Direct and Indirect Speech

Two ways to tell what someone said

Every day you report what other people have said. "Mum said we should come home early." "Kofi told me the test is on Friday." There are two ways to do this in English.

Direct speech gives the speaker's exact words, inside quotation marks:

Ama said, "I am hungry."

Indirect speech (also called reported speech) gives the meaning of the words, without quotation marks:

Ama said that she was hungry.

Both sentences tell us the same thing. But look closely. In the second one, "I" has become "she", and "am" has become "was". The words have changed because the person telling the story is not Ama, and the moment of speaking has passed.

This book will teach you how to:

• punctuate direct speech correctly
• choose good reporting verbs
• change direct speech into indirect speech, and back again
• write lively dialogue in your own stories

Let us begin with the exact words.

Direct speech: the exact words

Direct speech repeats exactly what a person said, word for word. We mark it off with quotation marks, which Ghanaian teachers often call inverted commas or speech marks.

Look at these examples:

• "Pass me the pencil," said Abena.
• Kwame shouted, "Goal!"
• "Where is the chalk?" asked the teacher.

In each one, the words inside the quotation marks are the speaker's own. Nothing has been changed. If Kwame shouted "Goal!", we write "Goal!" and not "a goal".

Direct speech is powerful in stories because it lets the reader hear the characters. You can show how someone is feeling by the words they choose, not just by describing them.

Try this Listen for one minute at break time. Write down three things you hear people say, exactly as they said them, inside quotation marks.

Quotation marks: the basics

Quotation marks come in pairs. One opens the speech and one closes it. In British English we usually use single marks (' ') in printed books, but double marks (" ") are also correct and are common in schools. Choose one style and keep to it.

Rule 1. Put the speaker's exact words inside the marks.

"We are going to the market."

Rule 2. Start the speech with a capital letter, even if it comes in the middle of a sentence.

Ama said, "We are going to the market."

Rule 3. The punctuation that belongs to the speech goes inside the closing mark.

"We are going to the market," said Ama. "Are we going to the market?" asked Kofi. "Hurry up!" shouted Abena.

Notice that when the sentence continues after the speech (as in "said Ama"), the full stop inside the speech becomes a comma. The question mark and exclamation mark stay as they are.

Try this Add quotation marks: I have finished my homework said Kwame.

Speech first or speaker first?

There are two main patterns for a line of direct speech.

Pattern A: speaker first

Kofi said, "The bus is late."

• Write the speaker and the reporting verb.
• Add a comma.
• Open the quotation marks.
• Write the speech with a capital letter and end it with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
• Close the quotation marks.

Pattern B: speech first

"The bus is late," said Kofi.

• Open the quotation marks and write the speech with a capital letter.
• End the speech with a comma (if it would have been a full stop), a question mark or an exclamation mark.
• Close the quotation marks.
• Write the speaker and the verb, then a full stop.

Both patterns are correct. Good writers mix them so the writing does not sound the same every time.

Try this Rewrite each sentence in the other pattern:

1. Abena said, "I left my book at home."
2. "Can we start now?" asked the teacher.

Speaker in the middle

A third pattern puts the speaker in the middle of the speech. This is very common in storybooks.

"If we leave now," said Ama, "we will reach Kumasi before dark."

Here the speech is split into two parts. Look carefully at the punctuation:

• The first part ends with a comma inside the quotation marks.
• Then comes the speaker and the verb, followed by another comma.
• The second part opens with new quotation marks and a small letter, because it continues the same sentence.

If the first part is a complete sentence, the second part starts with a capital letter and the speaker is followed by a full stop:

"We are late," said Ama. "The bus has already left."

Try this Punctuate these:

1. I think said Kofi that the answer is seven
2. Stop said the teacher you are making too much noise

Each new speaker, a new line

When two or more people are talking, start a new paragraph every time the speaker changes. This is the most important rule for writing dialogue. It lets the reader follow who is speaking without being told every time.

"Have you seen my football?" asked Kwame.

"No," said Abena. "Did you leave it at school?"

"I don't think so. I had it on the trotro."

"Then ask the driver tomorrow."

Notice two things. First, after the first two lines, the writer stops saying "said Kwame" and "said Abena". We know who is talking because the speakers take turns. Second, each new line of speech begins at the start of a new line.

