1. ENGLISHENGLISHENGLISHENGLISH
Marcy_cb21 6666Module 2
A DepEd-BEAM Distance Learning Program supported by the Australian Agency for International Development
RELAYING INFORMATION ACCURATELY USING
DIFFERENT DISCOURSES

2. 12
Dear Learner,
How are you today?
In your previous module you’ve learned about stress. Today
we will learn the two ways of expressing the words of a speaker - direct
discourse and indirect discourse.
This module will help you recognize the exact words of a speaker
from that of quoted or reported ones.
When we say direct discourse it refers to the exact words of a
speaker. Whereas indirect discourse refers to the quoted or reported
words of a speaker.
On the sheet of paper, change the following direct quotations to
indirect discourse. Number 1 is done for you.
Direct Discourse Indirect Discourse
1. “He had to be killed,” said Mr.
Spelding.
1. Mr. Spelding said that he had
to be killed.
2. Florence exclaimed, “We
could still do something.”
2.
3. “Light a fire of sticks,”
Florence told Mr. Spelding.
3.
4. He said, “We would use hot
compress for the dog’s leg.”
4.
To the Learner
Let’s Try This
Let’s Learn This

3. 13
• Are you done?
• Let’s find out if we have the same answer.
2. Florence exclaimed that they could still do something.
3. Florence told Mr. Spelding to light a fire of sticks.
4. He said that they would use hot compress for the dog’s legs.
• Do not worry, we will have more exercises to do.
Read then answer the questions.
FOX AND CROW
Aesop
Let’s Study This

4. 14
A big black crow sat high in a tree. In his beak he held a delicious
chunk of cheese. A fox passed by. Looking up, he spotted Crow. He
noticed what Crow had and decided to get some of the cheese for
himself.
“How are you, dear Crow?” called Fox. Crow, of course could not
answer. His beak was full of cheese. “You look lovely today,” said the
crafty fox.
Crow puffed up his feathers a bit and peered down at Fox.
“My, my, Fox went on “I certainly admire the way your feathers
shine in the sunlight. Black is my favorite color, you know.”
Crow did not answer, but he listened carefully to every word.
“There is nothing as handsome as crow in flight.” said Fox. “Your
wings are so huge! You are so graceful!”
Crow spread his wings and fluttered them in the breeze. Fox was
right; they were lovely. He was very pleased with Fox’s flattery.
“Oh, it’s true,” fox smiled. “You are a stunning creature. It is all
the sadder then, that you have no voice. If only you could sing, I
believe, I believe you could be the finest bird in the forest!”
Poor, silly Crow. He wanted so much to be the finest bird in the
forest. It was true that his voice was usually quite loud and scratchy,
but he simply needed to practice. Perhaps Fox enjoyed loud songs.
Crow tilted his head back, opened his beak, and let out a shrill “Caw!
Caw!”
With that, the cheese fell out of his beak and dropped to the
ground. Fox gulped it down in one instance and ran off into the forest.
1. How did Fox flatter Crow?
2. Why was he flattering the crow?
3. Was the fox able to get the cheese?
4. What is the moral lesson of the fable?
Read the sentences below.
Direct Discourse
1. “You look very lovely today,” said the crafty fox.
2. “I certainly admire the way your feathers shine in the sunlight,”
Fox went on.
3. “I believe you could be the finest bird in the forest,” Fox
exclaimed.

5. 15
Indirect Discourse
1. The crafty fox told the crow that it looked very lovely.
2. Fox said that he certainly admired the way the crow’s feathers
shine in the sunlight.
3. He exclaimed that he believed that he could be the finest bird in
the forest.
Study the underlined word in each sentence.
1. “You look very lovely today” said the crafty fox.
2. “I certainly admire the way your feathers shine in the sunlight”
Fox went on.
3. “I believe you could be the finest bird in the forest” Fox
exclaimed.
• The underlined words are the exact words of the Fox who is the
speaker. The speech made by the speaker is called a direct
discourse. It is enclosed in quotation marks and is usually
separated from the quotation tag by a comma or a question mark
(in case of a question).
The verb, together with the name of the speaker is called
explanatory expression. It may be found at the beginning, middle or
end of a quotation.
Examples: said the crafty fox Fox exclaimed Fox went on
• In the indirect discourse, the words of the speaker are reported.
Quotation marks and commas are no longer used. The tense of
the verb in the explanatory expression does not change.
Examples:
“You look very lovely today,” said the crafty fox.
The crafty fox said that the crow looked lovely that day.

