What distinguishes a direct quote from an indirect quote?

What distinguishes a direct quote from an indirect quote?

• A. Direct quotes use quotation marks; indirect quotes paraphrase without exact words.
• B. Direct quotes paraphrase without exact words.
• C. Direct quotes have no punctuation; indirect quotes have punctuation within quotes.
• D. Direct quotes always occur in past tense.

Answer: (A)

Direct quotes use the exact words from a source and are shown with quotation marks to signal that you’re repeating someone’s exact wording. Indirect quotes, or paraphrases, convey the same idea but in your own words and without reproducing the precise phrasing or using quotation marks around the paraphrase. For example, if the source says, "Healthy sleep supports memory," a direct quote would repeat those words exactly. A paraphrase might say that getting enough sleep helps memory, rewording the idea rather than repeating the original wording. So this distinction isn’t about tense or punctuation in general; it’s about whether you’re quoting the original words exactly (with quotation marks) or restating the idea in your own words (without quotation marks around the paraphrase).

Direct quotes use the exact words from a source and are shown with quotation marks to signal that you’re repeating someone’s exact wording. Indirect quotes, or paraphrases, convey the same idea but in your own words and without reproducing the precise phrasing or using quotation marks around the paraphrase.

For example, if the source says, "Healthy sleep supports memory," a direct quote would repeat those words exactly. A paraphrase might say that getting enough sleep helps memory, rewording the idea rather than repeating the original wording.

So this distinction isn’t about tense or punctuation in general; it’s about whether you’re quoting the original words exactly (with quotation marks) or restating the idea in your own words (without quotation marks around the paraphrase).