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Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we put
the words spoken between inverted commas ("___") and there is no change in these words. We may be
reporting something that's being said NOW, or telling someone later about a previous conversation
Indirect/Reported speech is enclosing what the person said. It doesn't use quotation marks and doesn't
have to be word for word.
Indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past. When we use indirect speech, we don’t use
inverted comas. We should change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs for example
say, ask, and we may use the word that to introduce the reported words.
Example
Ø Hopes, Intentions, Promises
When we report an intention, hope or promise, we use an appropriate reporting verb followed by a
that-clause or a to-infinitive:
He said, "I'll pay you the money tomorrow." He promised to pay me the money the next day.
He promised that he would pay me the money
the next day.
Other verbs used in this pattern include: hope, propose, threaten, guarantee, and swear.
Ø Orders
When we want to report an order, we can use a verb like tell with to-clause:
The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!" The doctor told me to stop smoking.
"Get out of the car!" said the policeman. The policeman ordered him to get out of the
car.
Other verbs used are: command, order, warn, ask, invite, advise, beg, teach, and forbid. <<See also
section on Verbs followed by infinitive and Verbs followed by gerund>>
Ø Requests
When we want to report a request, we can use a verb like ask with for-clause:
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
The child asked, "Can I have a car?" The child asked for a car.
Ø Suggestions
Suggestions are usually reported with a that-clause. That and should are optional in these clauses.
“I think you should go to the dentist", said my My mother suggested that I should go to the
mother dentist.
Other verbs used are: insist, recommend, demand, request, and propose. Note: Suggest can also be
followed by a gerund: I suggested postponing the visit to the dentist.
Ø Questions
- Question words are reported by using ask (or another verb like ask) + question word +
clause. <<see also section on Tense Change>>
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
- Yes/No questions: This type of question is reported by using ask + if / whether + clause:
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He asked me, "Are you Eastern or Western?" He asked me whether I was Eastern or Western.
Rules
There are rules in converting direct to indirect speech. The tense usually has change because when we
use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (obviously the person who spoke
originally spoke in the past).
Ø Tense Change
As a rule when we report something someone has said you go back a tense (the tense on the left
changes to the tense on the right)
Present Simple He said, “It is hot.” Past Simple He said it was hot.
Present Continuous She said, “I’m eating an Past Continuous She said she was eating an
apple.” apple.
Present Perfect Simple She said, "I've taught Past Perfect Simple She said she had taught
English since 1999." English since 1999.
Present Perfect Continuous He said, "I've Past Perfect Continuous She said she had been
been teaching English for two years." teaching English for two years.
Past Simple She said, "I taught English." Past Perfect She said she had taught English.
Past Continuous She said, "I was teaching Past Perfect Continuous She said she had been
earlier." teaching earlier
Past Perfect She said, "The lesson had already Past Perfect (No Change) She said the lesson
started when he arrived." had already started when he arrived.
Past Perfect Continuous She said, "I had Past Perfect Continuous (No Change) - She
already been teaching for ten minutes." said she'd already been teaching for ten
minutes.
Note:
- We can use the Present Tense in indirect speech if we want to say that something is still
true.
Present Simple He said, “My name is James.” Past Simple He said his name was James.
or
Present Simple He said his name is James.
Ø Modal Change
Will She said, “I will teach English.” Would She said she would teach English.
Can She said, "I can teach English online." Could She said she could teach English.
Must She said, "I must teach English." Had to She said she had to teach English.
Shall She said, "What shall we learn today?" Should She asked what we should learn today.
May She said, "May I open the window?" Might She asked if she might open the window.
If it use modal, such as: could, would, should, might and ought to in direct speech, then we don’t
need to change it.
Ø Time Change
If direct speech sentence contains an expression of time, we must change it to fit in with the time.
today yesterday
now then
here there
Verbs
Some reporting verbs may appear in more than one of the following groups.
Ø Verbs followed by if or whether + clause:
ask remember see
know say
Ø Verbs followed by a that + clause:
addadmitagreeannounceanswerargueboastclaimcomm confirmconsider observepersuadepropo
ent er
deny
complain doubtestimateexplainfearfeelinsi repeat
st replyreportrevealsay
mention
Ø Verbs followed by either a that + clause or a to + infinitive:
decide guarantee promise threaten
Ø Verbs followed by either a that + clause containing should (but note that it may be omitted,
leaving a subject + zero-infinitive):
advise insist recommend
beg prefer request
demand propose suggest