Direct And Indirect Speech, Beginner Level 6ks5b

3/19/2017

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH Ref: High School English Grammar & Composition by WREN & MARTIN

Direct Speech • The speech in which the reporter do quote actual words of the speaker. • we use inverted commas, “ ”, to mark off the exact words of the speaker. • The part contained in the inverted commas may be referred to as the reported speech. • We use comma “,” as a separator between the reported and the reporting speech. • The form of verb used in the reporting speech, called principle verb, dictates tense of the indirect speech. • E.g.

He said Reporting speech

, Separator

“I am unwell”. Reported Speech

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3/19/2017

Indirect Speech • The speech that reports what the speaker said without quoting his exact words. • The separator of the indirect speech gets replaced by using the conjunction that before the indirect statement. • The pronouns of the direct speech are changed, where necessary, so that their relations with the reporter and his hearer, rather than with the original speaker are indicated. • The term that, used as a replacement for the separator, is often omitted specially in spoken English. • E.g.

He said that he was unwell.

Rules for changing Direct into Indirect • The tense of indirect speech will change with respect to principle verb as follows; • With the principal verb in past; • The shall of future tense gets changed into should. • The will of future Tense is changed into would or should. Direct Speech

Principle verb/tense – Tense Modification

Indirect Speech

He said, “I am unwell”.

Past – Simple present >> Simple past

He said that he was unwell

He said, “My master is writing letter”.

Past – Present cont. >> Past cont.

He said that his master was writing letter.

He said, “I have ed the exams”.

Past – Present perfect >> Past perfect

He said that he had ed the exams.

He said, “The horse died in the night”.

Past – Simple Past >> Past perfect

He said that the horse had died in the night.

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Contd. • The tense of indirect speech may not change if; • The reported speech is true/fact or is still relevant or if it is a universal truth. • • • •

Direct: “The earth goes round the sun”, said the Teacher. Indirect: The teacher said that the earth goes/went round the sun Direct: She said, “English is hard to learn”. Indirect: She said that English is/was hard to learn.

• The past tense is often used when it is uncertain if the statement is true or when we are reporting objectively. • Direct: “I know her address”, said Gopi. • Indirect: Gopi said that she knew her address

• If the reporting/principle verb is in the present tense, the tense does not change. • Direct: He says, “I am unwell”. • Indirect: He says that he is unwell.

He says, “the horse died in the night”. He says that the horse died in the night.

• Interrogative speech • If the question in reported part of direct speech starts with an interrogative word i.e. what, when, where, how etc. the indirect speech is introduced by verbs such as asked/inquired etc. Direct

Indirect

He said to me, “What are you doing ?”

He asked me what I was doing.

“Where do you live?”, asked the stranger

The stranger enquired where I live.

You said to him “When will you come ?”

You asked him when he would go.

• If the question in reported part of direct speech does not start with an interrogative word, the reporting verb is followed by whether or if. Direct

Indirect

He said, “Will you waste your time watching TV ?”

He enquired if I would waste my time watching TV.

The policeman said to us, “Where are you going ?”

The policemen enquired where were we going.

“Do you suppose you know better than your elders ?” jeered his angry mother

His angry mother jeered and asked whether he supposed that he knew better than his elders.

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Contd. • Commands and requests • The indirect speech is introduced by verbs expressing command/request. • Direct: Subaiyyal said to Romaisa, “Go away” He shouted, “Let me go”. • Indirect: Subaiyyal ordered Romaisa to go away. He shouted to them to let him go.

• Exclamations and wishes • In reporting exclamations and wishes the indirect speech is introduced by some verb expression exclamation or wish. • • • •

Direct: He said, “Alas ! I am undone” Indirect: He exclaimed sadly that he was undone. Direct: Alice said, “How clever I am !” Indirect: Alice exclaimed that she was very clever.

DIRECT SPEECH

INDIRECT SPEECH

She said, “Honesty is the best policy”

She said that honesty is the best policy.

I said to you, “I go to school”

I told you that I went to school.

They said to us, “We have done our work”

They told us that they had done their work.

He said to me, “I am very busy now”

He told me that he was very busy then.

Raza said to me, “You will go to Lahore tomorrow”

Raza told me that I should go to Lahore the next day

You said to them, “These are your pens”

You told them that those were their pens.

He said to his mother, “I shall come here”

He told his mother that he would go there.

The teacher said to boys, “How are you working hard these days”

The teacher asked boys how they were working hard those days.

He said to me, “Do not walk bare footed”

He advised me not to walk bare footed.

He said to me, “Please give me your book”

He requested me to give him my book.

They said, “Hurrah ! We have won the match”.

The exclaimed with joy that they had won the match

He said, “May you live long”!

He prayed that you might live long.

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