I.

Direct Speech

1. WHEN do we use direct speech?

We use direct speech whenever we speak. We use the term direct speech to
describe the way we represent the spoken word in writing.

2. FORM of direct speech in writing

Actual Spoken Statement Direct Statement in Writing
‘I’m waiting.’ ‘I’m waiting,’ John said.
Actual Spoken Question Direct Question in Writing
‘When did you arrive, John?’ ‘When did you arrive, John?’ Mary
asked.

3. Notes on the use of PUNCTUATION MARKS

1.3.1. Quotation marks (or ‘inverted commas’) go round what is actually
spoken and enclose other punctuation marks such as commas (,), full stops
(.), question marks (?) and exclamation marks (!). They may be single (‘…’) or
double (“…”) and are placed high above the base-line at the beginning and
end of each quotation.
e.g. ‘Is that you, Jane?’ Bob asked.
“Is that you, Jane?” Bob asked.

1.3.2. What is said, plus reporting verb and its subject, is considered as a
whole unit. When the subject + reporting verb comes at the beginning of a
sentence, the reporting verb is always followed by a comma (sometimes by a
colon (:) in AmE) and the quotation begins with a capital letter.
e.g. John said, ‘It’s good to see you.’
When the subject + reporting verb comes after what is said, the quotation has
a comma before the second quotation mark.
e.g. ‘It’s good to see you,’ John said.
But if the quotation ends with an exclamation mark or a question mark, a
comma is not used as well.
e.g. ‘Where can I get a taxi?’ John asked.
Subject + verb can come in the middle of a quotation-sentence:
e.g. ‘Where, in this wretched town,’ John asked, ‘can I get a taxi?’.
The second part of the quotation does not begin with a capital letter because
it is not a separate sentence.

1.3.3. If there is a ‘quote within a quote’ (e.g. if we are quoting someone’s

exact words), we use a second set of quotation marks. If double quotation
marks have been used on the ‘outside’, single ones are used on the ‘inside’
and vice versa. The inside quotation has its own punctuation, distinct from
the rest of the sentence:
e.g. Ann said, ‘Just as I was leaving, a voice shouted, “Stop!”.’
What do you mean, “Are you all right?”?’ Ann asked.

1.3.4. We can also use a second set of quotation marks when we mention the
title of a book, film or play:
e.g. How long did it take you to read “War and Peace”?’ I asked.
However this is often a matter of personal taste. In print, titles often appear
in italics without quotation marks.

1.3.5. Noun + reporting verb may in subject + verb order or may be

inverted (verb + subject):
e.g. ‘This is a serious offence,’ the judge said/ said the judge.
If the subject is a long one, the inversion is usual:
e.g. ‘Where’s this train going?’ asked the lady sitting beside me.
With a pronoun subject, inversion is rare in modern English.
e.g. ‘This is a serious offence,’ he said.
Some reporting verbs, particularly those requiring an object, such as assure,
inform and tell cannot be inverted.
Adverbs of manner usually come at the end.
e.g. ‘Go away!’ said Mr. Tomkins/ Mr. Tomkins said angrily.

1.3.6. Quotation marks are generally not required with reporting verbs such
as ask oneself, think and wonder when they are used to describe ‘direct
thoughts’ in ‘free indirect speech’.
 I. Direct Speech
e.g. So that what their little game, he thought.
Where are they now, he wondered.

1.4. Direct speech in CONTEXT.

1.4.1. Printed dialogue
Printed dialogue is particularly common in works of fiction and can occur
without connecting narrative:
e.g. ‘A tissue of lies!’ Boyle cried.
‘You think so?’ the inspector asked.
‘Think so? I know it.’
‘And no doubt you can prove it. First there are a few important points
that need answering.’
In this kind of dialogue, each new speech begins on a new line in a new
paragraph. Once the characters have been established, it is not necessary to
go on repeating names (or pronouns) and reporting verbs – except to remind
the reader from time to time who is speaking. If a speech goes on for more
than a paragraph, we put opening quotation marks at the beginning of each
paragraph, but closing ones only at the end of the final paragraph.