6. 16
Change the following from direct to indirect speech or discourse.
Study the example.
Example:
“Marie, do you know any poem about nature?’ asked Edna.
Answer:
Edna asked Marie whether she knew any poem about nature.
1. Edna replied, “I know the poem entitled, ‘Trees’.”
2. Marie asked, “Can you recite it from memory?”
3. “Yes, I can,” answered Edna.
4. “Trees are very useful to us”, commented Ronnie.
5. “Some trees live up to a hundred years old”, said Roxanne.
6. “Rings on the trunk of the tree tell how old a tree is,” says
Marlene.
7. “The narra and the molave are sturdy trees,” says Liza.
• Are you done?
• Look at the Answer Key to check your answer.
• Write your score inside the umbrella.
• Let’s continue…
Let’s Do This

7. 17
Punctuate the following direct questions correctly. Number 1 is
done for you.
1. The teacher asked, “Do you defy any of the school rules?”
Start Here:
2. Were the deliveries completed? the supervisor asks.
3. She asks Are the stories in that book interesting?
4. The patient asked Is the doctor in?
5. Will many companies close? the workers ask.
6. He asks Does she crucify herself by doing the work alone?
7. Connie asked Do you readily reply to all the teacher’s question?
8. The mother asked Was the test easy to answer?
9. Do you do your duties promptly? the teacher wanted to know.
10. JB asks Will father bring home some goodies?
• Are you done?
• Did you find it easy? Now, look at the Answer Key to check your
answers.
• What’s your score _________
• If your score is 7-9, You’ve done a great job. But if you got 6
and below, try your best in the next activity.
Let’s Do More

8. 18
A.
The exact words of the speaker are called direct
discourse. It is enclosed in quotation marks. A
comma sets off the direct discourse from the
explanatory expression.
An explanatory expression is made up of the verb
and the name of the speaker.
If the direct discourse asks questions, the comma is
dropped and a question mark is used.
A report on what the speaker says is called an
indirect discourse. Quotation marks and commas are
no longer used.
B.
When a question is directly quoted, a question mark
takes the place of the comma.
Helping verbs do, does and did are dropped when a
question is reported.
The verb asks may be substituted with wonder, want
to know, would like to know, long to know, etc.
Let’s Remember This

9. 19
Read the sentences:
Reporting Questions
Direct Discourse
1. “How long will the cat keep the kittens?” asked
Amity.
2. “Why are they laughing?” Grace wanted to know.
3. “Who are Glenn’s teachers this year?” Gigi inquired.
4. “I believe you could be the finest bird in the first,”
Fox exclaimed.
Indirect Discourse
1. Amity asked how long the cat will keep the kittens.
2. Grace wanted to know why they are laughing.
3. Gigi inquired who Glenn’s teachers are this year.
4. He exclaimed that he believed that the crow could be
the finest bird in the forest.
A. Read the following direct quotations. From the choices, select one
that contains the correct reported sentence. Write the letter of
your answer on a sheet of paper.
1. Mother said, “You come early, Roland.”
a. Mother said to her son to come home early.
b. Mother said you come home early to her son.
c. Mother told her son to come home early.
Let’s Test Ourselves

10. 20
2. The scout master said, “Put down your bags, boys.”
a. The scoutmaster told the boys to put down their bags.
b. The scoutmaster tells the boys to put down their bags.
c. The scoutmaster said, boys, put down your bags.
3. Leo said, “The plants are growing.”
a. Leo says if the plants are growing.
b. Leo said that the plants are growing.
c. “Leo says that the plants are growing.
B. Read and answer the following sentences. Write the letter of your
answer on a piece of paper.
1. Which of the following statements is a direct address?
a. Jason says, “The soup tastes good.”
b. Jason says that the soup tastes good.
c. Jason tastes a good soup.
2. Which reported speech is written correctly?
a. The guidance counselor asked where they live.
b. “The guidance counselor asked where do you live?”
c. The guidance counselor asked where you live.
3. Give the reported speech of: Mother said, “Mary, clean the
kitchen.”
a. Mother said Mary cleaning the kitchen.
b. Mother said clean the kitchen Mary.
c. Mother told Mary to clean the kitchen.
C. Complete each direct quotation with the needed punctuation
marks.
Ex. “Did the typhoon start subsiding the following day?” the man asks.
1. Did the inspection teams of Meralco scour the streets to survey
the extent of damage to its transmission system the President
asked.

