Direct
and Indirect Speech
Words spoken by a person can be reported to another person
in two ways. These two ways of narration are called direct speech and
indirect speech.
Direct speech
When we use direct speech we quote the actual words said by
the speaker.
Examples are:
She said, ‘I am going to the market.’
John said, ‘I will be late today.’
Alice said, ‘Would you like to come with me?’
She said, ‘I am going to the market.’
John said, ‘I will be late today.’
Alice said, ‘Would you like to come with me?’
Indirect speech
When we use indirect speech, we do not quote the exact words
said by the speaker. Instead, we express the idea in our own words.
In order to report the words of the original speaker in our
own language, we have to make several changes in his/her sentence. The
important rules are given below:
Rules regarding the Change of Personal Pronouns
First
Personal Pronoun
|
I
|
My
|
Me
|
We
|
Our
|
Us
|
|
Second
Personal Pronoun
|
You
|
Your
|
You
|
Third
Personal Pronoun
|
He
|
His
|
Him
|
She
|
Her
|
Her
|
|
It
|
Its
|
It
|
|
They
|
Their
|
Them
|
Normally we make the following changes in the personal
pronoun of the reported speech.
- First personal pronoun of the reporting speech changes according to the subject of the reported speech.
- Second personal pronoun of the reporting speech changes according to the object of the reported speech.
- Third personal pronoun of the reporting speech doesn’t undergo any change
Table for Personal Pronouns
Personal Pronouns of Reported
Speech
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
Change according to the Subject /
Object of the Reporting Speech
|
Subject
|
Object
|
No Change
|
Rules regarding the Change in Tenses
When the reporting verb is in the present or future tense…
If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the
tense of the verb in the direct speech does not undergo any changes in the
indirect speech.
She says, ‘I have done my
duty.’ (Direct speech)
She says that she has done her duty. (Indirect speech)
Direct: He says to her, ‘I will wait for you at the railway station.’
Indirect: He tells her that he will wait for her at the railway station.
Direct: He says, ‘I am not coming.’
Indirect: He says that he is not coming.
She says that she has done her duty. (Indirect speech)
Direct: He says to her, ‘I will wait for you at the railway station.’
Indirect: He tells her that he will wait for her at the railway station.
Direct: He says, ‘I am not coming.’
Indirect: He says that he is not coming.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense…
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, all present
tenses inside the quotation marks will change to their corresponding past
tenses.
The simple present tense will change into
the simple past tense.
The present continuous tense will change into the past continuous tense.
The past continuous tense will change into the past perfect continuous tense.
The present continuous tense will change into the past continuous tense.
The past continuous tense will change into the past perfect continuous tense.
The present perfect tense will change into the past perfect
tense.
The present perfect continuous tense will change into the past perfect continuous tense.
The present perfect continuous tense will change into the past perfect continuous tense.
Past perfect and Past perfect continuous do not change.
1st form of the Verb →
|
Changes into 2nd form
of the Verb →
|
Changes into had + 3rd
form of the Verb
|
Do/Does
→
|
Did
→
|
Had + 3rd form
|
Is/am/are + 1st
form+ing →
|
Change into Was/were + 1st
form+ing →
|
Change into had been + 1st
form+ing
|
Has/have +3rd
form →
|
Change into Had+3rd
form →
|
‘Had’ doesn’t change (No change)
|
Has/have been +1st
form+ing →
|
Change into Had been +1st
form+ing →
|
‘Had been’ doesn’t change (No
change)
|
Shall/Will + 1st form →
|
Would + 1st form
|
Here the reporting verb (said) is in the past tense. To
change this sentence into indirect speech, we have to change the present
tense(s) inside the quotation marks into their corresponding past tenses.
Direct and Indirect Speech: Rules
for the Change of Tenses
We have seen that when the reporting verb is in the past
tense, all present tenses inside the quotation marks will change into their
corresponding past tenses in indirect speech. Study the example sentences given
below.
Direct: She said, ‘I don’t want to
come with you.’
Indirect: She said that she didn’t want to come with me.
Direct: He said, ‘I am writing a letter.’
Indirect: He said that he was writing a letter.
Indirect: She said that she didn’t want to come with me.
Direct: He said, ‘I am writing a letter.’
Indirect: He said that he was writing a letter.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, past tenses
inside the quotation marks will change into their corresponding past tenses.
The simple past will change into the past perfect.
The past continuous will change into the past perfect continuous.
The past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses will remain unchanged.
The past continuous will change into the past perfect continuous.
The past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses will remain unchanged.
Direct: He said, ‘Burglars broke into
my house last night.’
Indirect: He said that burglars had broken into his house the previous night.
Direct: She said to me, ‘I was waiting for my sister.’
Indirect: She told me that she had been waiting for her sister.
Indirect: He said that burglars had broken into his house the previous night.
Direct: She said to me, ‘I was waiting for my sister.’
Indirect: She told me that she had been waiting for her sister.
Note that sometimes we do not change a simple past tense
into past perfect tense in the indirect speech.
Direct: He said, ‘I lived many years
in the US.’
