Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

They said that they would issue the certificate the following week.

They said, “We will issue the certificate next week.”

The option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech is: "They said, “We will issue the certificate next week.”

1. The introductory phrase "They said" remains the same in both indirect and direct speech. This indicates who is speaking.
2. In direct speech, we directly quote what "they" said, so we use quotation marks to enclose their exact words.
3. The verb "would" in the indirect speech changes to "will" in direct speech to reflect the shift from reported speech to actual speech.
4. "The following week" becomes "next week" to maintain clarity and immediacy in direct speech.