Quotations

We use the conventions of direct speech when we are quoting exact words, e.g. in letters, reports and statements by witnesses: / reconstructed the crime and before I had finished speaking, Boyle said, A tissue of lies! I asked the accused if he really thought so and he answered 'Think so! I know it!'

Scripts

Quotation marks are not used in scripts for plays, etc.:
BOYLE (agitated): A tissue of lies!

You think so?

Think so! I know it!

And no doubt you can prove it

'Say, 'tell' and 'ask'

15.5 Indirect speech and the sequence of tenses [compare > 9.5.2]

We use indirect speech (sometimes called 'reported speech') when we are telling someone what another person says or said. The reporting verb (e.g. say tell) may be in the present or past (most often in the past) and the tenses of the reported statement are often (but not always) affected by this. Compare:

- actual spoken statement: I can see him now

- direct statement in writing: I can see him now,' the boss

says/said

- indirect statement (present): The boss says (that) he can see you

now

- indirect statement (past): The boss said (that) he could see you

now Quotation marks are not used in indirect speech. For verbs that can introduce reported statements and questions [> App 45].