Indirect: He said that he lived many
years in the US. OR He said that he had lived many years in the US.
Note that the past perfect tense is used to
lay stress on the completion of one past action before another past action.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, shall will
change into should in indirect speech. Similarly, will will
change into would, can into could and may into might.
Direct: She said, ‘I will work hard.’
Indirect: She said that she would work hard.
Direct: He said, ‘They will be arriving here by the next train.’
Indirect: He said that they would be arriving there by the next train.
Direct: Alice said, ‘I will have finished the work by now.’
Indirect: Alice said that she would have finished the work by then.
Indirect: She said that she would work hard.
Direct: He said, ‘They will be arriving here by the next train.’
Indirect: He said that they would be arriving there by the next train.
Direct: Alice said, ‘I will have finished the work by now.’
Indirect: Alice said that she would have finished the work by then.
Rules for the Change of Adverbs in
Indirect Speech
Besides the changes in the tenses and the pronouns, words
expressing nearness in direct speech are changed into words expressing distance
in indirect speech. The rules are as follows:
This will
change into that.
These will change into those.
Here will change into there.
Now/just will change into then.
Today will change into that day.
Yesterday will change into the previous day or the day before.
Last night will change into the previous night or the night before.
Tomorrow will change into the next day.
Ago will change into before.
The next day/week/year will change into the following day/week/year.
Hence will change into thence.
Thus will change into so or in that way.
These will change into those.
Here will change into there.
Now/just will change into then.
Today will change into that day.
Yesterday will change into the previous day or the day before.
Last night will change into the previous night or the night before.
Tomorrow will change into the next day.
Ago will change into before.
The next day/week/year will change into the following day/week/year.
Hence will change into thence.
Thus will change into so or in that way.
Direct: He said, ‘I am too weak to work now.’
Indirect: He said that he was too weak to work then.
Direct: She said, ‘I will leave for New York tomorrow.’
Indirect: She said that she would leave for New York the next day.
Direct: He said, ‘I visited them yesterday.’
Indirect: He said that he had visited them the previous day.
Direct: She said, ‘I liked this bag.’
Indirect: She said that she liked that bag.
Indirect: He said that he was too weak to work then.
Direct: She said, ‘I will leave for New York tomorrow.’
Indirect: She said that she would leave for New York the next day.
Direct: He said, ‘I visited them yesterday.’
Indirect: He said that he had visited them the previous day.
Direct: She said, ‘I liked this bag.’
Indirect: She said that she liked that bag.
Notes:
Adverbs of time or place do not normally change if the
reporting verb is in the present or future tense.
Direct: She says, ‘My husband will come now.’
Indirect: She says that her husband will come now.
Direct: She will say, ‘I have to leave now.’
Indirect: She will say that she has to leave now.
Indirect: She says that her husband will come now.
Direct: She will say, ‘I have to leave now.’
Indirect: She will say that she has to leave now.
If the adverbs now, this, here etc., refer
to objects present at the time of reporting the speech, or to the place in
which the reporter is at the time of the speech, they are not changed into
then, that, there etc.
John said to me, ‘I have no time to talk to you now.’
John told me that he had no time to talk to me now. (Here the report is made immediately.)
Alice said, ‘This is my basket.’
Alice said that this was her basket. (Here the basket is right before us.)
He said, ‘I will speak here.’
He said that he would speak here. (Here the report is made on the same spot.)
John told me that he had no time to talk to me now. (Here the report is made immediately.)
Alice said, ‘This is my basket.’
Alice said that this was her basket. (Here the basket is right before us.)
He said, ‘I will speak here.’
He said that he would speak here. (Here the report is made on the same spot.)
Types of Sentences
1: Declarative Sentences
Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.
1. John said, ‘I am very busy now.’
2. He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’
3. ‘I know her name and address,’ said John.
2. He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’
3. ‘I know her name and address,’ said John.
Answers
1. John said that he was very busy then.
2. He said that the horse had been fed.
3. John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.)
2. He said that the horse had been fed.
3. John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.)
2: Interrogative Sentences
There are two main kinds of interrogative sentences. Those
which start with an auxiliary verb and those which start with a question word
such as what, why, when, where, how etc.
The following changes occur when an interrogative sentence
in the direct speech is changed to the indirect speech.
Interrogative sentences beginning with an auxiliary verb are
changed into the indirect speech by using the connective if or whether.
The reporting verb said (or any other word
used as the reporting verb) changes to asked, queried, questioned,
demanded of or enquired of in the indirect speech.
Note that of is used after enquired and demanded only
when the reporting verb has an object.
The most common reporting verbs used to report a question
are asked and enquired of. The reporting verb queried is
somewhat investigative. Demanded of is the
strongest of all reporting verbs mentioned above. It is used when an
explanation is desired.
Note that the indirect narration is always in the assertive
form. In other words, the interrogative sentences in the direct speech will
change into assertive sentences in the indirect speech.
Study the following examples carefully to understand the
rules mentioned above.
Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you coming with us?’
Indirect: She asked me if I was going with them. OR She asked them if I was coming with them.
Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you unwell?’
Indirect: She asked me if I was unwell.
