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DIRECT SPEECH

Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words
spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words.
She says, "What time will you be home?"

INDIRECT SPEECH
Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken.
We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words.
She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him. (indirect speech)

➢ 'That' may be omitted:


She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.
➢ Use 'say' when you mention the listener:
He said that he was tired.
➢ Always use 'tell' when you mention the listener:
He told me that he was tired.

TENSE CHANGES IN INDIRECT SPEECH


Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH


Simple present Simple past
“I have a brother and a sister.” He said (that) he had a brother and a sister.

Present progressive Past progressive


“I’m talking to Mary.” She said she was talking to Mary.

Simple past Past perfect


“I learned English in Canada.” She said he had learned English in Canada.

Present perfect Past perfect


“I haven’t seen the movie yet.” She said she hadn’t seen the movie yet.

Modals
“I’ll see you later.” She said she would see me later.
“I can’t come to the meeting.” He said he couldn’t come to the meeting.
“I have to/must go to the doctor.” She said she had to go to the doctor.
“We may be late.” I said that we might be late.

OPTIONAL TENSE CHANGES


When a reporting verb is in the simple past tense, backshifting is optional when:
1. The statement refers to something JUST said:
Tom just called. He said that the director is leaving.
OR Tom just called. He said that the director was leaving.
2. The direct speech refers to something that’s still true:
Ann mentioned that she needs to renew her passport.
OR Ann mentioned that she needed to renew her passport.
3. The direct speech refers to a scientific or general truth:
He noted that the Earth is the fifth largest planet in the solar system.
OR He noted that the Earth was the fifth largest planet in the solar system.

REPORTING VERBS
Ask, say, add, admit, announce, answer, comment, complain, confirm, deny, estimate, explain, insist, mention, observe,
persuade, propose, remark, remember, repeat, reply, report, reveal, suggest, tell, think, understand, warn.

T. CARLOS 2018
CHANGING THE TIME AND PLACE REFERENCES
Time and place must often change when going from direct to reported speech.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH


today that day
"I saw him today", she said. She said that she had seen him that day.

yesterday the day before


"I saw him yesterday", she said. She said that she had seen him the day before.

The day before yesterday two days before


"I met her the day before yesterday", he said. He said that he had met her two days before.

Tomorrow the next/following day


"I'll see you tomorrow", he said He said that he would see me the next day.

The day after tomorrow in two days time/ two days later
"We'll come the day after tomorrow", they said. They said that they would come in two days time/
two days later.

Next week/month/year the following week/month/year


"I have an appointment next week", she said. She said that she had an appointment the following
week.

Last week/month/year the previous/week/month/year


"I was on holiday last week", he told us. He told us that he had been on holiday the previous
week.

ago before
"I saw her a week ago," he said. He said he had seen her a week before.

this (for time) that


"I'm getting a new car this week", she said. She said she was getting a new car that week.

this/that (adjectives) the


"Do you like this shirt?" he asked He asked if I liked the shirt.

here there
He said, "I live here". He told me he lived there.

CHANGES IN PRONOUNS AND POSSESSIVES


In indirect speech, pronouns and possessives change to reflect the point of view of the reporter rather than the speaker.
I told her, “you’ll have it on your desk by noon.” (direct speech)
I told her (that) she would have it on her desk by noon. (indirect speech)

QUESTIONS IN INDIRECT SPEECH


Indirect questions are a kind of embedded questions – a questions that is included in another sentence.
➢ Indirect yes/no questions begin with if, whether, or whether or not.
He asked, “Did you see the movie?” (direct speech)
He asked if I had seen the movie OR he asked whether (or not) I had seen the movie.
➢ Indirect information questions begin with a question word.
She asked, “When are you planning to go?” (direct speech)
She asked when I was planning to go. (indirect speech)
T. CARLOS 2018
➢ All indirect questions follow statement (not inverted) word order and do not usually use do, does, or did.
➢ Indirect questions end with a period, not a question mark.

IMPERATIVES IN INDIRECT SPEECH


When imperatives are used to report commands, request, instructions, and invitations, the imperative form changes to the
infinitive. The negative infinitive is used for negative commands.
Direct speech Indirect speech
“Could you please go to the store?” She asked me to go to the store.
The chef, said, “add two eggs and stir the mixture.” The chef said to add two eggs and stir the mixture.
“Please have dinner with us,” he said. He invited me to have dinner with them.
She the child, “don’t cross the street.” She the child not to cross the street.

ACTIVITIES
A. Write the sentences in indirect speech. If a sentence can be written both with and without backshifting, write it both
ways.
1. Zachary mentioned, “I need a new suit, but I really want a new jacked.”
2. Kate just called. She asked, “Did you enjoy your vacation?”
3. In his lecture, Dr. Taylor stated, “The Earth rotates around the sun.”
4. Georgia says, “I’ve never seen such exciting painting before.”
5. The professor explained, “I wan you to finish your essays for the next class.”

B. Write these conversations in indirect speech, using correct pronouns.


1. MARIA: Your cartoon is really good. Your drawing of the penguin is a hoot.
JACK: Yours is hilarious, too! It really cracked me up!
2. RICHARD: My paper on the health benefits of humor has just been published in a medical journal.
ME: I’m happy for you! I’d appreciate it if you could give me a copy.
3. KIM: I bout a new MP3 player last week.
BEN: I know. I saw it on your desk. It looks much better than your old one.
C. Rewrite each of the following in indirect speech.
1. The teacher asked his students, “Can you tell me what the joke is about?”
2. Don asked his wife, “Have you finished reading the book on humor?”
3. Lisa asked her boyfriend, “Why did you have to tell an ethnic joke at my father’s birthday party last night?”
4. Barry sometimes wonder, “How would I react if someone made me the butt of a joke?”
5. Vivian wondered, “When is the best time to tell a joke?”

D. Write the conversation in indirect speech. Begin like this: Harry asked me…
HARRY: Can I borrow your car on Saturday?
ME: Yes, you can. But you’ll have to return it to me by 7:00 pm.
HARRY: Do you really need your car by 7:00? Could I bring it back by 9:00 instead?
ME: I’m sorry, but I promised to take my nephew to the movies.
HARRY: Oh, I understand. I’ll return it to you by 7:00
E. Write each sentence in indirect speech
1. The patient asked the nurse, “Could you please bring me a funny movie?”
2. Dr. Baker advised, “Don’t let emotional tension make you sick.”
3. She told me, “Be a good sport and laugh about it.”
4. “Don’t laugh at that joke,” Fred instructed his son. “It’s disgusting,” he said.
5. Lucas told us, “Never touch the green button on the printer.”
6. “Take the penguin to the zoo tomorrow,” Mr. Franklin’s neighbor told him.
7. Nick said, “Please don’t ask how the meeting went.”

T. CARLOS 2018

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