Direct Speech and Indirect Speech: Introduction

1)

There are two ways of reporting what people say or think

Reporting what
people say or think

Direct Speech (Quote Structure)

Jane said, I need more money.
OR
Jane says, I need more money.

Indirect Speech (Report Structure)

Jane said that she needed more money
OR
Jane says that she needs more money

Notes:
(i)
(ii)

(iii)
2)

The reporting verb can either be in a present or past tense (i.e. said or
says in the above examples)
A present tense is commonly used in the reporting verb when we are
reporting a conversation that is still going on
reading a letter or reporting what it says
reading instructions and reporting them
reporting a statement that someone makes very often. (e.g. Tom says
he will never get married.)
Read up Collins Cobuild English Grammar, Chapter 7, p.314 317 on the
use of other reporting verbs

There are two clauses involved in an Indirect Speech.

He said, I need more money. (Direct Speech)
He said that he needed more money. (Indirect Speech/Reported
Speech)
Reporting clause [He said]
Reported clause [that he needed more money]

3)

Different structures are used in reporting:

Declarative sentence
Interrogative sentence
Imperative sentence

Exclamatory sentence

Reported Speech / Indirect Speech: Declarative Sentences

Task 1
Study the examples below and make up a set of rules for transforming Direct Speech to
Indirect Speech and vice versa.
Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

1.

She said, I am happy here.

She said that she was happy there.

2.

Ali said, They are swimming.

Ali said that they were swimming.

3.

Helen said, I have bought a car for my

son.

Helen said that she had bought a car

for her son.

4.

She said, I have been painting the

ceiling.

She said that she had been painting

the ceiling.

5.

He said, I bought a hamster

yesterday.

He said that he had bought a hamster

the day before.

6.

You said, I was working in this

company.

You said that you had been working in

that company.

7.

They said, We shall/will honour our

promises.

They said that they would honour their

promises

8.

She said, I will have bought it by

Friday.

She said that she would have bought

it by Friday.

9.

She said, I will be having tea at 8 p.m. She said that she would be having tea
at 8 p.m.

10.

Mary said, I can sing this song.

Mary said that she could sing that

song.

11.

Mr. Lee said, I may give you a test

next week.

Mr. Lee said that he might give us a

text the following week.

12.

Jane said, Ill go to your house.

Jane said that she would come to my

house.

Task 2
Change the Direct Speech into Reported Speech.
No

Direct Speech

1.

Tom said, I dont want to go out.

2.

Brian said, I lost my watch.

3.

Peter says, I want to talk to Mary

tomorrow.

4.

They have just left, said Ang.

5.

He said, I hadnt expected much.

6.

Peter said, I will see you soon.

7.

John said, My school starts at 8.10.

8.

She said, I will be back soon.

9.

My friends said, We want to leave at

once.

Reported Speech

10. Peter complained, I dont like the noise

here.
11. Ali said, I want to talk to Sally tomorrow.
12. I shall be 21 tomorrow, said Bill.
13. He said, I have lost my umbrella.
14. The man said, I live in Paris.
15. Im not feeling well, she said.
16. He said, Ive never been there.
17. He said, Shes been working.

No

Direct Speech

18. The Principal said, I may attend the

meeting next week.

Reported Speech

19. He replied, There will be a problem.

20. I will go, promised Peter.
21.

It may rain, Hassan predicted.

22. She told us, I must go to the bank.

23. He said, Ill go if they go.
24. He said, I neednt phone her.
25. The little girl said, I can swim.
26. You should invest in shares, the bank
manager advised me.
27. The boy muttered, I have lost my way.
28. The thief confessed, I stole the money.
29. I didnt attend the meeting last night,
said Tan, because I received the letter
late.
30. Its getting late, said Mei to me. You
had better leave.
31. I like to start the day early; so I am
awake by six oclock every morning,
says Mrs. Ong.
32.

Of all the countries in the world, America

is the most powerful and wonderful, says
little Raymond.