direct speech define grammar

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

“I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
“It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
“Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
“I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
“We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

Sarah said that she was going to the store.
John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
Mom told me to turn off the lights.
Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

What is Direct Speech? - Learn the Meaning, Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

In English grammar , the term ‘speech’ refers to the process of communicating or expressing one’s thoughts. It is an exchange of ideas or even a conversation. There are two ways in which you can report speech – direct speech and indirect speech . Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect speech is the way in which you convey what someone said to another person, not necessarily using the exact words of the speaker.

In this article, you will learn the meaning and definition of direct speech. Also, go through the rules to be followed when using the direct speech and the examples given to understand how to use them accurately.

Definition of direct speech.

Rules to Be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Tips to Practise Direct Speech

Examples of direct speech, test your understanding of direct speech, frequently asked questions on direct speech in english, what is direct speech.

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is a way in which you can report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone about something that is to happen at a later point of time. Let us now take a look at how various dictionaries define direct speech to further understand what it is.

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “a speaker’s actual words.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “when you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words they used.” The Collins Dictionary defines direct speech as “speech which is reported by using the exact words that the speaker used” and according to the Macmillan Dictionary, direct speech is defined as “the exact words that someone has said.”

Rules to be Followed When Using Direct Speech

Like every other grammar topic, there are rules to be followed when using direct speech. Let us look at each one of them to know how direct speech can be used accurately and effectively.

The first point that you have to remember is that direct speech is the repetition of the exact words of the speaker and so you do not have a choice to add or remove words to and from what is said.
For the same reason, these words spoken by the speaker have to be enclosed within quotation marks or speech marks.
When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below.

Name of the speaker says/said, “Exact words of the speaker.”

You can also use words like replied, asked, screamed, etc. to state what the speaker said according to the emotion in which it is being spoken.
Immediately after one of the above-mentioned verbs , add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.
Also, make sure you close the quotation marks after the punctuation mark (full stop/question mark/exclamation mark).
Finally, keep in mind that you cannot change the words, or paraphrase what has been said by the speaker when you are using direct speech.

You can become an expert in using direct speech if you practise well. Here are some ways you can do it.

Try reading short stories and converting it into a dialogue. Change the lines of every character into direct speech.
Write a story on your own. Use direct speech to convey all the dialogues.
Narrate or write about an incident or a day in your life using direct speech.

Now that you know the rules to be followed, take a look at the following examples to have a better idea of how it is done.

Devi said, “I am teaching French for first year and second year college students.”
Freeda asked her brother, “Can you pick me up on your way home?”
“My friends are finally coming home this weekend”, said Sheena.
The students replied, “We are ready!”
Gayatri siad, “My father has been working as a doctor for ten years. “
“What are you going to do with the broken mirror?”, asked Mridula.
Carol said, “I have planned to wear a grey dress for the prom.”
The teacher says, “You have to make your submissions before 8 a.m. on Monday.”
The little boy said excitedly, “That was wonderful!”
Maduri said, sitting on the sofa, “I am really happy I finally took time to come see you.”

Rearrange the following sentences to form direct speech and punctuate them appropriately.

1. vishal / my / is / in / brother / participating / race / said / the / running

2. asked / i / devi / like / maths / problems / solving / free time/ your / in / do / you

3. friends / said / wearing / we / my / are / red / for / dresses / wedding / the / reception

4. responded / teacher / nobody / when / have / completed / the / you / project / many / of / how / asked / the

5. reach / says / tonight / bangalore / he / will / i

6. guest / the / danced / children / the / chief / said / beautifully

7. mom / Finn’s / they / all / said / singing / favourite / are / songs / his

8. Bellas / susan / are / the / said / live / performing / world / the / acapella / at / raiser / curtain

9. love / father / said / i / my / you

10. sing / asked / you / with / maria / her / me / will

Now, if you finished rearranging the sentences, check if you have done it correctly from the answers given below.

1. Vishal said, “My brother is participating in the running race.”

2. I asked Devi, “Do you like solving maths problems in your freetime?”

3. My friends said, “We are wearing red dresses for the wedding reception.”

4. Nobody responded when the teacher asked, “How many of you have completed the project?”

5. He says, “I will reach Bangalore tonight.”

6. The chief guest said, “The children danced beautifully.”

7. Finn’s mom said, “They are singing all his favourite songs.”

8. “The Bellas are performing live at the World Acapella Curtain Raiser”, said Susan.

9. My father said, “I love you.”

10. Maria asked, “Will you sing with me?”

What is direct speech?

Direct speech is a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed. In other words, it is the way in which you report the exact words of the speaker. Direct speech can be used to convey something that is being said in the present or to tell someone at a later point of time.

What is the definition of direct speech?

What is the formula of direct speech.

When using direct speech, you can follow the formula given below. Name of the speaker says/said, “Exact words of the speaker.”

How do you punctuate the sentence when using direct speech?

Immediately after the phrase mentioning who said the particular sentence, add a comma followed by open quotation marks, the words of the speaker (capitalise the first letter of the first word) followed by a period, question mark or exclamation mark and the close quotation marks.

Give some examples of direct speech.

Here are a few examples of direct speech that you can refer to.

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Direct Speech Definition and Examples

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

ThoughtCo / Vin Ganapathy

An Introduction to Punctuation
Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

Direct speech is a report of the exact words used by a speaker or writer. Contrast with indirect speech . Also called direct discourse .

Direct speech is usually placed inside quotation marks and accompanied by a reporting verb , signal phrase , or quotative frame.

Examples and Observations

I went in search of the good beer. Along the way, I caught an intriguing snippet of conversation in the sunroom: “ So if I win at that table, I’ll go on to the World Series, ” said the mom I know as some kind of government contractor. “ World Series? ” you ask. “ Of Poker, ” she replied. “ I went last year. ” Whoa. (Petula Dvorak, "White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner Has Nothing on Suburban Fete." The Washington Post , May 3, 2012)
" How old are you? " the man asked. "The little boy, at the eternal question, looked at the man suspiciously for a minute and then said, " Twenty-six. Eight hunnerd and forty eighty. " His mother lifted her head from the book. " Four ," she said, smiling fondly at the little boy. " Is that so? " the man said politely to the little boy. " Twenty-six. " He nodded his head at the mother across the aisle. " Is that your mother? " The little boy leaned forward to look and then said, " Yes, that's her. " " What's your name? " the man asked. The little boy looked suspicious again. " Mr. Jesus, " he said. (Shirley Jackson, "The Witch." The Lottery and Other Stories . Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1949)

Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

"While direct speech purports to give a verbatim rendition of the words that were spoken, indirect speech is more variable in claiming to represent a faithful report of the content or content and form of the words that were spoken. It is important to note, however, that the question of whether and how faithful a given speech report actually is, is of a quite different order. Both direct and indirect speech are stylistic devices for conveying messages. The former is used as if the words being used were those of another, which are therefore pivoted to a deictic center different from the speech situation of the report. Indirect speech, in contrast, has its deictic center in the report situation and is variable with respect to the extent that faithfulness to the linguistic form of what was said is being claimed." (Florian Coulmas, "Reported Speech: Some General Issues." Direct and Indirect Speech , ed. by F. Coulmas. Walter de Gruyter, 1986)

Direct Speech as Drama

When a speaking event is reported via direct speech forms, it is possible to include many features that dramatize the way in which an utterance was produced. The quotative frame can also include verbs that indicate the speaker's manner of expression (e.g. cry, exclaim, gasp ), voice quality (e.g. mutter, scream, whisper ), and type of emotion (e.g. giggle, laugh, sob ). It can also include adverbs (e.g. angrily, brightly, cautiously, hoarsely, quickly, slowly ) and descriptions of the reported speaker's style and tone of voice, as illustrated in [5].

