Direct –Indirect speech
Important part in basic
English Grammar
Introduction
What is direct speech? ; Its examples.
What is indirect speech? ; Its examples.
Helpful tips about direct speech to indirect speech
Are you looking for English grammar?
In present situation all schools are running online education. And most
of the students are taking online education. So this online education helps for
remote education. This online education is very good platform in present
situation. So lets start our online education about English language.
In any language and literature the speech is not at all
missing. It is not hidden that describing any event or occasion need the
dialogues. Sometimes the dialogue is in direct speakers words or indirect words.
In Basic English Grammar, direct-
indirect speech is very important part for English language learners or
students.
Are worried about how to convert the
direct speech into indirect speech in English Grammar?
Do you want more information about
the changes in tenses in direct –indirect speech?
No need to worry; go on reading you
will get more clear information about direct- indirect speech.
Read below to know more about this
direct and indirect speech.
1. What is Direct speech
When one is repeating exactly the
same word of speaker is called as direct
speech.
Now look at the following examples.
1. My mother said, “I will bake a
cake”.
2. Raj said, “I am tired”.
In the above two sentences the words
in the double inverted commas are actual word of mother and Raj respectively.
These words are not conveyed by third person. We use indirect speech when we
simply repeat what someone says and put the words in double inverted comma.
We mostly see these examples in news
paper or our language text books.
For example,
1. The collector said, “We plan to
make our city clean and safe place” [example of newspaper]
2. What is Indirect Speech
When the thought of the original
speaker is conveyed without quoting the actual words of the speaker, it is known
as indirect speech.
Means one is conveying someone’s
actual thought or sentence without double inverted commas and not using exactly
the same words as the third person then that speech is identified as indirect
speech act .
Now we’ll see the sentence in direct
speech act and the same sentence we will convert into indirect speech act .
Ram Said, “I have a headache” the
above sentence is in direct speech.
Now let’s change it into indirect
speech.
Ram said that he had a headache.
The above sentence is in indirect
speech because one is reporting what did Ram say? Both the sentences convey the
same meaning. But the way of conveying the message is totally different.
The following points are important
while changing the direct speech act into indirect speech act.
1. There is no comma after said.
2. The inverted commas are removed.
3. The verbs have to change
according to the tense.
4. Change in pronoun.
5. Use ‘that’ after said.
Now
read more to get more information about,
How to convert
direct speech act into indirect speech act
|
Direct
speech |
Indirect
speech |
|
Simple
present tense Do/does
V1 |
Past
simple tense did
+V1/ V2 |
|
Present
continuous / progressive tense Is/am/are
+(V1 + ing) |
Past
continuous / progressive tense was/were+
(v1+ing) |
|
Present
perfect tense Has/have
+V3 |
Past
perfect tense Had
+V3 |
|
Present
perfect continuous / progressive tense Has/have
+been + (V1+ing) |
Past
perfect continuous / progressive tense Had+been
+ (V1+ing) |
|
Past
simple tense did
+V1/ V2 |
Past
perfect tense Had
+V3 |
|
Past
perfect tense Had
+V3 |
Past
perfect tense Had
+V3 |
|
Past
continuous / progressive tense was/were+
(v1+ing) |
Past
continuous / progressive tense was/were+
(v1+ing) |
|
Simple
future tense Will+V1 |
Would
+V1 |
|
Future
continuous /progressive tense Will
be +(V1+ing) |
Would
be +(V1+ing) |
|
Future
perfect tense Will
have +V3 |
Would
have +V3 |
|
Future
perfect progressive Will
have been +(V1 +ing) |
Would
have been+(V1+ing) |
Changes
in pronoun
I – he /she
You – he/she/they and in object
place him/her
We – they
My – his/her
Me – him/her
Our – their
Your – his /her/their
Us – them
Myself – himself/herself
Ourselves – themselves
Changes in time and place adverbials
This –that
These- those
Here- there
Now- then
Just – then
Ago – before
It – it come – go
Yet – till then
Today- that day
Tomorrow – the next day
Yesterday – the previous day
Tonight – that night
Next day – the following day
Next week – the following week
Last week – the previous week
Last night – the previous night
Changes in modal auxiliaries
Can – could
May- might
Must- must/had to
Ought to- ought to / had to
Will- would
Shall – should
How to
convert questions in direct speech to indirect speech?
Look at the following sentence in
direct speech
1. He said to me, “what are you
writing?”
In the above direct speech question
is asked by the subject. Now we have converted the sentence into indirect
speech.
In reporting questions means
indirect speech the question should be introduced by verbs like asked, enquired
etc.
So let us see what is the indirect
speech of sentence 1?
Indirect speech: He asked me that
what I was writing?
Now let us see some more sentences
1. Direct: “Where do you live?”
asked my friend.
Indirect: my friend enquired where I
lived.
2. Direct: He said, “Will you listen
to the music?”
Indirect: He asked would he listen
to the music.
3. Direct: Sam asked, “Where are you
going?”
Indirect speech: Sam enquired where
I was going.
4. Direct: The policeman asked,” Why
are they fighting?”
Indirect Speech: The policeman asked why they were fighting.
5. Suma asked, “Can you call him?”
Indirect: Suma enquire could I call
him.
How to convert commands and requests
in direct speech to indirect speech
Look at the following sentences
1. Ram said, “Stop chatting”. Now
the above sentence is in Direct speech. The words in double inverted comma are
direct words by speaker, Ram.
Now we have to convert it into
indirect speech.
The commands and request in indirect
speech should be introduced by verb expressing command or request, and the
imperative mood is changed into the infinitive. Let us see indirect speech of
sentence 1.
Ram ordered to stop chatting.
Now let us see some more examples
1. Direct: Alice said,” go away”
Indirect: Alice ordered to go away.
2. Direct: The teacher said to the
students, “Write fast.”
Indirect: The teacher told to
children to write fast.
3 Direct: Jack said to him, “Please
come soon.”
Indirect: Jack requested him to come
soon
4 Direct: Judge said, “Call the second
witness.”
Indirect: Judge commanded to call
the second witness.
5 Direct: Governor shouted, “Get
out”
Indirect: Governor shouted to them
to get out.
How to convert exclamations and wishes in direct speech to
indirect speech?
In reporting exclamation and wishes,
the indirect speech is introduced by some expressing exclamations or wish.
See the following sentences
1. Direct: He said,” Bravo I have
done.”
Indirect: He exclaimed that he had
done.
2. Direct: Allen said, “How stupid
he is!”
Indirect: Allen exclaimed that he
was very stupid.
3. Direct: She said, “Hurray! We
won”
Indirect: She yelled that they won.
4. Direct: The king said, “Help
him!”
Indirect: The king called upon to
help him.
5. Direct: Teacher said him, “Wow!
You scored well.”
Indirect: Teacher exclaimed that he
scored well.
This is all about the direct –
indirect speech. Hope this information is enough to clear all about direct –
indirect speech. Keep on reading and don’t forget to leave a comment in comment
box. Thank you visit again.