Indix

Introduction……………..……………………………………………………………… 1
Objectives.……………………………………………………………………………… 2
Direct and Indirecty speech……………………………………………………………...3
Pronouns and Adjectives: Changes Necessary…………………………………...…….
………………………………….…. 4
Expressions of Time and Place in Indirect Speech…………………………..……….
………………………………………....…… 4
Statements in Indirect Ipeech: Tense Changes Necessary……………..……….….
………………………………………………...…... 4
Questions in Indirect
Speech…………………………………………………………………….…….….…… 5
Commands, Requests, Advice in Indirect Speech………………………………………..
….…………………………………….... 5
Exclamations in Indirect
Speech………………………………………………………………………..…….…… 6
Yes and no in Indirect
Speech……………………………………………………………….…………..……… 6
Offers and Suggestions in Indirect
Speech………………………………………………………………………….……….. 7
Indirect Speech: Mixed
Types……………………………………………………………………………………. 7
Reported Speech: Other
Points…………………………………………………………………..……8
Say and tell as Introductory
Verbs…………………………………………………………………………………………..... 9
Resolution…………………………………………………………………………..………… 11
Reference……………………………………………………………..……………….....…… 12
Introduction

Teaching direct and indirect speech is best done by reading and writing dialogue. By
first reading Dialogue and working through examples, teachers can illustrate the
difference between direct and Indirect speech. Direct speech occurs when the person
speaking is quoted. Indirect speech occurs When another person paraphrases what the
speaker said. By speaking and writing dialogue Themselves, students reinforce the
principles of direct and indirect speech through practical Application.

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objectives

General
 Understand the difference between direct and indirect speech.

Specifics
 To perceive what direct and indirect speech is
 Identify their benefits and their application in using them

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 Direct and Indirecty speech

There are two ways of relating what a person has said: direct and indirect.
In direct speech we repeat the original speaker’s exact words:
He said, “I have lost my umbrella.”

Remarks thus repeated are placed between inverted commas, and a comma is
placed immediately before the remark. Direct speech is found in conversations
in books, in plays and in quotations.
In indirect speech we give the exact meaning of a remark or a speech, without
necessarily using the speaker’s exact words:

He said (that) he had lost his umbrella.

There is no comma after say in indirect speech. That can usually be omitted
after say and tell + object. But It should be kept after other verbs: complain,
explain, object, point out, protest etc. Indirect speech is Normally used when
conversation is reported verbally, though direct speech is sometimes here to give
a More dramatic effect.
When we turn direct speech into indirect, some changes are usually necessary.

Pronouns and Adjectives: Changes Necessary

A. First and second person pronouns and possessive adjectives normally change to the
third person Except when the speaker is reporting his own words. (I = he, she; me =
him, her; my = his, her; mine = his, hers; we = they…)
She said, “he’s my son”. → She said that he was her son.
“I’m ill”, she said. → She said that she was ill.
B. THIS / THESE
This used in time expressions usually becomes that.
She said, “She’s coming this week”. →She said that she was coming that
week.
This and that used as adjectives usually change to the.
He said, “I bought this pearl/these pearls for my mother”. →
He said that he had bought the pearl/the pearls for his mother.
This, these used as pronouns can become it, they/them.
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 He came back with two knives and said, “I found these beside the king’s
bed”. → He Said he had found them beside the king’s bed.
He said, “We will discuss this tomorrow”. →He said that they would
discuss it (the Matter) the next day.

Expressions of Time and Place in Indirect Speech

A. Adverbs and adverbial phrases of time change as follows:

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Today that day
Yesterday The day before
The day before yesterday Two days before
Tomorrow The next day/the following day
the day after tomorrow In two day’s time
Next week/year etc. The following week/year etc
Last week/year etc. The previous week/year etc
A year etc. ago A year before/the previous year

“I saw her the day before yesterday”, he said. → He said he’d seen her
two days before.
“I’ll do it tomorrow”, he promised. →He promised that he would do it
the next day.
She said, “My father died a year ago”. →She said that her father had died
a year before/the previous year.
B. But if the speech is made and reported on the same day these time changes are not
necessary:
At breakfast this morning he said, “I’ll be very busy today”. →At
breakfast this morning he said that he would be very busy today.
C. here can become there but only when it is clear what place is meant:
At the station he said, “I’ll be here again tomorrow”. → He said that he’d
be there again the next day.
Usually here has to be replaced by some phrase:
She said, “You can sit here, Tom”. → She told Tom that he could sit
beside her.