Try this Write a four-line conversation between two friends about what to buy at the canteen. Use a new line for each speaker.

Reporting verbs

The word that tells us someone spoke is the reporting verb. "Said" is the most common, and it is a perfectly good word. But English has many others, and each one adds information.

Loud or soft: shouted, yelled, screamed, whispered, murmured, muttered

Asking: asked, enquired, wondered, demanded

Answering: replied, answered, responded

Feeling: laughed, cried, sobbed, snapped, sighed, groaned

Telling: explained, announced, warned, promised, admitted, agreed, complained, begged, insisted

Compare these two sentences:

"Give me back my pen," said Ama. "Give me back my pen," snapped Ama.

The second one tells us Ama is angry, without using the word "angry".

Be careful not to overdo it. A page full of "exclaimed" and "ejaculated" sounds silly. Use "said" most of the time, and save the stronger verbs for moments that need them.

Try this Choose a reporting verb for each: (a) a pupil who has lost her money, (b) a referee, (c) someone telling a secret.

Recap: direct speech

Before we move on to indirect speech, check that you have these points.

• Direct speech gives the exact words, inside quotation marks.
• Start the speech with a capital letter.
• Punctuation belonging to the speech goes inside the closing mark.
• When the speaker comes after the speech, a full stop becomes a comma: "I am tired," said Kofi.
• Question marks and exclamation marks stay as they are: "Are you tired?" asked Kofi.
• Three patterns: speaker first, speech first, speaker in the middle.
• New speaker, new line.
• The reporting verb (said, asked, shouted…) tells us how the words were spoken.

Quick check Correct the mistakes in these:

1. "where is the market" asked Ama.
2. Kofi said "I will come tomorrow".
3. "Run" shouted the coach, "The bus is leaving!"

There are at least five mistakes altogether. Find them all.

Indirect speech: reporting the meaning

Now we come to the second way of telling what someone said. Indirect speech reports the meaning of the words, not the exact words. There are no quotation marks.

Direct: Kofi said, "I am tired." Indirect: Kofi said that he was tired.

Direct: "We will visit Grandma on Sunday," said Ama. Indirect: Ama said that they would visit Grandma on Sunday.

Three things changed when we moved from direct to indirect:

1. The quotation marks disappeared.
2. The word that joined the two parts (it can often be left out, but it helps at first).
3. Some words changed: "I" became "he", "am" became "was", "we" became "they", "will" became "would".

Why do the words change? Because the person reporting is a different person, speaking at a later time. Kofi said "I", but when Ama reports it, she is talking about Kofi, so she says "he".

The next pages show each change in detail.

Changing the pronouns

Pronouns are the little words that stand for people: I, you, he, she, we, they, me, us, my, your and so on. In indirect speech they usually change, because the reporter is not the original speaker.

The rule is simple: think about who is really being talked about.

Direct: Abena said, "I have finished my work." Indirect: Abena said that she had finished her work.

Abena was talking about herself. When we report it, we are talking about Abena, so "I" becomes "she" and "my" becomes "her".

Direct: Kofi said to Ama, "You are late." Indirect: Kofi told Ama that she was late.

Kofi was talking to Ama. We are talking about Ama, so "you" becomes "she".

Direct: "We will win," said the players. Indirect: The players said that they would win.

Try this Change the pronouns:

1. Kwame said, "I have lost my pen."
2. The teacher said to us, "You must finish your work."
3. "We are going home," said the girls.

Changing the tense: one step back

When we report speech, the moment of speaking has usually passed. So the verb usually moves one step back into the past. This is called backshift.

Here is the pattern:

• Present simple → past simple "I like mangoes." → She said that she liked mangoes.
• Present continuous → past continuous "I am reading." → He said that he was reading.
• Present perfect → past perfect "I have eaten." → She said that she had eaten.
• Past simple → past perfect "I saw the match." → He said that he had seen the match.
• will → would "I will help." → She said that she would help.
• can → could "I can swim." → He said that he could swim.
• must → had to "You must go." → She said that I had to go.

Try this Backshift each verb:

1. "I am tired."
2. "We have finished."
3. "She can sing."
4. "They will arrive at six."

Worked example: a message for Mum

Let us change a whole piece of direct speech, step by step.

Ama's teacher said to her, "You have done very well this term. I will give you a prize on Friday."

