reporting clause first
reported clause
reporting clause second
The reporting clause may sometimes come in the middle of the reported clause, especially in literary styles:
“No,” she said , “I’ve never seen it before.”
‘Was it,’ he asked , ‘the first time you had spoken to Mrs Dalton?’
We can use adverbs with the reporting verb to describe the way someone said something. This is more common when the reporting clause comes second:
“I will not accept it!” he said angrily .
‘Can I speak to the doctor?’ she asked rather nervously .
Reported speech: punctuation
Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses
In narratives, especially novels and short stories, when the reporting clause comes second, we often invert the subject (s) and reporting verb (v):
“Things have always been the same in this village,” [V] said [S] the old man .
‘Hold on! I’m coming!’ [V] cried [S] Maurice .
Informal narratives.
In informal conversation, we sometimes use the present simple in the reporting clause. This makes the direct speech more vivid and dramatic:
So then this guy says , “I’ve got something for you. Come over here.” And he picked up a box and he says , “Open that.”
We can make the direct speech even more vivid and dramatic by using the present continuous. This is very informal:
And he’s looking at me and he ’s asking , “Who are you?” and I said, “I’m your nephew” and he ’s mumbling , “I don’t know you. I’ve never seen you before in my life.”
In very informal conversation, people sometimes use says as a reporting verb for all persons ( I, you, she, he, we, they ):
She says , ‘What’s going on here?’ and I says , ‘Nothing. There’s nothing happening – everything’s okay.’
Many speakers consider the above examples to be incorrect. This applies especially to the use of says with all persons.
We also use the present simple in newspaper headlines. This makes the reported words more dramatic:
‘I WON’T RESIGN,’ SAYS MINISTER
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We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (") are preferred in American English, while single quotes (') are more common in British English:
" I'm coming home late tonight, " she said. (American English) ' I'm coming home late tonight, ' she said. (British English)
If we quote within direct speech, we use the other style for the embedded quotation:
"She said, ' I'm coming home late tonight ', " recalled Jim. (American English) 'She said, " I'm coming home late tonight ", ' recalled Jim. (British English)
As can be seen in the examples above, a comma ( , ) is used at the end of the quotation, before the closing speech mark.
A comma is also used before the quotation if we start the sentence with the reporting clause. In this case the terminal full stop (.) comes before the closing speech mark:
She added , "Don't expect me before 11 . "
If the quotation is a question or exclamation, the terminal marks ( ? and ! ) also come before the closing speech marks:
"Hurry up ! " he shouted. She asked, "Am I late ? "
The quotation normally begins with a capital letter, except if it is interrupted by a reporting clause, in which case the first letter of the continuation is not capitalised:
" I 'm coming home late tonight," she said and added, " d on't expect me before 11."
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Introduction to direct speech or quoted speech.
Direct Speech, also known as Quoted Speech, is a common grammatical construction used in both written and spoken language. This tutorial serves as a comprehensive guide to mastering this important literary device. Let's start by understanding what direct speech is.
Table of Contents
Direct speech refers to the exact wording of someone's comments or speech as it was spoken. In written text, direct speech usually appears in quotation marks or inverted commas to denote that the words were spoken or written by another person. The actual text of direct speech punctuated with a speech tag, which identifies the speaker and might provide additional context.
In this example, "I love playing football," is the direct speech, and "John said," is the speech tag.
Following are some standard rules regarding the formatting and punctuating of direct speech:
Always use opening and closing quotation marks to indicate the start and end of the direct speech portion of the sentence. These could be double (“ ”) or single (‘ ’) quotation marks, depending on the convention of the media or publication.
The location of the speech tag can change, depending on the context and the intended effect. It can either be placed before, in between, or after the direct speech.
In direct speech, every new spoken line starts with a capital letter. Also, when the speech tag is at the end of the sentence, the quoted sentence should end with a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark but not with a period.
The speech tag typically has two parts: the noun (or noun phrase) that refers to the speaker and the reporting verb (e.g., "said", "asked", "whispered") that characterizes the mode of speech. It's also possible to add adverbial modifiers to describe the manner of speech.
While the rules mentioned above can guide you in punctuating most direct speeches correctly, some exceptions or overriding rules can alter punctuation and capitalization. Here are some examples:
If the speech tag interrupts the direct speech, both parts of the speech would begin with a lowercase letter, assuming they form a single sentence.
When a character speaks consecutive sentences, start the second one with a capital letter.
Mastering direct speech or quoted speech can enhance your writing skills tremendously, helping you write compelling dialogue and effectively integrate quotes in your work. By following the guidelines set in this tutorial, you'll be well on your way to using direct speech like a pro. Happy writing!
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Reported speech, direct and indirect speech, direct speech | indirect speech tense change | time change | pronoun change reporting verbs | use of 'that'.
We often have to give information about what people say or think. In order to do this you can use direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech.
Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech)
Here what a person says appears within quotation marks ("...") and should be word for word.
For example:
She said, "Today's lesson is on presentations."
"Today's lesson is on presentations", she said.
Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech), doesn't use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn't have to be word for word.
When reporting speech the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
---|---|
"I'm going to the cinema", he said. | He said he was going to the cinema. |
As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense: (the tense on the left changes to the tense on the right):
| She said it was cold. | |
She said, "I'm teaching English online." | She said she was teaching English online. | |
She said, "I've been on the web since 1999." | She said she had been on the web since 1999. | |
She said, "I've been teaching English for seven years." | She said she had been teaching English for seven years. | |
She said, "I taught online yesterday." | She said she had taught online yesterday. | |
She said, "I was teaching earlier." | She said she had been teaching earlier. | |
She said, "The lesson had already started when he arrived." | NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already started when he arrived. | |
She said, "I'd already been teaching for five minutes." | NO CHANGE - She said she'd already been teaching for five minutes. |
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
She said, "I'll teach English online tomorrow." | She said she would teach English online tomorrow. | |
| She said she could teach English online. | |
She said, "I must have a computer to teach English online." | She said she had to have a computer to teach English online. | |
She said, "What shall we learn today?" | She asked what we should learn today. | |
She said, "May I open a new browser?" | She asked if she might open a new browser. |
!Note - There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
---|---|
"I might go to the cinema", he said. | He said he might go to the cinema. |
You can use the present tense in reported speech if you want to say that something is still true i.e. my name has always been and will always be Lynne so:-
Direct speech | Indirect speech |
---|---|
, she said. |
|
You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.
Direct speech (exact quote) | Indirect speech (not exact) |
---|---|
, she said. |
|
If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting.
For example we need to change words like here and yesterday if they have different meanings at the time and place of reporting.
