DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH There are 2 types of speech: direct speech & indirect (reported) speech.

Direct speech means the exact words uttered by the speaker. NB:~In direct speech, the actual words spoken by someone are written within inverted commas (i.e. quotation marks). ~Direct speech usually contains introductory statement (i.e. verb of speaking/speech tag. E.g. Mary said, he shouted, she asked, etc. Indirect speech means reporting what someone has spoken. NB: In indirect speech, only the meaning/interpretation of the remark/speech is presented without necessarily using the original speakers exact words. 1. TRANSFORMATION OF DIRECT STATEMENTS TO INDIRECT STATEMENTS Examples of reporting verbs in statements: He said (that) ...... He declared (that) ..... He stated (that) ....... He reported (that) ...... He admitted (that) ..... He claimed (that) ....... He announced (that) ..... He explained (that) ..... He replied (that) ....... He argued (that) ..... He remarked (that) ..... He pointed out (that) ..... He suggested (that) ..... He told (sb) (that) ..... He asked me to tell you (that) ............ When transforming a statement sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, the following changes take place: verb tenses, person of pronouns & possessive adjectives, demonstrative pronouns & adjectives, adverbs of time & place, & in some instances word order. A: CHANGES IN VERB TENSES If verb in introductory statement is in PRESENT SIMPLE/PRESENT CONTINUOUS/PRESENT PERFECT/FUTURE SIMPLE, verb in indirect speech will not change. E.g:~This work is very difficult, he says. PRESENT SIMPLE He says (that) this work is very difficult PRESENT CONTINUOUSHe is saying (that) PRESENT PERFECT He has said (that) FUTURE SIMPLE He will say (that) If the direct speech expresses a general truth or proverb, the PRESENT SIMPLE may be used in the indirect speech. E.g. Direct speech: He said, The earth moves round the sun. Indirect speech: The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun. Direct speech: Fools rush in where angels fear to tread, Alexander Pope said. Indirect speech: Alexander Pope said that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. If the direct speech expresses a repeated/habitual/permanent action, the PRESENT SIMPLE may be used in the indirect speech. E.g.~Direct speech: Blantyre is more lively than Lilongwe, Tom said. Indirect speech: Tom said that Blantyre is more lively than Lilongwe. (Blantyre is still more lively. The situation hasnt changed.)
Page 1 of 7

Indirect speech: Tom said that Blantyre was more lively than Lilongwe. (Blantyre is no longer more lively. The situation has changed.) ~Direct speech: Mr Harry goes to work at seven oclock every morning, she said. Indirect speech: She said that Mr Harry goes to work at seven oclock every morning. (Mr Harry still goes to work at 7. He hasnt changed.) Indirect speech: She said that Mr Harry went to work at seven oclock every morning. (Mr Harry no longer goes to work at 7. He has changed.) ~Direct speech: He reported, Peter always drinks coffee for breakfast. Indirect speech: He reported that Peter always drinks coffee for breakfast. (Peter still drinks coffee for breakfast. He hasnt changed.) Indirect speech: He reported that Peter always drank coffee for breakfast. (Peter no longer drinks coffee for breakfast. He has changed.) If there is need for change of verb tense, the changes should be as follows: PRESENT SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE E.g:~Direct speech: He said, I write home every week. Indirect speech: He said that he wrote home every week. ~Direct speech: He said, I go to church every evening. Indirect speech: He said that he went to church every evening. ~ Direct speech: She said, I can speak German. Indirect speech: She said that she could speak German. ~ Direct speech: She said, I may help you if I can. Indirect speech: She said that she might help me if she could. PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS E.g:~Direct speech: He said, I am learning English. Indirect speech: He said that he was learning English. ~Direct speech: He said, She is studying for her Masters Degree in London. Indirect speech: He said that she was studying for her Masters Degree in London. PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT E.g: ~Direct speech: She said, I have learned English. Indirect speech: She said that she had learned English. ~Direct speech: She said, I have done the work. Indirect speech: She said that she had done the work. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS E.g:~He said, I have been playing football. Indirect speech: He said that he had been playing football. ~Direct speech: She said, I have been awaiting him for hours. Indirect speech: She said that she had been awaiting him for hours. PAST SIMPLE PAST PERFECT ~Direct speech: He said, I wrote a letter to my brother. Indirect speech: He said that he had written a letter to his brother.

