Direct and indirect speech can be a
source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then
look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from
direct to indirect or vice-versa.
You can answer the question What
did he say? in two ways:
- by repeating the words spoken (direct speech)
- by reporting the words spoken (indirect or reported
speech).
Direct
Speech
Direct speech repeats, or quotes,
the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the
words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in
these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a
telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous
conversation.
Examples
- She says, "What time will you be home?"
- She said, "What time will you be home?" and I
said, "I don't know! "
- "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
- John said, "There's an elephant outside the
window."
Indirect
Speech
Reported or indirect speech is
usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the
words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use
the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.
She said, "I saw him."
(direct speech) = She said that she had seen him. (indirect speech)
'That' may be omitted:
She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.
'Say'
and 'tell'
Use 'say' when there is no indirect
object:
He said that he was tired.
Always use 'tell' when you say who
was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object):
He told me that he was tired.
'Talk'
and 'speak'
Use these verbs to describe the
action of communicating:
He talked to us.
She was speaking on the telephone.
Use these verbs with 'about' to
refer to what was said:
He talked (to us) about his parents.
Fundamental
rules for indirect speech.
- Reported speech is not enclosed in quotation marks.
- Use of word “that”:
The word “that” is used as a conjunction between the reporting verb and
reported speech.
- Change in pronoun:
The pronoun (subject) of the reported speech is changed according to the
pronoun of reporting verb or object (person) of reporting verb (first part
of sentence). Sometimes the pronoun may not change.
In following example the pronoun of
reported speech is “I” which will be changed in indirect speech into the
pronoun (Subject) of reporting verb that is “he”.
Example.
Direct speech: He said, “I am
happy”
Indirect Speech: He said that he
was happy.
Direct speech: I said to him,
“you are intelligent”
Indirect Speech: I said him
that he was intelligent.
(“You” changed to “he” the person
of object of reporting verb)
- Change in time:
Time is changed according to certain rules like now to then, today to that
day, tomorrow to next day and yesterday to previous day.
Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “I am happy today”
Indirect Speech: He said that he was happy that day.
- Change in the tense of reported speech: If the first part of sentence (reporting verb part)
belongs to past tense the tense of reported speech will change. If the
first part of sentence (reporting verb part) belongs to present or future
tense, the tense of reported speech will not change.
Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “I am happy”
Indirect Speech: He said that he was happy. (Tense of
reported speech changed)
Direct speech: He says, “I am happy”
Indirect Speech: He said that he is happy. (Tense of
reported speech didn't change)
Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise
Sentences are given in the direct
speech. Change them into the indirect speech.
1. He said, “I have got a
toothache”.
2. Manu said, “I am very busy now”.
3. “Hurry up,” she said to us.
4. “Give me a cup of water,” he told
her.
5. She said, “I am going to
college.”
6. She said to me, “Thank you”
7. Raju said, “Gautam must go
tomorrow”.
8. Geetha says, “My father is an
Engineer.”
9. He said, “I have passed the
physical test.”
10. She said to me, “You are my only
friend.”
11. ‘I love you,’ he told me.
12. ‘Where are you going?’ James
asked Mary.
Answers:
1. He said that he had got a toothache.
2. Manu said that he was very busy
then.
3. She told us to hurry up.
4. He asked her to give him a cup of
water.
5. She said that she was going to
college.
6. She thanked me.
7. Raju said that Gautam would have
to go the following day.
8. Geetha says that her father is an
Engineer.
9. He said that he had passed the
physical test.
10. She told me that I was her only
friend.
11. He told me that he loved me.
12. James asked Mary where she was
going.
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