Perspectives Two

Unit # 07

Topic: Direct and Indirect Speech

What is Speech?

A formal communication to audience is called speech. Or

A formal talk or lecture given to a number of people about a particular topic is called speech. Or

A talk or dialogue between two persons is called speech. Or

The act, way or power of speaking is called speech.

Kinds of Speech

Speech mainly has the following two kinds.

1) Direct Speech
2) Indirect Speech

Direct Speech: It is also called “quoted speech” and it is a kind of speech through which we
represent the speaker’s exact words inside the quotation marks. Or it is a kind of speech through
which we represent the exact words of a speaker in his/her own words to someone without any
modifications.

Example: Sana said, “I wash the dishes alone.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Note: Direct Speech is made of two parts.

1) Reporting Speech: the part which tells us the subject and contains the reporting verb is
called reporting speech or clause which can be used before or after the reported speech. If
it comes before the reporting speech then a comma is used outside the quotation marks,
but if it is used after the reported speech then a comma is used inside the quotation marks.
2) Reported Speech: the part which contains the words of the speaker inside the quotation
marks is called reported speech.

Example: Sana said, “I wash the dishes alone.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: “I wash the dishes alone,” Sana said.

Reported Speech Reporting Speech
Indirect Speech: It is also called “reported speech” and it is a kind of speech through which we
represent the speaker’s idea through our own words but not the exact words of the speaker. Or it
is a kind of speech though which we represent the essence of a speaker’s exact words with a few
modifications to someone.

Example: Sana said that she washed the dishes alone.

Main clause Noun clause

Note: Indirect Speech is made of two parts.

1) Main Clause: the part which contains subject and verb to support the noun clause in terms
of completion of its meaning is called main clause.
2) Noun Clause: the part which contains the essence of the speaker’s exact words is called
noun clause.

Example: Sana said that she washed the dishes alone.

Main clause Noun clause

Key Points:

Direct Speech

o It is a kind of speech through which we reproduce the speaker’s exact words inside the
quotation marks.
o A comma is used in direct speech.
o Quotation marks are used in direct speech.
o The first word starts with the capital letter inside the quotation marks.
o All punctuation marks are used inside quotation marks.
o The exact words of the speaker are placed inside the quotation marks which are also called
speech marks, inverted commas and double commas.

Indirect Speech

o It is a kind of speech through which we reproduce the speaker’s main idea but not the
exact words.
o A comma is not used in indirect speech.
o Quotation marks are not used in indirect speech.
o The markers (that, if/whether and w.h words) are used to introduce noun clause in indirect
speech.
o Tenses are changed if the reporting verb is in the past.
o Pronouns are changed in indirect speech.
o Some words and auxiliaries are changed in indirect speech.
o Tense will not change if the reporting verb is in present or future tense.
General Sequence of Tenses in Indirect or Reported Speech

1) Simple present tense is changed to simple past tense.

Example: Ali said, “I study English at KELC.”

Ali said that he studied English at KELC.

2) Present continuous tense is changed to past continuous tense.

Example: Ali said, “I am studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he was studying English at KELC.

3) Present perfect tense is changed to past perfect tense.

Example: Ali said, “I have studied English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had studied English at KELC.

4) Present perfect continuous tense is changed to past perfect continuous tense.

Example: Ali said, “I have been studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had been studying English at KELC.

5) Simple past tense is changed to past perfect tense.

Example: Ali said, “I studied English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had studied English at KELC.

6) Past continuous tense is changed to past perfect continuous tense.

Example: Ali said, “I was studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had been studying English at KELC.

7) Past perfect tense is changed to past perfect tense.

Example: Ali said, “I had studied English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had studied English at KELC.

8) Past perfect continuous tense is changed to past perfect continuous tense.

Example: Ali said, “I had been studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he had been studying English at KELC.

9) In Future tenses the word “will” is changed to “would”.

Example: Ali said, “I will study English at KELC.”

Ali said that he would study English at KELC.

Example: Ali said, “I will be studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he would be studying English at KELC.

Example: Ali said, “I will have studied English at KELC.”

Ali said that he would have studied English at KELC.