Dialogue can also occur within connecting narrative:

e.g. Boyle was agitated. He paced the room as the inspector reconstructed
the crime.
Finally, he could bear it no longer. ‘A tissue of lies!’ he cried.
The inspector paused and asked with heavy irony, ‘You think so?’
‘Think so? I know it,’ Boyle snapped.
The inspector was unconvinced. ‘And no doubt you can prove it,’ he
said. ‘First
there are a few important points that need answering,’ he added, glancing
quickly at his notebook. In this kind of dialogue, the words spoken by the
characters are quoted within each new paragraph as pat of the narration.

1.4.2. Quotations
We use the conventions of direct speech when we are quoting exact
words, e.g. in letters, reports and statements by witnesses.
 e.g. I reconstructed the crime and before I had finished speaking, Boyle
said, ‘A tissue of lies!’ I asked the accused if he really thought so and he
answered, ‘Think so? I know it!’

1.4.3. Scripts
Quotation marks are not used in scripts for plays, etc.:
Boyle (agitated): A tissue of lies!
Inspector Wiley: You think so?
Boyle (sharply): Think so? I know it!
Inspector Wiley: And no doubt you can prove it!
 Applications

1. Give the correct form of the verb in brackets. Some of the verbs
are passive.
a. It is vital that the new measures bring (bring) hooliganism under
control.
b. We demanded that he should change (change) the date of the
meeting.
c. He asked that we be (be) sure to include everything in the list.
d. She insisted that his identity be revealed (reveal) to the press.
e. We suggested she consulted (consult) her lawyer.
f. It is important that he remain (remain) unseen for a while.
g. We requested that out luggage be delivered … (deliver) to our hotel.
h. It is essential that no one else get (get) involved in this affair.
i. The specialist recommended that she should take (take) some off
work.
j. It is necessary that negotiations continue (continue) on both sides.

2. Complete the sentences using the words in bold.

1. He reminded me to post the letter.
Told He told me again to post the letter.
2. ‘Let’s try that new Thai restaurant,’ she said.
Trying She said that we should be trying that new That restaurant.
3. ‘Yes, I gave away your secret,’ she said.
Giving She admitted giving away my secret.
4. ‘I’m sorry I lost the book you lent me,’ he said.
Apologised He apologised for losing the book I had lent him.
5. ‘Don’t go too near the edge of the cliff,’ they said to us.
Warned They warned us not to go too near the edge of the cliff.
6. ‘No I didn’t steal the company’s money, the manager said.’
Having The manager denied having stolen the company’s money.
7. ‘What shall I do?’ she said.
Wondered She wondered what she should do.
8. ‘You’ve cause a lot of pain to my family,’ she said to him.
Of She accused him of causing a lot of pain to her family.
 9. He told the manager he was dissatisfied with the service.
About He complained the manager about the service.
10. ‘You must apply for the teaching post,’ he said to me.
On He insisted on me applying for the teaching post
11. ‘I’d like you to come to Paris with me,’ he said to her.
Go He said to her that he go to Paris with him.
12. ‘Please, please don’t give us any homework,’ they said to the
teacher.
Not They asked the teacher not to give them any homework.
13. ‘That’s how I managed to escape,’ he said to me.
How He explained me how he had managed to escape.
14. ‘I’ll never forget our anniversary again,’ he said.
Would He promised he would never forget their anniversary again.
15. ‘You should try to find another job,’ he said to me.
Me He suggested me to find a job.
16. ‘Yes, it was a very dull lecture,’ she said.
That She recognised that it had been a very dull lecture.
17. ‘No! I won’t tell you where I was last night,’ he said to her.
Her He refused telling her where he had been the night before.

3. Find the mistake and correct it.

a. They suggested seeing the film.
b. She asked me where I was going.
c. Can you tell me what time it is?
d. He told me not to touch the parcel.
e. I wonder why he lied to me.
f. The suspect denied having murdered the young woman.
g. They accused him of having committed the crime.
h. She asked me, ‘Where the bank was?’

4. Turn the following into a conversation. Mind the punctuation.

‘I wish our house weren`t that small. We should start looking for something
bigger, said Christine.
‘Why do you want to move? We only moved here last year, jerked Wayne.
 Applications
‘But you said it would only be temporary, she snapped.
‘Yeah! Right. Remember I told you “my business isn`t that successful” so we
cannot afford moving yet.
‘Oh! Will we be able to move next year? The baby is growing up fast and that
he needs his own room, wondered Christine.
‘You`re right, but please be patient. We will move as soon as we can afford it,
he promised.

1000 Quick Writing Ideas: A Journal And Creative Writing Kit

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