Direct and Indirect Speech: English Speaking

01. Direct and Indirect Speech

02. Expression of Time

03. Important Reporting Verbs

04. Pronoun Change

05. Tenses in Direct and Indirect Speech

06. Reporting Verb with Object

07. Changing Modal Verbs

08. ‘Questions’ in Direct and Indirect Speech

09. ‘Exclamations’ in Direct and Indirect Speech

10. ‘Imperatives’ in Direct and Indirect Speech

11. Direct and Indirect Speech: Mixed Types

12. Where to Put Reporting Verb in Direct Speech

13. Punctuation Rules

14. Other Useful Notes

Exercise -- 01

Exercise -- 02

Exercise -- 03

Sample This:

01. Direct and Indirect Speech

There are two ways to express what someone else has said. On this basis, sentences are of two types: sentences with Direct Speech, and sentences with Indirect Speech.

DIRECT SPEECH

Direct Speech is also called Quoted Speech or Direct Narration.

Direct Speech refers to exactly what someone has said.

Direct Speech appears within quotation marks (“..”). A comma is used before starting the exact quote within the quotation marks.

Direct Speech should be word for word.

The first letter of the quotation begins with a capital letter.

Example: The president said, “I will not bear corruption in the country at any cost.”

INDIRECT SPEECH

Indirect speech is also called Reported Speech or Indirect Narration.

Indirect Speech does not refer to exactly what someone has said.

Indirect Speech doesn't appear within quotation marks but the word “that” may be used as a conjunction between the reporting verb and reported speech.

Indirect Speech shouldn’t be word for word.

The pronoun in Indirect Speech is changed according to speaker and hearer.

Example: The president declared that he would not bear corruption in the country at any cost.

Important rules for changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech are as follows:

02. Expression of Time

You need to change the expression of a time when changing direct speech (DS) into indirect speech (IDS) to match the moment of speaking. Important expressions of time in direct and indirect speech are as follows:

‘a month ago’ is changed into ‘a month before’

‘a year ago’ is changed into ‘the previous year’ or ‘a year before’

‘last night’ is changed into ‘the night before’

‘last Saturday’ is changed into ‘the Saturday before’

‘last weekend’ is changed into ‘the weekend before’

‘next year’ is changed into ‘the following year’ or ‘the year after’

‘now’ is changed into ‘then’

‘the day after tomorrow’ is changed into ‘in two days’ time’

‘the day before yesterday’ is changed into ‘two days before’

‘these (days)’ is changed into ‘those (days)’

‘this (morning/noon/evening)’ is changed into ‘that (morning/noon/evening)’

‘today’ is changed into ‘that day’

‘tomorrow’ is changed into ‘the next/following day’ or ‘the day after’

‘tonight’ is changed into ‘that night’

‘yesterday’ is changed into ‘the previous day’ or ‘the day before’

Besides expressions of time, there are many other expressions that need to be changed if you are changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech.

‘come’ is changed into ‘go’

‘bring’ is changed into ‘take’

‘thus’ is changed into ‘so’

‘hence’ is changed into ‘thence’

‘hither’ is changed into ‘thither’

‘here’ is changed into ‘there’