Direct speech is also known as quoted speech. The word direct means something without any interruption in between. Thus direct speech means repeating the exact words said by someone. Whatever someone has said in its original form is repeated to others. These are always enclosed in quotation marks. When the direct words begin, there is an open quotation mark, and there is a closed quotation mark when the direct words end. A reporting verb is always present in such sentences. Direct speech is used to convey the message or words of a particular person. 

What is Direct Speech? 

In direct speech, the original words of the speaker are repeated to the other. These are the exact same words said by the speaker. The words of the speaker are enclosed in quotation marks to show that the speaker has said the words. Direct speech is also known as quoted speech or direct discourse. A reporting word is always present in the sentence along with a signal or quotative frame. Direct speech is usually used in stories and novels to engage the readers. It helps the readers to get a deeper idea of the character. 

The definition of direct speech is quite simple, but sometimes it gets tricky to convert direct speech into indirect speech and vice-versa. Hence, it is important to understand the rules and the meaning of direct speech in order to write it correctly. Direct speech also includes adverbs in order to express the tone and the speaker’s expression.

Example – Mahima said with disgust, “I am not going to clean the washroom”.

The Rules of Direct Speech 

It has already been discussed that direct speech in simple terms means repeating the exact words of the speaker. But there are certain rules to be followed. The rules are given below – 

  • A new line needs to be added for each speaker’s words
  • Quotation marks are extremely important and should be used to separate or highlight the exact words from the rest of the sentence
  • While beginning the lines, capital letters should be used
  • It is very important to use commas to separate the direct words from the rest of the sentence
  • The reporting clauses are either used at the end or at the beginning. Sometimes these are also used in the middle
  • The General formation of a sentence in direct speech- Speaker+Comma+Open Quotation+Direct Words+Closed Quotation+Full Stop
  •  Example – Helen said, “I am not coming today.”
  • The formation changes when the reporting clause is in the middle – Open Quotations+Direct words+Closed Quotations+Phrase+Any other direct words in quotations+Full stop
  • Example – “What a view!” said Kiran, “It is mesmerising.”

Rules of Conversion from Direct to Indirect Speech

  • Quotation marks are omitted
  • It is important to change the verb tenses according to the reported verb when the direct speech is converted into indirect speech
  • Sometimes, the words also need to be changed
  • The pronouns are changed according to the narration
  • All the words that indicate time and place need to be changed like tomorrow are changed into the next day and so on
  • Words like say, said, tell, asked, exclaimed, described, told, and more are used
  • The expressions of the speakers also need to be added to the reporting. like: Jiya exclaimed with excitement
  • The adverbs used in the sentences are also used to describe the tone and the quality of voice
  • If the reporting verb is in the past tense. the tenses are changed in the following ways – 
  • Present simple tense changes into Past simple tense
  • Present continuous tense changes into Past continuous tense
  • Present perfect tense changes into Past perfect tense
  • Past simple changes into Past perfect
  • Past continuous into Past perfect continuous
  • Future simple changes into Present Conditional
  • Future continuous into Conditional continuous
  • Other than this, if the reporting verb is in the simple present or future tense, there would be no change in terms of tense

Direct Speech: Exercises

Q- Convert the following sentences into Direct Speech

  1. Mira exclaimed with excitement that she had won the first position.
  2. She said that her father was not doing well.
  3. They said that they had never been to London.
  4. She told me that she was waiting for her brother.
  5. Anuj asked us if we could accompany him to the mall.
  6. Varun says that he is handsome.
  7. Arjun told us that the sun rises in the east.
  8. Vina said that she had apples.
  9. They said that they had been living in a different country.
  10. She exclaimed that she would go to Paris for higher studies. 

Conclusion 

In English grammar, direct speech is an important topic that is used to repeat the exact words of the speaker to someone at a different time. These sentences include a reporting verb. The words of the speaker are placed inside the quotations to refer to direct speech. In order to separate these words from the other part of the sentence, a comma is used. Direct speech can be converted into indirect speech or vice-versa. Adverbs are used in these sentences to show the expression of the readers. The words that indicate the time and place in these sentences are changed upon conversion. Direct speech is used in novels and stories to engage the readers and give deeper insights into the characters. The verb tenses are also changed upon conversion. Sometimes, the pronouns are also changed. These rules should be followed in order to write appropriate sentences.