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Glossary of Terms
Quotation Marks
Punctuation marks used to indicate that the text represents the exact words (direct speech)
someone has spoken. These punctuation marks vary from language to language.
Direct Speech
The exact words someone says, set within quotation marks.
e.g. “Will you run for President in the next election?” the reporter asked Hillary Clinton.
Indirect Speech
The reporting of what someone has said, not using his or her exact words.
e.g. The reporter asked Hillary Clinton if she would run for President in the next election.
Quoted Speech
Another term for direct speech.
Reported Speech
Another term for indirect speech.
Formal Reported Speech
Formal reported speech requires that you make specific changes to verb tenses that were
spoken. In general, the verbs move one step to the past. Like becomes liked; liked becomes
had liked, for example. Formal reported speech is used most often in writing and
sometimes in speaking.
Reporting Verbs
Verbs used to indicate quoted or reported speech. There are several reporting verbs but in
journalism the most common is say.
e.g. A White House spokesman said Clinton would appear on CNN tomorrow.
Attribution
The identification of the source of your information, and the person being quoted.
Time and Place References
Words and phrases that refer to time and place, e.g., yesterday, two weeks ago, here, there,
etc. These often need to be changed in reported speech.
Embedded Question
A question that is inside another sentence.
It can be inside a statement, e.g., I don’t know when the press conference starts.
It can be inside a question, e.g., Do you know when the press conference starts?
Infinitive
The simple form of the verb preceded by to.
e.g., to vote, to decide, to answer

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