrible,’ concluded Michelle.

According to “Improve Your Punctuation and Grammar” by Marion Field, the following rules are to be followed when setting out direct speech:

• When a person starts to speak, always begin a new paragraph.
• The paragraph begins at the beginning of the sentence in which the speech occurs.
• The first word of a person’s speech always starts with a capital letter.
• Alway put a punctuation mark before closing the inverted commas (or quotation marks). 
• A comma is usually used to separate the speech from words before or after it.
• Use a full stop if no words follow the speech.
• The punctuation mark always goes inside the inverted commas  (or quotation marks). 

Let’s look at a few examples:

“I will never leave , ” she said. She replied , “It is necessary . ” “Will you marry me ? ” he asked. “It won’t rain , will it ? ” I asked.

Pay attention to the punctuation marks in the sentences above. Remember that there must always be a punctuation mark before the inverted commas (‘ ‘) or punctuation marks (” “) are closed.

See how the punctuation changes if the sentence is broken in the middle:

“I see , ” Mary said , “that something bad is going on . ” “I see that something bad is going on , ” said Mary . “What shall we do ? ” (here two sentences have been interrupted by “said Mary”.

See how the punctuation reflects addressing someone :

‘Kimmy , have a look,” said Stephanie. “Have a look , Kimmy,” said Stephanie.

Basically, nothing changes. You just need to remember to use the comma before or after the name.

Look at how the direct speech punctuation rules work when there is a dialogue :

‘My teacher would like to see you on Monday,’ announced Tom. ‘Why?’ asked Mrs.Tenner. ‘You’ve been working so hard lately.’ ‘I was talking in class. I’m sorry!’ ‘What?’ ‘Sorry! It wasn’t my fault! I was trying to help Michael understand the rule.’ ‘It’s not your job, you know.’ Mrs.Tenner sat at the table and her son sat next to her.

Sometimes a quotation may be incorporated within the direct speech:

Mrs.Tenner asked, “Who said , “ I will never talk in class anymore “? “

Inverted commas or quotation marks are also needed for writing some titles :

‘I’m going to watch the film “ Autumn in New York “ ,’ announced Mike. “We are reading ‘War and Peace’, ‘Crime and Punishment’ and ‘Anna Karenina’,” Cathy told her father.

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Direct Speech in English

Direct speech is a crucial aspect of the English language that every speaker of the language must understand. In this reference, we will explore everything you need to know about direct speech, including its definition, examples, punctuation rules, and common mistakes.

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech is a type of speech that involves the exact words spoken by a person or character. It is also known as quoted speech or speech marks. Direct speech is used to convey a message or conversation directly from the speaker to the listener.

For example, " I am going to the market, " said John. In this sentence, the exact words spoken by John are quoted, and the sentence is enclosed by speech marks.

How is Direct Speech Different from Indirect Speech?

Direct speech is different from indirect speech in that it directly quotes the exact words of the speaker.

Indirect speech involves paraphrasing or reporting the speaker's words. For example, " John said that he was going to the market. " In this sentence, the speaker's words are not quoted directly, but rather reported indirectly.

Examples of Direct Speech and How to Identify It in a Sentence

Direct speech can be identified in a sentence by the use of speech marks or quotation marks.

For example, " I am going to the market, " said John. In this sentence, the words spoken by John are enclosed by speech marks.

Other examples of direct speech include " I love you, " said Mary, and " Can you help me? " asked Mark.

Direct Speech Punctuation Rules

Direct speech follows specific punctuation rules that must be observed to convey the correct meaning of the sentence.

The first word of the direct speech sentence is capitalized, and the sentence is enclosed by speech marks. If the direct speech sentence ends with a full stop, exclamation mark, or question mark, the punctuation mark is placed inside the speech marks.

For example, " What is your name? " asked Tom. If the direct speech is followed by a reporting clause, the reporting clause is separated from the direct speech by a comma. For example, " I am going to the market, " said John.

Direct Speech in Different Tenses

Direct speech can be used in different tenses to convey different meanings.

• " I am going to the market, " said John ( present tense ).
• " I went to the market, " said John ( past tense ).
• " I will go to the market, " said John ( future tense ).

The tense used in direct speech depends on the tense of the original words spoken.

