Direct speech in American English.

 

In American English, direct speech, also known as reported speech or quoted speech, is used to convey someone's exact words or thoughts. When using direct speech, it is important to follow certain grammar rules, particularly regarding punctuation and capitalization. Here are the main guidelines:

1. Punctuation: The punctuation marks (question mark, exclamation mark, or period) that end the quoted speech should be placed inside the closing quotation marks.

Example:

- He asked, "What time is it?"

- She exclaimed, "I can't believe it!"

- They said, "We'll be there soon."

2. Capitalization: The first letter of the quoted speech should be capitalized if it is the beginning of a sentence or a proper noun. However, if the quoted speech is a continuation of the sentence, the first letter should be lowercase.

Example:

- He said, "I'm going to the store."

- "Where are you going?" she asked.

- She told me, "Please bring the book."

3. Reporting verb tense: The choice of verb tense in the reporting clause depends on the context. If the speech is being reported in the present tense, the reporting verb is usually in the present tense. If the speech is being reported in the past tense, the reporting verb is usually in the past tense.

Example:

- He says, "I love ice cream." (present reporting)

- She said, "I loved that movie." (past reporting)

4. Punctuation of reporting clause: The reporting clause, which introduces the quoted speech, can be placed either before or after the quoted speech. In either case, a comma is generally used to separate the reporting clause from the quoted speech.

Example:

- "I'll be there," she promised.

- He asked, "Where did you go yesterday?"

5. Changing verb tenses: In some cases, when reporting speech in the past, it may be necessary to change the verb tenses in the quoted speech to match the past context. For example, present simple might become past simple.

Example:

- He said, "I like pizza." (original speech)

- He said that he liked pizza. (reported speech)

It's important to note that these guidelines can be flexible depending on the context and personal style, but they generally adhere to the standard rules of American English grammar for direct speech.