Page 2 of 7

~Direct speech: She said, He ate nsima. Indirect speech: She said that he had eaten nsima. ~Direct speech: Mary said, The thief was caught by the villagers. Indirect speech: Mary said that the thief had been caught by the villagers. PAST CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS E.g:~ Direct speech: Paul said, Sarah was driving too fast. Indirect speech: Paul said that Sarah had been driving too fast. ~ Direct speech: He said, I was walking to school when I met her. Indirect speech: He said that he had been walking to school when he had met her. PAST PERFECT PAST PERFECT (no change) E.g:~Direct speech: He said, I had seen a grammar book. Indirect speech: He said that he had seen a grammar book. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS (no change) ### E.g:~ Direct speech: Fred said, I had been doing that for hours before she came. Indirect speech: Fred said that he had been doing that for hours before she had come. FUTURE SIMPLE FUTURE IN THE PAST (using shall or will) (using should/would) E.g: ~Direct speech: He said, I will say something later. Indirect speech: He said that he would say something later. ~Direct speech: She said, I shall see him in London. Indirect speech: She said that she would see him in London. CONDITIONAL SENTENCES CONDITIONAL SENTENCES (expressing present time) (expressing present time) E.g:~Direct speech: He said, If I had my pen, I could write the answers. Indirect speech: He said that if he had had his pen, he could have written the answers. ~Direct speech: She said, If I were you, I would beat him. Indirect speech: She said that if she had been I, she would have beaten him. B: CHANGES IN PRONOUNS/POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES Pronouns & possessive adjectives change as follows: 1st Person Pronouns Possessive adjectives 2nd Person Pronouns Possessive adjectives DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH I, me he/she; him/her we, us they; them my; mine our; ours his/her; his/hers their/theirs

you (sub or obj) I/me; we/us; he/she; they/them your; yours his/her; their/theirs
Page 3 of 7

NB: 1st Person Pronouns & possessive adjectives change to 3rd person pronouns & possessive adjectives. E.g:~Direct speech: I have lost my money, Peter said. Indirect speech: Peter said that he had lost his money. ~Direct speech: I found your book outside, Fred told Sarah. Indirect speech: Fred told Sarah that he had found her book outside. ~Direct speech: Paul said, I bring my book every day; the book on the table is mine. Indirect speech: Paul said that he brought his book every day; the book on the table was his. ~Direct speech: Your pen is in your pocket. Jane told me. Indirect speech: Jane told me that my pen was in my pocket. ~Direct speech: You have missed your bus, the man told me. Indirect speech: The man told me that I had missed my bus. C: CHANGES IN DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES/PRONOUNS Demonstrative adjectives/pronouns change as follows: DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH this that these those E.g:~Direct speech: My brother was a pupil at this school, he said. Indirect speech: He said his brother had been a pupil at that school. ~Direct speech: I will complete these exercises tomorrow, she said. Indirect speech: She said that she would complete those exercises on the following day. D: CHANGES IN ADVERBS OF TIME & PLACE Adverbs of time & place change as follows: DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH now then today that day tonight that night this evening that evening tomorrow the following day / the next day yesterday the day before / the previous day yesterday morning the morning before / the previous morning yesterday afternoon the afternoon before / the previous afternoon yesterday evening the evening before / the previous evening last night the night before / the previous night ago before next week the following week / the week after last week the previous week / the week before last year the previous year / the year before hence thence here there there in/from/to that place NB: exact times, days, & dates do not change.

Page 4 of 7

E.g:~Direct speech: I spoke to them yesterday, he said. Indirect speech: He said that he had spoken to them the day before. ~Direct speech: She said, I will do it here and now. Indirect speech: She said that she would do it there and then. ~Direct speech: Fred and Hannah are getting married next month, Tamala said. Indirect speech: Tamala said that Fred and Hannah were getting married the following month. ~Direct speech: I cant come to the party on Friday, he said. Indirect speech: He said that he couldnt come to the party on Friday. E: CHANGES IN WORD ORDER Sometimes there may be a change in the arrangement of words in a statement. E.g: ~Direct speech: She asks, How is he? Indirect speech: She wants to know how he is. 2. TRANSFORMATION OF DIRECT QUESTIONS TO INDIRECT QUESTIONS Examples of reporting verbs in questions: He asked if ..... He asked what ...... He wanted to know whether ..... He asked why ....... She inquired where ..... He wondered where ...... The changes in verb tenses, person of pronouns/possessive adjectives, demonstrative pronouns/adjectives, adverbs of time & place, & changes in word order, noted when direct speech becomes indirect speech in statement sentences apply also to questions. The only additional point to note is that when a direct question is changed to indirect question the interrogative construction is replaced by the statement construction in the indirect question. A: FOR DIRECT QUESTIONS REQUIRING YES/NO RESPONSES To transform direct questions requiring Yes/No responses to indirect questions, use if, whether, or whether or not in the noun clause. NB: Note that in indirect questions, the question mark is not used. E.g: ~Direct speech: Is Charles your brother? he asked. Indirect speech: He asked me if Charles was my brother. Indirect speech: He asked me whether Charles was my brother. Indirect speech: He asked me whether or not Charles was my brother. Indirect speech: He asked me whether Charles was my brother or not. ~Direct speech: Why did you lock the door? the man asked. Indirect speech: The man asked me why I had locked the door. ~Direct speech: Can Henry speak Greek? she asked. Indirect speech: She asked me if Henry could speak Greek. ~Direct speech: Did you see George at the football match? he asked. Indirect speech: He asked if I had seen George at the football match. ~Direct speech: Did they all do the exercise correctly? he asked. Indirect speech: He asked if they had all done the exercise correctly.