Direct Speech vs Reported Speech: Similarities and Differences

Direct speech and reported speech are similar in that they both convey a message or conversation. However, the main difference between them is that direct speech directly quotes the speaker's exact words, while reported speech paraphrases or reports the speaker's words.

• " I am going to the market, " said John (direct speech).
• " John said he was going to the market " (reported speech).

Common Mistakes

Let's take a look at what to avoid:

• Forgetting to enclose the words spoken by the speaker in speech marks. This mistake can make it difficult to identify direct speech in a sentence.
• Forgetting to capitalize the first word of the direct speech sentence. Both of these mistakes can be avoided by following the correct punctuation rules for direct speech.
• Remember to change the tense of the original words spoken, if necessary. For example, "I am going to the market," said John (direct speech). "John said he was going to the market" (reported speech). In this example, the verb tense has been changed from present tense to past tense when reporting John's words.

Direct speech helps us to directly quote the words spoken by a speaker. Use the correct punctuation rules for direct speech, and make sure that the first word of the direct speech sentence is capitalized. Soon, you'll effortlessly use it in your own English speech without even thinking.

Check out more references below if you want to learn more!

More helpful articles:

• English Grammar
• Direct Speech

What is Direct Speech? - Learn the Meaning, Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

In English grammar , the term ‘speech’ refers to the process of communicating or expressing one’s thoughts. It is an exchange of ideas or even a conversation. There are two ways in which you can report speech – direct speech and indirect speech . Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect speech is the way in which you convey what someone said to another person, not necessarily using the exact words of the speaker.

In this article, you will learn the meaning and definition of direct speech. Also, go through the rules to be followed when using the direct speech and the examples given to understand how to use them accurately.

Table of Contents

Definition of direct speech.

• Rules to Be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Tips to Practise Direct Speech

Examples of direct speech, test your understanding of direct speech, frequently asked questions on direct speech in english, what is direct speech.

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is a way in which you can report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone about something that is to happen at a later point of time. Let us now take a look at how various dictionaries define direct speech to further understand what it is.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “a speaker’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “when you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words they used.” The Collins Dictionary defines direct speech as “speech which is reported by using the exact words that the speaker used” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “the exact words that someone has said.”

Rules to be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Like every other grammar topic, there are rules to be followed when using direct speech. Let us look at each one of them to know how direct speech can be used accurately and effectively.

• The first point that you have to remember is that direct speech is the repetition of the exact words of the speaker and so you do not have a choice to add or remove words to and from what is said.
• For the same reason, these words spoken by the speaker have to be enclosed within quotation marks or speech marks.
• When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below.
• You can also use words like replied, asked, screamed, etc. to state what the speaker said according to the emotion in which it is being spoken.
• Immediately after one of the above-mentioned verbs , add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.
• Also, make sure you close the quotation marks after the punctuation mark (full stop/question mark/exclamation mark).
• Finally, keep in mind that you cannot change the words, or paraphrase what has been said by the speaker when you are using direct speech.

You can become an expert in using direct speech if you practise well. Here are some ways you can do it.

• Try reading short stories and converting it into a dialogue. Change the lines of every character into direct speech.
• Write a story on your own. Use direct speech to convey all the dialogues.
• Narrate or write about an incident or a day in your life using direct speech.

Now that you know the rules to be followed, take a look at the following examples to have a better idea of how it is done.

• Devi said, “I am teaching French for first year and second year college students.”
• Freeda asked her brother, “Can you pick me up on your way home?”
• “My friends are finally coming home this weekend”, said Sheena.
• The students replied, “We are ready!”
• Gayatri siad, “My father has been working as a doctor for ten years. “
• “What are you going to do with the broken mirror?”, asked Mridula.
• Carol said, “I have planned to wear a grey dress for the prom.”
• The teacher says, “You have to make your submissions before 8 a.m. on Monday.”
• The little boy said excitedly, “That was wonderful!”
• Maduri said, sitting on the sofa, “I am really happy I finally took time to come see you.”

Rearrange the following sentences to form direct speech and punctuate them appropriately.