Statements in Indirect Ipeech: Tense Changes Necessary

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A. Indirect speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense: He says that ... This is
usual when
we are:
a. reporting a conversation that is still going on
b. reading a letter and reporting what it says
c. reading instructions and reporting them
d. reporting a statement that someone makes very often, e.g. Tom says that he’ll never
get married.
When the introductory verb is in a present, present perfect or future tense we can report
the direct speech without any change of tense:
PAUL (phoning from the station): I’m trying to get a taxi.
ANN (to Mary, who is standing beside her): Paul says he is trying to get a taxi.
B. But indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense. Verbs in the
direct speech have then to be changed into a corresponding past tense. The changes are
shown in the following table.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Simple Present Simple Past
“I never eat meat”, he explained = He explained (that) he never ate meat.
Present Continuous Past Continuous
“I’m waiting for Ann”, he said. = He said (that) he was waiting for Ann.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
“I have found a flat”, he said = He said (that) he had found a flat
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
He said, “I’ve been waiting for ages”. = He said (that) he had been waiting for ages
Simple Past Past Perfect
“I took it home with me”, she said. = She said (that) he had taken it home with her.
Future Conditional
He said, “I will/shall be in Paris on Monday”. = He said (that) he would be in Paris on Monday
Future Continuous Conditional Continuous
“I will/shall be using the car myself on the = She said (that) she’d been using the car herself
24h”, she said on the 24th.
Conditional Conditional
I said, “I would like to see it”. = I said (that) I would like to see it

All those changes represent the distancing effect of the reported speech. Common sense,
together with the time aspect from the speaker’s point of view, are more important than
the rules when making the usual changes.

Questions in Indirect Speech

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Direct question: He said, “Where is she going?”
Indirect question: He asked where she was going.
A. When we turn direct questions into indirect speech, the following changes are
necessary:
a. tenses, pronouns and possessive adjectives, and adverbs of time and place change as
in statements.
b. the interrogative form of the verb changes to the affirmative form.
c. the question mark is omitted in indirect questions.
B. If the introductory verb is say, it must be changed to a verb of inquiry, e.g. ask,
wonder, want to know etc.
He said, “Where is the station?”  He asked where the station was.
C. ask can be followed by the person addressed (indirect object):
He asked, “What have you got in your bag?”  He asked (me) what I had got in
my bag.
But wonder and want to know cannot take an indirect object, so if we wish to report a
question where the person addressed is mentioned, we must use ask.
He said, ”Mary, when is the next train?”  He asked Mary when the next train
was.
D. If the direct question begins with a question word (when, where, who, how, why etc.)
the question word is repeated in the indirect question:
He said, “Why didn’t you put on the brake?” → He asked (her) why she hadn’t
put on the brake.
She said, “What do you want?” → She asked (them) what they wanted.
E. If there is no question word, if or whether must be used:
“Is anyone there?” he asked → He asked if/whether anyone was there.

Commands, Requests, Advice in Indirect Speech

Direct command: He said, “Lie down, Tom”.

Indirect command: He told Tom to lie down.
Indirect commands, requests, advice are usually expressed by a verb of
command/request/advice + object + infinitive.

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A. The following verbs can be used: advise, ask, beg, command, order, remind, tell,
warn etc.
He said, “Get your coat, Tom!”  He told Tom to get his coat.
B. Negative commands, requests etc. are usually reported by not + infinitive:
“Don’t swim out too far, boys”, I said  I warned/told the boys not to swim out
too far.

