1. Definition
a. 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.
Example:
- She says, "What time will you be home?"
- "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
b. 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.
Example: - She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him. (indirect speech)
2. Rules
a. Rules of Direct Speech :
There are certain rules which we need to follow while constructing a sentence in Direct Speech or while choosing Direct Speech to express what somebody said.
1. The words of the speaker are always enclosed with in inverted commas or quotation marks.
2. A comma is placed before the inverted commas whenever the information about the speaker is included.
3. In case the information of the speaker is given post the piece of speech the punctuation mark (comma, full stop, exclamation mark, question mark, etc.) is included with in the inverted comma (not after it) and after the information of the speaker.
4. In case of using Direct Speech in stories, dramas, plays, etc. we begin a new paragraph if there is a change in the speaker.
5. Words expressing nearness in time or places are generally changed into words expressing distances
6. Can use the present tense if you are talking about a future event
b. Rules of Indirect Speech :
There are certain rules which we need to follow while constructing a sentence in Indirect Speech or while choosing Indirect Speech to express what somebody said.
1. No Quotation Marks: Inverted commas or quotation marks are not used in an Indirect Speech. As we do not quote the speaker directly like in Direct Speech.
2. Change in Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives: The first and second person pronouns and possessive adjectives in the Direct Speech are changed into the third person in the Indirect Speech.
3. Using word "that" : the conjunction "that" is always used between reporting verb and reported speech in indirect speech
4. Change in tense of the reported speech
5. Change in time
3. Changing direct speech into indirect speech in the different form
a. Tenses
No
|
DIRECT
|
INDIRECT
|
1
|
Simple Present
|
Simple past
|
2
|
Present Continuous
|
Past Continuous
|
3
|
Present Perfect
|
Past Perfect
|
4
|
Present Perfect Continuous
|
Past Perfect Continuous
|
5
|
Simple Past
|
Past Perfect
|
6
|
Past continuous
|
Past continuous
|
7
|
Past perfect
|
Past perfect
|
8
|
Past perfect continuous
|
Past perfect continuous
|
9
|
Simple Future
|
Past Future
|
10
|
Future Continuous
|
Past future continuous
|
11
|
Future Perfect
|
Past Future Perfect
|
12
|
Future Perfect Continuous
|
Past Future Perfect Continuous
|
b. Adverb of Place and Time
No
|
DIRECT
|
INDIRECT
|
1
|
Now
|
Then
|
2
|
Tomorrow
|
The following day
|
3
|
Yesterday
|
The day before
|
4
|
Next week
|
The following week
|
5
|
Tonight/Today
|
That night/That day
|
6
|
Here
|
There
|
7
|
This
|
That
|
8
|
These
|
Those
|
c. In the form sentences
1. Statement
Rules
|
Direct Speech
|
Indirect Speech
|
Simple Present
Changes To
Simple Past |
"I always drink coffee", she said
|
She said that she always drank coffee.
|
Present Continuous
Changes To
Past Continuous |
"I am reading a book", he explained.
|
He explained that he was reading a book
|
Present Perfect
Changes To
Past Perfect |
She said, "He has finished his work"
|
She said that he had finished his work.
|
Present Perfect Continuous
Changes To
Past Perfect Continuous |
"I have been to Spain", he told me.
|
He told me that he had been to Spain.
|
Simple Past
Changes To
Past Perfect |
"Bill arrived on Saturday", he said.
|
He said that Bill had arrived on Saturday
|
Past Perfect
Changes To
Past Perfect (No Change In Tense) |
"I had just turned out the light," he explained.
|
He explained that he had just turned out the light.
|
Past Continuous
Changes To
Past Perfect Continuous |
"We were living in Paris", they told me.
|
They told me that they had been living in Paris.
|
Future
Changes To
Present Conditional |
"I will be in Geneva on Monday", he said
|
He said that he would be in Geneva on Monday.
|
Future Continuous
Changes To
Conditional Continuous |
She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday."
|
She said that she would be using the car next Friday.
|
2. Question
a. Word order
Normal word order is used in reported questions, that is, the subject comes before the verb, and it is not necessary to use 'do' or 'did':
Direct speech
|
Indirect speech
|
"Where does Peter live?"
|
She asked him where Peter lived.
|
"Where are you going?"
|
She asked where I was going.
|
"Why is she crying?"
|
He asked why she was crying.
|
b. Yes/No questions
This type of question is reported by using 'ask' + 'if / whether' + clause:
Direct speech
|
Indirect speech
|
"Do you speak English?"
|
He asked me if I spoke English.
|
"Are you British or American?"
|
He asked me whether I was British or American.
|
"Is it raining?"
|
She asked if it was raining.
|
"Have you got a computer?"
|
He wanted to know whether I had a computer.
|
c. A question with a question word
This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.
Direct speech
|
Indirect speech
|
"What is your name?" he asked me.
|
He asked me what my name was.
|
"How old is your mother?", he asked.
|
He asked how old her mother was.
|
The policman said to the boy, "Where do you live?"
|
The policeman asked the boy where he lived.
|
3. Imperative Sentences
Imperative sentences are those sentences, which give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the shape of advice, entreaty, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the speaker. Thus, full stop or sign of exclamation is used at the end of the sentence. For example:
- Shut the door!
- Please shut the door.
- Repair the door by tomorrow!
To convert such like sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
- Reporting Verb is changed according to Reported Speech into ORDER in case the sentence gives a direct command. For example:
Direct Speech: The teacher said to me, “Shut the door.”
Indirect Speech: The teacher ordered me to shut the door.
- Reporting Verb is changed according to Reported Speech into REQUEST in case the sentence makes a request. For example:
Direct Speech: He said to me, “Shut the door.”
Indirect Speech: He requested me to shut the door.
- Reporting Verb is changed according to Reported Speech into ADVISE in case the sentence gives an advice. For example:
Direct Speech: He said to me, “You should work hard to pass the exam.”
Indirect Speech: He advised me that I should work hard to pass the exam.
- Reporting Verb is changed according to Reported Speech into FORBADE in case the sentence prevents someone from doing something. For example:
Direct Speech: He said to me, “Not to smoke.”
Indirect Speech: He forbade me to smoke.
Examples
Direct Speech
|
Indirect Speech
|
We said to him, “Mind your own business.”
|
We urged him to mind his own business.
|
She said to him, “Consult a doctor.”
|
She suggested him to consult a doctor.
|
He said to me, “Write it again.”
|
He asked me to write it again.
|
You said to your father, “Please grant him leave for some time.”
|
You requested your father to grant him leave for some time.
|
My mother said to me, “Never tell a lie.”
|
My mother forbade me to tell a lie.
|
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