(Ea as 04 Reported Speech ‘The act of reporting the words of a speaker is called narration. There are basically two ways in which the words of the speaker can be conveyed in writing. (a) Direct Speech (Direct Narration) The reporting of the words of the speaker without making any changes to it is known as Direct Speech. Direct speech is shown inside double quotation marks. () Indirect Speech (Indirect Nanation) The act of reporting the words of the speaker by making necessary changes to it is called Indirect Speech. In indirect speech, while narrating something, changes are made in the original words of the person. For example, tenses and pronouns are changed according to the reporting verb. eg. _() My mother told me, “You have to work harder at school." (Direct speech) ~ (i) My mother told me that | had to work harder at school. (Indirect speech) In sentence (i) we can notice that this is the speaker's direct narration as it is shown inside double quotation marks, but in sentence (i) tense and pronouns are changed and quotation marks are removed. 4, TIP The frst verb part of the sentence (1. he said, she said, he says, she says, they said, etc) before the statement (quotation marks) ofa person in the sentence is called the reporting verb. ‘The reporting clause contains the reporting verb (in many cases said or fold) and usually comes frst Observe the following changes carefully. # He said, “I work in a factory.” He said that he worked in a factory. + They said, “We are going to the cinema.” They said that they were going to the cinema. + She said, “I am playin; She said that she was playing. (Direct speech) (Indirect speech) (Direct speech) (Indirect speech) (Direct speech) (Indirect speech) (Direct speech) (Indirect speech) (Direct speech) (Indirect speech) * He said to me, “You have been a great help to me.” He told me that I had been a great help to him. * Ashish said to me, “I shall go to the market today. Ashish told me that he would go to the market that day.Basic Rules of Speech and Conversion {@) In Direct Speech (i) Separate the reporting verb from the direct speech by a comma. (i) Pacthe words spoken by the speaker within *" (double quotes or double inverted commas). (ii) Begin the first word inside inverted commas with a capital letter. (&) In Indirect Speech (i) Change the reporting verb according to the sense conveyed by the speech. (i) Do not change the tense of the reporting verb. (ii) Remove the comma separating the reporting verb from the direct speech. (iv) Remove inverted commas. (Introduce the indirect speech by some connector like that, if, whether, what, where, how, why, ete depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request, as the case may be. (ci) Convertall kinds of sentences into assertive statements. (cii) Make other necessary changes in person, verb forms, time, place and expressions. ‘Some changes to consider (a) Ist person (I, we, etc)» change according to the subject of the reporting verb. (B) 2nd person (You, your, ete) > change according to the object of the reporting verb. (c) 3rd person (He, she, it, they, his, her, etc)—> make no change. (d) Change Ist person into 3rd person if the reporting verb has no object mentioned. Rules for Changing Simple Direct Speech into Indirect Speech Rules Direct Speech Indirect Speech Remove separating comma, inverted * He said, “I work ina + He said that he worked in a shipyard. commas and use the connector ‘that’ shipyard.” + Sheena said that her teacher was highly when there is no object in the sentence. © Sheena said, “My teacher is educated. highly educated,” The reporting verb ‘said’ becomes ‘told’ + Kamya said to me, “You + Kamya told me that I had been a great help. along with the subject and the connector have been a great help.” + He told me that he would go to the party. ‘hat’ when ics followed by an object. « He said to me, "I shall goto the party.” _— Changes into Reported Speech with Respect to the Tense Werweeepaie _ _ Present Tense Rules of Conversion Direct Speech wlirect Speech Hee sail chat he did not liked computers. + They said that they loved their country. said, “It is raining. + Tad that ews raining, + She said, “I am not laughing.” + She said thae she was not laughing. Simple Present cl oa d. "Ido! a at changes into + He said, “I do not like computers.” a + They said, “We love our country Present continuous changes + into past continuous on—~ Rules of Conversion Direct Speech Indirect Speech aeetht perfect changes nto + She sud, “He ha fished his work” + She sid tha he had ished his work + They said, “We have not gone to New + Theysaid that chey