Now | + 24 hours - Indirect speech |
---|---|
"Today's lesson is on presentations." | She said yesterday's lesson was on presentations. or She said yesterday's lesson would be on presentations. |
In addition if you report something that someone said in a different place to where you heard it you must change the place (here) to the place (there).
For example:-
At work | At home |
---|---|
She asked me how long I'd worked there. |
In reported speech, the pronoun often changes.
Me | |
---|---|
teach English online." | She said, " teach English online." " teach English online", she said.
teaches English online. or taught English online. |
Said, told and asked are the most common verbs used in indirect speech.
We use asked to report questions:-
For example: I asked Lynne what time the lesson started.
We use told with an object.
For example: Lynne told me she felt tired.
!Note - Here me is the object.
We usually use said without an object.
For example: Lynne said she was going to teach online.
If said is used with an object we must include to ;
For example: Lynne said to me that she'd never been to China.
!Note - We usually use told .
For example: Lynne told me (that) she'd never been to China.
There are many other verbs we can use apart from said, told and asked.
These include:-
Using them properly can make what you say much more interesting and informative.
He asked me to come to the party:-
In reported speech, the word that is often used.
For example: He told me that he lived in Greenwich.
However, that is optional.
For example: He told me he lived in Greenwich.
!Note - That is never used in questions, instead we often use if.
For example: He asked me if I would come to the party.
I'm British, so I only tend to place the comma inside quotation marks when it's part of the sentence being quoted.
"I didn't notice that the comma was inside the quotation marks," Lynne said, "but Hekner did."
That said, I read so much American literature, that even I tuck them away sometimes.
Really, no one has set in stone what the rules of the English language are. It's a diverse language, and the rules that exist have arisen through usage, and they can change in exactly the same way, so maybe it doesn't matter, but it's best to be consistent. (Thanks Hekner.)
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There are two main ways of reporting people’s words, thoughts, beliefs etc.
Direct speech
We can give the exact words that were said. This kind of reporting is called direct speech.
She said, ‘What do you want?’ Peter said, ‘It is not my fault.’ Jane said, ‘Are you coming with me?’ He said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you.’ Monica says, ‘You look beautiful.’ Mother said, ‘Stop talking.’
Indirect speech
We can report a speaker’s thoughts and words in our own words, using conjunctions and changing pronouns, tenses and other words where necessary. This kind of reporting is called indirect speech.
She asked what I wanted. Peter said that it was not his fault. Jane asked me if was going with her? He said that he didn’t want to talk to me. Monica says that I look beautiful. Mother asked her children to stop talking.
Basic rules for indirect speech
In indirect speech, words spoken by one person is reported in another place at a different time by a different person. Because of this, there are many grammatical differences between direct and indirect speech. It is not necessary to learn complicated rules about indirect speech in English, because most of the changes are natural and logical.
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13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment
Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.
Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech
Example: He said to me, “I am happy” becomes He told me that he was happy
(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)
Example: He said to me, “I was happy” changes into He told me that he had been happy
Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom” changes into The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom.
Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.
Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.
Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address
Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences
Example: He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.
Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences
Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.
Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences
Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.
These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech
Am/ Is | Was |
Are | Were |
Have/ Had/ Did | had |
Do/ Does | Did |
Will | Would |
Shall | Should |
Can | Could |
May | Might |
Must | Had to |
Was/ Were | had been |
Should | Should |
Had | Had |
Would | Would |
Could | Could |
Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.
Changes in Time and Place
This | That |
These | Those |
Here | There |
Now | Then |
Today | That Day |
Tonight | That Night |
Tomorrow | The next day/ The following day |
The Day after tomorrow | In two days |
The Day before yesterday | Two days before |
Ago | Before |
Next | The following |
Last | The previous |
Thus | So |
This Evening | That Evening |
Hence | Thence |
Cha nges in pronoun s
The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.
Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.
Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.
Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.
Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.
Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.
For an extensive material on tenses, Click here
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Direct and Indirect speech are ways of narrating the speech of someone to some other person following certain rules. This article covers its types, rules, examples and some exercises on the same.
Table of Contents
Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”
There are two types of reported speech in English grammar, they are Direct and Indirect speech. Both speech conveys the speech or statement which was told by some other person. To explain any event, action or scenario we generally convey the sentences quoted by someone in the form of direct and indirect speech. In order to clearly differentiate and make people understand easily, we have detailed the two types of reported speech with examples and exercises below.
Direct speech is the mode of expression that directly presents the words spoken or quoted by a third person. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks (“”). The quotation is used to differentiate the speech of the third person that has happened in the past. Thus direct speech conveys statements or conversations of someone in the past tense but quoted inside the quotation marks in the present or future tense.
Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person. Instead of using quotation marks, the conjunction word, ‘that’ is used. Thus speaker’s words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech. Some examples of indirect speech are:
There are certain rules and regulations followed while converting a simple direct speech into indirect speech. Certain factors such as Verbs, Tenses, Modals, time, place, and pronouns are also considered while changing. The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar.
Rule-1 : Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb
The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is also changed to past when changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech. Examples:
An exception is for cases like a universal truth, the tenses remain the same.
If the reporting verb is in present/future tense, then the tense remains the same as in direct speech.
Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Tenses
If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech. The rule in the following table is applied while changing tenses from direct speech to reported speech.
Present Simple Tense do /does V1 | Past Simple Tense did + V1 V2 |
Present Progressive Tense is/am/are + V4 | Past Progressive Tense was /were + V4 |
Present Perfect Tense has /have + V3 | Past Perfect Tense had + V3 |
Present Perfect Progressive has been /have been + V4 | Past Perfect Progressive had been + V4 |
Past Simple Tense did + V1 V2 | Past Perfect Tense had + V3 |
Past Perfect Tense had/have + V3 | Past Perfect Tense had + V3 |
Past Perfect Progressive had been/have been + V4 | Past Perfect Progressive had been + V4 |
Future Simple Tense will + V1 | would + V1 |
Future Progressive Tense will be + V4 | would be + V4 |
Future Perfect Tense will have + V3 | would have + V3 |
Future Perfect Progressive will have been + V4 | would have been + V4 |
Examples of change in Tenses
Ram said, “I do my work.” | Ram said that he did his work. |
They said, “We are going now.” | They said that they were going then. |
Sara said, ” I have done my work.” | Sara said that she had done her work. |
Rohit said, “I have been doing my work.” | Rohit said that he had been doing his work. |
Ram said, “I did my work” | Ram said that he had done his work. |
They said,”We have done our work” | They said that they had done their work. |
They said, “We have been doing our work.” | They said that they had been doing their work. |
Ram Said, ” I had been doing my work.” | Ram said that he had been doing his work. |
Sara said, “I will do my work.” | Sara said that she would do her work. |
They said, “We will be going out.” | They said that they would be going out. |
They said, “We will have done this work.” | They said that they would have done that work. |
Ram said, “I will have been doing this work” | Ram said that he would have been doing that work. |
Rule 4: Direct to Indirect speech Conversion Interrogative sentences
If a sentence starts with a question word like what, when, and why in direct speech, the question word itself acts as the joining class.