Ama goes home and tells her mother. She cannot use the exact words, because she is reporting.

Step 1: Remove the quotation marks and add "that". The teacher told me that…

Step 2: Change the pronouns. "You" (meaning Ama) becomes "I". "I" (meaning the teacher) becomes "she". …that I have done very well this term. She will give me a prize on Friday.

Step 3: Backshift the verbs. "have done" → "had done". "will give" → "would give".

Finished: The teacher told me that I had done very well this term and that she would give me a prize on Friday.

Read the direct and indirect versions aloud. Both carry the same news, but the second one sounds like Ama telling the story.

Try this Report this to a friend: Kofi said to you, "I can lend you my book. You can return it tomorrow."

Words for time and place

Because the reporter is in a different time and place, some other words change too.

Direct speech	Indirect speech
now	then
today	that day
tonight	that night
tomorrow	the next day / the following day
yesterday	the day before / the previous day
next week	the following week
last week	the week before
here	there
this	that
these	those

Direct: "I will see you here tomorrow," said Kwame. Indirect: Kwame said that he would see me there the next day.

Direct: "I bought these yams yesterday," said the trader. Indirect: The trader said that she had bought those yams the day before.

These changes only make sense if the time really has moved. If Kwame spoke this morning and you report it this afternoon, "tomorrow" is still tomorrow, and you need not change it. Think about what is true, not just about the rule.

Reporting questions

Questions change in a special way. In indirect speech, a question is no longer a question. The question mark goes, and the word order becomes the order of an ordinary statement.

Yes/no questions use "if" or "whether":

Direct: "Are you coming?" asked Ama. Indirect: Ama asked if I was coming.

Direct: "Have you seen Kofi?" she asked. Indirect: She asked whether I had seen Kofi.

Wh- questions keep the question word (what, where, when, why, who, how):

Direct: "Where do you live?" asked the nurse. Indirect: The nurse asked where I lived.

Direct: "What time is it?" asked Kwame. Indirect: Kwame asked what time it was.

Look at the word order. "Where do you live?" becomes "where I lived", not "where did I live". The helping verb "do" disappears and the subject comes before the verb, as in a statement.

Try this

1. "Why are you late?" asked the teacher.
2. "Do you like fufu?" asked Abena.
3. "How much is the kenkey?" asked Mum.

Reporting commands and requests

Commands and requests use "to" + verb in indirect speech. The reporting verb is usually "told", "ordered", "asked" or "begged".

Commands

Direct: "Sit down," said the teacher. Indirect: The teacher told us to sit down.

Direct: "Close the gate!" shouted Dad. Indirect: Dad ordered me to close the gate.

Negative commands use "not to":

Direct: "Don't touch the stove," said Mum. Indirect: Mum told me not to touch the stove.

Requests sound softer, so we use "asked" or "begged":

Direct: "Please help me carry this," said Ama. Indirect: Ama asked me to help her carry it.

Direct: "Please don't tell anyone," whispered Kofi. Indirect: Kofi begged me not to tell anyone.

Notice that "please" disappears. Its politeness is carried by the verb "asked" or "begged" instead.

Try this

1. "Open your books," said the teacher.
2. "Don't run in the corridor!" shouted the prefect.
3. "Please lend me five cedis," said Kwame.

Recap: direct to indirect

Here is the full checklist for turning direct speech into indirect speech.

1. Remove the quotation marks.
2. Add a joining word: "that" for statements, "if/whether" for yes/no questions, the question word for wh- questions, "to" for commands.
3. Change the pronouns so they point at the right people.
4. Backshift the verb one step into the past (am → was, have → had, will → would, can → could).
5. Change time and place words if the time really has moved (today → that day, here → there).
6. For questions, use statement word order and drop the question mark.
7. For commands, use "to" + verb, or "not to" + verb.

Quick check Report each of these. Kofi is speaking to you.

1. "I am waiting for my brother."
2. "Have you finished the test?"
3. "Where did you buy that bag?"
4. "Give me the ball."
5. "Don't forget your homework tomorrow."

When the tense does not change

Backshift is the usual rule, but it has exceptions. The tense can stay the same when what was said is still true now, or when the reporting verb is in the present.

Still true

Direct: "Accra is the capital of Ghana," said the teacher. Indirect: The teacher said that Accra is the capital of Ghana.