1. vishal / my / is / in / brother / participating / race / said / the / running

2. asked / i / devi / like / maths / problems / solving / free time/ your / in / do / you

3. friends / said / wearing / we / my / are / red / for / dresses / wedding / the / reception

4. responded / teacher / nobody / when / have / completed / the / you / project / many / of / how / asked / the

5. reach / says / tonight / bangalore / he / will / i

6. guest / the / danced / children / the / chief / said / beautifully

7. mom / Finn’s / they / all / said / singing / favourite / are / songs / his

8. Bellas / susan / are / the / said / live / performing / world / the / acapella / at / raiser / curtain

9. love / father / said / i / my / you

10. sing / asked / you / with / maria / her / me / will

Now, if you finished rearranging the sentences, check if you have done it correctly from the answers given below.

1. Vishal said, “My brother is participating in the running race.”

2. I asked Devi, “Do you like solving maths problems in your freetime?”

3. My friends said, “We are wearing red dresses for the wedding reception.”

4. Nobody responded when the teacher asked, “How many of you have completed the project?”

5. He says, “I will reach Bangalore tonight.”

6. The chief guest said, “The children danced beautifully.”

7. Finn’s mom said, “They are singing all his favourite songs.”

8. “The Bellas are performing live at the World Acapella Curtain Raiser”, said Susan.

9. My father said, “I love you.”

10. Maria asked, “Will you sing with me?”

What is direct speech?

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is the way in which you report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone at a later point of time.

What is the definition of direct speech?

What is the formula of direct speech.

When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below. Name of the speaker says/said, “Exact words of the speaker.”

How do you punctuate the sentence when using direct speech?

Immediately after the phrase mentioning who said the particular sentence, add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.

Give some examples of direct speech.

Here are a few examples of direct speech that you can refer to.

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Reported Speech: Direct Speech

Mainly, there are two types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech. In this lesson, we will focus on the first type: how to use direct speech.

• What Is Direct Speech?

In direct speech (also called quotes ), we repeat the exact words someone said. We place the direct reported speech between quotation marks (also called speech marks or inverted commas ).

• Reporting Verbs

Usually, a direct speech uses a reporting verb in the past simple tense. The most common reporting verbs are:

Reporting verbs can appear before the actual spoken words, after them, or inside the reported sentence.

• Say Vs. Tell

' Say ' and ' tell ' are two of the most common reporting verbs in direct speech, but 'say' is more common. When we use 'say,' we do not mention the addressee of the reported sentence, however, if we do want to mention them, we use the preposition to .

"I'll see you at the party," Mia said.

"See you later," Mia said to me. (Do not say: "See you later," Mia said me .)

However, when we use 'tell' in direct reported speech, we must mention the person being spoken to. ' Tell ' is a verb that needs a direct and indirect object . For example:

"Come over here," Liam told Elijah. (Do not say: "Come over here," Liam told .)

Also, if we want to report a question, we use 'say', not tell.

"Are you OK?" Amelia said. (Do not say: "Are you OK?" Amelia told me .)

If we want to report wishes, greetings, congratulations , etc. we use 'say,' not 'tell.'

"Happy birthday!" Benjamin said. (Do not say: "Happy birthday!" Benjamin told Oliver .)

• Reporting and Reported Clauses

Speech reports have two parts:

• the reporting clause
• the reported clause

The reporting clause contains a reporting verb such as 'say', 'tell', 'ask', 'reply', etc., usually in the past simple tense, and the reported clause contains the actual words the speaker said. The reporting clause may come first or second.

Lucas said, "I have a date with Tiffany tonight."

"Give that back to me!" Noah demanded.

Sometimes, in formal or literary texts, the reporting clause comes in the middle of the reported clause.

"Was it," Ethan asked, "the last time you had seen Mr. Jackson?"

"Yes," Isabella said, "it was the last time."

using direct speech to quote someone

If we want to describe how someone said something, we can use adverbs with the reporting verb.

"I will accept it!" Julian said happily .

"May I speak to him?" she asked somewhat angrily .

In the process of telling a story, especially in novels, when the reporting clause comes second , we often invert the subject and reporting verb. For example:

"My government will invest in the Stock Market," said the queen .

"Hey! Wait for me!" cried Sawyer .

Informal Narratives

Sometimes in informal contexts, we use the present simple tense in the reporting clause. For example:

So then this guy says, "I have a gun. Give me all your money."