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2. The Energy Secretary wanted to know Were the Meralco’s
contingency plans and programs the quick response model for
other utility firms.
3. The people inquired Is Meralco the biggest buyer of the electricity
produced by Napocor.
4. The student asks Does Meralco service million households.
• Are you done?
• Look at the Answer Key again to check your answers.
• Did you get it all correctly? _______ Very Good… Clap 3 times.
• If your total score is 8-10, proceed to the next module. Excellent
Work!
• If your score is 5-7, answer the next activity “Let’s Enrich
Ourselves”.
• If your score is 4 and below, review the whole module.
A. Change the following direct discourse to indirect discourse. Write
your sentence in a sheet of paper.
Example:
Direct discourse: Mother said, “Teresa, make some juice for the
visitors.”
Indirect discourse: Mother told Teresa to make some juice for
the visitors.
1. The teacher said, “Class, go out and observe the clouds.”
2. The pupils answered, “We cannot see the sun when thick clouds
cover it.
3. One of the boys replied, “Nimbus clouds carry rain.”
4. One pupil remarked, “I see some nimbus clouds.”
5. An alert classmate answered, “Lightning is a sudden flash of
electricity.”
Let’s Enrich
Ourselves

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B. Change the following indirect discourses to direct discourses.
Write your answers on a sheet of paper.
Example:
Indirect discourse: Miss Salcedo told the class to keep quiet.
Direct discourse: Miss Salcedo said, “Class, keep quiet.
1. Aling Tina told Minda to set the table.
2. Minda asked her mother how many visitors are coming.
3. The visitors exclaimed that it was a wonderful party.
4. Mother answered that she was very much delighted.
5. The pupil asked Miss Salcedo if she will join the choral group.
• Are you done?
• Look at the answer Answer Key to check your answer.
• What is your score? ______
• Congratulations! Job well done.

13. 23
Let’s Do This
1. Edna replied that she knew the poem entitled, Trees.
2. Marie asked if he can recite it from memory.
3. Edna answered that she can.
4. Ronnie commented that the trees are very useful to us.
5. Roxanne said that some trees live up to a hundred years old.
6. Marlene said that rings on the trunk of a tree tell how old a tree
is.
7. Liza said that narra and molave are sturdy trees.
Let’s Do More
2. “Were the deliveries completed?” the supervisor asks.
3. She asks, “Are the stories in that book interesting?”
4. The patient asked, “Is the doctor in?”
5. “Will many companies close?” the workers ask.
6. He asks, “Does she crucify herself by doing the work alone?”
7. Connie asked, “Do you readily reply to all the teacher’s question?”
8. The mother asked, “Was the test easy to answer?”
9. “Do you do your duties promptly?” the teacher wanted to know.
10. JB asks, “Will father bring home some goodies?”
Let’s Test Ourselves
A. B.
1. c 1. a
2. a 2. a
3. b 3. c
C.
1. “Did the inspection teams of Meralco scour the streets to survey the
extent of damage to its transmission system”? the President asked.
Answer Key

14. 24
2. The Energy Secretary wanted to know, “Were the Meralco’s
contingency plans and programs the quick response model for other
utility firms?”
3. The people inquired, “Is Meralco the biggest buyer of the electricity
produced by Napocor?”
4. The students asks, “Does Meralco service million households?”
Let’s Enrich Ourselves
A.
1. The teacher told the class to go out and observe the clouds.
2. The pupils answered that they cannot see the sun when thick
clouds cover it.
3. One of the pupils replied that Nimbus clouds carry rain.
4. One pupil remarked that he saw some nimbus clouds.
5. An alert classmate answered that lightning is a sudden flash of
electricity.
B.
1. Aling Tina said, “Minda, set the table.”
2. Minda asked, “Mother, how many visitors are coming?”
3. The visitors exclaimed, “It was a wonderful party.”
4. Mother answered, “I was very much delighted.”
5. The pupil asked, “Miss Salcedo, will you join the choral group?”