English Grammar - Direct and Indirect Speech

 

English Grammar

Direct and Indirect Speech 

Direct and indirect speech, also known as reported speech, are ways of reporting what someone else has said.

In direct speech, you quote the exact words spoken by someone, using quotation marks. For example:

Direct speech: John said, "I am going to the store."

In indirect speech, you report what someone said without using their exact words. You usually need to change the tense and pronouns to fit the new context. For example:

Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

So, in direct speech, you convey the speaker's words verbatim, while in indirect speech, you convey the meaning of the speaker's words without quoting them directly.

 

Here are some general rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech:

 

Pronoun changes: Pronouns in the reported speech often need to be changed to fit the subject of the reporting clause. For example, "I" becomes "he" or "she" depending on the gender of the original speaker.

Verb tense changes: Verb tenses may need to change to reflect the time frame of the reporting clause. For example, present tense may become past tense.

Reporting verbs: The verb used to introduce the reported speech may change depending on the context. Common reporting verbs include "say," "tell," "ask," "reply," etc.

Time and place expressions: Time and place expressions may need to be adjusted to fit the context of the reporting clause. For example, "tomorrow" may become "the next day."

Punctuation: Punctuation, such as quotation marks, is not used in indirect speech.

 

Here's an example of these rules in action:

 

Direct speech:

John said, "I am going to the store tomorrow."

 

Indirect speech:

John said that he was going to the store the next day.

 

In this example, the pronoun "I" was changed to "he," the present tense verb "am" was changed to past tense "was," and the time expression "tomorrow" was changed to "the next day." Additionally, the quotation marks were removed.

 

Points to keep in mind while changing the speech

When changing from direct to indirect speech, it's important to keep the following points in mind:

Accuracy: Ensure that the reported speech accurately reflects what the original speaker said. Paraphrasing is acceptable as long as it retains the intended meaning.

Context: Consider the context of the conversation or narrative. The reported speech should fit seamlessly within the surrounding text.

Tense changes: Adjust the verb tenses as necessary to match the new reporting context. This often involves shifting present tense to past tense, and past tense to past perfect tense, etc.

Pronoun changes: Modify pronouns to match the subject of the reporting clause. This includes changing first-person pronouns (I, we) to third-person pronouns (he, she, they) as appropriate.

Reporting verbs: Select an appropriate reporting verb (e.g., say, tell, ask, reply) that accurately conveys the manner in which the speech was delivered.

Punctuation: Omit quotation marks and adjust punctuation as needed for the reporting clause. This typically involves replacing quotation marks with commas, periods, or other appropriate punctuation.

Modals and auxiliary verbs: Adjust modal verbs and auxiliary verbs to maintain grammatical correctness in the reported speech.

Adverbs and adverbial expressions: Modify adverbs and adverbial expressions to fit the new reporting context while preserving their meaning.

Direct speech markers: Omit or modify direct speech markers (such as "said," "asked") as necessary to smoothly integrate the reported speech into the narrative.

Clarity: Ensure that the reported speech is clear and understandable within the context of the overall text. Avoid ambiguity or confusion in the reported statements.

By keeping these points in mind, you can effectively transform direct speech into indirect speech while maintaining accuracy, coherence, and grammatical correctness.

 

Examples of Present Simple Tense.

 

Direct speech (present simple tense):

"I like ice cream," she says.

"He plays tennis every weekend," Tom says.

"We live in New York City," they say.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She says that she likes ice cream. (Present simple tense changes to present simple tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom says that he plays tennis every weekend. (Present simple tense changes to present simple tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They say that they live in New York City. (Present simple tense changes to present simple tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

In each example, the present simple tense in the direct speech is maintained in the indirect speech. However, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("says") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Past Simple Tense.

 

Direct speech (past simple tense):

"I watched a movie last night," she said.

"He visited Paris two years ago," Tom said.

"We went to the beach yesterday," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had watched a movie the previous night. (Past simple tense changes to past perfect tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had visited Paris two years before. (Past simple tense changes to past perfect tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had gone to the beach the day before. (Past simple tense changes to past perfect tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the past simple tense in the direct speech is changed to past perfect tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Future Simple Tense.

 

Direct speech (future simple tense):

"I will visit my grandparents next weekend," she said.

"He will start his new job in July," Tom said.

"We will go on vacation next month," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she would visit her grandparents the following weekend. (Future simple tense changes to future-in-the-past, often using "would" + base form of the verb. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he would start his new job in July. (Future simple tense changes to future-in-the-past. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they would go on vacation the following month. (Future simple tense changes to future-in-the-past. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the future simple tense in the direct speech is changed to future-in-the-past in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

"Shall" can change to "would" in reported or indirect speech, particularly in contexts where "shall" is used to express future intentions or obligations. Here's how "shall" can change to "would" in indirect speech:

Direct speech:

"I shall attend the meeting tomorrow," he said.

Indirect speech:

He said that he would attend the meeting the next day.

In this example, "shall" in the direct speech changes to "would" in the indirect speech to indicate a future action from the perspective of the past. This change maintains the sequence of tenses and is common in reported speech.

 

Examples of Present Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (present continuous tense):

"I am reading a book," she said.

"He is working on his project," Tom said.

"We are watching a movie," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she was reading a book. (Present continuous tense changes to past continuous tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he was working on his project. (Present continuous tense changes to past continuous tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they were watching a movie. (Present continuous tense changes to past continuous tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the present continuous tense in the direct speech is changed to past continuous tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Past Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (past continuous tense):

"I was watching TV when you called," she said.