Example: Ali said, “I will have been studying English at KELC.”

Ali said that he would have been studying English at KELC.

Auxiliaries in Indirect or Reported Speech

o “Will” is changed to “Would”.

Example: Sana said, “I will cook rice.”

Sana said that she would cook rice

o “Can” is hanged to “Could”.

Example: Sana said, “I can speak English.”

Sana said that she could speak English.

o “May” is changed to “might”.

Example: Sana said, “I may attend the party.”

Sana said that she might attend the party.

o “Be going to” is changed to “was/were going to”.

Example: Sana said, “I am going to get the first position.”

Sana said that she was going to get the first position.
o “Shall” is changed to “should”.

Example: Sana said, “I shall invite them to my party.”

Sana said that she should invite them to her party.

o “Must, have to and has to” are changed to “had to”.

Example: Sana said, “I have to write my homework.”

Sana said that she had to write her homework.

o “Could” is changed to “could”.

Example: They said, “We could get a job easily.”

They said that they could get a job easily.

o “Might” is changed to “might”.

Example: Hamid said, “I might help him.”

Hamid said that he might help him.

o “Should” is changed to “should”.

Example: Sana said, “I should study hard.”

Sana said that she should study hard.

o “Would” is changed to “would”.

Example: Naveed said, “I would give Javid a farewell party.”

Naveed said that he would give Javid a farewell party.

o “Ought to” is changed to “ought to”.

Example: Ali said, “They ought to play well.”

Ali said that they ought to play well.

o “Had better” is changed to “had better”.

Example: The teacher said, “They had better study hard.”

The teacher said that they had better study hard.

o “Used to” is changed to “used to”.

Example: Hameed said, “I used to watch movies.”

Hameed said that he used to watch movies.

o “Had to” is changed to “had to”.

Example: Sana said, “She had to leave the class.”

Sana said that she had to leave the class.

Some Other Words Changes in Indirect or Reported Speech
o “This” is changed to “that”.
o “These” is changed to “those”.
o “Here” is changed to “there”.
o “Now” is changed to “then”.
o “Today” is changed to “that day”.
o “Tonight” is changed to “that night”.
o “Tomorrow” is changed to the “coming day/ the next day or the following day”.
o “Yesterday” is changed to the “previous day”.
o “Last night” is changed to the “previous night”.
o “Ago” is changed to “before or earlier”.
o “Come” is changed to “go”.
o “Bring” is changed to “take”.

Pronoun Changes in Indirect or Reported Speech

Pronouns are changed according to the “SON” formula in indirect or reported speech. In “SON”
formula “S” stands for “subject”, “O” stands for “object” and “N” stands for “no change”.

1) The first person personal pronouns (I & We) and their other forms such as possessive,
objective and reflexive are changed according to the subject of reporting speech.

Example: Sana said, “I have to wash my clothes for myself.”

Sub of
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana said that she had to wash her clothes for herself.
Main clause Noun clause

Example: They said, “We can fix our car by ourselves.”

Sub of
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: They said that they could fix their car by themselves.
Main clause Noun clause

2) The second person personal pronoun (You) and its other forms such as possessive,
objective and reflexive are changed according to the object of reporting speech.

Example: The teacher said to me, “You must bring your assignment with yourself tomorrow.”
Obj of
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The teacher said to me that I had to take my assignment with myself the next day.
Main clause Noun clause
 3) The third person personal pronouns (He, She, It & They) and their other forms such as
possessive, objective and reflexive are not changed in indirect or reported speech.

Example: Sana said, “She will marry her boyfriend.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana said that she would marry her boyfriend.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Ali said, “They buy mobile for themselves from their salary.”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Ali said that they bought mobiles for themselves from their salary.
Main clause Noun clause

Example: He said, “It will rain tonight.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: He said that it would rain that night.

Main clause Noun clause

Reporting Verbs

“Said, told and asked” are the most common reporting verbs which are used in indirect or
reported speech to report statements and questions.

(1) The reporting verb “asked” is used to report “questions” in indirect or reported speech.

Example: Sana said, “Can he speak English?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana asked if he could speak English.

