Direct and indirect speech: The difference explained
1. DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
There two ways to convey a message of a person, or the words
spoken by a person to other person.
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
2. Direct speech :
In direct speech the original words of person are narrated (no
change is made) and are enclosed in quotation mark.
1.
Ryan said, “ I am
handsome.”
3. Indirect Speech :
While in indirect speech some changes are made in original
words of the person because these words have been uttered
in past so the tense will change accordingly and pronoun may
also be changed accordingly.
Ryan said that he was
handsome
4. HOW TO WRITE QUOTATIONS :
1.
Put a comma after said.
Ryan said ,
2.
Put quotation marks.
Ryan said , “
3.
Capitalize the first word of the quotation
Ryan said , “I
4.
Write the quotation. Put a final period.
Ryan said , “I am handsome.
5.
Put quotation mark after the period.
Ryan said , “I am handsome.”
5. Quoted speech vs Reported speech
Formal :
Quoted Speech
Reported Speech
Notice
Ryan said, “I am
handsome.”
Ryan said that he
was handsome.
The verb forms and
pronouns change
from quoted speech
to reported speech.
Informal :
Reported Speech
Notice
A : What did Ryan just say ?
I didn’t hear him.
B : Ryan said that he is
handsome.
Sometimes, especially in
speaking, the verb in the noun
clause is not changed if the
speaker is reporting
something immediately or
soon after it was said.
6. Using Told
Main sentence : Bella said that she was tired.
Bella told me that she
was tired.
Bella told us that she
was tired.
Bella told Ryan that
she was tired.
Bella told someone
that she was tired.
Note : 1. Told is not followed immediately by noun clause.
2. Told is followed immediately by (pro)noun object (me,us,Ryan,someone) and
then by noun clause.
7. Using Ask If
Ask is used to report yes/no question
Yes/No Question
Noun Clause
Peter said to me, “Are you
sleepy?”
Peter asked me if I was
sleepy
Using Whether : whether has the same meaning as if
Yes/No Question
Noun Clause
Peter said to me, “Are you
sleepy?”
Peter asked me whether I
was sleepy
The pronoun object (me) may be omitted after ask.
Yes/No Question
Noun Clause
Peter said to me, “Are you
sleepy?”
Peter asked whether I was
sleepy
8. In addition to ask, yes/no question can be reported by using want to
know, wonder, and inquire
Peter wanted to know
if I was sleepy
Peter wondered if I
was sleepy
Peter inquired if I was
sleepy
9. Using Verb + Infinitive for reported speech
Quoted speech
Reported Speech
• Jessica said “please come to my
concert tonight”
• Jessica said “can you come to
my concert tonight”
• Jessica said “would you like to
come to my concert tonight?
Jessica invited me to come to
her concert tonight.
Pattern
Subject
Verb
Object
Infinitive Phrase
Jessica
invited
me
to come to her concert
tonight
