Speech Terms to Know

What is direct speech?

• Tells us who was speaking.

• The exact words being spoken without inverted commas

• The exact words being spoken inside inverted commas

What words are being spoken in this example?

"Leave me alone!" screamed Julia.

• Screamed Julia

• "Leave me alone!"

• Leave me

What is being said in the example below?

Ben whispered, "Who are you?"

• "Who are you?"

• Ben whispered

• Whispered

Which words are not being spoken below?

"Can I help you?" asked the sales assistant kindly.

• "Can I help you?"

• asked the sales assistant kindly.

What is a reporting clause?

• A group of words that include the name of the speaker and a verb to describe what is being said.

• The exact words being spoken.

• Punctuation to indicate direct speech.

Where is the reporting clause?

"What did you do that for?" demanded the child angrily.

• demanded the child angrily.

• "What did you do that for?"

What are inverted commas?

• Punctuation we need to use in lists.

• Punctuation needed at the end of a sentence.

• Punctuation needed to indicate direct speech.

Where is the direct speech in this example?

Smoke was coming out of the window, "Help! Fire!"

• Smoke was coming

• Smoke was coming out of the window,

• "Help! Fire!"

What words are being spoken in this sentence?

"Oh no!" I was shocked at what I saw.

• "Oh no!"

• I was shocked

• I was shocked at what I saw

What is the reporting clause in this sentence?

Adil sighed heavily, "I can't believe my favourite football team have lost again!"

• I can't believe it!

• "I can't believe my favourite football team have lost again!"

• Adil sighed heavily,