My Business - Direct / Indirect Speech

Direct / Indirect Speech

DIRECT / INDIRECT SPEECH :---
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We can report the words of a speaker in two ways:

(1) DIRECT SPEECH
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By using the exact words of the speaker.

Example: –

* He said to me, “Be careful!” This is the Direct Speech.

We repeat the exact words used by the speaker.

Note :--
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* We keep the exact words within quotation marks.

(2) INDIRECT SPEECH
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By using our own words to repeat what the speaker said.

Example: –

Direct: He said to me, “Be careful!”

Indirect: He told me to be careful.

[This is the Indirect (or) Reported Speech.]

Note :--
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* The past tense is used when the main verb ‘said’ is in the past tense.

* Here we do not use the quotation marks.

* We use an infinitive (to) and we repeat the pronoun.

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RULES FOR CHANGING DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT

{A} ASSERTIVE SENTENCES :--
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(1) When the REPORTING or MAIN verb [‘said’] is in the Past Tense.
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(a) Simple Present in the Direct Speech change into

a Simple Past Tenses in the Indirect Speech.

Example –

* Direct:---- He said, " My sister goes to school."

Indirect:-- He said that his sister went to school.

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(b) A present continuous changes into a past continuous.

* Direct:---- He said, "My sister is going to school."

Indirect:-- He said that his sister was going to school.

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(c) A present perfect changes into past perfect.

* Direct :---He said, " My sister has gone to school."

Indirect :-He said that his sister had gone to school.

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(d) A simple past changes into past perfect.

* Direct :---He said, " My sister went to school."

Indirect:--He said that his sister had gone to school.

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(e) In case of future tense--

shall---- is changed into-----should

will------is changed intoo----would

* Direct :---He said, " My sister will go to school."

Indirect:--He said that his sister would go to school.

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IMPORTANT CHANGES

DIRECT SPEECH..............into...........INDIRECT SPEECH

Present Indefinite..............................Past indefinite

Present Continuous...........................Past Continuous

Present Perfect.................................Past Perfect

Present Prefect Continuous................Past Perfect Continuous

Past Indefinite...................................Past Perfect

Past Continuous................................Past Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect......................................X X X NO CHANGE X X X

Past Perfect Continuous....................X X X NO CHANGE X X X

Future Tense (all tenses )..................X X X NO CHANGE X X X

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The following changes are also made:
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shall---- to-- should

will------ to-- would

may-----to-- might

can----- to-- could

has----- to-- had

have---- to-- had

2. Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives:
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         The pronoun is changed in person from first and second to third.


                            I-------becomes-----he or she

We----becomes-----they

You---becomes-----he, him, her or them

3. Adjectives and Adverbs:
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                             We change :
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                          this---------------- to--- that

these-------------- to--- those

here--------------- to--- there

now ----------------to--- then

today---------------to--- that day

                          last night-----------to--- on the previous night (or) the night before

                          tomorrow-----------to----the next day or the day after

                          yesterday----------to----the previous day or the day before

the previous day--to----the day before

the next day-------to----the following day

thus-----------------to----so; (or) in that way

just------------------to----then

just now------------to----just then

ago-----------------to--- before

hither---------------to--- thither

hence--------------to--- thence

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(2) In most cases, we DO NOT change the tense of the verbs in Direct Speech :---
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¨ (a) When the reporting verb is :---
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(i) in the Simple Present tense (he says),
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* Direct:---- He says," I like to eat mangoes."

Indirect:-- He says that he likes to eat mangoes.

(ii) in the Present Perfect tense (she has told us)
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* Direct:--- “They are late,” she has already told us.

Indirect:-- She has already told us (that) they are late.

(iii) or in the Simple Future tense (I will tell him).
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Direct:--- “I will tell him, “The shop is shut.”

Indirect:-- I will tell him (that) the shop is shut.

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Examples:

(b) If they make a statement which is always true.
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* Direct:--- He told us, “The world is round.”

Indirect:--He told us that the world is round.

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(c) the action is still continuing and a change of tense would give the wrong meaning.
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* Direct:---She said, “My brother is living in Australia.”

Indirect:- She said that her brother is living in Australia.

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{B} INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES OR QUESTIONS :--
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RULES---

(a) Reporting verb -

Say ----is changed into-----ask, enquire of, question, interrogate; as,

* Direct:----Mohan said to Ram,"Where do you live?"

Indirect:--Mohan asked Ram where he lived.

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(b) When the question begins with a helping verb (is, are,am, was,were, will, may,

can, must, dare, need etc.),then conjunction ' if ' or ' whether is used to join the reporting

part and reported part.

* Direct :----Ramesh said to his son," Are you studying General English as one of your subjects ?"

Indirect:---Rameshenquired of his son if he was studying General English as one of his subjects.

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(c) The QUESTION or INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE is changed into ASSERTIVE

SENTENCE.The question mark is changed in full stop. Thus a direct question changes into i

ndirect question.

* Direct :--- Manish said to Harish " Will you lend me your pen for two days ?"

Indirect :--Manish enquired of Harish if he would lend him his pen for two days.

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{C} IMPERATIVE SENTENCES :--
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RULES :-
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(a) 'Say'--- is changed into-----order, command, advise, sggest, request, pray or beg.

'Said'----------------------------ordered, commanded, advised, suggested, requested,

prayed or begged.

* Direct :---The beggar said, " Lady, give me some food to eat."

Indirect:--The beggar begged the lady to give him some food to eat.

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(b) No connective ( that, if, whether etc. ) is used between the reporting verb and the reported speeh.

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(c)' To ' is used before the verb in thereported speech. Thus the IMPERATIVE MOOD

is changed into INFINITE MOOD.

* Direct :-- The master said to the servant, "Bring a glass of water. "

Indirect:--The master ordered the servant to bring a glass of water.

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{d} OPTATIVE (WISHING) SENTENCES:--
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           RULES:--
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(a) ' Said '--- is changed into ---said, told, prayed, blessed or wished.

(b) The WISHING FORM is converted into ASSERTIVE FORM.

(c) Connective ' that ' is used to join the reporting and reported speech.

* Direct :---She said to me, " May you prosper."

Indirect:--She wished that I might prosper.

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{E} EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES:--
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            RULES:--
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(a) ' Say ' or ' tell '---are changed into--- cry, exclaim, applaud, confess or bid.

(b) The EXCLAMATORY FORM is converted into ASSERTIVE FORM.

(c) Connective ' that ' is used to join the reporting part and reported part.

* Direct :---Gita said, "Alas! how foolish I have been."

Indirect:--Gita confessed with regret that she had been very foolish.

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