direct and indirect speech -(with examples and exercises)

Either Direct (Quote) or Indirect (Report)

“ I am fine.”

He asked me what I was doing those days.

“What are you doing these days?”

He said that he was fine.

Direct and Indirect Speech

1. Change of pronouns First person pronouns in the direct speech

change according to the subject of the reporting verb in the indirect speech.

Direct: He said, ‘I am busy.’

Indirect: He said that he was busy.

Direct: She said, ‘I am unwell.’Indirect: She said that _______was unwell.

Direct: I said, ‘I will be late.’Indirect: I said that _______would be late.

Direct: They said, ‘We will not permit this.’Indirect: They said that _______would not permit that.

Direct: We said, ‘We need to buy some clothes.’Indirect: We said that _________ needed to buy some clothes.’

Second person pronouns in the direct speech change according to the object of the reporting verb in the indirect speech.

Direct: He said to me, ‘You have to come with me.’Indirect: He told me that I had to go with him.

Direct: She said to me, ‘You can go.’Indirect: She told me that ______could go.

Direct: She said to him, ‘You can go.’Indirect: She told him that he could go.

Third person pronouns in the direct speech will not change in the indirect speech.

Direct: He said, ‘She is a good girl.’Indirect: He said that she was a good girl.

Direct: She said, ‘They have invited us.’Indirect: She said that ______ had invited them.

Direct: They said, ‘He does not have the necessary qualifications.’Indirect: They said that ______ did not have the necessary qualifications

Direct and Indirect Speech

2. Change of tenses

DIRECTDIRECT INDIRECTINDIRECT Am, is, areAm, is, are was/werewas/were Shall/willShall/will would/shouldwould/should CanCan couldcould MayMay mightmight

MustMust Have/has toHave/has to had tohad to Ought toOught to

•Some changes of words:

Direct Speechthis here now today yesterday

tomorrow

last week

next month

ago

Indirect Speechthat there then that day the day before / the previous day the next day

the week before / the previous week the following month

before

4. Questions and answers

Direct Speech

1 John asked her, “Are you coming?” (yes/no question) 2 John asked, “Where is Mary?” (wh-question)

Indirect Speech

1 John asked if / whether she was coming. 2 John asked where Mary was.

•yes/no questions - use if/whether

•wh-questions - use the wh-word

5. Actions : promises, orders, requests, advice etc.

Direct Speech

John ordered Bill, “Clean my boots.”

Indirect Speech

John ordered Bill to clean his boots. (object + to + infinitive)

6. Report using present and future tenses

Direct Speech

John said,'The sun rises from the east.'

Indirect Speech

John said that the sun rises from the east.

•if the original speaker’s present and future is still present and future

•in other words, the tense is unchanged

7. Modals verbs

Direct Speech

John said,'I must do my homework now.'

Indirect Speech

John said that he must do his homework then.

•would , should, could, might, ought to and must are unchanged

8. Wh- Questions

Direct Speech

My friend asked,"Where is Venus?"

Indirect Speech

My friend asked where Venus was.

Other examples of WH-questions:Direct Speech

My friend asked "How are you?"

Indirect Speech

My friend asked how I was.

TRANSFORMATION PROCESS:

1) Put the subject before the verb.

2) Change the pronoun: you to I

3) Join the clauses using the how,who, whom, where, when, why

4) Adjust the 2nd verb tothe time frame of the 1st verb.

examples of WH-questions

My friend said, "Where are you going?" My friend asked where I was going.

My friend said, " Whom did you call?" My friend asked whom I had called.


My friend said, " Whom I was calling?" My friend asked whom I had been

calling.

My friend said, " Where have you been?"

My friend asked where I had been.


He asked me, "What did she say?" He asked me what she had said.

He asked me, "When are you leaving?"

He asked me when I was leaving.


He asked me, "Who is coming for dinner?"

He asked me who was coming for dinner.

He asked me, "How many times have you seen that movie?"

He asked me how many times I had seen that movie.


He asked me, "What time is it?"

He asked me what time it was.

He asked me, "How old are you?"

He asked me how old I was.

Practice1 'I am very tired.'

She said she___________ very tired.

2. 'You play the piano very well.'

Mr Jones told me I ___________the piano very well.

3. 'Can you give us a hand?'

They asked if we ___________give them a hand.

4. 'We 're leaving the town.'

He told me they _________________ the town.

5. 'He hasn't shaved.'

I noticed that he ______________.

6. 'Your parents have had an accident.'

Sally rang to say that your parents_____________ an accident.

7. 'I left home at seventeen.'

Her letter said that she _______________home at seventeen.

8. 'Don't worry! He won't say anything to the police'.

I was sure he ______________anything to the police.

9. 'None of our relatives will come.' They knew none of their relatives_________________ .

10. 'This parcel has been opened at the customs.'

I could see the parcel ________________at the

customs.