DIRECT / INDIRECT SPEECH

 Reported speech / indirect speech refers to using noun clause to report what someone has said. No
quotation marks are used.
 Notice the changes of sentence forms from direct speech to reported speech / indirect speech,
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. Statement 1. (+) “that” + statement
2. Questions 2.
a. Yes/No Question a. (+) “if” / “whether” + statement
b. WH Question b. “WH” word + statement
3. Imperative 3.
a. Command (V1) a. (+) “to” V1
b. Prohibition (Don’t) b. “not to” V1

 The changes of the tense forms from direct speech to reported speech / indirect speech in the
following (especially for direct speech in the form of statement)
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. Present tenses 1. Past tenses
2. Past tenses 2. Past perfect tenses
3. Past perfect tenses 3. Past perfect tenses (NO CHANGE)

 The following is example of changing direct speech into indirect speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
a. She said, “I watch TV.” a. She said that she watched TV.
b. She said, “I am watching TV.” b. She said that she was watching TV.
c. She said, “I have watched TV.” c. She said that she had watched TV.
d. She said, “I have been watching TV.” d. She said that she had been watching TV.
e. She said, “I watched TV.” e. She said that she had watched TV.
f. She said, “I was watching TV.” f. She said that she had been watching TV.
g. She said, “I had watched TV.” g. She said that she had watched TV.
h. She said, “I had been watching TV.” h. She said that she had been watching TV.
i. She said, “I will watch TV.” i. She said that she would watch TV.
j. She said, “I am going to watch TV.” j. She said that she was going to watch TV.
k. She said, “I can watch TV.” k. She said that she could watch TV.
l. She said, “I must watch TV.” l. She said that she had to watch TV.
m. She said, “I have to watch TV.” m. She said that she had to watch TV.
n. She said, “Watch TV!” n. She said to me to watch TV.
o. She said, “Don’t watch TV.” o. She said not to watch TV.
p. She asked, “Do you watch TV?” p. She asked if I watched TV.
q. She asked, “What did you watch TV?” q. She asked what I had watched TV.

 When the reporting verb is in the form of simple present / present perfect / future, the indirect form
is not changed
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
She says, “I watch TV every day.” She says that she watches TV every day.
She has said, “I watch TV every day.” She has said that she watches TV every day.
She will say, “I watch TV every day.” She will say that she watches TV every day

 Also, the indirect form is not changed either if the information deals with a general truth.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
She said, “The world is round.” She said that the world is round.

 The change of adverbs in direct speech into indirect speech is as following,

Direct Speech Indirect Speech Direct Speech Indirect Speech
a. Yesterday a. The previous day/ e. Now e. Then
the day before f. Today f. That day
b. Last…. b. The previous…/ g. This g. That
the…before h. These h. Those
c. Tomorrow c. The following i. Here i. There
day/the day after
d. Next…. d. The following… /
the… after
 REVIEW OF DIRECT – INDIRECT SPEECH

A. Change the direct speech into indirect speech.

1. Sidney asked me, “Are you hungry?
Sidney asked me………………………………………………………………….
2. “I want a sandwich,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer said………………………………………………………………………
3. Susan said, “I don’t want to go.”
Susan said…………………………………………………………………………
4. Sam asked, “Where is Amanda?”
Sam asked………………………………………………………………………...
5. “Don’t be late,” said Mike.
Mike told me……………………………………………………………………..
6. Barbara said, “Let’s go shopping.”
Barbara asked me…………………………………………………………………
7. “Why is the sky blue?” my young daughter often asks.
My young daughter often asks me………………………………………………..
8. “The sun sets in the west,” said Mr. Clark.
Mr. Mark explained to his students………………………………………………

B. Change the indirect speech into direct ones.

1. My roommate came into the room and asked me why I wasn’t in class.
My roommate asked me, “……………………………………………………..?”
2. He asked me what I intended to do after I graduated from there.
He asked me, “…………………………………………………………………?”
3. Elsa thinks that sentences with noun clauses are a little complicated.
Elsa thinks, “…………………………………………………………………….”
4. Joe said he would go to the library to study.
Joe said, “………………………………………………………………………..”
5. Professor William asked the students to submit the final project the following day.
Professor William asked the students, “…………………………………………”
6. Sally wanted to know if there was something she could do to help.
Sally asked, “………………………………………………………………….?”
7. The security officer warned us not to park our car on that place.
The security officer warned us, “………………………………………………..”

C. All the following sentences contain errors. Rewrite them into good sentences.
1. I said to my neighbor that I am waiting for a telephone call from my mother.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Many people will ask you where is Japan located.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
3. My mother told me what it was the purpose of our visit.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. After the accident, I opened my eyes slowly and realized that I am still alive.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. I explained to my close friend the reason why I decide to come there.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
 KEYS OF REVIEW OF DIRECT – INDIRECT SPEECH

A. Change the direct speech into indirect speech.

1. Sidney asked me, “Are you hungry?
Sidney asked me IF I WAS HUNGRY
2. “I want a sandwich,” Jennifer said.
Jennifer said THAT SHE WANTED A SANDWICH
3. Susan said, “I don’t want to go.”
Susan said THAT SHE DIDN’T WANT TO GO
4. Sam asked, “Where is Amanda?”
Sam asked WHERE AMANDA WAS
5. “Don’t be late,” said Mike.
Mike told me NOT TO BE LATE
6. Barbara said, “Let’s go shopping.”
Barbara asked me TO LET US GO SHOPPING
7. “Why is the sky blue?” my young daughter often asks.
My young daughter often asks me WHY THE SKY IS BLUE
8. “The sun sets in the west,” said Mr. Clark.
Mr. Mark explained to his students THAT THE SUN SETS IN THE WEST

B. Change the indirect speech into direct ones.

1. My roommate came into the room and asked me why I wasn’t in class.
My roommate asked me, “WHY AREN’T YOU IN CLASS?”
2. He asked me what I intended to do after I graduated from there.
He asked me, “WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO AFTER YOU GRADUATE FROM
HERE?”
3. Elsa thinks that sentences with noun clauses are a little complicated.
Elsa thinks, “SENTENCES WITH NOUN CLAUSE ARE A LITTLE
COMPLICATED”
4. Joe said he would go to the library to study.
Joe said, “I WILL GO TO THE LIBRARY TO STUDY”
5. Professor William asked the students to submit the final project the following day.
Professor William asked the students, “SUBMIT THE FINAL PROJECT
TOMORROW”
6. Sally wanted to know if there was something she could do to help.
Sally asked, “IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP?”
7. The security officer warned us not to park our car on that place.
The security officer warned us, “DON’T PARK YOUR CAR ON THIS PLACE”

C. All the following sentences contain errors. Rewrite them into good sentences.
1. I said to my neighbor that I am waiting for a telephone call from my mother.
I SAID TO MY NEIGHBOR THAT I WAS WAITING FOR A TELEPHONE CALL
FROM MY MOTHER.
2. Many people will ask you where is Japan located.
MANY PEOPLE WILL ASK YOU WHERE JAPAN IS LOCATED.
3. My mother told me what it was the purpose of our visit.
MY MOTHER TOLD ME WHAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR VISIT WAS.
4. After the accident, I opened my eyes slowly and realized that I am still alive.
AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I OPENED MY EYES SLOWLY AND REALIZED THAT
I WAS STILL ALIVE.
5. I explained to my close friend the reason why I decide to come there.
I EXPLAINED TO MY CLOSE FRIEND WHY I DECIDED TO COME THERE.