"He was studying at the library yesterday," Tom said.

"We were cooking dinner when the power went out," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had been watching TV when I called. (Past continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had been studying at the library the day before. (Past continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had been cooking dinner when the power went out. (Past continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the past continuous tense in the direct speech is changed to past perfect continuous tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Future Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (future continuous tense):

"I will be studying at this time tomorrow," she said.

"He will be working on the project next week," Tom said.

"We will be having dinner at 8 o'clock tonight," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she would be studying at that time the next day. (Future continuous tense changes to future-in-the-past continuous tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he would be working on the project the following week. (Future continuous tense changes to future-in-the-past continuous tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they would be having dinner at 8 o'clock that night. (Future continuous tense changes to future-in-the-past continuous tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the future continuous tense in the direct speech is changed to future-in-the-past continuous tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

 

Direct speech (present perfect tense):

"I have finished my homework," she said.

"He has traveled to many countries," Tom said.

"We have just eaten lunch," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had finished her homework. (Present perfect tense changes to past perfect tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had traveled to many countries. (Present perfect tense changes to past perfect tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had just eaten lunch. (Present perfect tense changes to past perfect tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the present perfect tense in the direct speech is changed to past perfect tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Past Perfect Tense

 

Direct speech (past perfect tense):

"I had already finished my homework," she said.

"He had traveled to many countries before he turned 30," Tom said.

"We had eaten lunch before we went to the museum," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had already finished her homework. (Past perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had traveled to many countries before he turned 30. (Past perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had eaten lunch before they went to the museum. (Past perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the past perfect tense in the direct speech remains unchanged in the indirect speech to reflect the same point in time in the past. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Future Perfect Tense

 

Direct speech (future perfect tense):

"I will have finished my homework by 8 PM," she said.

"He will have completed the project by next month," Tom said.

"We will have arrived at the airport by noon," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she would have finished her homework by 8 PM. (Future perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he would have completed the project by the next month. (Future perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they would have arrived at the airport by noon. (Future perfect tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the future perfect tense in the direct speech remains unchanged in the indirect speech to reflect the same point in time in the future. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Present Perfect Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (present perfect continuous tense):

"I have been studying for two hours," she said.

"He has been working on the project all morning," Tom said.

"We have been waiting for you since noon," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had been studying for two hours. (Present perfect continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had been working on the project all morning. (Present perfect continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had been waiting for me since noon. (Present perfect continuous tense changes to past perfect continuous tense. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the present perfect continuous tense in the direct speech is changed to past perfect continuous tense in the indirect speech to reflect the shift in time. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Past Perfect Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (past perfect continuous tense):

"I had been studying for two hours before you called," she said.

"He had been working on the project all day when the boss arrived," Tom said.

"We had been waiting for hours before the train finally arrived," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she had been studying for two hours before I called. (Past perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he had been working on the project all day when the boss arrived. (Past perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they had been waiting for hours before the train finally arrived. (Past perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the past perfect continuous tense in the direct speech remains unchanged in the indirect speech to reflect the same duration of time or ongoing action in the past. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

Examples of Future Perfect Continuous Tense

 

Direct speech (future perfect continuous tense):

"I will have been studying for two hours by the time you arrive," she said.

"He will have been working on the project for three months by the deadline," Tom said.

"We will have been waiting for hours by the time the show starts," they said.

 

Indirect speech (changes in tense and person):

She said that she would have been studying for two hours by the time you arrived. (Future perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person pronoun "I" changes to third-person pronoun "she.")

Tom said that he would have been working on the project for three months by the deadline. (Future perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. Third-person singular pronoun "he" remains unchanged.)

They said that they would have been waiting for hours by the time the show started. (Future perfect continuous tense remains unchanged in indirect speech. First-person plural pronoun "we" changes to third-person plural pronoun "they.")

 

In each example, the future perfect continuous tense in the direct speech remains unchanged in the indirect speech to reflect the same ongoing action leading up to a specific point in the future. Additionally, the pronouns are adjusted to match the subject of the reporting clause, and the reporting verb ("said") is changed to match the tense and person of the reporting clause.

 

*In addition to changing verb tense and adjusting pronouns, there are other changes that might need to be made when converting direct speech to indirect speech:

 

Time and place expressions: As you mentioned, words like "today," "tomorrow," "here," and "there" often need to be changed to reflect the time and place relative to the time of reporting. For example:

"Today" might become "that day."

"Here" might become "there."

 

Demonstrative pronouns: Similarly, demonstrative pronouns like "this" or "these" might need to change to "that" or "those" to reflect the change in perspective. For example:

"This" might become "that."

 

Adverbial expressions: Adverbs indicating time, place, manner, etc., may need adjustment to fit the new context. For example:

"Now" might become "then."

"Next week" might become "the following week."

 

Conjunctions: Conjunctions such as "and," "but," "or," etc., might need to be changed depending on the structure of the sentence in indirect speech. For example:

"And" might become "and also."

"But" might become "however."

 

Indirect questions: Direct questions often become indirect in reported speech. For example:

"Where are you going?" might become "She asked where I was going."

 

Modal verbs and auxiliary verbs: Modal verbs and auxiliary verbs may need to change depending on the context of the reported speech. For example:

"Can" might become "could."

"Will" might become "would."

 

Direct speech markers: Words like "said," "asked," "replied," etc., might need to be changed depending on the structure of the sentence in indirect speech. For example:

"Said" might become "told."

"Asked" might become "inquired."

 

These changes help ensure that the reported speech flows smoothly within the narrative and maintains coherence and grammatical correctness.