Indirect: She asked me if I was going with them. OR She asked them if I was coming with them.
Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you unwell?’
Indirect: She asked me if I was unwell.
Note that the auxiliary verbs should, could, would,
ought to and might do not change in the indirect speech.
Direct: I said to him, ‘Who are you?’
Indirect: I asked him who he was.
Direct: The mother said to the daughter, ‘Do you know where John is?’
Indirect: The mother asked the daughter whether she knew where John was.
Direct: ‘Have you anything to say on behalf of the accused?,’ said the judge to the lawyer.
Indirect: The judge enquired of the lawyer if he had anything to say on behalf of the accused.
Indirect: I asked him who he was.
Direct: The mother said to the daughter, ‘Do you know where John is?’
Indirect: The mother asked the daughter whether she knew where John was.
Direct: ‘Have you anything to say on behalf of the accused?,’ said the judge to the lawyer.
Indirect: The judge enquired of the lawyer if he had anything to say on behalf of the accused.
Change the following sentences into indirect speech.
1. ‘What do you want?’ she asked him.
2. ‘Are you coming with us?’ he asked me.
3. He asked, ‘When do you intend to make the payment?’
2. ‘Are you coming with us?’ he asked me.
3. He asked, ‘When do you intend to make the payment?’
Answers
1. She asked him what he wanted.
2. He asked me if I was coming/going with them.
3. He enquired when I/he/she intended to make the payment.
2. He asked me if I was coming/going with them.
3. He enquired when I/he/she intended to make the payment.
Interrogative Part II
Direct: The Father said, ‘Son, did I not ask you to study
hard?’
Indirect: The father enquired of his son if he had not asked him to study hard.
Direct: My father said to me, ‘Where were you last night?’
Indirect: My father demanded of me where I had been the previous night.
Direct: She said, ‘Friend, will you wait for a moment?’
Indirect: She asked her friend if she would wait for a moment.
Indirect: The father enquired of his son if he had not asked him to study hard.
Direct: My father said to me, ‘Where were you last night?’
Indirect: My father demanded of me where I had been the previous night.
Direct: She said, ‘Friend, will you wait for a moment?’
Indirect: She asked her friend if she would wait for a moment.
Interrogative sentences beginning with a question word
When a question begins with a question word such as what,
who, whom, when, where, why, how etc., the same word is used to
introduce the question in the indirect speech. In other words, the question
word becomes the joining word instead of that, if or whether.
Direct: Viola said to Rosalind, ‘Where are you going?’
Indirect: Viola asked Rosalind where she was going.
Direct: The teacher asked the new comer, ‘What is your name?’
Indirect: The teacher asked the new comer what his name was.
Indirect: Viola asked Rosalind where she was going.
Direct: The teacher asked the new comer, ‘What is your name?’
Indirect: The teacher asked the new comer what his name was.
3:
Imperative Sentences
Imperative sentences do not normally have an expressed
subject. This is because the subject ‘you’ is usually
understood. As a result of this, imperative sentences begin with a verb in the
simple present tense.
An imperative sentence expresses ideas such as advice,
order, request, suggestion, instruction, permission, allowance etc.
In order to change an imperative sentence into the indirect
speech, we use a to-infinitive. A –that clause is
also possible in some cases. Note that instead of ‘said’ we
use one of the following reporting verbs:
Advise, command, request, suggest, threaten, order, forbid,
decree, propose, entreat, prompt, counsel, pardon, beg, persuade, instruct etc.
Notes:
After suggest, we use a –that
clause and not an infinitive.
The verb propose is not followed by an object.
The verb forbid itself conveys a negative sense. Therefore, we do not use not in the following clause.
The verb propose is not followed by an object.
The verb forbid itself conveys a negative sense. Therefore, we do not use not in the following clause.
Study the following examples carefully.
Direct: The old woman said to the boy, ‘Please help me.’
Indirect: The old woman requested the boy to help her.
Direct: I said to him, ‘Love and obey your parents.’
Indirect: I advised him to love and obey his parents. OR I advised that he should love and obey his parents.
Indirect: The old woman requested the boy to help her.
Direct: I said to him, ‘Love and obey your parents.’
Indirect: I advised him to love and obey his parents. OR I advised that he should love and obey his parents.
4: Optative Sentences
It is sentence that indicates a
wish, pray or desire.
If the reported speech begins with
the word “may”, we change the reporting verb into prayed.
She said, “May my son stand first in
the class!”
She prayed that her son might stand
first in the class.
He said to them, “May you catch the
train today!”
He prayed for them that they might
catch the train that day.
If the reported speech begins with
the word “would”, we change the reporting verb into wished.
Mother said to me, “Would that your
father were here today!”
Mother wished that my father had
been there that day
The teacher said to the students,
“Would that I were on leave today!”
The teacher wished that he had been
on leave that day.
5:
Exclamatory Sentences
In reporting exclamations the
indirect speech is introduced by some verb expressing exclamation.
He said, “Alas! My brother has met
an accident.”
He exclaimed with great sorrow that
his brother had met with an accident.
He said, “Alas! I am undone.”
He exclaimed sadly that he was
undone.
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