Exclamations in Indirect Speech

Exclamations usually become statements in indirect speech. The exclamation mark

disappears.
a. Exclamations beginning What (a) ... or How ... can be reported by:
- exclaim/say that:
He said, “What a dreadful idea!” or “How dreadful!”  He exclaimed that it
was a dreadful idea/was dreadful.
- give an exclamation of delight/disgust/horror/relief/surprise etc.
- if the exclamation is followed by an action we can use the construction with an
exclamation of delight/disgust etc. + he/she etc. + verb.
‘
b. Other types of exclamation such as Good! Marvellous! Splendid! Heavens! Oh! Ugh!
etc. can be reported as in (b) or (c) above:
“Good!” he exclaimed. → He gave an exclamation of pleasure/satisfaction.
“Ugh!” she exclaimed, and turned the programme off.  With an exclamation of
disgust she turned the programme off.
c. Note also:
He said, “Thank you!” → He thanked me.
He said, “Good luck!” → He wished me luck.
He said, “Happy Christmas!” → He wished me a happy Christmas.
He said, “Congratulations!” → He congratulated me.
He said, “Liar!” → He called me a liar.
He said, “Damn!” etc. → He swore.

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 The notice said: WELCOME TO WALES! → The notice welcomed visitors to
Wales.

Yes and no in Indirect Speech

yes and no are expressed in indirect speech by subject + appropriate auxiliary verb.
He said, “Can you swim?” and I said “No” → He asked (me) if I could swim
and I said I couldn’t.
He said, “Will you have time to do it?” and I said “Yes” → He asked if I would
have time to do it and I said that I would.

Offers and Suggestions in Indirec Speech

A. OFFERS
“Shall I bring you some tea?” could be reported He offered to bring me some
tea.
B. SUGGESTIONS
“Shall we meet at the theatre? could be reported He suggested meeting at the
theatre.

Indirect Speech: Mixed Types

Direct speech may consist of statement + question, question + command, command +
statement, or all three together. Normally each requires its own introductory verb.
“I don’t know the way. Do you?” he asked.  He said he didn’t know the way
and asked her if she did/if she knew it.
He said, “Someone is coming. Get behind the screen.” → He said that someone
was coming and told me to get behind the screen.

Reported Speech: Other Points

A. MUST: after a past reporting verb, must does not usually change:
He said, “It must be pretty late, I really must go”. → He said that it must be
pretty late and he really must go.
had to is also possible in reported speech, but this is really the past of have to, not must.
He said, “I have to go. I have an appointment in half an hour”  He said that he
had to go because he had an appointment in half an hour.

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B. MODAL VERBS: Past modal verbs (could, might, ought to, should, used to, etc. )
do not normally change in reported speech.
He said, “I might come”. → He said that he might come.
He said, “I would help him if I could”. → He said that he would help him if he
could.
He said, “You needn’t wait”. → He said that I needn’t wait
C. CONDITIONALS: Conditional sentences type two remain unchanged.
He said, “If my children were older I would emigrate”. → He said
that if his children were older he would emigrate.

Say and tell as Introductory Verbs

A. say and tell with direct speech.
1. say can introduce a statement or follow it.
Tom said, “I’ve just heard the news”. or “I’ve just heard the news”,Tom said.
Inversion of say and noun subject is possible when say follows the statement.
“I’ve just heard the news”, said Tom.
say + to + person addressed is possible, but this phrase must follow the direct statement;
it cannot introduce it.
“I’m leaving at once”, Tom said to me.
Inversion is not possible here.
2. tell requires the person addressed.
Tell me. He told us. I’ll tell Tom.
Except with tell lies/stories/the truth/the time, when the person addressed need not to
be mentioned.
He told (me) lies. I’ll tell (you) a story.
Tell used with direct speech must be placed after the direct statement:
“I’m leaving at once”, Tom told me.
Inversion is not possible with tell.
B. say and tell with indirect speech
Indirect statements are normally introduced by say, or tell + object. Say + to + object is
possible but less usual than tell + object.
He said he’d just heard the news.

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 He told me that he’d just heard the news.
Note also tell ... how/about:
He told us how he had crossed the mountains.
He told us about crossing the mountains.
He told us about his journeys.

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Resolution

In conclusion, understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech is crucial
for effective communication. Direct speech involves quoting the exact words spoken,
while indirect speech reports the message without quoting directly.
Mastering both forms allows for clear and accurate representation of spoken language in
written communication.

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Reference

BIBLIOGRAPHY
- A. J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A Practical English Grammar, Oxford University
Press, 1986
- R. Murphy, English Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press 1990
- M. Harrison, Grammar Spectrum 2, Oxford University Press, 1996
- N. Coe, Grammar Spectrum 3, Oxford University Press, 1996

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