Direct and indirect speech

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What is direct speech?

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Direct speech is when the exact words spoken by a person are quoted, usually enclosed in quotation marks. For example: She said, "I am happy."

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What is indirect speech?

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Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is when the words spoken by a person are reported without quoting them directly. For example: She said that she was happy.

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How do you change present tense to past tense in indirect speech?

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When converting from direct to indirect speech, present tense verbs typically change to past tense. For example: He says, "I am going" becomes He said that he was going.

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What is the rule for changing pronouns in indirect speech?

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Pronouns in indirect speech often change to match the perspective of the speaker. For example: She said, "I will help you" becomes She said that she would help me.

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How do you convert a question in direct speech to indirect speech?

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To convert a question from direct to indirect speech, use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions, and change the word order. For example: He asked, "Are you coming?" becomes He asked if I was coming.

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What is the significance of changing time expressions in indirect speech?

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Time expressions often change to reflect the time of reporting. For example: 'today' changes to 'that day', 'tomorrow' changes to 'the next day'.

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What is an example of a command in direct speech?

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An example of a command in direct speech is: He said, "Close the door!"

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How do you report a command in indirect speech?

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To report a command in indirect speech, use 'to' + base form of the verb. For example: He said, "Please sit down" becomes He asked me to sit down.

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What is the correct indirect speech for 'I will go to the store'?

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The correct indirect speech is: He said that he would go to the store.

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What is the correct direct speech for 'She asked if they could eat'?

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The correct direct speech is: She asked, "Can we eat?"