In very informal contexts, we can also use the present continuous tense in the reporting clause to make our statement sound dramatic. For example:

And this guy's staring at me and asking, "Didn't you hear me?"

• Direct Speech: Punctuation

In direct speech, a comma is usually placed between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The exact words of the speaker are placed in quotation marks , either single ('…') or double ("…"). If the reported clause comes first , the comma is placed inside the quotation marks. Pay attention to the examples:

"I cannot sing very well," George said.

Nora said, 'I don’t want to marry you.'

If the reported clause is a question or exclamation , we use a question mark or exclamation mark , instead of a comma. For example:

'Are you sure about this?' Penelope asked.

"I don't care!" Gavin shouted.

Sometimes when the reporting clause comes first , we use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause. For example:

Ivan replied: 'I don't think it's possible.'

The reported clause always begins with a capital letter , unless the reporting verb comes in the middle of the sentence.

'Why did you say that?' Hannah asked.

'I will see you there,' Skyler said, ' u nless something comes up.'

Direct speech repeats, or quotes the exact words that were spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the spoken words between quotation marks (" ") and we are not allowed to change the words or the tense of the sentence. We may be reporting something that is being said now (for example a conversation between two people in separate rooms repeated by a friend), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.

Here are some important verbs that are used to report something directly.

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Reported speech, reported speech: indirect speech, inversion and fronting.

Direct Speech Punctuation

With our Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan, students learn how to properly use commas and quotation marks when including quotations and direct speech in their writing.

Included with this lesson are some adjustments or additions that you can make if you’d like, found in the “Options for Lesson” section of the Classroom Procedure page. One of the optional additions to this lesson is to show a video of a conversation between two people and have students record the direct speech, using the correct punctuation.

Description

Additional information, what our direct speech punctuation lesson plan includes.

Lesson Objectives and Overview: Direct Speech Punctuation teaches students how to properly use commas and quotation marks when writing direct speech or quotations. This lesson is for students in 4th grade.

Classroom Procedure

Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the green box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. The only supplies needed for this lesson are the handouts, which you can copy ahead of time.

Options for Lesson

Included with this lesson is an “Options for Lesson” section that lists a number of suggestions for activities to add to the lesson or substitutions for the ones already in the lesson. One optional addition to this lesson is to show a video of a conversation between two people and have students record the direct speech, using the correct punctuation. You can also use a story that includes dialogue as an example of correctly written direct speech.

Teacher Notes

The teacher notes page includes a paragraph with additional guidelines and things to think about as you begin to plan your lesson. This page also includes lines that you can use to add your own notes as you’re preparing for this lesson.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES

Direct speech.

The Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan includes three content pages. The lesson begins by reminding students that, when they speak to other people, the words they say are their own, and the sentences are created by their minds and belong to them. Likewise, when you read a comic book, the speech bubbles indicate the words of a specific character. These are both examples of direct speech.

Direct speech is different from indirect speech, which is when you relay the words of someone else, often not word-for-word. For example, if your mom says to tell your little brother it’s time for dinner, you could relay her words as indirect speech ( Mom told me to tell you we have to go eat ) or direct speech ( Mom said, “It is time for dinner” ). Direct speech means you are relaying the exact words said by another person. When you use indirect speech, there aren’t any special punctuation marks that you need to us.

However, we do have specific punctuation for direct speech, like commas and quotation marks. We use these when we show the direct speech of another person or of a character in a book. We also use them when quoting from a text, like a speech or an article.

Punctuating Direct Speech/Quotations

While students are familiar with commas and how to use them, they might not have a lot of practice using quotation marks in their writing. We use quotation marks for writing quotes. They look like pairs of upside-down commas. We place them before and after the quote. We also sometimes call them speech marks.

In the example sentence Tom said, “I have decided to stay home from school today.” we put a quotation mark before the first word that he said ( I ) and after the last word that he said ( today ) and the period. We also use a comma after the word said . It’s important to note that we put the second quotation mark after the period or other punctuation, not before.

The lesson includes several other examples that illustrate how to properly use commas and quotation marks for direct speech quotations. Students should review these examples to better understand where and how to use punctuation with quotations. One important rule they will learn is that you need a new paragraph for each speaker change. For example:

Oliver asked, “Where am I?”

