Direct Speech:
* Quotes the speaker's exact words: Uses quotation marks (" ") to enclose the original words.
* Preserves the original tense: Maintains the verb tense of the original statement.
* Includes reporting verbs like "said", "asked", "replied" etc.: These verbs introduce the quoted speech.
Example:
* Original statement: "I am going to the park," she said.
* Direct Speech: She said, "I am going to the park."
Indirect Speech:
* Reports the speaker's words without using their exact wording: Paraphrases the original statement.
* Changes the tense: The verb tense in the reported speech usually shifts depending on the tense of the reporting verb.
* May use conjunctions like "that" or "if" to introduce the reported speech:
Example:
* Original statement: "I am going to the park," she said.
* Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the park.
Here's a table summarizing the key differences:
| Feature | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| Word choice | Exact words | Paraphrased |
| Tense | Original tense | Adjusted tense |
| Quotation marks | Present | Absent |
| Reporting verbs | Explicit | Usually implied |
When to use which:
* Direct speech: Used for emphasis, authenticity, or to convey a speaker's exact words.
* Indirect speech: Used to summarize or report someone's words in a less formal way, or when it's unnecessary to quote exactly.