Direct and Reported Speech

Direct and Reported Speech

Direct Speech

You use direct speech to communicate exactly what another person has said. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. 

Structure

Subject + Verb + " + Direct speech + "

Examples:

• She says, "What time will you be home?"

• She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "

• "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.

• John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."

Indirect Speech

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. 

In this form of speech, the quotation marks are not necessary, and the message doesn't have to be literal. 

Structure

Subject + Reported Verb + that + clause

Examples:

• She said that she had seen him.

• She told him that she was happy.

• He said that Helena is a famous artist.

Examples

• Direct speech: “We’re quite cold in here.”

• Indirect speech: They say (that) they’re cold.

HOW TO CONVERT?

Keeping the present tense in reported speech can give the impression of immediacy, that it's being reported soon after the direct quote,such as:

Direct speech: Bill said, "I can't come in today, because I'm sick."

Indirect speech: Bill said (that) he can't come in today because he's sick.

Present Simple

• Direct Speech: "I like ice cream."

• Indirect Speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

Present Continuous

• Direct Speech: "I bought a car."

• Indirect Speech: She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a car.

Past Simple

• Direct Speech:

• Indirect Speech:

Past Continuous

• Direct Speech: "I was walking along the street."

• Indirect Speech: She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

Present Perfect

• Direct Speech: "I haven't seen Julie."

• Indirect Speech: She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

Past Perfect

• Direct Speech: "I had taken English lessons before."

• Indirect Speech: She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.