Isla quietly answered, “You are at school. Wake up.”

It’s important to remember that we must punctuate the actual words being spoken with quotation marks, placed at the start and end of what’s being said. We can also use commas after the part of the sentence that tells you who is speaking. You can use words other than said  to indicate direct speech, like expressed, yelled, slowly said, silently answered , and more.

We also use quotation marks to mark quotations from a text. If you’re writing a report and want to include a sentence or fact from a book you read, you have to use quotation marks when using the exact wording from the book. The lesson includes an example of this.

Using proper punctuation for direct speech and quotations is very important, as it helps readers understand who is speaking and what they said.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS

The Direct Speech Punctuation lesson plan includes three worksheets: an activity worksheet, a practice worksheet, and a homework assignment. You can refer to the guide on the classroom procedure page to determine when to hand out each worksheet.

RECORDING DIRECT SPEECH ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

Students will work in groups to complete the activity worksheet. To begin, two students in the group will choose a topic and discuss it for two minutes, taking turns speaking. Meanwhile, the other two members will write down as much of their conversation as possible using the space provided on the worksheet, listening carefully. They will then switch places and repeat. After both pairs have discussed a topic and recorded a conversation, they will take the information they’ve written down and correctly write the direct speech on the worksheet without using the word said .

CORRECTING SENTENCES PRACTICE WORKSHEET

The practice worksheet asks students to complete three exercises. The first asks them to correctly add commas and quotation marks to ten sentences where needed. Next, the second asks them to write a direct speech sentence for each of the given situations. The lesson provides an example for them to work from. Finally, the third asks them to read a paragraph and correctly add quotation marks where needed. They must also answer one final question about the paragraph.

DIRECT SPEECH PUNCTUATION HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

For the homework assignment, students will complete three short exercises. For the first, they will correctly rewrite a paragraph, replacing the word said with a better word. Next, they will read another paragraph and will correctly add quotation marks where needed. Finally, they will think about a conversation they recently had and will correctly write some of it out on the lines provided.

Worksheet Answer Keys

This lesson plan includes answer keys for the practice worksheet and the homework assignment. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.

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DIRECT SPEECH | English writing lesson and exercises

In this tutorial learners are going to learn English writing lesson about direct speech.

Before we further proceed, watch the video here about DIRECT SPEECH | English writing lesson and exercises in English class.

So, if we want to write what is happening here, then this is how we write.

            He said “ Let’s go to the mall .”

Direct speech.

Direct speech is when we report the exact words that somebody says.

In this lesson you will learn:

The rules for writing direct speech.

The correct punctuation.

Vocabulary to report direct speech.

And finally, at the end of the lesson there are some exercises for practice.

Reporting clause before the direct speech

“He said” is before the direct speech, so the rules are;

If the reporting clause is before the direct speech:

            We write a comma (,) before the direct speech.

            We write the exact words inside the inverted commas .

            The first letter is a capital letter .

            We write a full stop (.) before the closing inverted commas .

Reporting clause before a question or exclamation

If the reporting clause is before a question or exclamation:

            We write a question mark ( ? ) before the closing inverted commas .

                or an exclamation mark ( ! ) before the closing inverted commas .

Reporting clause after the direct speech

If the reporting clause is after the direct speech:

The first letter is a capital letter .

We write a comma (,) before the closing inverted commas .

We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause .

Reporting clause after a question or exclamation

If the reporting clause is after the question or exclamation .

We write the exact words inside the inverted commas .

We write a question mark ( ? ) before the closing inverted commas .

Advanced rule

Sometimes we break up the direct speech into 2 parts:

The second part of the direct speech starts with a small letter if it is the same sentence as the first part of the direct speech.

The second part of the direct speech starts with a capital letter if it is a new sentence.

Inverted commas

Speech marks

Quotation marks

Other reporting verbs

            Here are some other useful reporting verbs.

            They are often used for writing direct speech in books, newspapers and reports.

            It is more common to use them in reporting clauses after the direct speech.

            reply (replied)            ask (asked)                comment (commented)                  

agree (agreed)          shout (shouted)        admit (admitted)

Which of the following sentences are written correctly?

So, that’s the end of the lesson, I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t forget to subscribe, share, like and let me know your thoughts and questions, love to hear from you.

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