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Direct and Indirect Speech NOTES

The document discusses the differences between direct and indirect speech. Direct speech quotes someone's exact words, while indirect speech reports what someone said but changes the wording. The key rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech are: if the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the tense of the reported speech does not change, but if the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the reported speech must change accordingly. Pronouns, time/place words, and verbs like "will" and "can" must also be changed following specific guidelines. Imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences each have additional rules for changing to indirect speech.

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2K views

Direct and Indirect Speech NOTES

The document discusses the differences between direct and indirect speech. Direct speech quotes someone's exact words, while indirect speech reports what someone said but changes the wording. The key rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech are: if the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the tense of the reported speech does not change, but if the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the reported speech must change accordingly. Pronouns, time/place words, and verbs like "will" and "can" must also be changed following specific guidelines. Imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences each have additional rules for changing to indirect speech.

Uploaded by

poojasukhija1980
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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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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Subject :- English

Topic :- Reported Speech/Narration/Direct to Indirect

INTRODUCTION:-

Direct speech is also known as reported speech. In grammar,


when we report someone else’s statement in our own words
without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is
called indirect speech. Quoting a person’s words without
using his own word and bringing about any change in the
meaning of the statement is a reported speech. Look at the
following sentences:
Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.
In the first sentence, the reporter conveys the message of the girl using her actual words (e.g., “I am a little bit
nervous.”) In the second sentence, the reporter conveys her message but in his own words without any
change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a
statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.

Key Terminology
During the process, you will come across many important terms that you need to know better so that you can
convert any direct speech into indirect speech easily and without any hassle. Consider the following sentences:
 Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”
 Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.
Now consider the different grammatical aspects of both.

 Reported Speech: The second part of the sentence, which is closed in inverted commas or
quotation marks, is called reported speech.
 Reporting Verb: The verb of the reporting speech is called the reporting verb.

BASIC RULES:-
ASSERTIVE SENTENCES:-

Rule 1: If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the Tense of the Verb in the reported speech
remains unchanged.

1. Direct: She says, “Ankush is a good boy.”


Indirect: She says that Ankush is a good boy.

2. Direct: He will say, “Ankush is reading.”


Indirect: He will say that Ankush is reading.
Rule 2: If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the Tense of the Verb in the reported speech is changed
according to the Past tense.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Simple Present Simple Past

Present Continuous Past Continuous

Present Perfect Past Perfect

Present Perfect Past Perfect Continuous


Continuous

Past Perfect Past Perfect

Simple Past Past Perfect

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous


Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Yesterday - the day before (or) the previous day

Tomorrow - the next day (or) the following day

Last week - the week before (or) the previous week

Next week - the week after (or) the following week

Last month - the month before (or) the previous month

Next month - a month after

Hence - thence

Today - that day

Tonight - that night

Last night - the previous night

Direct Speech Indirect Speech


Now - then

Here - there

here after - there after

This - that

These - those

Ago - before

Thus - so

CHANGE IN PRONOUNS
1. I changes into he/she/you
2. My changes into his/her
3. We changes into they
4. Our changes into their
CHANGE IN REPORTING VERB
1.Will changes into would
2. Can changes into could
3.May changes into might
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES:-

The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into order in case the sentence gives a direct
command. For example:

Direct Speech: The teacher said to me, “Shut the door.”


Indirect Speech: The teacher ordered me to shut the door.

 The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into a request in case the sentence
makes a request. For example:
Direct Speech: He said to me, “Shut the door.”
Indirect Speech: He requested me to shut the door.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES:-

To convert interrogative sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-
mentioned rules:
 The reporting verb said to is changed into asked.
 If the interrogative sentence begins with helping verb such as - is, are, they are changed to whether or if.
The sentence will end with a full stop.
Eg. 1. He said to me, “Is your father a doctor?” (D.S)
He asked me if my father was a doctor. (I.S)
2. Suraj asked me, “Do you play Hockey?” (D.S)
Suraj asked me whether I played Hockey. (I.S)

EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES:-
To change exclamatory sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-
mentioned rules:
 In case, there is an interjection, i.e., alas, aha, hurray, etc. in the reported speech, then they are
omitted along with sign of exclamation.
 Reporting verb, i.e., said is always replaced with exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow,
exclaimed joyfully, exclaimed sorrowfully or exclaimed with great wonder or sorrow.
 In an indirect sentence, the exclamatory sentence becomes an assertive sentence.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech


He exclaimed with great joy that he had won the
He said, “Hurray! I have won the match.”
match.
She exclaimed with great sorrow that her brother
She said, “Alas! My brother failed in the test.”
had failed in the test.

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