Direct and Indirect

Speech
Class X
 What is Speech?
• Speech means a talk or a dialogue between two persons. Conversation can happen between
two people or with as many as possible. In general, we can report the words of the speaker in
two ways:
a) When we quote/use the actual words of the person, we call it direct speech.
b) When we report what is said without using the exact words of a person, we call it indirect speech.
• Study the following examples to recognize the differences between direct speech and indirect
speech:
• Your teacher says, “It is so cold today.”
• If your classmates ask what the teacher has said then how are you going to tell them? You may
report it in two ways: Direct speech and indirect speech.
 See examples below;
• Direct Speech: The teacher says, “It is cold today.” you have used the
exact words of the speaker. The sentence within the quotation marks is the
example of the direct speech. The italic word says is the reporting verb.
• Indirect Speech: The teacher said that it was cold yesterday. (You haven’t
used the exact words of the teacher but used the main ideas from the
speech without using the quotation mark).
• Now, have you noticed the differences between the two speeches? Can
you now define direct and indirect speech?
 What is Direct and Indirect Speech?
• Direct Speech: The first sentence is a direct speech because it is quoted
and those are the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech is usually
placed within quotation marks and accompanied by a reporting verb.
• Indirect Speech: The second sentence is indirect speech because we don’t
use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn’t have to
be the exact words of the speaker. We report or express the main points of
a person’s words.
 Direct Speech

Direct Speech

1. Actual or exact words 2. Enclosed in invented

3. Need reporting verb
spoken commas

Dorji said to me, “I am looking for good books to read.”

(“said to” is the reporting verb in the sentence)
 Direct and Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech

1. It reports on what 2. The actual or exact 3. It is not enclosed in

someone said or wrote words are inverted commas
transformed/paraphrased

Dorji told me that he was looking for good books to read.

(Note that the words are changed/transformed)
 Rule 1. Some of the common rules with regard to – tense, person,
time and place.
• A. Changes in Tenses
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Simple Present Simple Past
 Deki said, “I wear kira.”  Deki said that she wore kira.
Present Continuous Present Continuous
 Deki said, I am eating an apple.”  Deki said that she was eating an apple.
Present Perfect Past Perfect
 Karma said, “Where have you gone?  Karma asked where I had gone.
Simple Past Past Perfect
 The farmer said, “I saw DeSuup  The farmer said that he had seen
volunteers working in the town.” DeSuup volunteers working in the town.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
 “I was doing my artwork,” said Sonam.  Sonam said that she had been doing
artwork.
Past Perfect Past Perfect (No change)
 Karma said, “We had gone to the market.”  Karma said that he had gone to the
market.
Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous (No change)
 The teacher said, “We had been studying  The teacher said that they had been
the lesson for three hours.” studying the lesson for three hours.
b. Changes in Pronouns- First and Second Persons inside the
quotation marks change into the Third Person and also have to
suit the context.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech

I He/She

We They

You I/She/He/We/They

They They

She She

He He

It It
c. Changes in Time and Place
Words expressing nearness in time or place in Direct Speech are
generally changed into words expressing distance in Indirect
Speech.
Direct Indirect
Now Then
Here There
Ago before
Thus so
Today That day
Tomorrow The next day, the following day
This that
yesterday The day before, previous day
These those
hither thither
come go
hence thence
Next week/month The following week/month
 Rule II. Changes in Command, Request, Exclamation, Wish
a. Commands and Requests
• Indirect Speech is introduced by some verbs like ordered, requested, advised and suggested.
The imperative mood is changed into the Infinitive.
• Direct speech: Pem said to the little bird, “fly away.” Indirect speech: Pem ordered the little
bird to fly away. Direct speech: He said to her, “Please stay.”
• Indirect speech: He requested her to stay.
b. Exclamations and Wishes
• Reporting Verb ‘say’ and ‘tell’ is changed into wish, bless, pray, cry, declare etc with such
phrases as with regret, with delight or joy, with sorrow, interjections and exclamations such as
Oh, Well, Hurrah, Alas, Curse it are omitted when the sentence is changed to indirect speech.
• Examples:
• Direct speech: He said, “Alas! The great scientist is no more.”
• Indirect speech: He exclaimed sadly that the great scientist was no more.
 Cont.
c. Conversion of Interrogative questions to the sentence.
• Reporting Verb is changed to asked, inquired, demanded etc.
• Whether/ if is used whenever the direct question admits of one of two answer – Yes/ No.
• If the question begins with Interrogative Pronoun/ Adverb such as “What, Which, Whose,
Who, Where, How, and Why”, same word is used in Indirect Speech.
Examples:
• Direct speech: Choying said to me, “What are you doing?
• Indirect speech: He asked me what I was doing.
 Rule III. If a sentence begins with an auxiliary
verb, the joining clause should be if or whether.
• Examples:
• Direct speech: He said, “Will you come for the party?” Indirect speech:
He asked whether I would come to the party. Direct speech: “Where do
you live?” asked the girl.
• Indirect speech: The girl enquired where I lived.
• Note: If the sentence begins with ‘wh’ questions then no conjunction is
used as the "question word" itself acts as a joining clause.
Rule IV. The reporting verb must be
changed accordingly:
Direct Indirect
said Told
said Said
say to Tell
says to Tells
 Rule V. ‘Let’ in Direct Speech expresses a
proposal/suggestion, use should to change reporting verb
into propose/ suggest
Examples:
• Direct speech: He said to us, “Let us have some coffee.”
• Indirect speech: He proposed/suggested to us that we should have some coffee.
• However, when ‘Let’ does not express a proposal it should be changed into
might/might be allowed or other verb;
Examples:
• Direct speech: He said to his friends, “Let me study, please.”
• Indirect speech: He requested his friends that he might be allowed to study.
 Remember the exceptions to the Rules
a. The tenses of the indirect speech don’t change if the reporting verb is in the present tense or if
in direct speech you find say/says, or will say.
• Example:
• Lecturer says, “The college will be open next week.”
• Lecturer says that the college will be open next week.
b. If the words within the quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action.
• Example:
• “The Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world”, said the teacher.
• The teacher said that the Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world.
Six Steps to Follow
Activity
Change the sentences according to the instruction given
in the bracket.
1. She said, “I don’t want to attend meeting with you.” (Change the sentence into
indirect speech)
2. Ram said that he was writing a friendly letter. (Change the sentence into direct
speech)
3. She said, “I have finished my assignment now.” (Change the sentence into indirect
speech)
4. Chophel said that he had been living in Dagana for ten years. (Change the sentence
into direct speech)
5. He said, “I like helping people.” (Change the sentence into indirect speech)
Activity 2.
Change the sentences correctly.

1. Doctor said, “I will prescribe you medicine tomorrow.”

2. Sangay said to me, “I have been expecting your visit.”
3. The visitor said, “I may go to the Dzong the next day.'
4. They said, “Have you reported your travel history to the Head
Office?”
5. Pem said, “Will you act as Ap Bokto in the movie?”