DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
INSTRUCTOR: USAMA MUNEER
DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
•There are two ways of reporting the words of the speaker:
•By quoting the actual words of the speaker (Direct Speech)
•By reporting what the speaker said without quoting his/her exact
words in a Simple and transformed manner(Indirect Speech)
DIRECT SPEECH
•Direct speech refers to the speech which is used to give or report
the exact words used by another speaker. The words are given
between quotation marks (" ") in writing:
•Direct speech is quoted speech that is presented without
modification, as it might have been uttered by the original speaker
•Direct speech is quoted speech that is presented without any
changes, exactly as it might have been uttered by the original
person. In Direct speech what is said appears in quotation marks.
INDIRECT SPEECH
•It is used to communicate what someone else said, but without using
the exact words. The tenses of the verbs are often changed. Usually
indirect speech is introduced by the verb said, as in I said, Bill said, or
they said. Using the verb say in this tense, indicates that something
was said in the past.
Repoting Speech & Reported
Speech
Reporting Speech:
Narration part which is not in the inverted commas (“ ”) is called Reporting speech.
He said to me, “I want to buy a book.”
Reported Speech:
Narration part which is in the inverted commas (“ ”) is called Reported speech.
He said to me, “I want to buy a book.”
Reporting Verb & Reported Verb
Reporting Verb:
Verb in the Reporting Speech is called Reporting Verb.
He said to me, “I want to buy a book.”
Reported Verb:
Verb in the Reported Speech is called Reporting Verb.
He said to me, “I want to buy a book.”
Rules of Changing Direct Speech into
Indirect Speech:
When using indirect or reported speech, the form changes. These changes take into
consideration of:
• Changes in Tenses
• Changes in Pronouns
• Changes in Words
• Say / Says changes into Tell / Tells
• Said changes in Told
• Comma (,) and inverted commas (“ ”) are removed and THAT is used
Changes in Pronouns
If there is I, MY, (MINE), ME and WE, OUR, US, we will change it
according to the Subject of the Repoting speech.
If there is YOU, YOUR, YOURS, we will change it according to the
Object of the Repoting speech.
Other than that no Noun, Pronoun, (place, name, thing) will not be
changed.
Pronouns
1 2 3
I MY (MINE) ME
WE OUR (OURS) US
YOU YOUR (YOURS) YOU
HE HIS HIM
SHE HER (HERS) HER
IT ITS IT
THEY THEIRS THEM
Change in Tenses
If the Repoting speech is in PRESENT or Future Tenses no
change will occur in the tense of the Reported Speech.
If the Repoting speech is in PAST Tense some changes will
occur in the tense of the Reported Speech.
Previously After
PRESENT INDEFINITE TENSE into PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
PRESENT CONTINOUS TENSE into PAST CONTINOUS TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE into PAST PERFECT TENSE
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINOUS into PAST PERFECT CONTINOUS TENSE
TENSE
PAST INDEFINITE TENSE into PAST PERFECT TENSE
IS, AM, (ARE) into WAS, (WERE)
WAS, WERE into HAD BEEN
HAVE, HAS into HAD
SHALL, WILL into SHOULD, WOULD
MAY into MIGHT
CAN into COULD
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
simple present simple past
He said, “I go to school every day.” He said (that) he went to school every day.
simple past past perfect
He said, “I went to school every day.” He said (that) he had gone to school every
day.
present perfect past perfect
He said, “I have gone to school every He said (that) he had gone to school every
day.” day.
Present progressive past progressive
He said, “I am going to He said (that) he was going to
school every day.” school every day.
Past progressive perfect progressive
He said, “I was going to He said (that) he had been going
school every day.” to school every day,
Future (will/shall) Would + verb name
He said, “I will go to school He said (that) he would go to
every day.” school every day.
Changes in Words
If the Repoting speech is in PAST Tense some changes will occur in words of the Reported
Speech.
previously After
THIS becomes THAT
TODAY becomes THAT DAY
YESTERDAY becomes THE PREVIOUS DAY
LAST NIGHT becomes THE NIGHT BEFORE
TO NIGHT becomes THAT NIGHT
TOMORROW becomes THE NEXT DAY
NOW becomes THEN
NEXT becomes THE FOLLOWING
THESE becomes THOSE
HERE becomes THERE
AGO becomes BEFORE
THUS becomes SO
DIRECT INDIRECT DIRECT INDIRECT
SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH SPEECH
Now Then Today That day
Here There Tomorrow The next day
Ago Before Yesterday The day
before
Thus So Last night The night
before
She said to her, “They are eating fruits now.” She told her that they were eating fruits then.
He said, “I will go to school tomorrow.” He told that he would go to school the next day.”
She said to Ali, “They are playing cricket today.” She told Ali that they were playing cricket that day.
Another situation is the one in which modal constructions are used. If the verb said is used, then
the form of the modal, or another modal that has a past meaning is used.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
can could
He said, “I can go to school He said (that) he could go to
every day.” school every day.
may might
He said, “I may go to He said (that) he might go to
school every day.” school every day.
might
He said, “I might go to
school every day.”
must had to
He said, “I must go to school He said (that) he had to go to
every day.” school every day.
have to had to
He said, “I have to go to school He said (that) he had to go to
every day.” school every day
should should
He said, “I should go to school He said (that) he should go to
every day.” school every day.
ought to ought to
He said, “I ought to go to He said (that) he ought to go to
school every day.” school every day. CRN,2010
QUESTIONS:
In reporting questions, the Indirect Speech is introduced by some such verbs as asked, inquired, etc.
When a question is not introduced by an interrogative word, the reporting verb is followed by
whether or if.
Examples:-
D.S: He said to me, “What are you doing?”
I.S: He asked me what I was doing.
QUESTIONS
D.S: The policeman said to us, “Where are
you going?”
I.S: The policeman inquired where we
were going.
D.S: He said, “Will you listen to such a
man?”
I.S: He asked them whether they would
listen to such a man
COMMANDS AND REQUESTS
In reporting commands and requests, the Indirect Speech is introduced by some verb
expressing command or request, and the imperative mood is changed into the infinitive.
Examples:
D.S: CRN said to Amani, “Go away”.
I.S: CRN ordered Amani to go away
D.S: Glory said to him, “Please wait here till I return”.
I.S: Glory requested him to wait there till she return
D.S: “Call the first witness”, said the judge.
I.S: The judge commanded them to call the first witness
D.S: He said, “Be quiet and listen to my words”
I.S: He urged them to be quiet and listen to his words”.
EXCLAMATIONS AND WISHES
In reporting exclamations and wishes the Indirect Speech is introduced by
some verb expressing exclamation or wish.
Examples:
D.S: He said, “Alas! I am undone”.
I.S: He exclaimed sadly that he was undone
D.S: Alice said, “How clever I am!”
I.S: Alice exclaimed that she was very clever.
Words expressing nearness in time or place are generally changed into words expressing
distance. Look the examples from the table below: