Direct Speech

The exact words that someone says are called direct speech. Quotation marks “ ”

are used to set off direct speech.

Mom said, “Where are my keys?” “This ice cream is delicious,” said Tom.

“Have you boys washed your hands?” asked Dad.

“Please get out of the car,” the police officer ordered. “What a beautiful dress!”

said Sally.

Indirect Speech:You can report what someone says without using their exact words. To dothis, use a verb like say, ask or tell, followed by that. This is called indirect speech.

There are several differences between a sentence with direct speechand a sentence with indirect speech.

1.- You don’t use quotation marks with indirect speech.2.- You change the tense of the verb.3.- You change the pronouns and determiners.

Remember: that the past tense of can is could and the past tense of will is would.

DIRECT SPEECH

Maggie said, “I feel il”.

Sumiko said, “It’s time to leave”.

“I can’t find my book”, said Alice.

“Jhon is hitting me “, said Peter.

Dad said “I haven’t had my breakfast yet”.

INDIRECT SPEECH

Maggie saild that she felt ill.

Sumiko said that it was time to leave.

Alice said that she couln’t find her book.

Peter said that Jhon was hitting him.

Dad said that he hadn’t had his breakfast yet.

When you are using indirect speech to report a

statement that is still true now, you don’t change the

tense of the verb.

Direct speech

John said, “my mom doesn’t like fish”

“I live in a house by the sea”, said Anna.

Dad said, “Paris is a beautiful city”.

Indirect speech

John said that his mom doesn’t like fish.

Anna said that she lives in a house by the sea.

Dad said Paris is a beautiful city.

Use verbs like order, tell and warm to report orders and instructions.

The constructions: To + verb or not to+ verb may also be used.

Direct speech

The teacher said, “stop running in the corridor”

“put your books away, children,” said Mr. Park.

Miss Lee said to Alan, “don’t be late again tomorrow”.

Indirect speech

The teacher ordered us to stop running in the corridor.

Mr. Park told the children to put their books away.

Miss Leed warned Alan not to be late again the next day.

Indirect questions:

To report a question, put the subject before the verb or helping verb.

Remember that the subject comes after the helping verb when you ask a

question. Here are some examples. The subjects are printed in bold and the

verbs are printed in color.

Asking a question:

“Where are they going?”

“Can Jack ride his bike?”

“Did Miss Lee sing a song?”

“Has she finished her homework?”

Reporting a question:

I asked where they were going.

I asked if Jack could ride his bike.

I asked whether Miss Lee sang a song.

I asked is she had finished her homework.

To report a question-word question, use the same question word in direct speech.

Direct speech:

Mom said, “where are your shoes?”

Maggie said, “who has taken my pen?”

What time does the show start?” asked Sue.

Indirect speech:

Mom asked where my shoes

were.

Maggie asked who had taken

her pen.

Sue asked what time the show

started.