In the above picture, Mark is talking to Jane. The words inside the blue box are the exact words that he speaks.
Here is how we express this:
This is direct speech. Direct speech is when we report the exact words that somebody says.
In this English lesson, you will learn:
- The rules for writing direct speech.
- The correct punctuation.
- Vocabulary to report direct speech.
Reporting clause before the direct speech
The reporting clause of direct speech is the short clause that indicates who is talking. It is the clause that is outside of the inverted commas. It is therefore not the words being spoken.
We can write the reporting clause either before or after the direct speech. If the reporting clause is before the direct speech, we write it as follows:
Grammar rules – If the reporting clause is before the direct speech:
We write a comma (,) before the direct speech.
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas.
The first letter is a capital letter.
We write a full stop (.) before the closing inverted commas.
Reporting clause before a question or exclamation
If the reporting clause is before a question or exclamation:
We write a comma (,) before the direct speech.
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas.
The first letter is a capital letter.
We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas.
or
We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas.
Reporting clause after the direct speech
If the reporting clause is after the direct speech:
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas.
The first letter is a capital letter.
We write a comma (,) before the closing inverted commas.
We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.
Reporting clause after a question or exclamation
If the reporting clause is after a question or exclamation:
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas.
The first letter is a capital letter.
We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas.
or
We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas.
We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.
Advanced rules for direct speech
Sometimes we break up the direct speech into 2 parts:
The second part of the direct speech starts with a small letter if it is the same sentence as the first part of the direct speech.
The second part of the direct speech starts with a capital letter if it is a new sentence.
Vocabulary of direct speech
We have several names for the above punctuation marks:
Inverted commas
Speech marks
Quotation marks
Quotes
Other reporting verbs
Here are some other useful reporting verbs:
reply (replied)
ask (asked)
shout (shouted)
agree (agreed)
comment (commented)
admit (admitted)
They are often used for writing direct speech in books, newspapers and reports. It is more common to use them in reporting clauses after the direct speech.
Examples:
“I really don’t like her dress,” she commented.
“I don’t love you anymore,” he admitted.
Other English lessons
Private online English lessons
How to pass the IELTS with a band 8
Adverbs of frequency
Indefinite article “a” and “an”
The prepositions FOR and SINCE
All of our lessons
Matěj Formánek says
How about this sentence:
I know the satnav is wrong!” exclaimed Zena. – Why the subject and predicate are swapped? It’s sentence from textbook so I’m confused.
Sagar says
Can we write multiple sentences in direct speech that comes before reporting clause?
In case if this is allowed, what punctuation mark should be used after the last sentence?
Example: “I entered the class room. As I did not find anybody there, I left the class room and went to buy a coffee.” explained the student to the teacher for his delay to come to the class.
Should the punctuation mark after the word coffee be comma instead of full stop?
Joaquim Barretto says
No full stop, but comma after the word coffee.
ola says
HI IM DAISY
courtney says
it is ok
Clare Hatcher says
Hello
I like the layout of this – very clear.
Just wondering if it is correct to use a comma in between two separate sentences in direct speech.
I think that now in published material you find this instead.
‘I’m tired,’ she said. ‘Let’s stay at home.’
Would appreciate your thoughts
Thanks
Layla says
If I wrote something with a comma at the end to continue speech like this:
“Hello,” he waved to the new student, “what’s you’re name?”
Do I have to use a capital letter even if I’m continuing with a comma or is it lowercase?