Rule 5: Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Change in Modals
Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might. While changing direct to indirect speech, the Modals change as below:
Rule 6: Direct to Indirect speech conversion – pronoun
The first person in Direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech
The second person of Direct speech changes as per the object of the indirect speech.
If the third person is mentioned in the Direct speech, it does not change in reported speech.
Rule 7: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Request, Command, Wish and Exclamation.
The imperative words in direct speech change into Infinitives in indirect speech.
Exclamation
Rule 8: Direct to indirect speech conversion – punctuations
In Direct speech, the words spoken must start with(“) and ends with(.) inside the double inverted commas. All symbols such as question marks, full stops or exclamatory marks should be placed inside the quotes.
Rule 9: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Change of time
While converting direct speech to Indirect speech, there are certain words to be noted that cannot be used as such in indirect speech. These words get modified into new words which are enlisted below:
The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:
The following are some exercises that students can practice while preparing for their revision tests or board exams.
Q.1. Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.
She said,’ I have cooked this meal.’
Answer (2) She said that she had cooked that meal.
Q.2. Choose the correct sentence.
Sanjay said, ‘What a beautiful painting it is’.
Answer (4) Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.
Q.3. The correct indirect speech for She asked, “What is the cost of these books?”
Answer (1) She enquired what was the cost of those books.
Q.4. The man said, ‘Oh God! I missed the train today.’
Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.
Q.5. Rahul said, “Can you call me back later?”
Answer (5) Rahul asked me if I could call him back later.
Q.6. Mom said to me, “May God Bless you”.
Answer (6) Mom wished that God might bless me.
Learning direct and indirect speech is crucial for several reasons:
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Q1. what are direct and indirect speech in english.
Ans. Direct speech is a speech that describes what a third person has conveyed or quoted in a direct manner. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks ("").Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person.
Ans. The conjunctions are used in Indirect speech. The speaker's words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech using conjuctions as connecting words.
Ans. Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. While converting direct to indirect speech Can becomes could, May becomes Might, Will becomes Would. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might.
Ans: Some examples of direct speech have been discussed here: 1. John said, "I will go to the store." 2. Mary asked, "Are you coming to the party?" 3. "It's a beautiful day," remarked Sarah. 4. He shouted, "Watch out for the car!"
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Important exams.
Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms
ThoughtCo / Vin Ganapathy
Direct speech is a report of the exact words used by a speaker or writer. Contrast with indirect speech . Also called direct discourse .
Direct speech is usually placed inside quotation marks and accompanied by a reporting verb , signal phrase , or quotative frame.
"While direct speech purports to give a verbatim rendition of the words that were spoken, indirect speech is more variable in claiming to represent a faithful report of the content or content and form of the words that were spoken. It is important to note, however, that the question of whether and how faithful a given speech report actually is, is of a quite different order. Both direct and indirect speech are stylistic devices for conveying messages. The former is used as if the words being used were those of another, which are therefore pivoted to a deictic center different from the speech situation of the report. Indirect speech, in contrast, has its deictic center in the report situation and is variable with respect to the extent that faithfulness to the linguistic form of what was said is being claimed." (Florian Coulmas, "Reported Speech: Some General Issues." Direct and Indirect Speech , ed. by F. Coulmas. Walter de Gruyter, 1986)
When a speaking event is reported via direct speech forms, it is possible to include many features that dramatize the way in which an utterance was produced. The quotative frame can also include verbs that indicate the speaker's manner of expression (e.g. cry, exclaim, gasp ), voice quality (e.g. mutter, scream, whisper ), and type of emotion (e.g. giggle, laugh, sob ). It can also include adverbs (e.g. angrily, brightly, cautiously, hoarsely, quickly, slowly ) and descriptions of the reported speaker's style and tone of voice, as illustrated in [5].
[5a] "I have some good news," she whispered in a mischievous way. [5b] "What is it?" he snapped immediately. [5c] "Can't you guess?" she giggled. [5d] "Oh, no! Don't tell me you're pregnant" he wailed, with a whining nasal sound in his voice.
The literary style of the examples in [5] is associated with an older tradition. In contemporary novels, there is often no indication, other than separate lines, of which character is speaking, as the direct speech forms are presented like a dramatic script, one after the other. (George Yule, Explaining English Grammar . Oxford University Press, 1998)
An interesting new way of signaling direct speech has developed among younger English speakers and is spreading from the United States to Britain. This occurs entirely in spoken conversation, rather than in writing.
- . . . Though the construction is new [in 1994] and not yet standard, its meaning is very clear. It seems to be used more often to report thoughts rather than actual speech. (James R. Hurford, Grammar: A Student's Guide . Cambridge University Press, 1994)
Even in the days of audio and video recording, there can be surprising differences in direct quotations attributed to the same source. A simple comparison of the same speech event covered in different newspapers can illustrate the problem. When his country was not invited to a meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations in 2003, the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, said the following in a televised speech, according to The New York Times :
"If our sovereignty is what we have to lose to be re-admitted into the Commonwealth," Mr. Mugabe was quoted as saying on Friday, "we will say goodbye to the Commonwealth. And perhaps the time has now come to say so." (Wines 2003)
And the following according to an Associated Press story in the Philadelphia Inquirer .
"If our sovereignty is to be real, then we will say goodbye to the Commonwealth, [sic; second quotation mark missing] Mugabe said in remarks broadcast on state television. "Perhaps the time has come to say so." (Shaw 2003)
Did Mugabe produce both versions of these comments? If he gave only one, which published version is accurate? Do the versions have different sources? Are the differences in the exact wording significant or not? (Jeanne Fahnestock, Rhetorical Style: The Uses of Language in Persuasion . Oxford University Press, 2011)
Direct and Indirect Speech
Every day, people relay messages from one person to another. Whether it is to prove a point, describe an event, or disclose an opinion, we use the freedom of speech to share information. There are generally two ways of reporting a spoken idea: direct and indirect speech. This article shall explain and compare these two types of speech. Some examples are also provided to give you a more in-depth understanding.
Both direct and indirect speech are methods to narrate the words spoken by a specific person. The difference between them lies in how they are constructed and in the purpose of using them.
In a direct speech , the actual words of the speaker are quoted explicitly. It is often used to relay something being said in the present tense. It can also be used to recall the exact words of the speaker when retelling a previous conversation. You can recognize a direct speech instantly because it has a text enclosed in a set of quotation marks. That text or idea is known as the reported speech .
