Using direct speech to quote words and ideas
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Uses of direct speech | page 4 of 4 |
Giving partial quotes
Direct speech can be mixed with indirect speech to give partial quotations, ie reports consisting of a single word or a short expression rather than one or more complete sentences.
People give partial quotes for two major purposes 
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to highlight a part of what has been said/written as significant: |
The authority met contractors over the weekend about their recent refusal to tender for contracts.
Dr Townsend said the authority was "taking a careful view" on the issue and "setting its own pace".
He said it was hoped that contractors would submit their tenders confident that the issues in dispute would be cleared up during the assessment phase. (SCMP 18/4/94)
In this example, the partial quotes taking a careful view and setting its own pace draw the readers' attention to a significant part of what Dr Townsend has said.
Notice that by not using indirect speech to report the phrases, the writer leaves the interpretation of the phrases to the readers.
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to distance ourselves from what has been said/written: |
In Singapore this week Western countries pressing for workers' rights in Asia came under attack at the opening of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) labour ministers' meeting.
Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said ASEAN viewed linking social clauses to trade agreements as "another disguised form of protectionism". (SCMP 21/5/94)
By giving a partial quote here, the writer may have wanted to suggest that the expression another disguised form of protectionism was not his/her own. Only the original speaker should be responsible for it.
Introduction
Giving partial quotes