[5a] "I have some good news," she whispered in a mischievous way. [5b] "What is it?" he snapped immediately. [5c] "Can't you guess?" she giggled. [5d] "Oh, no! Don't tell me you're pregnant" he wailed, with a whining nasal sound in his voice.

The literary style of the examples in [5] is associated with an older tradition. In contemporary novels, there is often no indication, other than separate lines, of which character is speaking, as the direct speech forms are presented like a dramatic script, one after the other. (George Yule, Explaining English Grammar . Oxford University Press, 1998)

Like : Signaling Direct Speech in Conversation

An interesting new way of signaling direct speech has developed among younger English speakers and is spreading from the United States to Britain. This occurs entirely in spoken conversation, rather than in writing.

- . . . Though the construction is new [in 1994] and not yet standard, its meaning is very clear. It seems to be used more often to report thoughts rather than actual speech. (James R. Hurford, Grammar: A Student's Guide . Cambridge University Press, 1994)

Differences in Reported Speech

Even in the days of audio and video recording, there can be surprising differences in direct quotations attributed to the same source. A simple comparison of the same speech event covered in different newspapers can illustrate the problem. When his country was not invited to a meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations in 2003, the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, said the following in a televised speech, according to The New York Times :

"If our sovereignty is what we have to lose to be re-admitted into the Commonwealth," Mr. Mugabe was quoted as saying on Friday, "we will say goodbye to the Commonwealth. And perhaps the time has now come to say so." (Wines 2003)

And the following according to an Associated Press story in the Philadelphia Inquirer .

"If our sovereignty is to be real, then we will say goodbye to the Commonwealth, [sic; second quotation mark missing] Mugabe said in remarks broadcast on state television. "Perhaps the time has come to say so." (Shaw 2003)

Did Mugabe produce both versions of these comments? If he gave only one, which published version is accurate? Do the versions have different sources? Are the differences in the exact wording significant or not? (Jeanne Fahnestock, Rhetorical Style: The Uses of Language in Persuasion . Oxford University Press, 2011)

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How to Use Indirect Quotations in Writing for Complete Clarity
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Direct Speech or Quoted Speech

Introduction to direct speech or quoted speech.

Direct Speech, also known as Quoted Speech, is a common grammatical construction used in both written and spoken language. This tutorial serves as a comprehensive guide to mastering this important literary device. Let's start by understanding what direct speech is.

Table of Contents

Understanding Direct Speech

Direct speech refers to the exact wording of someone's comments or speech as it was spoken. In written text, direct speech usually appears in quotation marks or inverted commas to denote that the words were spoken or written by another person. The actual text of direct speech punctuated with a speech tag, which identifies the speaker and might provide additional context.

John said, "I love playing football."

In this example, "I love playing football," is the direct speech, and "John said," is the speech tag.

Formatting Direct Speech

Following are some standard rules regarding the formatting and punctuating of direct speech:

Rule 1: Opening and Closing Quotation Marks

Always use opening and closing quotation marks to indicate the start and end of the direct speech portion of the sentence. These could be double (“ ”) or single (‘ ’) quotation marks, depending on the convention of the media or publication.

"I am going home," said Maria.

Rule 2: Speech Tag Placement

The location of the speech tag can change, depending on the context and the intended effect. It can either be placed before, in between, or after the direct speech.

She said, "I am tired."
"I am," he said, "very hungry."
"Let's go to the park," suggested Tim.

Rule 3: Capitalization and Punctuation

In direct speech, every new spoken line starts with a capital letter. Also, when the speech tag is at the end of the sentence, the quoted sentence should end with a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark but not with a period.

John said, "Please pass the salt."
"Where are we going?" asked Mary.
"What a beautiful view!" exclaimed Susan.

Understanding the Speech Tag

The speech tag typically has two parts: the noun (or noun phrase) that refers to the speaker and the reporting verb (e.g., "said", "asked", "whispered") that characterizes the mode of speech. It's also possible to add adverbial modifiers to describe the manner of speech.

"I can't wait to play the game," Tom said excitedly.

Overriding Rules in Direct Speech

While the rules mentioned above can guide you in punctuating most direct speeches correctly, some exceptions or overriding rules can alter punctuation and capitalization. Here are some examples:

Rule 1: Interrupted Speech

If the speech tag interrupts the direct speech, both parts of the speech would begin with a lowercase letter, assuming they form a single sentence.

"I can't," she whispered, "stand to see him upset."

Rule 2: Consecutive Sentences

When a character speaks consecutive sentences, start the second one with a capital letter.

"Please leave," she said. "I need to be alone."

Concluding Remarks

Mastering direct speech or quoted speech can enhance your writing skills tremendously, helping you write compelling dialogue and effectively integrate quotes in your work. By following the guidelines set in this tutorial, you'll be well on your way to using direct speech like a pro. Happy writing!

Practice Exercises:

Rewrite the following sentences with appropriate use of quoted speech:
Sam said that he was too tired to study.
Jane thought that it was a splendid idea.
He didn't know where she was going.
Use direct speech to write a conversation between two characters about their weekend plans.

Some nouns have same singular and plural forms or have plural ending (-s) - List

Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.

Definition of Direct Speech

Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .

When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s) / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.

Examples of Direct Speech:

He said, "Don't take the car without asking me".
John says, "I will help you with your work".
"We are prepared to revise the law if we can", they said.
The teacher said, "You must wear the proper uniform".

Definition of Indirect Speech

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .

Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said.

Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:

say(s)/said (that)
told me (that)

That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.

Examples of Indirect Speech:

He said (that) he would definitely buy it.
Sheila told me (that) I had to come back in the afternoon.
The council said (that) they will try and clear the rubbish.
She told me (that) she was feeling unwell.

So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words .

Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said correct.

But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.

View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>

Direct and Indirect Speech Conversion

With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:

Changes in Tense
Changes in Person and Pronouns
Changes in Time Phrases

Changing Tenses

The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:

"I am feeling tired" (= Direct Speech )
Present Continuous
She said she is feeling tired (= Indirect Speech )

However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.

Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:

Direct Speech

"I want to meet you later".
"You have to come back in the afternoon"
"We like it a lot"
"I have been mowing the lawn"

Indirect Speech

He said he wanted to meet me later.
Sheila told me I had to come back in the afternoon.
They said they liked it a lot.
He said he had been mowing the lawn.

There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:

Learn more about changing tenses >>

Changing Pronouns

Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:

" I want to meet you later".
" You have to come back in the afternoon"
" We like it a lot"
" I have been walking with my wife"
He said he had been walking with his wife.

Changing Time Phrases

You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech.

With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.

She said, "I saw her yesterday ".
He said, "He will bring the book tomorrow ".
She said, "I'm going to London today ".
He said, "We need your assistance now ".
She said that she had seen her the day before .
He said that he would bring the book the next day .
She said she was going to London that day .
He said they needed my assistance then .

Imperatives

Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:

Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech

Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.

