Direct speech is a representation of the actual words someone said. Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what ...

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether. If is more common than whether. The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: 'Are you Scottish?‟)

I is the subject. And was is the verb.

In narratives, especially novels and short stories, when the reporting clause comes second, the writers often invert the subject (s) and reporting verb (v):

“Things have always been the same in this village,” [V]said [S]the old man.

"Hold on! I‟m coming!‟ [V] cried [S] Maurice.

A direct speech report usually has a reporting verb in the past simple. The most common reporting verb is said. The reporting clause may come first or second.

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that-clause. We often omit that, especially in formal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land.

(The pilot‘s words were: 'The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.‟)

Next, there are some examples of direct speech:

reporting clause first        reported clause             reporting clause second

Jimmy said,                    'Let me have a look.‟ 

Then the child asked,     "Are there any toys?‟

                                        ''Hand it over at once!‟     he demanded.