Direct & Indirect Speech

Direct speech tells the exact words a speaker said. We usually write it in quotation marks. Indirect speech, also called reported speech, tells the meaning of the words without using the exact words. • Direct speech: She said, "I am tired." • Indirect speech: She said that she was tired. In direct speech, the speaker's words are repeated exactly. In indirect speech, we often change the tense, pronouns, and time words. This helps us report what someone said in a natural way. Use say, tell, or ask to introduce reported speech. We usually say say when the listener is not mentioned, and tell when we mention who received the message. • He said, "I like music." • He said that he liked music. • She told me that she liked music. Quotation marks are important in direct speech. In indirect speech, quotation marks are not used. Remember that the sentence structure changes, but the meaning stays the same.

When we change direct speech into indirect speech, we often move the tense one step back. This is called backshift. • am or is changes to was • are changes to were • present simple changes to past simple • present continuous changes to past continuous • will changes to would For example: • He said, "I am happy." -> He said that he was happy. • She said, "I will help." -> She said that she would help. Pronouns also change to fit the new speaker. I may become he or she. We change pronouns so the sentence makes sense. • John said, "I am tired." -> John said that he was tired. Time and place words often change too: • now -> then • today -> that day • yesterday -> the day before • tomorrow -> the next day • here -> there These changes help the listener know when and where the action happened.

We use different patterns for different kinds of sentences in reported speech. Statements: Use say or tell. • He said that he was late. • She told me that she was happy. Yes or no questions: Use ask and add if or whether. • He asked if I was ready. • She asked whether he liked tea. Wh questions: Keep the question word, but change the word order to a statement. • She asked where I lived. • He asked what time it was. Commands and requests: Use tell or ask + object + to + verb. • The teacher told us to open our books. • My mother asked me to be quiet. In reported speech, do not keep the question form. Do not use quotation marks. Use normal statement order and choose the right reporting verb.

Reported speech tells us what someone said without using their exact words. In direct speech, we repeat the speaker's exact words inside quotation marks. In indirect speech, we usually remove quotation marks and change the sentence so that it fits the reporting verb and tense. The most important change is often the tense backshift. Present simple usually becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, and will often becomes would. However, if the reporting verb is in the present or if the statement is still true, a tense change may not be necessary. Pronouns also change according to the new speaker and listener. For example, I may become he or she, and my may become his or her. Time and place words usually change as well. Words like now, today, tomorrow, and here often become then, that day, the next day, and there. When reporting statements, use say or tell carefully. Say is often followed by a clause or by to someone, while tell needs an object. For example, He said that he was tired. She told me that she was busy. • Direct: I am hungry. Reported: He said that he was hungry. • Direct: We are leaving today. Reported: They said that they were leaving that day. • Direct: I will call you tomorrow. Reported: She said that she would call me the next day. • Direct: I live here. Reported: He said that he lived there. • Direct: I have finished. Reported: She said that she had finished.

Questions in reported speech follow different patterns from statements. Yes or no questions use if or whether after the reporting verb. Wh questions keep the question word, but the word order changes from question form to statement form. Do not use question marks in reported questions because the sentence is no longer a direct question. Commands and requests are usually reported with an infinitive. Use told someone to do something for orders or instructions. Use asked someone to do something for polite requests. Negative commands use not to. For example, The teacher told us not to talk. She asked me to help her. It is important not to keep the direct speech word order. In reported questions, the subject comes before the verb, and auxiliary verbs are removed if they are not needed. For example, Where are you going? becomes He asked where I was going. Different reporting verbs can change the meaning. Asked often shows a question or request, told often shows an order or instruction, and wanted to know can sound softer or more formal. • Are you coming? becomes He asked if I was coming. • Where do you live? becomes She asked where I lived. • Please sit down. becomes The teacher asked us to sit down. • Do not touch this. becomes He told me not to touch that. • Could you help me? becomes She asked me to help her.

Direct speech uses quotation marks because we are repeating the speaker's exact words. Put the punctuation inside the quotation marks in standard English, such as comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark, depending on the sentence. In reported speech, quotation marks are removed because the exact words are no longer being repeated. Choosing the correct reporting verb is also important. Say is often used without an object, while tell normally needs an object. Ask is used for questions and requests. Other reporting verbs such as explain, admit, promise, warn, and suggest can give more specific meaning, but the basic forms are enough for most intermediate learners. Common mistakes include using the wrong tense shift, forgetting to change pronouns, or keeping the direct question word order. Learners also often mix up say and tell, or leave quotation marks in reported speech. Another common problem is not changing time and place expressions, such as now to then or here to there. Not every tense must change. If the reporting verb is in the present or the statement is still true, the original tense may stay the same. This is important for factual statements, habits, and general truths. • He said, I am tired. He said that he was tired. (quotation marks removed) • She asked, What time is it? She asked what time it was. (question word order changes) • He told me, I like music. He told me that he liked music. (tell needs an object) • The sun rises in the east. He said that the sun rises in the east. (general truth may stay) • She said, I am here now. She said that she was there then. (place and time change)