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The difference between direct and indirect speech

Direct speech is when we report what someone says by repeating the exact words. In writing, we use inverted commas:

David: I have to talk to you about something. (original statement) " I have to talk to you about something ," said David. (direct speech)

Michelle: I'll call them tomorrow. (original statement) Michelle said, " I'll call them tomorrow ." (direct speech)

Indirect speech (also called reported speech) is when we give the same meaning of what someone says without repeating the exact words. In this case, we do not use inverted commas and certain changes may be necessary:

David: I have to talk to you about something. (original statement) David said he had to talk to me about something. (indirect speech)

Michelle: I'll call them tomorrow . (original statement) Michelle promised she would call them the next day. (indirect speech)

We also use indirect speech when we report inner thoughts:

I had no idea where my keys were. (Where are my keys?) She knew that the lock had been changed. (The lock has been changed.)

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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

The comma ( , )after the reporting verb is removed and the conjunction that is added in the indirect speech.
If the direct speech contains ‘said to’ , it will be converted into ‘told’ in the indirect speech.
The quotation marks (Inverted commas) are to be removed in the indirect speech.
I becomes He/ She
We becomes they
You becomes He / She/ They
Me becomes Him/ he r (Depending on the gender in the direct speech)
My becomes His/ Her .
Our becomes their
Us becomes them
Your becomes His/ her/ their .

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech

Example: He said to me, “I am happy” becomes He told me that he was happy

(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)

Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: He said to me, “I was happy” changes into He told me that he had been happy

Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech.

Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom” changes into The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom.

Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.

Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change of tense in indirect speech.

Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.

Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

Rule 6: While converting interrogative sentences, the verb ‘said to’ becomes ‘asked’ and if/ whether will come in the place of ‘that’. The connecting word ‘that’ will not be used in indirect speech. Also, the interrogation mark (?) is not repeated in the indirect speech.

Example: He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

Rule 7: During the conversion of imperative sentences, the verb “said to” is changed into ordered, advised, requested, suggested, proposed, etc. depending on the situation. Also, the connecting word ‘that’ is not used. Instead of that, ‘ to’ is used before the reporting verb.

Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

Rule 8: For exclamatory sentences, the verb is converted into: exclaimed with joy or sorrow or with surprise, wished, prayed, applauded,/ etc. The exclamatory words and the exclamation are not mentioned anymore in the indirect speech. For example,

Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech


Am/ Is	Was
Are	Were
Have/ Had/ Did	had
Do/ Does	Did
Will	Would
Shall	Should
Can	Could
May	Might
Must	Had to
Was/ Were	had been
Should	Should
Had	Had
Would	Would
Could	Could

Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.

Changes in Time and Place


This	That
These	Those
Here	There
Now	Then
Today	That Day
Tonight	That Night
Tomorrow	The next day/ The following day
The Day after tomorrow	In two days
The Day before yesterday	Two days before
Ago	Before
Next	The following
Last	The previous
Thus	So
This Evening	That Evening
Hence	Thence

Cha nges in pronoun s

The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.

Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb.

Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.

Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.

Rule 2: The second person in reported speech changes based on the object of the reporting verb.

Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.

Rule 3 : The third person in the reported speech remains unchanged.

Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

Reader Interactions

Direct Speech

In a direct speech , the actual words of the speaker are quoted explicitly. It is often used to relay something being said in the present tense. It can also be used to recall the exact words of the speaker when retelling a previous conversation. You can recognize a direct speech instantly because it has a text enclosed in a set of quotation marks. That text or idea is known as the reported speech .

He says, “I want to adopt a dog.”
Julia asks, “What do you want to have for dinner?”
Penny answers, “I would like to have some soup.”
“I have a new job,” Kyle says to us.
“I will be working as a virtual assistant,” he added.

As you can see, direct speech can be presented in different tenses: past, present, or future. It depends on when the actual words were spoken and when the reporter is retelling them. Also, reporting verbs (say, ask, answer, etc.) are not necessarily placed before the quoted text. You can also place them after it.

This type of speech is often used in writing novels or telling a story. This is because it gives the text a more actual and realistic effect.

Indirect Speech

Indirect speech is usually used to relay what was being said by the speaker without directly quoting the original words. In this case, the tense of the sentence is typically changed. Reporting verbs, such as say, tell, ask, and others, are used as an introduction. The words of the original speaker will not be enclosed inside the quotation marks. Instead, the word “that” is used to connect the reporting verb to the reported text.

He says that he wants to adopt a dog.
Julia asks Penny what she wants for dinner.
Penny answers that she would like to have some soup.
Kyle told us that he got a new job.
He added that he will be working as a virtual assistant.

The above sentences are actually converted from the previous examples of direct speech. Aside from eliminating the quotation marks, correct pronouns are also used. Additionally, the reporting verbs are now all found before the reported speech. The reporting verb is then followed with “that.”

Converting Direct to Indirect Speech

Now, let us specify the rules in converting direct speech to indirect speech. Here are the steps on how to do so:

1. Eliminate the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text.

The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one.

2. Retain the tense of the reporting verb and add the word “that” after it.

You have to retain the tense of the reporting verb to allow consistency of reports. Instead of placing a comma to separate the reporting clause from the reported one, the word “that” is added. However, if the reported speech is a yes-no question, you use “if” instead of “that.” If the question starts with who, what, when, where, etc., no additional words are needed. Instead, you have to rearrange the sentence into a declarative form.

Direct Speech: She says, “I want to go to Paris.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she wants to go to Paris.
Direct Speech: She asks, “Do you want to go to Paris?”
Indirect Speech: She asks me if I want to go to Paris.
Direct Speech: “Ms. Thompson, where are you going?” I asked.
Indirect Speech: I asked Ms. Thompson where she was going .

3. Change the tense of the verb in the reported speech, if needed.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, you should change the tense of the verb inside the reported speech into its past tense. This is not necessary if the reporting verb is in the present or future tense.

Direct Speech: He said , “I am watching a new TV series.”
Indirect Speech: He said that he was watching a new TV series.
Direct Speech: He says , “I am watching a new TV series.”
Indirect Speech: He says that he is watching a new TV series.

Of course, you have to consider the correlation between the report and the idea on the quoted text. Sometimes, a change in tense is not needed even if the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Direct Speech: He said, “I will be watching a new TV series.”
Indirect Speech: He said that he will be watching a new TV series.
Direct Speech: He said, “I watch TV series every night.”
Indirect Speech: He said that he watches TV series every night.

For the first example, the quoted text is still about to happen. So, you don’t need to change the tense of the sentence inside the quotation. For the second example, watching TV series is implied as a habitual action. Therefore, you still have to retain the present tense of the verb.

4. Change the pronouns accordingly.

You should also change the pronoun based on who the speaker, doer, and receiver of the action is.

Direct Speech: Wendy says, “Ron, y ou should take care of yourself .”
Indirect Speech: Wendy told Ron that he should take care of himself .

Appropriate changing of pronouns is done to avoid misunderstanding the whole text. If pronouns are not changed, it might confuse the reader or the listener as to who is saying or doing the action.

The change in pronouns gives rise to changes in the plurality of the verb used. That being said, you have to consider and follow correct subject-verb agreement at all times.

Tense Changes in Indirect Speech

Verb Tenses Changes

Present Simple Tense into Past Simple Tense

For example:

Direct speech: She always wears a coat.
Reported speech: He said (that) she always wore a coat.

Present Continuous Tense into Past Continuous Tense

Direct speech: I ‘m looking for my keys.
Reported speech: She said that she was looking for her keys.

