Shifts from indirect to direct quotations

An indirect quotation reports someone’s words without quoting word for word:

Example sentence: Annabelle said that she is a Scorpio.

A direct quotation presents the exact words of a speaker or writer, set off with quotation marks:

Example sentence: Annabelle said , “I am a Scorpio.”

Unannounced shifts from indirect to direct quotations are distracting and confusing, especially when the writer fails to insert the necessary quotation marks, as in the following example.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Mother said that she would be late for dinner and please do not leave for choir practice until Dad comes home. Revised sentence: Mother said that she would be late for dinner and asked me not to leave for choir practice until Dad came home.

The revision reports all of the mother’s words. The writer could also quote directly: Mother said, “I will be late for dinner. Please do not leave for choir practice until Dad comes home.”

Exercise: Shifts: mood and voice, questions and quotations 1

Exercise: Shifts: mood and voice, questions and quotations 2

Exercise: All shifts 1

Exercise: All shifts 2

Exercise: Editing for shifts

Exercise: Shifts: tense