Explain the concept of direct speech and indirect speech.

Reported Speech Questions Medium



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Explain the concept of direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by someone, while indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone said without using their exact words. In direct speech, the speaker's words are enclosed in quotation marks and are presented as they were spoken, including any grammatical errors or informal language. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," in direct speech it would be written as, "I am going to the store."

On the other hand, indirect speech involves reporting what someone said without using their exact words. The reported speech is usually introduced by a reporting verb such as "said" or "told." In indirect speech, the tense, pronouns, and other elements may change to fit the context of the reporting. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," in indirect speech it would be reported as, "He/she said that he/she was going to the store."

Indirect speech is often used when we want to report what someone said in a more formal or concise manner, or when we are summarizing a conversation or speech. It allows us to convey the meaning of the original speech while adapting it to fit the grammatical and contextual requirements of the reporting.