had not gone %© New York York. = Present perfect continuous = He said, “Ihave been studying since 36” + He said that he had been studying since 3 content Past perfect clock, o'clock. imu ; et + Radha said, “It has been raining for three + Radha said that it had been raining for days." three days. Past Tense Rules of Conversion Direct Speech Indirect Speech Simple past changes into past + My teacher said to me, "You ~ My ceacher told me that I had answered correc, fo enon eed care «He said that he had nor bought a car. + He said, “I didn’t buy a car.” Past continuous changes into + They said, “We were enjoying the + They said that they had been enjoying the Past perfect continuous weather.” weather. + He said, "Mohit was listening to the + He said that Mohit had been listening to the music.” music. Past perfect remains past + He said, “I had started a business." + He said that he had started a business. Perfect (tense does not change) . | said, “She had eaten the meal.” _+ I said chat she had eaten the meal. Future Tense Rules of Conversion _ Direct Speech Indirect Speech ‘Simple furure: will changes » He said, “I will study the book.” + He said that he would study the book. into would + They said to me, “We will send you + They told me that they would send me gifts. sift. Future continuous: will be + Shreya told him, “I will be waiting for + Shreya told him that she would be waiting for him. changes into would be you.” + He said that he would not be flying kites. > + He said, “He will not be flying kites.” Forure perfect: will have» He said, “Iwill have finished the + He said that he would have finished the work. changes into would have work.” + Narayan said that he would have gone. + Narayan said, “I will have gone.” excEPTiONS = ‘The tense of the reported speech may not change if the narration Is about universal truth, habitual fact ‘or past historical fact. eg. () My father said, “lam slow to star.” (Habla fac ities My father sald that he Is slow to start ies tv) She sald, “Two and two makes four.” (Universal truth) ied ‘She sald that two and two makes four. acaeel {uy The teacher sald, “Ashoka lft war after the conquest of Kalinga” (Historia fact) ‘aie. ‘The teacher sald that Ashoka left war after the conquest of Kaling®. Aindirecs)Rules for Changing Inlerrogalive Sentences into Indirect Speech (The reporting verb ‘said’ becomes ‘asked! and ‘to’ is removed) Rules Direct Speech “Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ in place of ‘that’ as a connector. * She said to me, coffee?" * She said to Shyam, “Do you have an “extra copy"? “The questions starting with question + He said, "What is your problem?” words like when, why, where, do not, She sa use “if” or ‘whether’. The question words are retained to introduce the reported question. Do you like tea ot Remove the question mark while forming an assertive sentence. “Why are you not coming?” Indirect Speech + She asked me whether I liked tea or coffee. * She asked Shyam if he had an extra copy. + He asked me what my problem was, * She asked me why I was not coming, Rules for Changing Imperative Sentences into Indirect Speech Rules Use conjunction ‘to’ instead of ‘that’. Direct Speech * said to Hari, “Do not pluck the flowers." + The Principal said to the students, “Get out of the office.”” In sentences beginning with ‘Let, the reporting verb is changed to ‘proposed’ or ‘suggested’. + He said, “Let us keep quiet in this matter.” Indirect Speech + Lordered Hari not to pluck the flowers. + The Principal ordered the students to get out of the office. + He suggested that we should keep quiet in this matter. Rules for Changing Exclamatory Sentences into Indirect Speech Rules Words such as Alas, Bravo, Oh, Wow, Wah should be left out in indirect speech. Forms of the verb ‘wish’ is used if the sentence conveys a wish Direct Speech + Ram said, “Alas! I have been ruined.” + She said, “If L were a bird.” Indirect Speech + Ram exclaimed with sorrow that he had been ruined. + She wished to be a bird /She wished that she were a bird. Summary of Changes Change of Verb Forms Change of Pronouns Time, Place, Expression and Other Changes is, am, are — was, were Ist Person — according to the subject now — then has, have — had 2nd Person — (i) according to the object ago — before 0 — went (ii) changed to 3rd person today — that day did ~ had + 3rd form if the reporting verb has last night — the previous night or of the verb. no object the night before was, were — had been 3rd Person — unchanged next week — the following week will — would here — there shall ~ should hither — thither an — could this — that thus — so