Accra is still the capital, so "is" can stay. (Saying "was the capital" is also correct, but it might make a reader wonder if it has changed.)

Reporting verb in the present

Direct: Kofi says, "I am hungry." Indirect: Kofi says that he is hungry.

Because "says" is present, Kofi is speaking right now. Nothing has moved into the past, so nothing needs to shift. You will hear this often: "Mum says you have to come home."

Past perfect does not change

"I had already eaten" stays as "had already eaten" because there is no tense further back to move to.

Try this Decide whether to backshift:

1. The nurse says, "The clinic opens at eight."
2. Abena said, "Water boils at 100 degrees."

Indirect to direct: going back

You will often be asked to do the reverse: turn indirect speech back into the speaker's exact words. Simply run the checklist backwards.

Indirect: Ama told Kofi that she would meet him there the next day.

Step 1: Add quotation marks and remove "that". Step 2: Pronouns: "she" was Ama talking about herself → "I". "Him" was Kofi being spoken to → "you". Step 3: Tense forwards: "would" → "will". Step 4: Time and place: "there" → "here", "the next day" → "tomorrow".

Direct: Ama said to Kofi, "I will meet you here tomorrow."

Another:

Indirect: The teacher asked us whether we had brought our exercise books. Direct: The teacher asked, "Have you brought your exercise books?"

Remember to bring back the question mark and the question word order.

Try this Turn these back into direct speech:

1. Kwame said that he had finished his chores.
2. Mum asked me where I had put the keys.
3. The coach told the players not to give up.

Worked example: a short story in two forms

Here is a scene written in direct speech.

Kwame ran into the house. "Mum, the goat has escaped!" he shouted.

"Which way did it go?" asked Mum.

"Towards the school," said Kwame. "I will go and catch it."

"Take Ama with you," said Mum, "and don't come back without it."

Now here is the same scene in indirect speech.

Kwame ran into the house and shouted to his mother that the goat had escaped. Mum asked which way it had gone. Kwame said that it had gone towards the school and that he would go and catch it. Mum told him to take Ama with him and not to come back without it.

Compare them. The direct version is faster and more exciting. We hear the panic in Kwame's voice. The indirect version is calmer and shorter. It feels like someone telling us about it afterwards.

Neither is "better". A good writer chooses the one that suits the moment.

Why dialogue matters in stories

Dialogue is the parts of a story where characters speak. Stories with good dialogue feel alive. Stories with none can feel like a report.

Dialogue does three jobs:

1. It shows character. A boy who says "Give it here!" is different from one who says "May I have it, please?"

2. It moves the story forward. Characters make plans, argue, reveal secrets and make decisions by talking.

3. It breaks up long paragraphs. Short lines of speech give the reader's eyes a rest and make the page look inviting.

Compare:

Abena was angry that Kofi had broken her ruler.

"Kofi! That was my only ruler!"

The second one puts us in the room.

Try this Think of a character you know from a story. Write one line of speech that only that character would say.

Making dialogue sound real

Real people do not speak in long, perfect sentences. Good dialogue copies the way people really talk, but tidies it up a little.

Keep it short. Most lines of real speech are under ten words.

Let people interrupt and disagree.

"I think we should—" "No. We are going home."

Use contractions. "I'm", "don't", "can't" sound more natural than "I am", "do not", "cannot" in speech.

Let characters not answer the question.

"Did you take my phone?" "Why would I want your phone?"

Use Ghanaian voices when it fits. Characters can say "chale", "eii" or "oh" the way people do. Just be sure the reader will understand.

Avoid too much information. Nobody says, "As you know, my brother Kofi, who is twelve years old, is in Basic 7." Keep information for the narration.

Try this Rewrite this stiff line so it sounds like a real twelve-year-old: "I am unable to attend football practice because I must complete my homework."

Showing feeling without "said angrily"

New writers often add an adverb to every reporting verb: said angrily, said happily, said sadly. It is better to show the feeling through the words and the actions.

Weak: "Give me my book," said Ama angrily.

Stronger: Ama snatched at the book. "Give it here."

Stronger still: "Give. Me. My. Book." Ama's hand was shaking.