Page 5 of 7

B: TRANSFORMATION OF DIRECT QUESTIONS WHICH BEGIN WITH AN INTERROGATIVE INTO INDIRECT QUESTIONS To change direct questions which begin with an interrogative into indirect questions, the noun clauses in indirect questions often begin with interrogative words like what, which, who, where, when, why, & how. These clauses are in statement form (subject before the verb), not question form. E.g:~Direct speech: What are you doing, Peter? Sarah asked. Indirect speech: Sarah asked Peter what he was doing. ~Direct speech: What is your name? the teacher asked. Indirect speech: The teacher asked him what his name was. ~Direct speech: Where are you going? she asked? Indirect speech: She asked me where I was going. ~Direct speech: How will she get there? he asked. Indirect speech: He wondered how she would get here. ~Direct speech: Why do they go to Blantyre so often? he asked. Indirect speech: He asked me why they went to Blantyre so often. ~Direct speech: Why did you come here? he asked. Indirect speech: He asked me why I had come there. 3. TRANSFORMATION OF A MIXTURE OF DIRECT STATEMENT & QUESTION TO INDIRECT STATEMENT & QUESTION Where there is a mixture of statement & question, the introductory verb will vary accordingly. E.g:~Direct speech: He said, I have left my watch at home. Can you tell me the time? Indirect speech: He said that he had left his watch at home and asked me if I could tell him the time. ~Direct speech: How is she? he asked. I though she is no more. Indirect speech: He wanted to know how she was and confessed he thought she was no more. 4. TRANSFORMATION OF ORDERS & REQUESTS Examples of reporting verbs in orders or requests: For orders: He ordered ..... He asked ..... He commanded .... He demanded that ....... He told (sb) (that) ..... He urged that .... He directed ...... He reminded (sb) that ....... For requests: He requested ..... He pleaded ...... He asked ..... He advised ...... He begged ..... Changes that take place in transformation of statements & questions from direct speech to indirect speech also occur in transformation of orders & requests from direct speech to indirect speech.

Page 6 of 7

A: TRANSFORMATION OF DIRECT COMMANDS & REQUESTS TO INDIRECT COMMANDS & REQUESTS When a direct command/request is changed to indirect command/request, the following changes take place: a direct object, representing the person ordered, is introduced. the imperative form of he verb in the direct command/request becomes the corresponding infinitive. E.g:~Direct speech: Go away! the teacher shouted. Indirect speech: The teacher ordered him to go away. ~Direct speech: Fire! the officer said to the soldiers. Indirect speech: The officer commanded the soldiers to fire. ~Direct speech: Everyone must stop writing, ordered the invigilator. Indirect speech: The invigilator ordered everyone to stop writing. ~Direct speech: My friend said, Please call me tonight. Indirect speech: My friend asked me to call him that night. ~Direct speech: Play the guitar, please, he said. Indirect speech: He asked (begged/entreated/etc.) me (him/her) to play the guitar. B: TRANSFORMATION OF DIRECT NEGATIVE COMMAND/REQUEST TO INDIRECT NEGATIVE COMMAND/REQUEST E.g:~Direct speech: Dont shut the door, he said to Sarah. Indirect speech: He asked Sarah not to shut the door. ~Direct speech: Dont all answer at once, the teacher told the class. Indirect speech: The teacher told (ordered) the class not to answer all at once. ~Direct speech: Dont be late tomorrow, the manager told the worker. Indirect speech: The manager told the worker not to be late the following day.

Page 7 of 7