DIRECT TO INDIRECT SPEECH

In this section, We are going to see How the conversion of Direct to Indirect Speech and Indirect to Direct Speech is done?

We may report the words of a speaker in two ways.

1. Direct Speech

We may quote the actual words of the speaker. This method is called Direct Speech.

2. Indirect Speech

We may report what he said without quoting his exact words. This method is called Indirect Speech or Reported Speech.

Example:

• Direct: Clinton said, “I am very busy now.”
• Indirect: Clinton said that he was very busy then.

• Direct : He said, “ my mother is writing letter.”
• Indirect: He said that his mother was writing letter.

How to change Direct to Indirect Speech?

It will be noticed that in Direct Speech, we use inverted commas to mark off the exact words of the speaker. In Indirect Speech we do not use the inverted commas.

It will be further noticed that in changing the above Direct Speech into Indirect speech, certain changes have been made.

Thus:

i. We have used the conjunction ‘that’ before the Indirect Statement.

ii. The pronoun “I” is changed to “HE”. (The Pronoun is changed in Person)

iii. The verb “am” is changed to “was”.

iv. The adverb “now” is changed to “then”.

Rules for changing Direct into Indirect Speech:

A. When the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense, all the Present Tenses in the Direct Speech are changed into Past Tense.

a. A simple present tense becomes simple past tense.

Example:

• Direct : He said, “I am unwell.”
• Indirect: He said that he was unwell.

b. A present continuous tense becomes a past continuous.

Example:

• Direct : He said, “ my mother is writing letter.”
• Indirect: He said that his mother was writing letter.

c. A present perfect becomes a past perfect:

Are you clear about the conversion of Direct to Indirect Speech?

Example:

• Direct: He said, “I have passed the examination.”
• Indirect: he said that he had passed the examination.

d. As a rule the simple past tense in the Direct Speech becomes the past perfect tense in Indirect Speech.

Example:

• Direct: He said, “His horse died in the night.”
• Indirect: he said that his horse had died in the night.

NOTE:

The shall of the future is changed into should.
The will of the future is changed into would.
The can and may of the future are changed into could and might respectively.

Are you clear about the conversion of Direct to Indirect Speech?