Three ways to show feeling:

1. The words themselves. Short, sharp words show anger. Long, wandering sentences show nervousness.
2. An action beside the speech. Ama slammed the door. Kofi looked at his feet. These "action beats" tell us the mood.
3. A stronger reporting verb. Snapped, whispered, begged.

You do not need all three at once. One is usually enough.

Try this Write three versions of a character saying "I didn't do it":

• one where they are frightened
• one where they are angry
• one where they are lying Do not use any adverbs.

Action beats

An action beat is a small action placed next to a line of speech, instead of a reporting verb. It shows who is speaking and what they are doing at the same time.

Kofi dropped his bag on the floor. "I'm not going back there."

Here there is no "said". We know Kofi is speaking because the action and the speech are in the same paragraph.

Action beats are useful because:

• they avoid repeating "said" over and over
• they add movement to a scene
• they show feeling without naming it

Punctuation: the action beat is a complete sentence with its own full stop. The speech begins with a capital letter and new quotation marks.

Ama looked at the sky. "It's going to rain."

Not: Ama looked at the sky, "It's going to rain." (The comma is wrong here, because "looked" is not a reporting verb.)

Try this Replace the reporting verb with an action beat:

1. "I'm so tired," said Abena.
2. "Where did you find it?" asked Kwame.

Recap: writing dialogue

You now have the tools for writing speech in your own stories.

• New speaker, new line.
• Punctuate carefully: capitals, commas, marks inside the quotation marks.
• Use said most of the time. Save strong reporting verbs for strong moments.
• Show feeling through words and actions, not adverbs.
• Use action beats instead of "said" sometimes.
• Keep lines short and natural. Use contractions.
• Let characters interrupt, disagree and dodge questions.
• Mix direct speech with indirect speech. Use indirect speech to summarise and direct speech for the important moments.

Quick check Here is a dull piece of dialogue. Improve it using at least three of the ideas above.

"I am very angry with you," said Kofi angrily. "You lost my ball," he continued angrily. "I am sorry," said Kwame sadly. "I did not mean to lose it," he added.

Worked example: a scene at the market

Read this scene and notice how direct and indirect speech are mixed.

Abena had been sent to buy tomatoes. The first trader told her they were twenty cedis a bowl, which Abena thought was far too much.

"Twenty? Auntie, last week it was twelve."

"Last week there was no rain on the road," said the woman. "Fifteen, final."

Abena pretended to walk away. The trader called her back and said she could have the bowl for thirteen if she promised to come again.

"Deal," said Abena.

Notice: the boring parts (the first price, the final offer) are in indirect speech. The lively parts (the bargaining) are in direct speech. This is how most good stories work.

Try this Write the next four lines, where Abena gets home and her mother asks what she paid.

Punctuation inside the marks

Here are the details that trip people up. Read them slowly.

Comma before the speech (speaker first): Kofi said, "I'm ready."

Comma instead of full stop (speech first): "I'm ready," said Kofi. Not: "I'm ready." said Kofi.

Question and exclamation marks stay: "Are you ready?" asked Kofi. "Ready!" shouted Kofi. Note that "asked" and "shouted" begin with a small letter even though a question mark or exclamation mark comes before them. They are part of the same sentence.

A quotation inside speech uses the other kind of mark: "Mum said 'no sweets', so I didn't buy any," explained Ama.

Speech that runs over several paragraphs opens quotation marks at the start of each paragraph but closes them only at the very end.

Try this Find the one mistake in each line:

1. "Come here". said the teacher.
2. "Where are you going?" Asked Kwame.
3. Ama said "I'll be back soon."

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: forgetting the comma. Wrong: Kofi said "I am coming." Right: Kofi said, "I am coming."

Mistake 2: punctuation outside the marks. Wrong: "I am coming", said Kofi. Right: "I am coming," said Kofi.

Mistake 3: capital letter after a question mark. Wrong: "Are you coming?" Asked Kofi. Right: "Are you coming?" asked Kofi.

Mistake 4: keeping the question form in indirect speech. Wrong: Kofi asked where was I going. Right: Kofi asked where I was going.

Mistake 5: forgetting to change the pronoun. Wrong: Kofi said that I was coming. (when Kofi was talking about himself) Right: Kofi said that he was coming.

Mistake 6: no new line for a new speaker. Wrong: "Hello," said Ama. "Hello," said Kofi. Right: put each on its own line.

