Direct quotes:
* "I'm going to the store," I said.
* "Can you pass the salt?" I said, reaching for the shaker.
* "I'm so excited for the party!" I said with a big smile.
Indirect quotes:
* I said that I was going to the store.
* I said I could pass the salt.
* I said I was excited for the party.
Other uses:
* I said nothing, just stared at the beautiful sunset.
* I said goodbye and walked away.
* I said to myself, "I can do this."
Important Note: When you use "I said" to introduce a direct quote, you need to use quotation marks around the quoted words.