REPORTED SPEECH
Kind of sentences:
1. Assertive Sentences or Simple Sentences.
2. Exclamatory Sentences.
3. Imperative Sentences.
4. Interrogative Sentences.
Change from Direct to Indirect Speech
General Rules: -
1. Pronouns change accordingly. V1-drive, V2-drove, V3- driven
2. Tenses will change to the next level.
a. Present tense --- Simple Past tense
(is, are, am) --- (was, were) V1 --- V2 past perf-no change
past perf continuous-no change
b. Past tense --- Past Perfect V2 --- (had+V3)
c. Present continuous --- Past Continuous
(is, are, am+V1+ing) ---(was, were+V1+ing)
d. Present Perfect --- Past Perfect
Have/has + V3 --- (Had+V3)
Past Continuous --- Past Perfect Continuous
(was, were+V1+ing) ---had been+V1+ing
e. Present Perfect Continuous---Past Perfect Continuous
(has/have+been+V1+ing) --- had been+V1+ing
3. Change of time and place:
a. This—That come - go
may-might
b. These—Those must-had to
c. Here—There
d. Now—Then
e. Today/tonight—That day /Night
f. Yesterday—The previous day
g. Ago—Before
h. Shall—Should
i. Can—Could
j. Will—Would
k. Tomorrow—The next/following day
4. If the reporting verb is in the present tense- ‘says’ then the tense of the
indirect speech will not change.
5. General truths, facts, idioms, and proverbs will remain in the same tense.
6. Inverted commas, exclamation marks and question marks are removed in the
reported speech.
ASSERTIVE/SIMPLE SENTENCES
Specific rules
1. The word ‘that’ is introduced before the dialogue is reported.
2. The reporting verb ‘said’ remains as said and says remains as says.
Examples-
a. The man said, “My master is painting a picture
now.”
a. The man said that his master was painting a picture then.
b. The teacher said, “The Earth goes around the sun.”
b. The teacher said that the earth goes around the sun.
c. He said, “I have passed the test today”.
c. He said that he had passed the test that day.
d. He says, “I know their address.”
d. He says that he knows their address.
e. Ravi said, “You all were finishing your work.”
e. Ravi said that they all had been finishing their work.
EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES
Specific rules
1. The word ‘that’ is introduced before the dialogue is reported.
2. Exclamatory marks and exclamatory words are removed.
3. The reporting verb ‘said’ changes to ‘exclaimed’ (with, delight, anger,
sorrow etc).
Examples
a. The team said, “Hurray! We have won the match.”
a. The team exclaimed with delight that they had won the match.
b. The girl said, “This bag is awful!”
b. The girl exclaimed that, that bag was awful.
c. He said, “Bravo! I am selected.”
d. He exclaimed with delight that he was selected.
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
Specific rules
1. ‘That’ is not introduced before the dialogue is reported.
2. The words ‘to’ or ‘not to’ are introduced before the dialogue is reported.
REPORTING WORD= ‘Said’ changes to requested, commanded,
advised, suggested.
EXAMPLES:
1. The teacher said, “Don’t make noise.”
1. The teacher advised us not to make noise.
2. The gardener shouted, “Go away.”
2. The gardener commanded us to go away.
3. Grandmother said, “Please give me a glass of water.”
3. Grandmother requested me to give her a glass of water.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES (QUESTIONS)
Type 1—Questions beginning with W: -
helping verbs; am , is, are, was, words, been, bing, be,
What have, has, had, does, do, did, will, would, should, may,
might, can, could.
Why
When
Where
Which
What
Who & How
Specific Rules
1. The word ‘that’ is NOT introduced before the dialogue is reported.
2. The reporting verb ‘said’ changes to ‘questioned’, ‘asked’, ‘inquired
of”, etc.
3. In reported speech, helping verb will not proceed after the questioning
word.
EXAMPLES
1. He said, ‘Where are you going?’
1. He asked me where I was going.
2. He said, ‘What was the problem?’
2. He asked me what the problem had been.
3. The principal said, “How will the children come today?
3.The principal asked how the children would come that day.
Type 2 --- (YES/NO ANSWER QUESTIONS)
Questions beginning with helping verbs.
Examples helping verbs – are, is, do, will, am, can, did, shall…
Specific Rules
1. The word that is not introduced before the dialogue is reported.
2. The word if/whether is introduced before the dialogue is reported.
3. The reporting verb “said” changes to ‘asked’, ‘questioned’, or
inquired of.
Examples
1. The teacher said, “Are you free now?”
1. The teacher inquired 0f me if I was free then.
2. My friend said, “Will you come to my party tonight?”
2. My friend asked me if I would come to his party that night.
3. Mom said, “Did you do this?”
3. Mom asked me if I had done that.
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