Lesson 34

Direct and Indirect

speech

The changes from direct speech to

indirect speech

1 the changing of verb: if the reporting verb

is in the present tense, then the verb in the
indirect speech has no change in tense
and case.

2 If the reporting verb is in the past tense,

then the verb in the indirect speech should
be put to its past further.
He said, The committee are quarrelling among
themselves.
He said the committee were quarrelling among
themselves.
He said, The secretary has turned down the
proposal.
He said the secretary had turned down the
proposal.

3But in the following occasion, the verb in

the indirect speech doesnt change.

a) The quotation is object fact, scientific

truth, present habitual action and
maxim,it doesnt chang
He said, The word laseris an acronym.
He said the word laser is an acronym.

b)The quotation is in subjunctive mood.

I suggest the meeting be put off till next
week, he said.
He suggested the meeting be put off till
the next week.

c) The state and action which is quotated is

still going on.
Im forty, he said.
He said he is forty.

d)The modal verb in the quotation doesnt

have past tense form.
He said, It must be pretty late. I really must
go.
He said it must be pretty late, and he
really must go.

4 Other changes
1) pronoun: the first person pronoun should
be changed to the third person; the second
person pronoun should be put to the first
peron pronoun.
He said, We love our country.
He said they love their country.

Demostrative pronoun and determiner:

thisthat/it
these those/ they/them

2) The changes of time adverbial

1. He said, It was completed a year ago.
22 He said it had been completed a year
before.

3. Today that day

4. This morning/ afternoon that morning
/afaternoon

5. Tomorrow the folloing day

Yesterday the day before, the previous

day
The day before yesterday two days
before
Tomorrow the following/ next day
The day after tomorrow two days after,
in two days time

Next week/ month, etc the next week/

month, etc
Last week/ month the week/ month before
Now then

Exercise
Put the following into indirect speech
1 In most countries red stands for danger,
said Mr Jackson.
2 I wish I had six weeks for a holiday,said
Mr Jones.

The indirect speech in interrogative

sentences
Direct speech Indirect
speech
Whether, if He said to
He asked me
me, May I
if he might
In general
go?
go.
question
Use the Wh-
special
question

He asked me,
What is your
name?

He asked me
what my
name was.

Exercise
1 Are you being attended to, sir ?
2 Why is your mother driving so fast?
3 Why not take more exercise?

Imperative sentence
Ask, order, tell, beg, warn remind, advise
should be used.
Leave the room quietly.
He told me to leave the room quietly.
Be careful with the dog.
I warned you to be careful with the dog.

Excercise
Put the following into indirect speech,
using the verb in the bracket:
1 Climb in through the window. (order)
2 Dont let it boil over. (warn)
3 Wash it in lukewarm water.
(recommend).

Exclamatory Sentence
1) Use what, how, that
what a lovely house!
He remarked what a lovely house it was.
he remared that it was a lovely house.
2) change it into a declarative sentence
What beautiful weather!
He commented on the beautiful weather.