As you can see, direct speech can be presented in different tenses: past, present, or future. It depends on when the actual words were spoken and when the reporter is retelling them. Also, reporting verbs (say, ask, answer, etc.) are not necessarily placed before the quoted text. You can also place them after it.
This type of speech is often used in writing novels or telling a story. This is because it gives the text a more actual and realistic effect.
Indirect speech is usually used to relay what was being said by the speaker without directly quoting the original words. In this case, the tense of the sentence is typically changed. Reporting verbs, such as say, tell, ask, and others, are used as an introduction. The words of the original speaker will not be enclosed inside the quotation marks. Instead, the word “that” is used to connect the reporting verb to the reported text.
The above sentences are actually converted from the previous examples of direct speech. Aside from eliminating the quotation marks, correct pronouns are also used. Additionally, the reporting verbs are now all found before the reported speech. The reporting verb is then followed with “that.”
Now, let us specify the rules in converting direct speech to indirect speech. Here are the steps on how to do so:
The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one.
You have to retain the tense of the reporting verb to allow consistency of reports. Instead of placing a comma to separate the reporting clause from the reported one, the word “that” is added. However, if the reported speech is a yes-no question, you use “if” instead of “that.” If the question starts with who, what, when, where, etc., no additional words are needed. Instead, you have to rearrange the sentence into a declarative form.
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, you should change the tense of the verb inside the reported speech into its past tense. This is not necessary if the reporting verb is in the present or future tense.
Of course, you have to consider the correlation between the report and the idea on the quoted text. Sometimes, a change in tense is not needed even if the reporting verb is in the past tense.
For the first example, the quoted text is still about to happen. So, you don’t need to change the tense of the sentence inside the quotation. For the second example, watching TV series is implied as a habitual action. Therefore, you still have to retain the present tense of the verb.
You should also change the pronoun based on who the speaker, doer, and receiver of the action is.
Appropriate changing of pronouns is done to avoid misunderstanding the whole text. If pronouns are not changed, it might confuse the reader or the listener as to who is saying or doing the action.
The change in pronouns gives rise to changes in the plurality of the verb used. That being said, you have to consider and follow correct subject-verb agreement at all times.
Present Simple Tense into Past Simple Tense
For example:
Present Continuous Tense into Past Continuous Tense
Present Perfect Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Simple Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Continuous Tense into Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense ( The tense remains unchanged )
Future Simple Tense (e.g. will ) into “ would “
Future Progressive Tense (e.g. will be ) into “ would be “
Future Perfect Tense (e.g. will have ) into “ would have “
Future Perfect Tense (e.g. will have been ) into “ would have been “
Can into Could
Could ( The verb remains unchanged)
Have to into Had to
Must into Must/Had to
May into Might
Might (The verb remains unchanged)
Should (The verb remains unchanged)
Literary English
Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone else has said. In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. In indirect speech, the words of the speaker are reported without using their exact words and without using quotation marks. Instead, the reported speech is often introduced by verbs such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc. Indirect speech allows us to convey what someone else said without necessarily repeating their exact words, often to provide a summary or to integrate it into a larger narrative.
Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration “example”, or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:
As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ and ‘to says’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’.
In grammar, when we want to report what someone said, without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we use indirect speech. It is also known as reported speech. Look at the following sentences:
In above sentences, the reporter delivers the message of the boy using his real words (e.g.“I am going to school.”) In the indirect speech sentence, the reporter delivers his message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.
1 st person 2 nd person 3 rd person
Subject Object No change
I, we, you he, she, it,
My, our, us, me your they and noun.
Important word changes
The above rules are mandatory for converting direct speech into indirect speech. Hence, they should be memorized thoroughly. The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules. So, focus on every sentence to know how the above-mentioned rules have been used here.
Some special words will be changed when direct speech changes into indirect speech
If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech.
Direct Speech: he says, “I live in Pakistan”.
Indirect Speech: he tells that he lives in Pakistan.
Direct Speech: you say to me, “you will go to Lahore”.
Indirect Speech: you tell me that I shall go to Lahore.
Direct Speech: I say, “she was ill”.
Indirect Speech: I tell that she was ill.
Present indefinite will be changed into past into past indefinite tense.
(First form into second form)
Present continues will be changed into past continues tense.
(is, am, are into was, were)
Present perfect will be changed into past perfect tense.
(has, had into had)
Present perfect continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.
(has been, have been into had been)
Past indefinite will be changed into past perfect tense.
(second form into had)
Past continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.
(was, were into had been)
Note : Past perfect, past perfect continues, future indefinite, future continues, future perfect, future perfect continues tense will not be changed.
Sentences that make a declaration are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect speech, use the rules as declared above except said is sometimes replaced with told . Look at the following examples:
Direct Speech: She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she is writing a letter to her brother.
Direct Speech: She says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.
Direct Speech: She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect Speech: She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.
Imperative sentences are sentences that give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the presenter. Thus, a full stop (.) or sign of exclamation (!) is used at the end of the sentence.
When we will be convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said will be changed into ordered For example:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case request the speaker gives a request command. Then said will be changed into request.
For example:
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case guide the speaker gives a piece of advice. Then said will be changed into advised .
The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case forbade the speaker stopped to do something. Then said will be changed into forbade .
The sentence, which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse, happiness etc., is called an optative sentence . This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes, ‘may’ remains hidden.
The sentence, which expresses a sudden and deep excitement, wonder, shock, or sorrow, etc., is called an exclamatory sentence . In this kind of sentence must have exclamation mark (!) at the end of the sentence or in the central of the sentence.
When we will be converted these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
In a prayer sentence said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .
In a hope sentence said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .
In a glad & happy sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with joy or exclaimed with joyfully. And exclamatory mark (!) will be removed.
In a sad or sorrow sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with sorrow or exclaimed with sorrowfully.
Which sentences, ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence has question mark (?) at the ends.
To change interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by asked .
If interrogative sentence will be started from “ Wh ” mean when, whom, what, where, who, which, why, how, whose when we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect speech inverted commas will not be replaced. Just it will be removed.
If the reported sentence will be started form helping verb, then if will be used in place of that .
After the changing sentence mark of interrogation (?) will be replaced with full stop (.).
Direct speech: He said to me, “Who are you”?
Indirect speech: He asked me who I was.
Direct speech: He said to me, “Where are you going”?
Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going.
Direct speech: Sunny said to me, “will you help me”?
Indirect speech: Sunny asked me if I would help him.
Sentences which have natural truth or universal truth in the part of reported speech are called universal sentences .
To change universal sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:
When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by
When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas with that .
