Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

Direct speech refers to representing someone's exact words in writing. Direct speech is put
inside quotation marks.

When a statement is quoted in writing, use a comma between the statement and the reporting
phrase.
"The meeting starts at 4:00," John said.
John said, "The meeting starts at 4:00."

With questions and exclamations, use a question mark or an exclamation point after the, rather
than a comma.
"Who is going to be there?" asked Ann.
"Not me!" Steve shouted.

Use a comma after the reporting phrase when it comes before the question or exclamation.
Ann asked, "Who is going to be there?"
Steve shouted, "Not me!"

Reporting Verbs: say, tell, and ask

Direct and indirect speech is introduced with "reporting verbs." The most common reporting
verbs are say, tell, and ask.

 The listener is almost always mentioned after tell, using a personal indirect object
without to.
She told me that she was tired. (not told to me).
 The listener is usually not mentioned after say.
She said that she was tired.

 To mention the listener after say, use to + personal object

"We'd better leave," she said to me. (not she said me)

 The listener can be mentioned after ask. To do this, use a personal indirect object
without to.
She asked if I could help.
She asked me if I could help. (not asked to me)

In writing, different reporting verbs may be used to show the way that something was said or
the function of what was said.
The CD player still doesn't work," Angela complained.(direct speech)
Angela complained that the CD player still didn't work.(indirect speech)
"We'll send a replacement tomorrow," he promised. (direct speech)
He promised that they would send a replacement the next day. (indirect speech)

Indirect Speech: Tense Changes

Use indirect speech (also called "reported speech") when telling someone what another person
said. Don't use quotation marks in indirect speech. When the words have just been spoken or
are still true, the verb tense is often the same as the original.
"The company needs everyone's best efforts right now."
Jack: What did he say?
Anna: He said that the company needs everyone's best efforts right now.

Past tenses are generally used in indirect speech. When the past is being reported, the reported
clauses are moved one tense back:

 simple present becomes simple past

"I need a vacation," Paolo said. (direct speech)
Paolo said (that) he needed a break. (indirect speech)
 present progressive/continuous becomes past progressive/continuous
"I'm not wasting my time," Sue said. (direct speech)
Sue said (that) she wasn't wasting her time. (indirect speech)

 present perfect progressive/continuous becomes past perfect progressive/continuous

"Rob's been working all day," Tom said. (direct speech)
Tom said (that) Rob had been working all day.(indirect speech)

 past tense becomes past perfect

"I came by car," Tina said. (direct speech)
Tina said that she had come by car. (indirect speech)

Some modals also move one tense

back: can becomes could; will becomeswould; may becomes might; must usually becomes had
to.
"We can leave on Tuesday," Frank said. (direct speech)
Frank said that we could leave on Tuesday. (indirect speech)

"The taxi will come at noon," Kate said. (direct speech)

Kate said that the taxi would come at noon. (indirect speech)

Indirect Questions

 Yes/no questions can be reported with if or whether.

"Are you ready for your trip?" Amy asked. (direct speech)
Amy asked if I was ready for my trip. (indirect speech)
 Whether or not can also be used, either as a phrase or separated.
Amy asked whether or not I was ready for my trip. (direct speech)
Amy asked whether I was ready for my trip or not. (indirect speech)

Use statement word order when reporting Yes/No questions. Do not use the
auxiliary do/does/did.
"Do you have your tickets?" Lucas asked. (direct speech)
Lucas asked if I had my tickets. (indirect speech)

When reporting question-word questions (wh-questions), use statement word order after the
question word.
"Who did he meet at the conference?" Leslie asked. (direct speech)
Leslie asked who he had met at the conference. (indirect speech)

Subject questions do not change their word order.

"Who met them at the airport?" Brian asked. (direct speech)
Brian asked who had met them at the airport. (indirect speech)

Reporting Commands, Requests, Offers, and Invitations

  Report affirmative commands (imperatives) with an infinitive.
"Sign both copies of the contract," she told me. (direct speech)
She told me to sign both copies of the contract. (indirect speech)
 Report negative commands with not + infinitive.
"Don't wait," he said. (direct speech)
He said not to wait. (indirect speech)
He told me not to wait. (indirect speech)

 A verb that matches the function of the command can be used. Examples
include: advise, ask, order, remind, tell, warn.
"Remember to mail the package," she said. (direct speech)
She reminded me to mail the package. (indirect speech)

An infinitive can be used to report requests to do something.

"Could you help me with these suitcases?" he said. (direct speech)
He asked me to help him with the suitcases. (indirect speech)
"Would you mind waiting outside for a minute?" she said. (direct speech)
She asked me to wait outside for a minute. (indirect speech)

We can also use an infinitive to report offers and invitations.

"Can I get you some more coffee?" she asked. (direct speech)
She offered to get me some more coffee. (indirect speech)
"Would you like to join us for lunch?" they asked. (direct speech)
They invited me to join them for lunch. (indirect speech)

Reporting Requests for Advice

Report Yes/No requests for advice with if or whether.

"Should I take the job?" he asked me. (direct speech)
He wanted to know if he should take the job. (indirect speech)
He wanted to know whether he should take the job. (indirect speech)

Question-word requests for advice can be reported as an indirect question-word question or with
an infinitive.
"How should I pack it?" he asked. (direct speech)
He wanted to know how he should pack it. (indirect speech)
He wanted to know how to pack it. (indirect speech)

 An infinitive can be used after all question words except why.

"Why should I use different tape?" he asked. (direct speech)
He wanted to know why he should use different tape. (indirect speech)