Mistake 7: too many fancy reporting verbs. "Hello," ejaculated Ama. "Hello," retorted Kofi. Just use "said".

Reporting verbs with "that"

Some reporting verbs are followed by that and a full sentence. These are the everyday verbs for statements.

• say that
• tell someone that
• explain that
• announce that
• admit that
• complain that
• promise that
• agree that
• warn someone that

Examples:

Direct: "I broke the cup," said Kofi. Indirect: Kofi admitted that he had broken the cup.

Direct: "The road is flooded," said the driver. Indirect: The driver warned us that the road was flooded.

Direct: "I will pay you back on Monday," said Ama. Indirect: Ama promised that she would pay me back on Monday.

The reporting verb often replaces a feeling word. Instead of "said sadly that he had broken it", we write "admitted that he had broken it". The verb does the work.

Say or tell? We say something. We tell someone something. "He said that…" but "He told me that…". Never "He said me that".

Try this Report with a good verb: "Okay, you were right," said Kwame.

Reporting verbs with "to"

Other reporting verbs are followed by to and a verb. These are for commands, requests, offers and promises.

• tell someone to
• ask someone to
• order someone to
• beg someone to
• warn someone not to
• remind someone to
• advise someone to
• offer to
• promise to
• refuse to
• agree to

Examples:

Direct: "Remember to lock the door," said Mum. Indirect: Mum reminded me to lock the door.

Direct: "I'll carry your bag," said Kofi. Indirect: Kofi offered to carry my bag.

Direct: "I won't eat that," said Abena. Indirect: Abena refused to eat it.

Direct: "You should see a doctor," said Grandma. Indirect: Grandma advised me to see a doctor.

Notice how much shorter the indirect version can be. "I'll carry your bag" becomes a tidy "offered to carry". This is why indirect speech is so useful for summarising.

Try this

1. "Please, please come to my party," said Ama.
2. "I'll help you with your maths," said Kwame.
3. "Don't swim in the lagoon," said the fisherman.

Recap: reporting verbs

Reporting verbs do two jobs: they tell us that someone spoke, and they tell us how or why.

For direct speech, choose a verb that fits the voice: said, asked, shouted, whispered, snapped, laughed. Use "said" most of the time.

For indirect speech, choose a verb that fits the meaning:

• Statements: said that, told me that, explained that, admitted that, warned that, promised that
• Questions: asked if, asked whether, asked where/when/why/how
• Commands and requests: told me to, ordered me to, asked me to, begged me to, reminded me to, warned me not to
• Offers and refusals: offered to, refused to, agreed to

Remember: say something, tell someone something.

Quick check Match each line of direct speech to the best reporting verb from the list (admitted, offered, warned, reminded, refused):

1. "Don't forget your lunch."
2. "I'll wash the plates."
3. "Yes, it was me who ate the last piece."
4. "I'm not going."
5. "Be careful, the floor is wet."

Worked example: from a conversation to a report

Kofi overhears this conversation and later tells his sister about it.

The conversation:

"Are you coming to practice today?" asked Coach Mensah.

"I can't," said Kwame. "My mother is sick and I have to look after my brother."

"Then come tomorrow. We play Achimota on Saturday and I need you."

"I'll try, sir. I promise."

Kofi's report:

Coach Mensah asked Kwame if he was coming to practice that day. Kwame said that he couldn't, because his mother was sick and he had to look after his brother. The coach told him to come the next day, and explained that they were playing Achimota on Saturday and that he needed him. Kwame promised to try.

Look at the changes:

• "today" → "that day", "tomorrow" → "the next day"
• "I" (Kwame) → "he"; "you" (Kwame) → "him"
• "can't" → "couldn't"; "is sick" → "was sick"; "have to" → "had to"
• The last line, "I'll try, sir. I promise," became just "promised to try".

Try this Write the report as Kwame himself would tell it to his mother that evening.

Direct speech in newspapers and news

Newspapers and radio news use both kinds of speech, and you can see the choices they make.

They use direct speech for powerful, exact words from an important person. A quotation is proof that the person really said it.

The Minister said, "Every child in Ghana will have a desk by the end of the year."

They use indirect speech to summarise long speeches and ordinary information.

The Minister said that the government had bought thirty thousand new desks and that distribution would begin in the Northern Region.