Always remember that universal truth will never change so we will not be changed reported speech portion.
Direct speech: The teacher said to the boys, “The earth revolves around the sun”.
Indirect speech: The teacher told the boys that the earth revolves around the sun.
Direct speech: Saif said, “Allah is one”.
Indirect speech: Saif told that Allah is one.
Direct speech: She said to him, “Honesty is the best policy”.
Indirect speech: She told him that honesty is the best policy.
Direct speech: Sunny said to Farrukh, “The sun rises in the east”.
Indirect speech: Sunny told Farrukh that the sun rises in the east.
Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.
Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .
When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s) / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.
Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .
Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said.
Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:
That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.
So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words .
Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said correct.
But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.
View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>
With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:
The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:
However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.
Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:
There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:
Learn more about changing tenses >>
Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:
You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech.
With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.
Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:
Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>
Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.
In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.
This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.
Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.
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Mainly, there are two types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech. In this lesson, we will focus on the first type: how to use direct speech.
In direct speech (also called quotes ), we repeat the exact words someone said. We place the direct reported speech between quotation marks (also called speech marks or inverted commas ).
Usually, a direct speech uses a reporting verb in the past simple tense. The most common reporting verbs are:
Reporting verbs can appear before the actual spoken words, after them, or inside the reported sentence.
' Say ' and ' tell ' are two of the most common reporting verbs in direct speech, but 'say' is more common. When we use 'say,' we do not mention the addressee of the reported sentence, however, if we do want to mention them, we use the preposition to .
"I'll see you at the party," Mia said.
"See you later," Mia said to me. (Do not say: "See you later," Mia said me .)
However, when we use 'tell' in direct reported speech, we must mention the person being spoken to. ' Tell ' is a verb that needs a direct and indirect object . For example:
"Come over here," Liam told Elijah. (Do not say: "Come over here," Liam told .)
Also, if we want to report a question, we use 'say', not tell.
"Are you OK?" Amelia said. (Do not say: "Are you OK?" Amelia told me .)
If we want to report wishes, greetings, congratulations , etc. we use 'say,' not 'tell.'
"Happy birthday!" Benjamin said. (Do not say: "Happy birthday!" Benjamin told Oliver .)
Speech reports have two parts:
The reporting clause contains a reporting verb such as 'say', 'tell', 'ask', 'reply', etc., usually in the past simple tense, and the reported clause contains the actual words the speaker said. The reporting clause may come first or second.
Lucas said, "I have a date with Tiffany tonight."
"Give that back to me!" Noah demanded.
Sometimes, in formal or literary texts, the reporting clause comes in the middle of the reported clause.
"Was it," Ethan asked, "the last time you had seen Mr. Jackson?"
"Yes," Isabella said, "it was the last time."
using direct speech to quote someone
If we want to describe how someone said something, we can use adverbs with the reporting verb.
"I will accept it!" Julian said happily .
"May I speak to him?" she asked somewhat angrily .
In the process of telling a story, especially in novels, when the reporting clause comes second , we often invert the subject and reporting verb. For example:
"My government will invest in the Stock Market," said the queen .
"Hey! Wait for me!" cried Sawyer .
Sometimes in informal contexts, we use the present simple tense in the reporting clause. For example:
So then this guy says, "I have a gun. Give me all your money."
In very informal contexts, we can also use the present continuous tense in the reporting clause to make our statement sound dramatic. For example:
And this guy's staring at me and asking, "Didn't you hear me?"
In direct speech, a comma is usually placed between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The exact words of the speaker are placed in quotation marks , either single ('…') or double ("…"). If the reported clause comes first , the comma is placed inside the quotation marks. Pay attention to the examples:
"I cannot sing very well," George said.
Nora said, 'I don’t want to marry you.'
If the reported clause is a question or exclamation , we use a question mark or exclamation mark , instead of a comma. For example:
'Are you sure about this?' Penelope asked.
"I don't care!" Gavin shouted.
Sometimes when the reporting clause comes first , we use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause. For example:
Ivan replied: 'I don't think it's possible.'
The reported clause always begins with a capital letter , unless the reporting verb comes in the middle of the sentence.
'Why did you say that?' Hannah asked.
'I will see you there,' Skyler said, ' u nless something comes up.'
Direct speech repeats, or quotes the exact words that were spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the spoken words between quotation marks (" ") and we are not allowed to change the words or the tense of the sentence. We may be reporting something that is being said now (for example a conversation between two people in separate rooms repeated by a friend), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.
Here are some important verbs that are used to report something directly.
say/tell | ask |
demand | cry |
answer | add |
Exercises on reported speech.
If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
Type | Example |
---|---|
“I speak English.” | |
He says that he speaks English. | |
He said that he spoke English. |
→ more on statements in reported speech
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
Also note that you have to:
Type | Example | |
---|---|---|
“Why don’t you speak English?” | ||
He asked me why I didn’t speak English. | ||
“Do you speak English?” | ||
He asked me whether / if I spoke English. |
→ more on questions in reported speech
Type | Example |
---|---|
Carol, speak English. | |
He told Carol to speak English. |
→ more on requests in reported speech
Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:
→ more on additional information and exeptions in reported speech
Requests in reported speech.
We often convey a message or give information about what someone said, thought or felt to somebody else. In order to do this you can use the grammar structure named direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech. Indeed this structure can be a source of confusion for ESL learners because they mix it with active and passive voice . Read the whole article to know about direct and indirect speech rules.
To learn more about direct and indirect speech click here.
Initially we will look at direct and indirect speech, then look at how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.
Direct Speech / Quoted Speech Saying or quoting exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech) Here what a person says appears within quotation marks (“…”) a nd should be word for word.
Indirect Speech / Reported Speech Saying or reporting what someone said without quoting his exact words is called indirect speech. Here we don’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and does not have to be word for word.
Reporting Verb The verb in the first part of sentence (i.e. say, said, tell, admit, complain, explain remind, reply think, hope, offer, refuse etc.) before the statement of a person in sentence is called reporting verb.
How to Change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech?
If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting, and adverb of nearness should be put into those of distance.
Note: If something is said and reported at the same time, then the time expression can remain the same.
A) If the reporting verb is in present or future (i.e say, says or will say) then don’t change the tense that you can find within the quotation marks.
B) If reporting verb is in the past tense. the tense of the verbs in the reported speech or indirect speech must be generally changed. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.
Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense. Present Simple › Past simple
Present continuous › Past continuous
Present perfect › Past perfect
Present perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous
Past simple › Past perfect
Past perfect › Past perfect
Past perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous
Modal verb forms also sometimes change: Will › would
Can › could
Must › had to
May › might
Note – There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.
If indirect speech the words within quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action or when a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true then the tense inside the quotation marks is not changed at all.