Present Perfect Tense into Past Perfect Tense

Direct speech: She has written three letters for her friend.
Reported speech: He said she had written three letters for her friend.

Past Simple Tense into Past Perfect Tense

Direct speech: My friend gave me a bar of chocolate.
Reported speech: He said that his friend had given him a bar of chocolate.

Past Continuous Tense into Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Direct speech: We were living in London.
Reported speech: They said that they had been living in London.

Past Perfect Tense ( The tense remains unchanged )

Direct speech: The bread had gone stale.
Reported speech: She said the bread had gone stale.

Future Simple Tense (e.g. will ) into “ would “

Direct speech: I will finish my report in two days.
Reported speech: He said that he would finish his report in two days.

Future Progressive Tense (e.g. will be ) into “ would be “

Direct speech: I will be making tea.
Reported speech: He said (that) he would be making tea.

Future Perfect Tense (e.g. will have ) into “ would have “

Direct speech: I will have called a doctor.
Reported speech: He said (that) she would have called a doctor.

Future Perfect Tense (e.g. will have been ) into “ would have been “

Direct speech: All the money will have been spent.
Reported speech: He said (that) all the money would have been spent.

Other Verb Form Changes in Reported Speech

Can into Could

Direct speech: I can speak English.
Reported speech: She said she could speak English.

Could ( The verb remains unchanged)

Direct speech: He could play in the match.
Reported speech: They said he could play in the match.

Have to into Had to

Direct speech: I have to submit this assignment by 3 pm tomorrow.
Reported speech: She said she had to submit this assignment by 3 pm tomorrow.

Must into Must/Had to

Direct speech: I must go to the bank and get some money.
Reported speech: She said she must / had to go to the bank and get some money.

May into Might

Direct speech: I may invite them to dinner.
Reported speech: She said that she might invite them to the dinner.

Might (The verb remains unchanged)

Direct speech: He might get a flight tomorrow.
Reported speech: She said he might get a flight the next day.

Should (The verb remains unchanged)

Direct speech: I should start a job.
Reported speech: She said that she should start a job.

Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules

We often convey a message or give information about what someone said, thought or felt to somebody else. In order to do this you can use the grammar structure named direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech. Indeed this structure can be a source of confusion for ESL learners because they mix it with active and passive voice . Read the whole article to know about direct and indirect speech rules.

To learn more about direct and indirect speech click here.

Initially we will look at direct and indirect speech, then look at how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

Direct Speech / Quoted Speech Saying or quoting exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech) Here what a person says appears within quotation marks (“…”) a nd should be word for word.

She said, “Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.” or
“Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.”, she said.

Indirect Speech / Reported Speech Saying or reporting what someone said without quoting his exact words is called indirect speech. Here we don’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and does not have to be word for word.

He said that yesterday’s lesson was about direct and indirect speech.

Reporting Verb The verb in the first part of sentence (i.e. say, said, tell, admit, complain, explain remind, reply think, hope, offer, refuse etc.) before the statement of a person in sentence is called reporting verb.

How to Change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech?

Rule 1. (Adverbs of Time and Place)

If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting, and adverb of nearness should be put into those of distance.

Today => y esterday/ that day
This evening => t hat evening
These (days) => those (days)
Now => then
(A week) ago => (a week) before
Last weekend => the previous weekend
Here => there
Here after => there after
Next (week) => the following (week)/ a week after
Tomorrow => the next/following day
Thus => so
Last night => the previous night
Yesterday => the day before / the previous day
Hither => thither
Hence => thence

Note: If something is said and reported at the same time, then the time expression can remain the same.

He told me today, “ I will go to Karachi tomorrow.”
He told me today he would go to Karachi tomorrow.
She told me this week, “ we gave our exam last week.”
She told me this week, they had given their exam last wee.

Rule 2. Tenses

A) If the reporting verb is in present or future (i.e say, says or will say) then don’t change the tense that you can find within the quotation marks.

He says,”I was a fool then.”
He says that he was a fool then.
I will say, “ He loves his mom.”
I will say that he loves his mom.

B) If reporting verb is in the past tense. the tense of the verbs in the reported speech or indirect speech must be generally changed. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

He said,”I am going to the cinema.”
He said he was going to the cinema.

Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense. Present Simple › Past simple

She said, ”it is cold,”
She said it was cold.

Present continuous › Past continuous

She said, “I’m teaching Math online.”
She said she was teaching Math online.

Present perfect › Past perfect

She said, “I’ve lived in Pakistan since 1999.”
She said she had lived in Pakistan since 1999.

Present perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I’ve been teaching English for seven years.”
She said she had been teaching English for seven years.

Past simple › Past perfect

She said, “I taught active and passive yesterday.”
She said she had taught active and passive yesterday.

Past continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I was teaching the lesson.”
She said she had been teaching the lesson.

Past perfect › Past perfect

She said, “The lesson had already started when he arrived.”
NO CHANGE – She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.

Past perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I’d already been teaching for five minutes.”
NO CHANGE – She said she’d already been teaching for five minutes.

Modal verb forms also sometimes change: Will › would

She said, “I’ll teach English online tomorrow.”
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.

Can › could

She said, “I can teach English online.”
She said she could teach English online.

Must › had to

She said, “I must have a computer to teach English online.”
She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.

Shall › › should/ would

She said, “What shall we learn today?”
She asked what we should learn today.
He said, ”I shall appreciate it.”
He said he would appreciate it.

May › might

She said, “May I open a new browser?”
She asked if she might open a new browser.

Note – There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.

“I might go to the cinema”, he said.
He said he might go to the cinema.

Rule 3. (After wish, would rather, had better , it is time)

Ali said, ”I wish they were in Pakistan.”
Ali said he wished they were in Pakistan.
Hussain said, “ I would rather fly.”
Hussain said he would rather fly.
Zahra said, ” they had better go.”
Zahra said they had better go.
Ahmed said, “It is time I got up.”
Ahmed said it was time he got up.

If indirect speech the words within quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action or when a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true then the tense inside the quotation marks is not changed at all.

He said,”My name is Ali.”
He said his name was Ali Or He said his name is Ali.
The teacher said,” the sun rises in the east.”
The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
Shazia said, “ I am thirsty.”
Shazia said she is thirsty.

You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.

She said,”next week’s lesson is on reported speech.”
She said next week’s lesson will be on reported speech.

Rule 6. (Pronouns)

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence.

Ali said, “ We are the best players.”
Ali said they were the best players.

Note: Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing consider the examples below:

Mohammad said, “He killed them.”
Mohammad said that the man had killed them.

(If we only make mechanical changes, then the new sentence can have different meaning)

Mohammad said he had killed them. (Mohammad himself killed them)

Rule 7. Reported Speech In If-Clauses.

Hussain: “If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy.”
Hussain said that if he tidied his room, his dad would be happy.
Teacher: “If you concentrate, you will learn about direct and indirect speech.”
Teacher said if we concentrate we would learn about direct and indirect speech.

Rule 8. Reported Speech of Time-Clauses.

Ali: “When I was staying in Quetta I met my best friend.” –
He said that when he was staying in Quetta he met his best friend.