Notice that in news writing, the reporting verb almost always comes after the speech or the speaker, and it is usually plain: "said", "told reporters", "announced".

Try this Find a short news article in a newspaper or on your phone. Underline every piece of direct speech in one colour and every piece of indirect speech in another. Which does the writer use more? Why do you think so?

Speech in plays and comics

Plays and comics show speech in a different way, and comparing them helps you see what quotation marks really do.

In a play script, there are no quotation marks at all. The speaker's name goes on the left, followed by a colon, and the words follow. Instructions for the actors go in brackets.

AMA: (looking at her watch) The bus should have come by now. KOFI: It's always late on market days. AMA: Then we'll walk.

In a comic, the words go inside a speech bubble, and the tail of the bubble points to the speaker.

In a story, we have neither the name on the left nor the bubble. So the quotation marks, the reporting verb and the new line for each speaker do all of that work.

Try this Turn the three-line play script above into story dialogue with quotation marks and reporting verbs. Then turn it into a one-sentence indirect report.

Speech across languages

Ghana has many languages, and most pupils speak at least two. Reporting speech happens in all of them, but not always the same way.

In Twi, a reporter often says ɔkaa sɛ ("he/she said that") before the words. In Ewe, egblɔ be does the same job. In Ga, ekɛɛ akɛ. In each case there is a small joining word, like English "that", which tells the listener that reported words are coming.

Some things to notice when you move between languages:

• English changes the tense in indirect speech (am → was). Many Ghanaian languages do not; the verb stays as the speaker said it, and the joining word carries the meaning.
• English changes pronouns (I → she). All languages do this, because the reporter is a different person.
• Written English uses quotation marks. In spoken language, people use their voice: a pause, a change of tone, or a copy of the speaker's accent.

When you write English, you must do with punctuation what your voice does when you speak. That is why the rules in this book matter.

Try this Say "Kofi said he was coming" in your home language. Does the verb change? Does a joining word appear?

Practice: direct to indirect

Change each of these into indirect speech. The speaker is talking to you unless it says otherwise.

1. Ama said, "I am going to the library."
2. "We have finished our project," said the boys.
3. Kofi said, "I will meet you here at four o'clock."
4. "Can you swim?" asked Abena.
5. The teacher asked, "Who has not done the homework?"
6. "Where did you put my phone?" asked Dad.
7. "Please wait for me," said Kwame.
8. "Don't open the window," said the nurse.
9. "I saw a snake in the garden yesterday," said Grandpa.
10. "The sun rises in the east," said the teacher.
11. The driver said, "The trotro leaves in five minutes."
12. "I'll pay you back next week," said Ama.

Check yourself: Did you remove the quotation marks? Change the pronouns? Backshift the verbs (except in number 10, where the fact is still true)? Use "if" for number 4? Use statement word order in 5 and 6? Use "to" and "not to" in 7 and 8?

Practice: indirect to direct

Change each of these back into direct speech. Add quotation marks, correct punctuation and a suitable reporting verb.

1. Kwame said that he was feeling better.
2. Abena told me that she had lost her lunch money.
3. The teacher asked us whether we had understood the lesson.
4. Mum asked me what time I would be home.
5. Kofi told his little brother to stop crying.
6. The coach warned the team not to be late on Saturday.
7. Ama said that she would bring the drinks the next day.
8. Grandma asked where everyone had gone.
9. The prefect ordered the boys to pick up the litter.
10. Kofi promised to help me with my science project.

Check yourself: Did you bring back the question marks? Change "the next day" back to "tomorrow"? Change "he/she" back to "I" where the speaker talked about themselves? Put a capital letter at the start of the speech?

Extra: Choose any three answers and rewrite them with the speaker in the middle of the speech.

Practice: writing dialogue

Now put everything together. Choose one of these situations and write a conversation of at least eight lines of direct speech.

A. Two friends disagree about which is the best football team in Ghana.

B. A pupil explains to a teacher why her homework is not finished.

C. A boy tries to persuade his mother to let him go to a friend's house.

D. Two traders at the market argue over who was at the stall first.

Your checklist

• New speaker, new line.
• Every line punctuated correctly.
• "Said" used most of the time, with one or two stronger reporting verbs.
• At least two action beats instead of reporting verbs.
• At least one interruption or one question that is not answered.
• Lines are short and sound like real speech.
• No adverbs after "said".

