Reported Speech
REPORTING FROM DIRECT TO THE INDIRECT
When repeating a person’s
speech exactly, use direct or (quoted) speech. Note the punctuation,
capitalization, and use of quotation marks (“…”). Note that we remove all the
quotation marks (“...”), commas (,), question mark (?), and exclamatory mark (!),
while reporting direct speech to the indirect---all the sentences end in just
a period or full stop(.). You can follow some of these ways while reporting
direct to indirect.
- Do not use quotation marks
- Change the verb to a past form (if possible)
- Change the pronouns and the adverbs (of time and place) to show that it is reported, not quoted, speech
- Use an appropriate introductory clause verb or reporting verb (say, tell, answer, ask, etc.)
- Use an appropriate connector (if/whether, what, why, that, when, how, where, etc.)
Let’s look at these examples
to get it clear;
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
1. “I want to attend a US
university,” John said John said that he wanted to attend a US
university.
2. “I am looking for a program
in computer,” John said. John said that he was looking
for a program in computer.
3. “I couldn’t come yesterday
as I was sick,” Bibhu said. Bibhu said that she couldn’t come
the day before as she was sick.
Special Note
Adverb, Pronoun, Tense and
Modal Verb Changes
Pronouns and adverbs of time
and place must also be changed when you report direct speech. Here are some of
the most common changes.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Adverbs Changes
- Ago ----------------------------------- before
- yet -----------------------------------------by that time
- today /tonight--------------------that day/that night
- tomorrow --------------------- the following day, the next day, a day after
- yesterday------------- the day before, the previous day
- last week/month/year, etc. -----------the previous week/month/year, etc.
- this week/month/year, etc.-------that week/year/month, etc.
- next week /month/year, etc. --------- the following week/month/year, etc.
- now --------- ------------------------then
- this-------------------------------------that
- these --------------------------------those
- hence ---------------------------------thence
- thus -----------------------------------so
- the day after tomorrow----------in two days’ time
- tomorrow morning/evening/afternoon, etc.------ next morning/evening/afternoon
2. Pronouns Changes
- I/my --------------------------he/she his/her
- you ------------------------I/he/she/they
- me --------------------------- him/her
- they/their -------------------they/their
- we/our ---------------------they/their(s)/(our)
- your(s )--------------------his/her/their(s)/mine
- his/her ---------------------his/her
- Us---------------------------them
3.Tense Changes
- present simple -----------------past simple
- present simple progressive-------------past progressive
- present perfect ----------------------past perfect
- past simple -------------------------past perfect
- past simple progressive-----------past perfect progressive
- past perfect-----------------------no change ( past perfect)
4. Modal verbs
Can/may/shall/will/must/need//ought
to -------could/might/should/would/must
(had to)
Other verbs: v1/v2/v3----------------------------------v2/had
+ v3/had +v3 (no change)
However, we hardly change the
tense used in sentences expressing habits, natural truths, and universal truths
and if the reporting verb is in a present or future tense, as: “The sun rises
in the east” he said →He said that the sun rises in the east.
Care must be taken while
changing different types of direct speech into indirect. For example, in Yes-no
questions we connect the reporting clause and the reported clause with words
like if or whether, whereas in Wh-questions we use the same Wh-word or the whole clause itself after the reporting
clause or verb like: ask, asked, wanted to know, wants to know, enquired of, etc.
Let’s look at the following examples to get it even clearer.
“Do you have tour passport
with you?” the receptionist asked John.→ She asked John if he had his passport
with him
“Where should I pay for my
visa?” John asked the receptionist→. John asked the receptionist where he should
pay for his visa.
“How much does the visa cost?”
John asked. → John asked how much the visa cost.
Reporting Imperatives
You can report imperatives in
two ways: one with the infinitive and
the other with noun clause + modal verb.
Let’s look at the following examples.
“Complete this assignment for
homework,” the teacher told the students. →The teacher told the students to complete the assignment for homework.
Or
→The teacher told the students
that they should complete the assignment
for homework.
Now try the following
imperatives on your own
- “Be quiet!”
- “Clean up your room!”
- “Don’t forget my birthday!”
- “Get me the newspaper!”
- “Get in line!”
- Don’t turn away while I’m talking you!”
Note that the reporting verbs like ask,
request, inform, notify, advise, tell, urge, wish, etc take an indirect object after them, as;
“Please help me!” says the
poor girl. → The poor girl asked/requested me to help her.
“The class is cancelled,” said the
receptionist. →The receptionist notified
us that the class was cancelled.
“Can you swim across the river
in this winter?” Mimi asked → Mimi asked him/her if s/he could swim across the
river.
Reporting Phrases and Exclamations
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
“Hello!” She
greeted me.
“What’s a nice day!” She exclaimed that it was a
nice day.
“No” He refused.
“Yes” She
accepted/agreed.
“Sure” She agreed
(hesitantly/enthusiastically, etc.)
“I’d love to go with you!” She
accepted my proposal/invitation.
“Thank you!” He
thanked me.
If the direct speech is a
request or suggestion, the reported speech must express that with would or should, be, etc. For example:
“Why don’t you take me to a
nice restaurant?” she asked me. → She asked me if I would take her to a nice
restaurant.
“I want order in this
courtroom” the judge said. → The judge
insisted that there be order in the courtroom.
“You have to help your
teacher,” the principal said → The principal told me that I should help my
teacher.
The Real-Time, not the Verb Form
If a simple present or present
progressive verb form is used to express future time, report the speech using would. For example:
“The train arrives at 6:00 PM tomorrow,” the man said .→The
man said that the train would arrive at 6: PM the next day.
“Rohit is getting married next
month,” Raju said→ Raju said that Rohit would be getting married the following
month.
Compare the following sentences which have the same meaning but different forms and uses.
It is important for her to
take science classes. (Informal, conversational--for example, parents talking
to each other about their daughter.)
It is important that she take
science classes. (More formal, written form--for example, the principal talking
to the parents about their daughter.)
Look at more examples: Do not
use third person singular or to-infinitive in this kind of construction.
It is important that she go an Ivy League school.
It is important that she not
go an Ivy League college.
It is important that she not
give up her own career.
………important that ……… …………urgent that………
……..crucial that………… …………vital
that………
……….desirable that……… ………best that …………
…………imperative that……. ……..recommended that……
………..necessary that…………. …..advised that………
Do not change the tense of the subjunctive verb (verb expressing uncertainty, wishes, desires, etc.) in the indirect speech, as;
“It is best that my wife have
her own career,” Bhandari said. →Bhandari said it was best that his wife have her own career.
If the pronoun after the "go" of direct speech changes into the first person in indirect, go of
direct speech changes into "come" in the indirect, as;
Subina said to me, “She will go to you next week” → Subina told me
that she would come to me the
following week.
Use the simple form of a verb
(the infinitive without to) after
these verbs of request. Also, pay special attention to the form of the third
person singular (he, she, and it) Weak form of requesting verbs: suggested, advised, proposed, asked, Strong
form of requesting verbs: requested,
desired, urged, insisted, demanded, commanded, etc.
Look at this, how we avoid
personal questions:
How old are you? ------“How
old I am” REPLY----- is none of your business/is confidential/not an issue/is
not your problem.