Rule 9. Reported Speech of Interrogative Sentences 1. Remove the quotation marks and question mark in the interrogative sentence. 2. Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ if the sentence inside the quotation marks begins with a helping verb (Auxiliary verb). 3. Use the given interrogative word (what, when, where, why, who, whom, whose, which, now etc.) if it does not begin with the helping verb. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Changing the reporting verb (say, said) into ‘ask, want to know wonder or inquire’ in its correct tense. 6. Omit helping verb like ‘do, does, did’. But don’t omit them when they are with ‘not’.

Said I to my teacher,” won’t you help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules?”
I asked my teacher if he would not help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules.
“ How often do you go to the cinema?” Ali said to Ahmed,
Ali asked Ahmed how often he went to the cinema.
“Where have you been?” he said.
He asked me where I had been.
“What time did it start?” he said.
He wanted to know what time it had started.
“Why won’t he do it?” she said.
She wondered why he wouldn’t do it.

Rule 10. Reported Speech of Yes/ No Questions

In yes/no questions we use if or whether in questions. If is more common and whether is more formal.

“Will you go?” she asked me.
She asked me if/whether I would go.
“Did he buy a car?” she said.
She wondered if/whether he had bought a car.

Rule 11. Reported Speech of Commands and Requests

1. Remove the quotation mark in an Imperative sentence. 2. Use ‘to’ if it is an affirmative sentence. (without don‘t) 3. Use ‘not to’ if the sentence begins without Don‘t. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Omit the word ‘please’. Use the word ‘request’ instead of ‘say’. 6. If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. in its correct tense. 7. The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object + infinitive (advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc.).

“Get up!” he said.
He warned me to get up.
“Please, revise for the test,” he said.
He requested me to revise for the test.
“Bring me a cup of tea” said Zahra to Sara.
Zahrs asked Sara to bring her a cup of tea.

Negative: + object + not + infinitive.

“Don’t hesitate,” he said.
He persuaded me not to hesitate.
“Don’t smoke,” the doctor warned my father.
The doctor warned my father not to smoke.

Rule 12. Reported Speech of Advice If it contains advice the reporting verb changes into advised.

“Put on your coat,” I said.
I advised him to put on his coat.

Rule 13. Reported Speech of Exclamatory Sentences

1. Change the exclamatory sentence into statement or assertive 2. Remove the quotation marks and exclamatory mark. 3. Use the conjunction ‘that’ 4. Omit the interjections such as Oh, O, Alas, how, what, hurrah. 5. Add the word ‘very’ to the adjective or adverb if necessary. 6. If the verb is not given, use ‘Be’ form verb (is, was, are, were, am) in its correct tense according to the subject. 7. Change the reporting verb (say, said) to ‘exclaim joyfully’ 8. Use ‘exclaim’ sorrowfully for sorrowful incidents.

She said ,” Wow, What a beautiful car that is!”
She exclaimed joyfully that was a verb beautiful car.
He said,” Alas! I have missed the paper.”
He exclaimed sorrowfully that he had missed the paper.

Rule 14. Use of ‘That’ in Reported Speech

In reported speech, the word that is often used, however it is optional. We recommend you no to use it because in some cases we don’t use ‘That’ in reported speech like: question, command request and order, so its better not to use it.

He told me that he lived in Hazara Town.
He told me he lived in Hazara Town.

Rule 15. Punctuation in Direct Speech

In direct speech, various punctuation conventions are used to separate the quoted words from the rest of the text: this allows a reader to follow what’s going on. Here are the basic rules: A) We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (“) are preferred in American English, while single quotes (‘) are more common in British English:

“I’m coming home late tonight,” she said. (American English)
‘I’m coming home late tonight,’ she said. (British English)

B) Every time a new speakers says something, you should start a new paragraph:

“They think it’s a more respectable job,” said Ali.
“I don’t agree,” I replied.

C) There should be a comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of a piece of speech. This is placed inside the closing inverted comma or commas.

He asked, “ Can I go outside?”
She shouted, “ Sit down!”
We said, “ They are wrong.”

D) If the direct speech is broken up by information about who is speaking, you need a comma (or a question mark or exclamation mark) to end the first piece of speech and a full stop or another comma before the second piece (before the inverted comma or commas):

“You’re right,” he said. “It feels strange.”
“Thinking back,” she said, “he didn’t expect to win.”
“No!” he cried. “You can’t leave now!”

Conclusion: I hope that the points that I have mentioned above about direct and indirect speech may prove beneficial for people learning English. All you need to do is to understand the crucial rules of direct and indirect speech, and don’t mix it with passive and active voice.

Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

Direct and indirect speech

Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

You can answer the question What did he say? in two ways:

by repeating the words spoken (direct speech)
by reporting the words spoken (indirect or reported speech).

DIRECT SPEECH

Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.

She says, "What time will you be home?"
She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "
"There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."

INDIRECT SPEECH

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.

She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him . (indirect speech)

'That' may be omitted: She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.

'SAY' AND 'TELL'

Use 'say' when there is no indirect object: He said that he was tired.

Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object): He told me that he was tired.

'TALK' AND 'SPEAK'

Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating: He talked to us. She was speaking on the telephone.

Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said: He talked (to us) about his parents.

Course Curriculum

Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
Reported questions 20 mins
Reporting verbs 20 mins
Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Literary English

Direct and Indirect Speech in English | A Complete Guide

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone else has said. In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. In indirect speech, the words of the speaker are reported without using their exact words and without using quotation marks. Instead, the reported speech is often introduced by verbs such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc. Indirect speech allows us to convey what someone else said without necessarily repeating their exact words, often to provide a summary or to integrate it into a larger narrative.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration “example”, or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:

Saif came in and said, “I’m really happy”.

As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ and ‘to says’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’.

Indirect Speech

In grammar, when we want to report what someone said, without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we use indirect speech. It is also known as reported speech. Look at the following sentences:

Direct speech: he says, “I am going to school.”
Indirect speech: he says that he is going to school.

In above sentences, the reporter delivers the message of the boy using his real words (e.g.“I am going to school.”) In the indirect speech sentence, the reporter delivers his message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.

Basic Rules for Direct and Indirect Speeches

When we change direct speech to indirect speech always we will replace inverted commas with word ‘ that’ .
When we combine reporting and reported speech we use that between these sentences.
If the first part of the sentence does not include word said then tense will not be changed.
At the end of reporting speech if there is a comma then it will be removed.
Say always will be changed into tell .
Says always will be changed into tells .
Said will be changed into told only in one condition when there is object in reporting speech.
Direct : You said to Saif, “you are going to Lahore”.
Indirect : you told Saif that he was going to Lahore.

Changes in the Person of Pronouns

1 st person 2 nd person 3 rd person

Subject Object No change

I, we, you he, she, it,

My, our, us, me your they and noun.

1 st person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the subject of the reporting speech.
2 nd person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the object of the reporting speech.
3 rd person pronouns in reported speech are not changed.

Important word changes

The above rules are mandatory for converting direct speech into indirect speech. Hence, they should be memorized thoroughly. The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules. So, focus on every sentence to know how the above-mentioned rules have been used here.

Some special words will be changed when direct speech changes into indirect speech

Now into then
Today into that day
Yesterday into the previous day
This into that
Last night into the previous night
Tomorrow into the next day
These into those
Here into there
Next day into the following day
Ago into before
Come into go
Will into would
Shall into should
May into might
Can into could
Good Morning, into greeted
Good Evening, into greeted
Good Day into greeted
Madam into Respectfully
Sir into Respectfully

Changes in Verbs

If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech.

Direct Speech: he says, “I live in Pakistan”.

Indirect Speech: he tells that he lives in Pakistan.