You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.
We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence.
Note: Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing consider the examples below:
(If we only make mechanical changes, then the new sentence can have different meaning)
Rule 9. Reported Speech of Interrogative Sentences 1. Remove the quotation marks and question mark in the interrogative sentence. 2. Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ if the sentence inside the quotation marks begins with a helping verb (Auxiliary verb). 3. Use the given interrogative word (what, when, where, why, who, whom, whose, which, now etc.) if it does not begin with the helping verb. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Changing the reporting verb (say, said) into ‘ask, want to know wonder or inquire’ in its correct tense. 6. Omit helping verb like ‘do, does, did’. But don’t omit them when they are with ‘not’.
In yes/no questions we use if or whether in questions. If is more common and whether is more formal.
1. Remove the quotation mark in an Imperative sentence. 2. Use ‘to’ if it is an affirmative sentence. (without don‘t) 3. Use ‘not to’ if the sentence begins without Don‘t. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Omit the word ‘please’. Use the word ‘request’ instead of ‘say’. 6. If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. in its correct tense. 7. The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object + infinitive (advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc.).
Negative: + object + not + infinitive.
Rule 12. Reported Speech of Advice If it contains advice the reporting verb changes into advised.
1. Change the exclamatory sentence into statement or assertive 2. Remove the quotation marks and exclamatory mark. 3. Use the conjunction ‘that’ 4. Omit the interjections such as Oh, O, Alas, how, what, hurrah. 5. Add the word ‘very’ to the adjective or adverb if necessary. 6. If the verb is not given, use ‘Be’ form verb (is, was, are, were, am) in its correct tense according to the subject. 7. Change the reporting verb (say, said) to ‘exclaim joyfully’ 8. Use ‘exclaim’ sorrowfully for sorrowful incidents.
In reported speech, the word that is often used, however it is optional. We recommend you no to use it because in some cases we don’t use ‘That’ in reported speech like: question, command request and order, so its better not to use it.
In direct speech, various punctuation conventions are used to separate the quoted words from the rest of the text: this allows a reader to follow what’s going on. Here are the basic rules: A) We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (“) are preferred in American English, while single quotes (‘) are more common in British English:
B) Every time a new speakers says something, you should start a new paragraph:
C) There should be a comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of a piece of speech. This is placed inside the closing inverted comma or commas.
D) If the direct speech is broken up by information about who is speaking, you need a comma (or a question mark or exclamation mark) to end the first piece of speech and a full stop or another comma before the second piece (before the inverted comma or commas):
Conclusion: I hope that the points that I have mentioned above about direct and indirect speech may prove beneficial for people learning English. All you need to do is to understand the crucial rules of direct and indirect speech, and don’t mix it with passive and active voice.
Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers
If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.
Subject verb agreement rules, comparative and superlative adverbs rules, what is a capstone project in grad school, 20 comments.
hello! I’m Abdullah and I want to ask a question related to indirect and direct speech.what would be the indirect sentence of this this speech: “I fell fed up” says trevor
Hello dear Abdullah. When the reporting verb (He says)is in simple present tense, then we don’t go one tense back,so the statement won’t be changed in this case and remains the same in reported speech.
Helo ,,pls let me know about one thing…if there is no object in reporting speech and “you” is used in reporting speech ,,in which pronoun v have to change “you”,,???
Tashakkur, bisyar malumati bud 🙂
You are welcome dear Raza.
This article is beneficial…thnkxx
You are welcome.
Very helpful thank you soooo muchhhh
I want a clarification for the following sentence. “Would you post this letter when you go out?”she said. She asked if I would post that letter when I go out . OR She asked if I would post that letter when I went out.
Change the narration. 1.’I must leave at once’ I said,’because i must not be late’ 2 .Tariq said the police could not prove that the man had been murdered .
very helpful understanding direct and indirect speech thank you very soooooo muuuuccccchhhh
You are welcome Mr. Moueez
Thank you . It’s really helpful
Welcome dear.
Useful article thank you.
Hope it is useful and informative.
Tomorrow is my English exam and this page is very helpful
Thank you Rahema. We always try to help people enhance their skills in four models: Listening, Speaking, Reading and writing.
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About these 15 worksheets.
This series of worksheets is an invaluable resource for teachers and homeschooling parents looking to enhance their students’ understanding of reported speech. These worksheets are thoughtfully designed to be both engaging and educational, providing students with a comprehensive approach to mastering the differences between direct and indirect speech. The collection, available in easy-to-access PDF format, offers a variety of activities that cater to different learning styles, making it an excellent tool for reinforcing this essential grammar concept in a fun and interactive way.
One of the standout features of this collection is its clear and simple explanations that guide students through the nuances of direct and indirect speech. For example, one worksheet starts by introducing the basics of direct speech, where the exact words of a speaker are quoted, and indirect speech, where those words are paraphrased without quotation marks. This foundational knowledge is then applied through exercises that ask students to identify whether a sentence uses direct or indirect speech, providing immediate practice that solidifies their understanding.
The collection also includes worksheets that focus on the practical application of these concepts. In one activity, students are asked to convert direct speech into indirect speech. For instance, a sentence like “Let’s go swimming,” George suggested, would be rewritten as “George suggested that they go swimming.” This exercise not only reinforces the rules of changing pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions but also encourages students to think critically about how to convey the same meaning without using the speaker’s exact words.
Another engaging activity in this collection involves dialogue rewriting. Students are presented with a short conversation and are tasked with transforming it from direct speech into indirect speech. This type of exercise helps students understand the flow of dialogue and how to maintain the original message while adapting it into a different grammatical structure. It also fosters creativity as students must carefully consider how to rephrase each line while preserving its intent.
The worksheets also include true or false questions that challenge students to test their knowledge of the rules governing direct and indirect speech. These questions cover essential points, such as whether direct speech requires quotation marks and whether indirect speech can change the tense of the original statement. This activity is particularly effective for reinforcing the theoretical aspects of the topic, ensuring that students grasp the underlying rules before moving on to more complex tasks.
In addition to these activities, the collection features worksheets that focus on punctuation, an often overlooked but crucial aspect of direct speech. Students are given sentences and asked to determine whether they are punctuated correctly. This exercise sharpens their attention to detail and reinforces the importance of proper punctuation in conveying clear and accurate speech. By mastering these skills, students gain confidence in their writing and communication abilities.
The visual appeal of these worksheets also deserves mention. Each worksheet is accompanied by engaging illustrations that make the learning process more enjoyable for younger students. For instance, a worksheet might feature a cartoon character speaking a line of dialogue, which students must then convert into indirect speech. These visuals not only make the exercises more fun but also help visual learners better understand and remember the concepts being taught.
