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Speech may be reported in two ways, directly or indirectly. Direct speech states a speaker's exact words, that is, repeating the speaker word for word. When writing direct speech, put quotation marks before and after the speech you are quoting.
"The check is in the mail," he said.
Indirect speech reports some, most, or all of what a speaker said without using a speakers exact words. Do not use quotation marks when writing indirect speech.
He said the check was in the mail.
We usually use the past tense of reporting verbs such as say or tell to report speech. When these verbs are in the past tense, the tense of the verbs in indirect speech changes from the one the speaker actually used. For example, if the speaker made a statement using the simple present tense, the indirect speech uses the simple past tense.
Direct Speech
"It's a great dress," he said.
Indirect Speech
He said (that) it was a great dress.
Likewise, if the speaker made a statement in the simple past tense, the indirect speech usually uses the past perfect.
Direct Speech
She said, "It was on sale."
Indirect Speech
She told him (that) it had been on sale.
There are times when it is not necessary to use a different verb tense in indirect speech from the one actually used by the speaker. In the following cases, the verb tense change is optional:
1. when reporting something someone has just said
Mandy: I'm tired from all that shopping.
Dick: What did you say?
Mandy: I said I'm tired.
2. when reporting something that is still true
Dick said that the bank wants the payment this week.
3. when reporting a general truth or scientific law
Vauvenargues wrote that all men are born truthful.
Mrs. Smith told her students that water freezes at 0° Celsius.
4. When the reporting verb is in the present tense, do not change the verb tense in the indirect speech.
She says that she runs a mile every day.
5. In indirect speech, make changes in pronouns and possessives to keep the speaker's original meaning.
Dick told Mandy, "I like your new dress."
Dick told Mandy that he liked her new dress.
6. When you mention the listener, it is preferable to use the verb tell in both direct and indirect speech. The verb say can also be used in these cases.
"I'm sorry to be so late," Dick told Ms. Adams.
Dick told his client that he was sorry to be so late.
Dick told her he was sorry to be so late.
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