Direct speech Vs. Indirect speech

Direct speech Vs. Indirect speech

(An outlook)

Direct speech:

Quoting the exact words of the speaker is called “The Direct Speech”.

Mani said, “I am writing a letter now”.

Indirect speech

Reporting of what a speaker said without quoting his exact words is called ‘Indirect Speech’.

Mani said that he was writing a letter then.

Rules for changing Direct speech into Indirect Speech

Rule 1: (dialogue verb)

          If the reporting verb [(dialogue verb) or (introductory verb)] is in the present tense, or future tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is not changed.(e.g., say, will say)

Suman says, “I eat a mango”. (D.S.)
Suman says that he eats a mango”. (I.S.)

Rule 2: (tense)

          If the reporting verb [(dialogue verb) or (introductory verb)]  is in the past tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is changed into one of the forms of the past tense.

1. Present Tense in the Direct becomes past tense.
Johnsi said, “I write a letter”. (D.S)
Johnsi said that she wrote a letter. (I.S)

2. Past Tense in the direct becomes past perfect.
Amar said, “I brought a pen yesterday”. (D.S)
Amar said that she had bought a pen the day before. (I.S)

3. Present Continuous in the direct becomes past continuous.
John said, “I am going to church”. (D.S)
John said that he was going to church. (I.S)

4. Past Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
Sachin said, “I was playing cricket”. (D.S)
Sachin said that he had been playing cricket. (I.S)

5. Present Perfect in the direct becomes past perfect.
Kamal said, “I have done my homework”. (D.S)
Kamal said that he had done his homework. (I.S)

6. Present Perfect Continuous in the direct becomes past perfect continuous.
He said, “I have been reading a novel”. (D.S)
He said that he had been reading a novel. (I.S)

7. ‘Will’ and ‘Shall’ are changed to ‘would’.
He said, “I will go to London tomorrow”. (D.S)
He said that he would go to London the next day. (I.S)

May	Might
Can	Could
Must	Had to (or) must

Johnsi said, “I must go now”. (D.S)
Johnsi said that she must (or) had to go then. (I.S)

Exceptional cases:

1.     If the reported speech expresses some universal truth or habitual fact, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is not changed into the corresponding past tense form.

The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East”. (D.S)
The teacher said that the sun rises in the East. (I.S)

Rule 3: (pronouns)

          Pronouns and possessive adjectives or the first and second persons in direct speech are changed into third person in indirect speech.

I, you (singular)		he, she
My, your (singular)		his, her
We, you (plural)		they
Our, your (plural)		their

         

          Exceptional cases:

1.     The nouns or pronouns in vocative case are turned into objects in the indirect speech.

Direct : The nurse said, “Renu, you should take your medicine.”

Indirect : the nurse told Renu that she should take her medicine.

2.     If the pronoun he or she stands for different persons, then the names of the person referred to are inserted in brackets after the pronouns. Besides, nouns could be used instead of pronouns whenever possible.

Direct : Nidhi said to Nisha, “I like your dress.”

Indirect : Nidhi told Nisha that she (Nidhi) liked her (Nisha’s) dress.

Rule 4 (adverbs)

          In the reported speech, the words expressing nearness of time or place are changed into words showing distance.

Now		then
This		that
Here		there
These		those
Hence		thence
Hither		thither
Thus		so
Ago		before
Come		go
Today		that day
Yesterday		the previous day (or) the day before
Tonight		that night
Last night		the previous night
Tomorrow		the next day (or) the following day
Last week		the week before (or) the previous week
Next month		a month after

1. I asked the policeman the way to the hospital.

          “Could you please tell me the way to the hospital”, I asked the policeman

2. Meera said to me, “Please do not forget to prig your passport tomorrow.”

I was requested by Meera not to forget to bring my passport the next day.

3. “You can go now, Simi,” he said.

He told Simi that she could go them.

4. She said to us, “Let us go through the syllabus.”

She suggested that we should go through the syllabus.

5. “Do not drive rashly in the city,” he said to her.

He wanted her not to drive rashly in the city.

6. “This is how you make a pot,” the potter said to us.

The potter explained to us how to make a pot.

7. “Don’t play on the road,” the teacher said to the children.

The teacher forbade the children from playing on the road.

8. He said to me, “What a pity, you missed our function!”

He exclaimed and regretted that I missed their function.

9. “If you need help, contact the travel agent,” I advised the tourists.

The tourists were advised to contact the travel agent if needed.

10. He said, “I have not done that.”

He denied having done that.

11. She said, “Shall I close the door, madam?”

She asked madam’s permission to close the door.

12. The teacher said to me, “I have never seen such a clover boy like you.”

The teacher told me that he had never seen such a clever boy like me.

13. “May I have a glass of water?” he said.

He asked if he could have a glass of water.

14. “If you don’t come out, we will break open the door,” the police threatened.

The police threatened them that if they did not come out, they would break open the door.