1. The reporting clause: This introduces the speech and tells us who is speaking. It typically includes a verb like "said," "asked," "replied," or "shouted."
2. The reported speech: This is the actual words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks.
Example:
* Reporting clause: "She said,"
* Reported speech: "I'm going to the store."
Full sentence: "She said, "I'm going to the store.""