The worksheets include exercises that encourage students to think about the context in which direct and indirect speech is used. For example, students might be asked to rewrite a statement from a formal speech into indirect speech, considering the tone and formality required. This helps students understand how the context can influence the choice between direct and indirect speech, making them more versatile communicators.
This worksheet collection provides students with a thorough understanding of reported speech. By combining clear explanations with practical exercises, the worksheets help students grasp the rules of direct and indirect speech, apply them in various contexts, and develop strong communication skills. The variety of activities ensures that students remain engaged and challenged, making the learning process both effective and enjoyable. Whether used in the classroom or at home, these worksheets are an excellent resource for any teacher or parent looking to enhance their students’ grammar skills.
Direct and indirect speech are two ways of conveying what someone has said, with distinct differences and some similarities. Direct speech involves quoting the exact words of the speaker, typically enclosed in quotation marks, and it maintains the original tense, pronouns, and punctuation used by the speaker. For example, “I am going to the store,” she said. In contrast, indirect speech involves paraphrasing the speaker’s words without using quotation marks, often resulting in changes to pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions to fit the context of the report. For instance, the previous example in indirect speech would be, “She said that she was going to the store.” Both forms of speech aim to convey the original message, but while direct speech preserves the speaker’s exact words, indirect speech focuses on the meaning and adjusts the language to fit the narrative context. Despite these differences, both forms are used to communicate what someone has said, making them essential tools for reporting speech in various contexts.
English lessons and resources
7th January 2019 by Andrew
In the above picture, Mark is talking to Jane. The words inside the blue box are the exact words that he speaks.
Here is how we express this:
This is direct speech. Direct speech is when we report the exact words that somebody says.
In this English lesson, you will learn:
The reporting clause of direct speech is the short clause that indicates who is talking. It is the clause that is outside of the inverted commas. It is therefore not the words being spoken.
We can write the reporting clause either before or after the direct speech. If the reporting clause is before the direct speech, we write it as follows:
Grammar rules – If the reporting clause is before the direct speech:
We write a comma (,) before the direct speech. We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a full stop (.) before the closing inverted commas.
If the reporting clause is before a question or exclamation:
We write a comma (,) before the direct speech. We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas. or We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas.
If the reporting clause is after the direct speech:
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a comma (,) before the closing inverted commas. We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.
If the reporting clause is after a question or exclamation:
We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a question mark (?) before the closing inverted commas. or We write an exclamation mark (!) before the closing inverted commas. We write a full stop (.) at the end of the reporting clause.
Sometimes we break up the direct speech into 2 parts:
The second part of the direct speech starts with a small letter if it is the same sentence as the first part of the direct speech.
The second part of the direct speech starts with a capital letter if it is a new sentence.
We have several names for the above punctuation marks:
Inverted commas Speech marks Quotation marks Quotes
Here are some other useful reporting verbs:
reply (replied) ask (asked) shout (shouted) agree (agreed) comment (commented) admit (admitted)
They are often used for writing direct speech in books, newspapers and reports. It is more common to use them in reporting clauses after the direct speech.
“I really don’t like her dress,” she commented . “I don’t love you anymore,” he admitted .
Private online English lessons How to pass the IELTS with a band 8 Adverbs of frequency Indefinite article “a” and “an” The prepositions FOR and SINCE All of our lessons
Matěj Formánek says
3rd November 2019 at 5:54 pm
How about this sentence: I know the satnav is wrong!” exclaimed Zena. – Why the subject and predicate are swapped? It’s sentence from textbook so I’m confused.
17th June 2020 at 4:07 pm
Can we write multiple sentences in direct speech that comes before reporting clause? In case if this is allowed, what punctuation mark should be used after the last sentence?
Example: “I entered the class room. As I did not find anybody there, I left the class room and went to buy a coffee.” explained the student to the teacher for his delay to come to the class.
Should the punctuation mark after the word coffee be comma instead of full stop?
Joaquim Barretto says
14th September 2020 at 1:25 pm
No full stop, but comma after the word coffee.
19th January 2021 at 2:34 pm
HI IM DAISY
courtney says
27th January 2021 at 12:07 pm
Clare Hatcher says
12th March 2021 at 9:55 am
Hello I like the layout of this – very clear. Just wondering if it is correct to use a comma in between two separate sentences in direct speech. I think that now in published material you find this instead. ‘I’m tired,’ she said. ‘Let’s stay at home.’ Would appreciate your thoughts Thanks
27th March 2021 at 8:54 am
If I wrote something with a comma at the end to continue speech like this:
“Hello,” he waved to the new student, “what’s you’re name?”
Do I have to use a capital letter even if I’m continuing with a comma or is it lowercase?
Sylvia Edouard says
30th September 2023 at 9:17 am
Yes, you need to use a capital letter as speech from someone has to start with a capital letter. Always.
15th April 2022 at 12:12 pm
which of the following is correct?
1. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document?”
2. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document,”? (comma inside)
3. Should the status go missing when the metadata states, “Sign & return document.”? (full stop inside)
Jan Švanda says
7th September 2023 at 1:31 pm
I presume the quotation is there to specify the exact phrase (for the metadata entry). I also encounter this from time to time, when writing technical documentation. I believe in that case you should write the phrase as it is, proper grammar be damned; beautifully looking documentation is useless if it leads to incorrect results.
In this case, I don’t even think this is “direct speech”, the metadata entry isn’t walking around and saying things, the quotation mark is there to indicate precise phrase – similar to marking strings in programming languages. Because of this, I don’t think direct speech rules apply, or at least, they should take back seat. If the expected status includes full stop at the end, the sentence would be:
4. Should the status go missing when the metadata states “Sign & return document.”? (no comma before, since it is not a direct speech; full stop inside, as it is part of the quoted status)
From grammatical perspective the end looks a bit ugly, but again, if this should be technical documentation, that is less important than precision.
A person says
15th August 2022 at 7:16 pm
One extra thing: YOU MUST NOT USE THE WORD SAID IN A REPORTING CLAUSE. EVER. IT’S UNIMAGINATIVE.
no joke, it’s actually discouraged and even close to banned at my school
7th September 2023 at 1:49 pm
This is stupid. You shouldn’t use it in _every_ sentence, there should be variety, but outright banning it doesn’t make sense.
Case in point:
Book: ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Phrase to search: ‘,” said’ (comma, followed by quotation mark, followed by space, followed by word ‘said’). Number of occurrences: 211. Total number of ‘,”‘ (comma, followed by quotation mark) strings is 436, so “said” is used in almost 50% cases of direct speech of this type.
I don’t think it would be right for your school to ban Jane Austin, do you?
blaire says
30th March 2024 at 5:36 pm
How do you use names in direct speech?
