Direct and indirect speech require different structures from "summary" of English Grammar for Today by Geoffrey Leech,Margaret Deuchar,Robert Hoogenraad
When we report someone else's words in our own speech or writing, we can do so in two ways: directly or indirectly. Direct speech involves repeating the original speaker's exact words, enclosed in quotation marks. For example, "I am going to the store," said Jane. Indirect speech, on the other hand, conveys the meaning of the original speaker's words without using their exact wording. In this case, we would say, Jane said that she was going to the store.
The choice between direct and indirect speech depends on various factors, such as the context, the relationship between the speaker and the reported speech, and the desired level of formality. Importantly, the structures used in direct and indirect speech differ significantly. In direct speech, the original speaker's words are reproduced verbatim, maintaining their original tense, pronouns, and other elements. In indirect speech, these elements often undergo changes to fit the reporting context.
One key difference between direct and indirect speech is the use of reporting verbs. In direct speech, the reporting verb - such as "said," "asked," or "shouted" - is placed before the quoted words. In indirect speech, the reporting verb comes before the reported sp...