Direct Speech: you say to me, “you will go to Lahore”.

Indirect Speech: you tell me that I shall go to Lahore.

Direct Speech: I say, “she was ill”.

Indirect Speech: I tell that she was ill.

How to Make Direct and Indirect Speeches in Different Tenses

Present indefinite will be changed into past into past indefinite tense.

(First form into second form)

Direct: I said, “I go to school”.
Indirect: I said that I went to school.

Present continues will be changed into past continues tense.

(is, am, are into was, were)

Direct: Raza said, “I am a boy”.
Indirect : Raza said that he was a boy.

Present perfect will be changed into past perfect tense.

(has, had into had)

Indirect : You told Saif that he was going to Lahore.

Present perfect continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.

(has been, have been into had been)

Direct : The guard said to the passenger, “the train has come”
Indirect : The guard told to the passenger that the train had come.

Past indefinite will be changed into past perfect tense.

(second form into had)

Direct : Aslam said, “They played cricket”.
Indirect: Aslam said that they had played cricket.

Past continues will be changed into past perfect continues tense.

(was, were into had been)

Direct : The policeman said, “The thief has been stealing for two year”.
Indirect : The policeman told that the thief had been stealing for two year.

Note : Past perfect, past perfect continues, future indefinite, future continues, future perfect, future perfect continues tense will not be changed.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Assertive Sentences

Sentences that make a declaration are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect speech, use the rules as declared above except said is sometimes replaced with told . Look at the following examples:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she is writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech: She says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech: She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are sentences that give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the presenter. Thus, a full stop (.) or sign of exclamation (!) is used at the end of the sentence.

When we will be convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

Both sentences will be joined with the conjunction
If in the reported sentence has word do not, then it will be changed with the word not to.
Direct speech : Aslam said, “Do not beat him”.
Indirect speech: Aslam ordered to not beat him.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said will be changed into ordered For example:

Direct Speech: The father said to me, “Sit down.”
Indirect Speech: The father ordered me to sit down.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case request the speaker gives a request command. Then said will be changed into request.

For example:

Direct Speech: The man said, “Please show me your pen.”
Indirect Speech: the man requested to show him my door.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case guide the speaker gives a piece of advice. Then said will be changed into advised .

Direct Speech: The headmaster said, “Write neat and clean.”
Indirect Speech: the headmaster advised to write neat and clean.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case forbade the speaker stopped to do something. Then said will be changed into forbade .

Direct Speech: The teacher said, “Don’t sit.”
Indirect Speech: The teacher forbade to sit.

Optative & Exclamatory Sentences

The sentence, which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse, happiness etc., is called an optative sentence . This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes, ‘may’ remains hidden.

The sentence, which expresses a sudden and deep excitement, wonder, shock, or sorrow, etc., is called an exclamatory sentence . In this kind of sentence must have exclamation mark (!) at the end of the sentence or in the central of the sentence.

May you succeed in the test!
May you get well soon!
Would that I was rich!

When we will be converted these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

In a prayer sentence said will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .

Direct speech : He said, “May you live long”.
Indirect speech : He prayed that I might live long.

In a hope sentence said will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .

Direct speech: The father said, “May my son get first position”.
Indirect speech: The father wished that his son might get first position.

In a glad & happy sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with joy or exclaimed with joyfully. And exclamatory mark (!) will be removed.

Direct speech: The boys said, “Hurrah! We have won the match”.
Indirect speech: The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

In a sad or sorrow sentence, said will be replaced by exclaimed with sorrow or exclaimed with sorrowfully.

Direct speech: The bagger said, “Ah! I am undone”.
Indirect speech: The exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.

Interrogative Sentences

Which sentences, ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence has question mark (?) at the ends.

Where are you going?
Where did you live?
Are you want to go with me?

To change interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by asked .

If interrogative sentence will be started from “ Wh ” mean when, whom, what, where, who, which, why, how, whose when we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect speech inverted commas will not be replaced. Just it will be removed.

If the reported sentence will be started form helping verb, then if will be used in place of that .

After the changing sentence mark of interrogation (?) will be replaced with full stop (.).

Direct speech: He said to me, “Who are you”?

Indirect speech: He asked me who I was.

Direct speech: He said to me, “Where are you going”?

Indirect speech: He asked me where I was going.

Direct speech: Sunny said to me, “will you help me”?

Indirect speech: Sunny asked me if I would help him.

Direct and indirect Speech in Universal Sentence

Sentences which have natural truth or universal truth in the part of reported speech are called universal sentences .

Allah is one.
Honesty is the best policy.

To change universal sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect Said will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas with that .

Always remember that universal truth will never change so we will not be changed reported speech portion.

Direct speech: The teacher said to the boys, “The earth revolves around the sun”.

Indirect speech: The teacher told the boys that the earth revolves around the sun.

Direct speech: Saif said, “Allah is one”.

Indirect speech: Saif told that Allah is one.

Direct speech: She said to him, “Honesty is the best policy”.

Indirect speech: She told him that honesty is the best policy.

Direct speech: Sunny said to Farrukh, “The sun rises in the east”.

Indirect speech: Sunny told Farrukh that the sun rises in the east.

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Direct Speech Definition

Direct speech.

Jump to: Definition | Related Entries |

EG: "I'm coming now," he said.

Indirect Speech ; Punctuation

Direct & Indirect Speech

Related to 'Direct Speech'

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Definition of direct speech noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

direct speech

Only direct speech should go inside inverted commas.

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Direct Speech in English

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Direct speech is a crucial aspect of the English language that every speaker of the language must understand. In this reference, we will explore everything you need to know about direct speech, including its definition, examples, punctuation rules, and common mistakes.

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech is a type of speech that involves the exact words spoken by a person or character. It is also known as quoted speech or speech marks. Direct speech is used to convey a message or conversation directly from the speaker to the listener.

For example, " I am going to the market, " said John. In this sentence, the exact words spoken by John are quoted, and the sentence is enclosed by speech marks.

How is Direct Speech Different from Indirect Speech?

Direct speech is different from indirect speech in that it directly quotes the exact words of the speaker.

Indirect speech involves paraphrasing or reporting the speaker's words. For example, " John said that he was going to the market. " In this sentence, the speaker's words are not quoted directly, but rather reported indirectly.

Examples of Direct Speech and How to Identify It in a Sentence

Direct speech can be identified in a sentence by the use of speech marks or quotation marks.

For example, " I am going to the market, " said John. In this sentence, the words spoken by John are enclosed by speech marks.

Other examples of direct speech include " I love you, " said Mary, and " Can you help me? " asked Mark.

Direct Speech Punctuation Rules

Direct speech follows specific punctuation rules that must be observed to convey the correct meaning of the sentence.

The first word of the direct speech sentence is capitalized, and the sentence is enclosed by speech marks. If the direct speech sentence ends with a full stop, exclamation mark, or question mark, the punctuation mark is placed inside the speech marks.

For example, " What is your name? " asked Tom. If the direct speech is followed by a reporting clause, the reporting clause is separated from the direct speech by a comma. For example, " I am going to the market, " said John.

Direct Speech in Different Tenses

Direct speech can be used in different tenses to convey different meanings.

" I am going to the market, " said John ( present tense ).
" I went to the market, " said John ( past tense ).
" I will go to the market, " said John ( future tense ).

The tense used in direct speech depends on the tense of the original words spoken.