Is it: “I really don’t like her dress,” Ashley said. or “I really don’t like her dress,” said Ashley.
I’ve seen both and I’m so confused which one is correct, please help me.
Andrew says
3rd April 2024 at 11:31 am
Hello and thanks for your comment and question.
After the direct speech, both are correct.
Before the direct speech, only the first one is correct:
Ashley said, “I really don’t like her dress.” (correct) Said Ashley, “I really don’t like her dress.” (wrong)
I hope that helps you. Andrew https://www.youtube.com/@CrownAcademyEnglish/
What is reported speech, changing direct speech to reported speech, changing the tense (backshifting), no change of tenses, questions in reported speech, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes to time and place markers.
Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below:
Often, we have to change the tense, pronouns and time markers in reported speech.
Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.
“I’ve prepared a presentation about the product, if you’re interested?” “I would love to see it. … This product is exactly what my company has been looking for! Is there any room to negotiate on price?” “I’m happy to hear that. Unfortunately, pricing is fixed.” “That’s a shame, but I appreciate your transparency. Could you send me a written offer?” “Yes, I will contact you tomorrow to finalise the details.” |
I had an appointment with a new client yesterday. I told him that and he said . |
When turning direct speech into reported speech, we may have to change all or some of the following:
If the reporting verb is in the simple past (e.g. said, told, asked, replied … ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table below). This is known as backshifting .
Direct Speech | Reported Speech | |
---|---|---|
simple present | → | simple past |
present progressive | → | past progressive |
simple past | → | past perfect simple |
present perfect simple | ||
past perfect simple | ||
past progressive | → | past perfect progressive |
present perfect progressive | ||
past perfect progressive | ||
future with going to | → | was / were going to |
future with will | → | conditional (would) |
would |
The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.
If the reporting verb is in the simple present (e.g. says, tells, asks, replies … ), then the tense remains unchanged.
While the tense remains unchanged, we often still have to change the verb form to match the new pronouns.
We often omit the word that after a reporting verb, especially in spoken language and informal contexts.
When turning questions into reported speech, we follow the same rules as for declarative sentences: we change the pronouns as well as the time and place markers and backshift the tense as needed.
In addition, we also have to bear in mind the following:
Questions in reported speech do not end in a question mark.
When turning orders, demands and requests into reported speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information.
We don’t have to pay attention to the tense – we simply use an infinitive rather than a conjugated verb.
If the imperative is negated, then we use not + infinitive .
To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive .
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
---|---|
today | that day |
now | then at that moment/time |
yesterday | the day before |
… days ago | … days before |
last week | the week before |
next year | the following year |
tomorrow | the next day the following day |
here | there |
this | that |
these | those |
The words say and tell are not interchangeable.
Head over to the vocabulary section to learn more about the difference between say and tell .
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.
Reported speech: direct speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
In English grammar, the term 'speech' refers to the process of communicating or expressing one's thoughts.It is an exchange of ideas or even a conversation. There are two ways in which you can report speech - direct speech and indirect speech.Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect ...
Punctuation in direct speech. We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (") are preferred in American English, while single quotes (') are more common in British English: "I'm coming home late tonight," she said. (American English)
Direct speech refers to the exact wording of someone's comments or speech as it was spoken. In written text, direct speech usually appears in quotation marks or inverted commas to denote that the words were spoken or written by another person. The actual text of direct speech punctuated with a speech tag, which identifies the speaker and might ...
In English grammar, there are generally two ways of reporting a spoken text: direct and indirect.Direct speech differs in composition compared to indirect speech.This article will discuss the definition, rules, and examples of direct speech that will help you understand how it is used in writing.
Definition of Direct Speech. Speech is direct when it is written as it was said and punctuated correctly with inverted commas around the exact original words and is usually accompanied by a reporting clause ('he said', 'they said', 'said Julie'). In fictional narratives, direct speech is used to show dialogue between characters as ...
Reporting Verbs . Said, told and asked are the most common verbs used in indirect speech.. We use asked to report questions:-. For example: I asked Lynne what time the lesson started.. We use told with an object.. For example: Lynne told me she felt tired.!Note - Here me is the object.. We usually use said without an object.. For example: Lynne said she was going to teach online.
In indirect speech, words spoken by one person is reported in another place at a different time by a different person. Because of this, there are many grammatical differences between direct and indirect speech. It is not necessary to learn complicated rules about indirect speech in English, because most of the changes are natural and logical.
Direct speech is a type of speech that involves the exact words spoken by a person or character. It is also known as quoted speech or speech marks. Direct speech is used to convey a message or conversation directly from the speaker to the listener. For example, "I am going to the market," said John.
Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech. Example: He said to me, "I am happy" becomes He told me that he was happy. (The verb in the direct speech 'am' is converted into 'was'.) Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in ...
The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar. Rule-1: Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion - Reporting Verb. The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is ...
ThoughtCo / Vin Ganapathy. By. Richard Nordquist. Updated on September 02, 2021. Direct speech is a report of the exact words used by a speaker or writer. Contrast with indirect speech. Also called direct discourse. Direct speech is usually placed inside quotation marks and accompanied by a reporting verb, signal phrase, or quotative frame.
Here are the steps on how to do so: 1. Eliminate the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one. 2. Retain the tense of the reporting verb and add the word "that" after it.
Direct speech: Aslam said, "Do not beat him". Indirect speech: Aslam ordered to not beat him. The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said will be changed into ordered For example: Direct Speech: The father said to me, "Sit down.".
So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words. Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say (s)/said ...
Direct Speech: Punctuation. In direct speech, a comma is usually placed between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The exact words of the speaker are placed in quotation marks, either single ('…') or double ("…"). If the reported clause comes first, the comma is placed inside the quotation marks. Pay attention to the examples:
Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request. Statements. When transforming statements, check whether you have to change: ... Mixed Exercises on Reported Speech. Exercise 1; Exercise 2; Grammar in ...
Use 'not to' if the sentence begins without Don't.4. Don't use 'that'5. Omit the word 'please'. Use the word 'request' instead of 'say'.6. If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. in its correct tense. 7.
What Is Direct and Indirect Speech? Direct and indirect speech are two ways of conveying what someone has said, with distinct differences and some similarities. Direct speech involves quoting the exact words of the speaker, typically enclosed in quotation marks, and it maintains the original tense, pronouns, and punctuation used by the speaker.
Grammar rules - If the reporting clause is before the direct speech: We write a comma (,) before the direct speech. We write the exact words inside the inverted commas. The first letter is a capital letter. We write a full stop (.) before the closing inverted commas.
Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below: He says/said …. She explains/explained …. She tells/told me …. He asks/asked …. Often, we have to change the tense ...