Direct and Indirect Speech

Navigating the nuances of speech - from direct quotes to indirect

reporting, understanding the importance of context, tone, and
perspective in effective communication.

by Koshika Raura
Introduction to Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct Speech Indirect Speech Reporting Verbs Reporting Clauses

Direct speech is when the Indirect speech is when Reporting verbs like The part of the sentence
exact words spoken by a the meaning of what "said", "told", "asked", that introduces the
person are reproduced, someone said is conveyed etc. are used to introduce reported speech is called
enclosed within quotation without using their exact the reported speech. the reporting clause.
marks. words.
Change of Tense in Indirect Speech
Past Tense Shift 1
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, the verb tense
often shifts from present to past. For example, "I am going to the
store" becomes "She said she was going to the store." 2 Future Tense Shift
Similarly, future tense in direct speech changes to conditional
tense in indirect speech. "I will finish the project tomorrow"
Exceptions 3 becomes "She said she would finish the project the next day."
There are some exceptions where the verb tense does not
change, such as with universal truths or habitual actions. "The
Earth revolves around the Sun" remains the same in indirect
speech.
Exceptions to Change of Tense in Indirect Spe

Timeless Statements Unchanged Tenses Time Independence

Statements that express general Verbs in the present, future, or When the time frame of the indirect
truths or scientific facts do not change present perfect tense often remain statement is clear, the verb tense
tense in indirect speech. unchanged in indirect speech. may not need to change.
Change of Pronouns in
Indirect Speech
Personal Pronouns Possessive Pronouns
In indirect speech, personal Possessive pronouns like
pronouns like "I", "you", "he", "my", "your", "his", "her", and
"she", and "they" change to "their" also adjust to match
reflect the new speaker and the new speaker's
audience. perspective.

Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns like "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself",
and "themselves" shift to align with the indirect speech context.
Change of Modals in
Indirect Speech
1 Shift in Modality 2 Reporting Verbs
Influence Modals
When converting direct
speech to indirect speech, The choice of reporting verb
the modal verbs may change (e.g. "said", "suggested",
to reflect the reporter's "insisted") affects the modal
viewpoint. verb used in indirect speech.

3 Preserving Original 4 Context-Dependent

Intent Changes
The shift in modality should The specific modal verb
maintain the original changes depend on the
meaning and emphasis of the context and the reporting
direct speech. verb used.
Change of Reporting Verbs in Indirect Speech

Reporting Verbs Matching Verb Tense Conveying the Meaning

When converting direct speech to The reporting verb in indirect speech The key is to choose a reporting verb
indirect speech, the reporting verb must match the tense of the overall that accurately captures the intention
often needs to be changed. Common sentence. For example, "She said, 'I and tone of the original direct speech,
examples include "say" becoming am going to the store.'" becomes whether it was a statement, question,
"stated", "ask" becoming "inquired", "She said she was going to the store." command, or exclamation.
and "exclaim" becoming "exclaimed".
Change in Time and
Place Indicators in
Indirect Speech
Time Shifts Place Shifts
In indirect speech, time Location references may also
references often shift to the change, such as "I'm here"
past, e.g. "I will go tomorrow" becoming "She said she was
becomes "She said she would there".
go the next day".

Demonstratives
Demonstratives like "this" and "that" often shift to "that" and
"those" respectively in indirect speech.
Reporting Assertive Sentences in Indirect Speech
Identify Assertive Sentence
1
Recognize a declarative statement that conveys a fact or opinion.

Change to Indirect Speech

2
Replace the subject and verb with a reporting clause.

Adjust Pronouns
3
Modify pronouns to match the new subject.

Maintain Tense
4
Keep the original verb tense unless referring to the past.

To report an assertive sentence in indirect speech, identify the original declarative statement, then restructure it with a reporting
clause (e.g. "She said that..."). Adjust pronouns as needed and generally maintain the original verb tense, unless referring to a past
event.
Reporting Interrogative
Sentences in Indirect Speech
Change the Question
Convert the interrogative sentence into a declarative statement by removing
the question mark and changing the sentence structure.

Shift the Tense

Shift the verb tense to match the indirect speech, following the same rules as
with other sentence types.

Adjust Pronouns
Update the pronouns to match the new context, just as you would for other
indirect speech situations.

Maintain Meaning
Ensure the indirect statement accurately conveys the original question's
meaning and intent.
Reporting Imperative Sentences in Indirect Speech
Command
1 The original imperative sentence

Request
2
The indirect speech version using "requested" or "asked"

Instruction
3
The indirect speech version using "instructed" or "directed"

To report an imperative sentence in indirect speech, you have a few options. You can use words like "requested" or "asked" to convey
the original command. Alternatively, you can use "instructed" or "directed" to indicate the imperative nature more strongly.
Reporting Exclamatory Sentences in Indirect Speech
Original Exclamation
1 "How beautiful the sunset is!"

Reported Indirectly
2
She exclaimed that the sunset was beautiful.

Key Changes
3
Removes exclamation mark, changes tense, shifts pronoun.

When reporting an original exclamatory sentence indirectly, the key changes are:

• Remove the exclamation mark

• Change the verb tense to match the reporting sentence
• Shift the pronoun to match the reporting context
Reporting a Conversation
in Indirect Speech
1 Converting a Dialogue
When reporting a conversation, each speaker's direct words are
converted to indirect speech, with changes to pronouns, tenses,
and other grammatical elements.

2 Maintaining Context
It's important to preserve the context of the original dialogue,
including who said what and the sequence of the exchanges.

3 Reporting Verbs
Appropriate reporting verbs like "said", "told", "asked", etc. are
used to introduce each person's contribution to the
conversation.
Summary of Key Changes in
Indirect Speech

Change of Tense Change of Pronouns

Verbs in direct speech are changed to Pronouns are changed to reflect the
the corresponding past tense forms reporting perspective, such as "I"
in indirect speech. becoming "he/she" and "you"
becoming "he/she" or "they".

Change of Modals Change of Reporting Verbs

Modal verbs like "will", "can", and The reporting verb (e.g. "say", "tell",
"must" are often changed to their "ask") may be changed to a different
past forms in indirect speech. verb that better suits the indirect
speech context.
Rule Tables for Conversion
Quickly reference the key rules and transformations needed to
convert direct speech to indirect speech. This comprehensive set of
tables outlines the changes in tense, pronouns, modals, reporting
verbs, and time/place indicators required for proper indirect speech
conversion.
Use these handy rule tables as a guide when translating between
direct and indirect speech formats for maximum accuracy and clarity.