Direct Speech vs Reported Speech: Similarities and Differences

Direct speech and reported speech are similar in that they both convey a message or conversation. However, the main difference between them is that direct speech directly quotes the speaker's exact words, while reported speech paraphrases or reports the speaker's words.

" I am going to the market, " said John (direct speech).
" John said he was going to the market " (reported speech).

Common Mistakes

Let's take a look at what to avoid:

Forgetting to enclose the words spoken by the speaker in speech marks. This mistake can make it difficult to identify direct speech in a sentence.
Forgetting to capitalize the first word of the direct speech sentence. Both of these mistakes can be avoided by following the correct punctuation rules for direct speech.
Remember to change the tense of the original words spoken, if necessary. For example, "I am going to the market," said John (direct speech). "John said he was going to the market" (reported speech). In this example, the verb tense has been changed from present tense to past tense when reporting John's words.

Direct speech helps us to directly quote the words spoken by a speaker. Use the correct punctuation rules for direct speech, and make sure that the first word of the direct speech sentence is capitalized. Soon, you'll effortlessly use it in your own English speech without even thinking.

Check out more references below if you want to learn more!

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What is Functional Grammar: Learn Definition, Meaning & Examples

Updated on
Aug 3, 2024

Functional grammar is a way of looking at grammar on how language is used to communicate in our everyday lives. Instead of just relying on rules and structures like in traditional grammar, functional form looks at how language helps us achieve different goals. Moreover, it examines how the different forms of language connect with their functions in real-life situations, thereby showing how language conveys meaning and conveys social roles as well. Also, it is a substantial part of the evolution of English grammar rules , hence reflecting how our understanding of grammar has changed over the centuries.

This Blog Includes:

Examples of functional grammar , examples of functional discourse grammar , examples of systemic functional grammar, examples of lexical functional grammar.


This looks at how language helps us communicate and its importance in society.	It looks at how words are used in very large amounts of written or spoken material.	This sees language as a way to make choices for communication using different functions.	In simple words, it focuses on how words are related to the rules of grammar.
Developed in response to limitations of traditional grammar models.	Developed by Simon Dik	Developed by Michael Halliday	Developed by Joan Bresnan and Ronald Kaplan
Language forms and their communicative purposes.	Coherence, cohesion, and context in extended texts.	Ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions.	Constituent structure and functional structure in sentence formation.

Also Read: History of English Grammar: Origin, Development, and Books

What is Functional Grammar? Meaning and Origin

Functional grammar means that language is created for communication, and the way a person uses grammar depends on what they want to communicate. Interestingly, the main idea of functional grammar is that language is formed by its uses. For instance, the way you write in a scientific paper is very different from how you might talk in everyday conversations.

Functional grammar began as a response to earlier methods of studying language. It began with early linguists who looked at how language works in real life. Michael Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) is an important part and looks at how the formation of language is linked to its purpose during communication.

Functional grammar explores how different grammatical components have specific functions in communication. Here are some examples explaining its use:

Declarative Sentences: In this form of grammar, declarative sentences are used to give information. For example, the sentence “The cat is on the mat” tells you where the cat is. Thus, the structure of this sentence is meant to share or report information.
Interrogative Sentences: They are used to ask questions and get information. For example, “Where is the cat?” asks for information about the cat’s location. These sentences have a special structure that uses question words and a specific word order to ask the question.
Imperative Sentences: Imperative sentences are used to give commands or make requests. For example, “Close the door” tells you to do something. Moreover, these sentences are structured to guide actions.
Exclamatory Sentences: Exclamatory sentences show strong emotions or reactions. For example, “What a beautiful sunset!” communicates amazement or admiration. These sentences use special phrases and punctuation to convey your strong feelings.

Also Read: English Language Grammar Cheatsheet

What is Functional Discourse Grammar?

Simon Dik’s Functional Discourse Grammar (FDG) is about how context and our social interactions shape the way a person might use language. It looks at how the structure of our conversations, like the way you organise text and keep it readable helps in communication. Furthermore, the Functional Discourse Grammar approach highlights how language helps you organise and express your complex ideas in different communication settings.

Functional Discourse Grammar gives you an understanding of how language functions when there are extended texts or conversations. Here are some examples of its use:

Narrative Discourse: In narrative discourse, FDG explores how language is used to tell a story. For example, in a novel, the way events are organised, the use of dialogue, and the development of characters all help to create a clear and engaging story. Moreover, FDG looks at how these segments work together to accomplish the goal of storytelling.
Conversational Discourse: In conversational discourse, FDG looks at how language is used in our daily conversations. For instance, when friends talk, they stay polite, take turns speaking, and manage the topics they discuss. This helps us see how these features help keep their friendship strong and make their communication easy.
Expository Discourse: In expository discourse, FDG looks at how language helps explain or inform people. For example, in a textbook, you see how information is organised, the use of headings and subheadings, and how examples are presented. Additionally, this helps you see how these components work together to make knowledge clear and easy to understand for all.

Also Read: What are Clauses: Definition, Types, Examples, & Exercise

What is Systemic Functional Grammar?

Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) is a way of understanding language developed by Michael Halliday. It sees language as a set of choices you make to communicate in different ways. In addition, it is the connection between the structure of language and how it is used in our social situations.

Systemic Functional Grammar gives you a framework for analysing how different aspects of language contribute to its meaning and function. Here are some examples showing you its use:

Ideational Metafunction: In simple terms, the ideational metafunction in SFG looks at how language is used to represent experiences and ideas. For example, in the sentence “The dog chased the cat,” the participants (the dog and the cat) and the action (chased) are used to describe an event or action.
Interpersonal Metafunction: In the interpersonal metafunction, SFG looks at how you use language to build social connections and show your feelings. For example, in the sentence “Could you please pass the salt?” the polite way of asking (using “could you”) helps make the request sound friendly and respectful.
Textual Metafunction: In the textual metafunction, SFG looks at how language is arranged to make clear and meaningful communication. For instance, in a news article, the information is set up with headlines, introductions, and main sections to help inform readers like you.
Clause Structure: In clause structure, how sentences are put together to see how different parts help create meaning is important. For example, in the sentence “She gave him a book,” the roles of the subject (She), the object (him), and the action (gave) show an action that includes different people.

Also Read: Best English Grammar Books: To Master Your Proficiency

What is Lexical Functional Grammar?

Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) is a way of understanding language created by Joan Bresnan and Ronald Kaplan. It looks at how words and their meanings connect to grammar. Lexical Functional Grammar highlights how the words you use help form correct sentences and convey meaning.

Lexical Functional Grammar gives a framework for analysing the relationship between lexical items and grammatical structure. Here are some examples showing you its use:

Argument Structure: The structure of sentences is studied to understand how words, especially verbs, decide the number and kind of other words that can go with them in a sentence. For example, in the sentence “She gave him a book,” the verb “gave” needs a subject (She), an indirect object (him), and a direct object (a book) to make a complete sentence that makes sense.
Functional Structure: In this structure, you look at how different parts of a sentence work together. For example, in the sentence “The cat is on the mat,” the subject (The cat) and the action or state (is on the mat) are shown in the structure of the sentence. Thus, this helps you understand how the cat and the mat are connected.

3. Lexical Entries: In Lexical entries, you look at words to see how they help make sentences. For instance, in the sentence “She sings beautifully,” the word “sings” helps you understand what it needs to form a complete thought and how it fits into the sentence.

