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ENG 8 Direct and Indirect Speech

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53 views4 pages

ENG 8 Direct and Indirect Speech

Uploaded by

chrismie
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Direct speech

What is direct speech?

Direct speech shows the exact words spoken by someone. Quotation


marks or inverted commas are used to show the actual words spoken.

 If you start your sentence with the quotation marks and the verb (said or says) is at the
end of your sentence you will place a comma BEFORE the verb.
For example: “There is an advert for a new cellphone,” said Busi.

If however the subject and verb is before the actual quote, the comma will be place AFTER the
verb and before the quote.

For example: Phumla asked, “What is your favourite cooldrink?”

 The words in quotation marks ALWAYS start with a capital letter.

 It is VERY important to focus on the tense of the verb as these will influence your
sentences when you are asked to change a sentence from direct to indirect/reported
speech.
For example:

 She says, “I want to buy some milk.” (present tense)


 She says that she wants to buy some milk. (it stays in the present tense)

 She said: “I want to buy some milk.” (past tense)


 She said that she wanted to buy some milk. (verb changes to the past tense)

The following are a few other examples of words that also change:

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT/REPORTED SPEECH


This That
Here There
Now Then
Tomorrow The following day
Today This day
Yesterday The previous day
Will Would
Shall Should

Indirect/Reported speech
What is Indirect/Reported speech?

Indirect speech can also be called reported speech. This is


used when a person explains what someone else said, but
does NOT use the exact words spoken. NO quotation marks
are used. It is written in past tense, and pronouns are
changed to help the sentence make sense.

Rules for indirect/reported speech:

1. Do NOT use quotation marks

2. The verb is usually in the past tense, for example: said, told, asked.

3. The verb is followed by that or if. Example:

Mufara said that he was going to the shop.

4. The pronoun (I, we) often changes, and so do words showing time and place (now,
here).

 “Dani, please put your book here now!” shouted the teacher. (Direct speech).
 The teacher shouted that Dani must put his book there immediately. (Indirect
speech).
It is STILL VERY important to focus on the tense of the verb as these will influence your
sentences when you are asked to change a sentence from indirect/reported speech to direct speech.
Now the table used for the changes from direct to indirect just swaps around.

Thus the following changes will happen when changing from indirect/reported speech to direct
speech.

INDIRECT/REPORTED SPEECH DIRECT SPEECH


That This
There Here
Then Now
The following day Tomorrow
This day Today
The previous day Yesterday
Would Will
Should Shall

 General rules for changing direct speech into indirect speech


1. Take away all inverted commas or quotation marks.

2. If the verb inside the inverted commas/quotation marks is in the present


tense, change it into the corresponding past tense. If it is in the simple past
tense, change it into the past perfect tense.

Direct speech: The girl said, ‘I like singing.’


Indirect speech: The girl said that she liked singing.

Direct speech: Rahul said, ‘I will have to reach home by 8.30.’


Indirect speech: Rahul said that he would have to reach home by 8.30.

Direct speech: Alina said, ‘I met James yesterday.’


Indirect speech: Alina said that she had met James the previous day.

3. Use pronouns appropriately.

Study the examples given below.

Direct speech: The boy told the girl, ‘I told you that we were not going on a holiday.’
Indirect speech: The boy told the girl that he had told her that they were not going on a
holiday.

4. When the reporting verb is in a present or future tense, we do not change


the tense of the verb inside the quotation marks.

Direct speech: She says, ‘I will be there.’


Indirect speech: She says that she will be there.
Grade 8: English FAL

HOMEWORK:

Change the following sentences into indirect speech. Use the example to help you, and remember to use
PAST tense, and NO inverted commas.

e.g. Dad said, “You will miss the bus.” Dad

said that I would miss the bus.

1. Oyisa screamed, “Stop following me!”


2. The cheerleader said, “We have to practice our routine.”
3. “I’ve lost my keys,” said Mrs Botes.
4. “Has anyone found a bunch of keys?” asked Miss Coad.
5. “You can stay over at my house,” suggested Lamiah.
6. “You must try harder, or you will never pass Grade 7,” advised Anesu’s dad.
7. “Have you seen my black and white soccer boots?” asked Fumi.
8. “You must not play with electricity, Riash,” warned Tiana.
9. Herman said, “I used to be the fastest runner in primary school.”
10. Miss Adamson said, “I am sure that you are hiding the rats!”

Change the sentences that follow (11-20) into direct speech. Remember to use inverted
commas!

e.g. Shannon said that she was tired. “I

am tired,” said Shannon.

11. Kamo and Reece said that they were very sorry for not doing homework.
12. Siphe said that her presentation was ready.
13. The driver remarked that it would be a long ride.
14. Thato said that he would not be able to play.
15. Jade asked if I was going to Northgate.
16. Roxy said that the paper was hers.
17. Mrs Botes said that she would be right back.
18. Dredin explained that he was going home to study.
19. Marcus asked Mr Machaka if he would return his soccer ball.
20. I asked Mr Temple where he would be going in December.

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