When you have finished, read it aloud with a partner. If any line is hard to say, change it. Real speech is easy to say.

Practice: from dialogue to report

Take the conversation you wrote on the last page. Now rewrite it as a report, in indirect speech, as if a third person is describing what happened.

Your report should:

• be a single paragraph of about six to eight sentences
• contain no quotation marks
• use a variety of reporting verbs: said that, asked whether, told … to, refused to, admitted that
• change pronouns, tenses and time words correctly
• leave out small words like "um", "oh" and "please", because they do not belong in a report

Example (from situation B):

Mrs Owusu asked Abena why her homework was not finished. Abena explained that the lights had gone off the night before and that she had not been able to see. Mrs Owusu asked whether she had a torch. Abena admitted that she had one but said that the battery was dead. Mrs Owusu told her to finish the work at break and warned her not to let it happen again.

Compare your dialogue and your report. Which one was more fun to write? Which one was quicker to read?

Self-test

Try these without looking back. Answers are on the next page.

A. Punctuate

1. where is my bag asked ama
2. kofi said i will be late
3. hurry up shouted mum the car is leaving

B. Direct to indirect (speaker is talking to you) 4. "I am reading a good book," said Abena. 5. "Have you eaten?" asked Grandma. 6. "Don't touch that wire," said the electrician. 7. "We won the match yesterday," said Kwame.

C. Indirect to direct 8. Ama said that she could not find her pen. 9. Kofi asked me where I lived. 10. The teacher told us to be quiet.

D. Choose the best reporting verb (whispered, admitted, begged, warned) 11. "Please, please let me come." 12. "Yes, I broke it." 13. "Careful, the dog bites." 14. "Don't let him hear us."

E. True or false 15. A new speaker always begins on a new line. 16. "Are you ready?" Asked Kofi. — this is punctuated correctly.

Self-test answers

A

1. "Where is my bag?" asked Ama.
2. Kofi said, "I will be late."
3. "Hurry up!" shouted Mum. "The car is leaving."

B 4. Abena said that she was reading a good book. 5. Grandma asked if (whether) I had eaten. 6. The electrician told me not to touch that wire. 7. Kwame said that they had won the match the day before.

C 8. Ama said, "I can't find my pen." 9. Kofi asked, "Where do you live?" 10. The teacher said, "Be quiet."

D 11. begged 12. admitted 13. warned 14. whispered

E 15. True. 16. False. "asked" should have a small letter.

How did you do?

• 14–16: excellent. Your punctuation and reporting skills are strong.
• 10–13: good. Look again at the pages on the mistakes you made.
• Below 10: reread the two recap pages and try the practice pages again, slowly. Speech punctuation becomes easy with practice.

Key words

Direct speech – the speaker's exact words, inside quotation marks. Indirect (reported) speech – the meaning of what was said, without quotation marks. Quotation marks / inverted commas / speech marks – the marks " " or ' ' that enclose direct speech. Reporting verb – the verb that tells us someone spoke: said, asked, shouted, told. Reporting clause – the speaker plus the reporting verb: "said Ama", "the teacher asked". Pronoun – a word that stands for a person: I, you, he, she, we, they. Backshift – moving the verb one tense into the past when reporting: am → was, will → would. Action beat – a small action written beside speech instead of a reporting verb. Dialogue – conversation in a story.

One-line reminders

• New speaker, new line.
• Punctuation inside the marks.
• Say something; tell someone something.
• Ask if for yes/no questions.
• Tell someone to do, or not to do.

Learn more

• Perfect English Grammar: Reported speech — a clear guide to the tense and pronoun changes, with free exercises
• Grammarly: Quotation marks — the punctuation rules for direct speech, with examples
• Wikipedia: Reported speech — a reference article on indirect speech in English and other languages

Watch more

Think about it

1. Why do you think newspapers put the exact words of important people in quotation marks instead of reporting them?
2. When you tell a friend about an argument, do you use direct or indirect speech more? Why?
3. In Twi, Ga, Ewe or your own language, how do people show that they are repeating someone's exact words? Is it the same as in English?
4. Can indirect speech ever change the meaning of what someone said? Give an example.
5. Which is more honest: reporting someone's exact words, or reporting what they meant?