4. Syntactic Structures: In simple words, it looks at how the different parts of a sentence work together to make a complete sentence. For example, in the sentence “They will have finished the project by Friday,” the verb phrase “will have finished” connects with the subject (They) and the object (the project) to make a more detailed sentence structure.

Find more related reads below!

Formal grammar is about the structure of language and outlines rules for correct sentence formation, while functional grammar shows you how language is used to convey meaning in different situations.

Structural grammar is about the rules that govern sentence structure and word formation, while functional grammar highlights how language is used to communicate meaning and fulfil social purposes.

Michael Halliday introduced functional grammar.

This was all about What is Functional Grammar . Hope you understand the concept and know how to proceed. You can also follow Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs on Learn English .

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Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Modal verbs and modality

Modality is about a speaker’s or a writer’s attitude towards the world. A speaker or writer can express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity and ability by using modal words and expressions.

Speakers often have different opinions about the same thing.

These speakers are looking at the same thing.

Modal verbs

Here are the main verbs we use to express modal meanings:

Core modal verbs: can , could , may , might , will , shall , would , should , must

Semi-modals: dare, need , ought to , used to

Other verbs with modal meanings: have (got) to, be going to and be able to

Be going to : form

Have got to and have to

Modal words and expressions

There are a number of other words and expressions in English, apart from the main modal verbs, which also express modal meanings.

Here are some examples:

modal form	example
noun	of snow this evening.
adjective	that the Prime Minister is worried about education.
adverb	not fed up with it.

Modality: meanings and uses

Modality: other modal words and expressions

Be expressions ( be able to , be due to )

Word of the Day

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the distance down either from the top of something to the bottom, or to a distance below the top surface of something

Never say die! (Idioms and phrases in newspapers)

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples
Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.
What is Direct Speech?
In English grammar, the term 'speech' refers to the process of communicating or expressing one's thoughts.It is an exchange of ideas or even a conversation. There are two ways in which you can report speech - direct speech and indirect speech.Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect ...
Reported speech: direct speech
Reported speech: direct speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Direct Speech Definition and Examples
Direct Speech as Drama . When a speaking event is reported via direct speech forms, it is possible to include many features that dramatize the way in which an utterance was produced. The quotative frame can also include verbs that indicate the speaker's manner of expression (e.g. cry, exclaim, gasp), voice quality (e.g. mutter, scream, whisper), and type of emotion (e.g. giggle, laugh, sob).
What is Direct Speech? with Useful Examples
In English grammar, there are generally two ways of reporting a spoken text: direct and indirect.Direct speech differs in composition compared to indirect speech.This article will discuss the definition, rules, and examples of direct speech that will help you understand how it is used in writing.
Direct Speech or Quoted Speech
Direct speech refers to the exact wording of someone's comments or speech as it was spoken. In written text, direct speech usually appears in quotation marks or inverted commas to denote that the words were spoken or written by another person. The actual text of direct speech punctuated with a speech tag, which identifies the speaker and might ...
Direct and Indirect Speech: The differences explained
Definition of Direct Speech. Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change. When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech.
The difference between direct and indirect speech
Direct speech is when we report what someone says by repeating the exact words. In writing, we use inverted commas: Michelle said, "I'll call them tomorrow." (direct speech) Indirect speech (also called reported speech) is when we give the same meaning of what someone says without repeating the exact words. In this case, we do not use inverted ...
Direct and Indirect Speech
Cha nges in pronoun s. The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb. Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb. Example: She said, "I watched a movie" can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie.Hence, the first person in the direct speech "I" has become "she ...
Direct and Indirect Speech • 7ESL
Here are the steps on how to do so: 1. Eliminate the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one. 2. Retain the tense of the reporting verb and add the word "that" after it.
Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules
Teacher said if we concentrate we would learn about direct and indirect speech. Rule 8. Reported Speech of Time-Clauses. Ali: "When I was staying in Quetta I met my best friend.". He said that when he was staying in Quetta he met his best friend. Rule 9.
How do you write direct speech in English?
Typical reporting verbs are: agree, answer, ask, inquire, explain, say, tell, and wonder. The subject and the reporting verb are sometimes reversed. 'There is nothing we can do about it,' said Monica. The actual words spoken always begin with a capital letter, unless the reporting verb comes within a sentence.
Direct Speech
Speech is direct when it is written as it was said and punctuated correctly with inverted commas around the exact original words and is usually accompanied by a reporting clause ('he said', 'they said', 'said Julie'). In fictional narratives, direct speech is used to show dialogue between characters as if they have spoken to each ...
DIRECT SPEECH definition
DIRECT SPEECH meaning: 1. When you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words they used…. Learn more.
Direct Speech
INDIRECT SPEECH. Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used. She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had ...
Direct and Indirect Speech in English
Direct speech: Aslam said, "Do not beat him". Indirect speech: Aslam ordered to not beat him. The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said will be changed into ordered For example: Direct Speech: The father said to me, "Sit down.".
Direct vs. Indirect Speech
Direct and Indirect Speech. When writers write about phrases or sentences a source has said, they can use either direct speech or indirect speech. Direct speech is used to repeat what someone else ...
Direct Speech Definition
Definition of Direct Speech from our glossary of English linguistic and grammatical terms containing explanations and cross-references to other relevant English grammar terms.
DIRECT SPEECH
DIRECT SPEECH definition: 1. When you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words they used…. Learn more.
direct speech noun
Definition of direct speech noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Direct Speech
Direct speech is a type of speech that involves the exact words spoken by a person or character. It is also known as quoted speech or speech marks. Direct speech is used to convey a message or conversation directly from the speaker to the listener. For example, "I am going to the market," said John.
DIRECT SPEECH definition and meaning
The reporting of what someone has said or written by quoting his or her exact words.... Click for English pronunciations, examples sentences, video.
What is Functional Grammar: Learn Definition, Meaning & Examples
It looks at how words and their meanings connect to grammar. Lexical Functional Grammar highlights how the words you use help form correct sentences and convey meaning. Examples of Lexical Functional Grammar. Lexical Functional Grammar gives a framework for analysing the relationship between lexical items and grammatical structure.
Modal verbs and modality
Modal verbs and modality - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

Change of Pronouns

Change of Tenses

Change of Time and Place References

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct Speech Examples

Indirect Speech Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is Direct Speech? - Learn the Meaning, Definition, Rules and Usage with Examples

Table of Contents

Tips to Practise Direct Speech

Rules to be Followed When Using Direct Speech

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Direct Speech Definition and Examples

Examples and Observations

Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

Direct Speech as Drama

Like : Signaling Direct Speech in Conversation

Differences in Reported Speech

Direct Speech or Quoted Speech

Understanding Direct Speech

Formatting Direct Speech

Rule 1: Opening and Closing Quotation Marks

Rule 2: Speech Tag Placement

Rule 3: Capitalization and Punctuation

Understanding the Speech Tag

Overriding Rules in Direct Speech

Rule 1: Interrupted Speech

Rule 2: Consecutive Sentences

Concluding Remarks

Practice Exercises:

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Definition of Direct Speech

Examples of Direct Speech:

Definition of Indirect Speech

Examples of Indirect Speech:

Direct and Indirect Speech Conversion

Changing Tenses

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Changing Pronouns

Changing Time Phrases

Imperatives

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

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Grammar Rules

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The difference between direct and indirect speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

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Direct Speech

Indirect Speech