Main clause Noun clause

(2) The reporting verb “told” is with an object to report statements in indirect or reported
speech.

Example: Sana told me, “You should call me.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana told me that I should call her.

Main clause Noun clause

(3) The reporting verb “said” is used without object to report statements in indirect or
reported speech.

Example: Sana said, “She wants to go to USA.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech
Example: Sana said that she wanted to go to USA.
Main clause Noun clause

Note: If we want to use the reporting verb “said” with an “object” then we must use the
preposition “to” after the reporting verb “said” and before the “object”.

Example: Sana said to me, “She wants to go to USA.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana said to me that she wanted to go to USA.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Sana said me, “She wants to go to USA.” (Wrong)

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Changing Different Kinds of Sentences in Indirect or Reported Speech

1) Declarative Sentences in Indirect or Reported Speech

Structure: Subject + reporting verb (Said/told) + that + subject + verb + comp

Example: They said, “He is intelligent student.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: They said that he was intelligent student.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: The teacher told us, “He will help us in the exam.”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The teacher told us that he would help us in the exam.

Main clause Noun clause

2) Interrogative Sentences in Indirect or Reported Speech

(A) Yes/No Questions

Key Points:

o Use the reporting verbs (asked, wanted to know, questioned, inquired, interrogated)
instead of (said & told) while reporting Yes/No questions into indirect or reported speech.
o The marker “that” is not used while reporting Yes/No questions into indirect or reported
speech.
o The marker “if/whether” is used to introduce noun clause while reporting Yes/No
questions into indirect or reported speech and must always be used when a question
begins with auxiliary.
o To do auxiliaries (do, does & did) are deleted while Yes/No questions into indirect or
reported speech.
o A question mark is not used while reporting Yes/No questions into indirect or reported
speech instead of question mark is used as it is noun clause.
Structure: Subject + reporting verb (asked/wanted to know/questioned/inquired/interrogated)
+ if/whether + subject + verb + comp

Example: Ali said, “Do they play cricket?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Ali asked if they played cricket.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: My father said, “Did you invite them?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: My father questioned if I had invited them.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Hamid said, “Will he come today?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Hamid wanted to know if he would go that day.

Main clause Noun clause

(B) W.H Questions

Key Points:

o Use the reporting verbs (asked, wanted to know, questioned, inquired, interrogated)
instead of (said & told) while reporting W.H questions into indirect or reported speech.
o The marker “that” is not used while reporting W.H questions into indirect or reported
speech.
o The marker “W.H word” is used to introduce noun clause while reporting W.H questions
into indirect or reported speech.
o To do auxiliaries (do, does & did) are deleted while W.H questions into indirect or
reported speech.
o A question mark is not used while reporting W.H questions into indirect or reported
speech instead of question mark is used as it is noun clause.

Structure: Subject + reporting verb (asked/wanted to know/questioned/inquired/interrogated)

+ W.H words + subject + verb + comp

Example: Anees said, “When will Papa come?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Anees asked when would Papa go.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Hamid said, “Where do they study English?”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Hamid wanted to know where they studied English.

 Main clause Noun clause

3) Imperative Sentences in Indirect or Reported Speech

Imperative sentences are changed with infinitive (to + verb.1).

Positive Imperative Sentences

Structure: Subject + reporting verb (Instructed, told, advised, requested, forced, ordered) + to

+ verb.1 + comp

Example: Ali said, “Close the door.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Ali told to close the door.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: The teacher said, “Study hard for the test.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The teacher advised to study hard for the test.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: My said to me, “Respect elders.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: My father told me to respect elders.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Ali said, “Bring a glass of water.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Ali ordered to take a glass of water.

Main clause Noun clause

Negative Imperative Sentences

Structure: Subject + reporting verb (Instructed, told, advised, requested, forced, ordered) + not + to

+ verb.1 + comp

Example: My father said to me, “Don’t watch movies.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: My father ordered me not to watch movies.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: She said, “Don’t smoke cigarette.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: She advised not to smoke cigarette.

 Main clause Noun clause

4) Exclamatory Sentences in Indirect or Reported Speech

Structure: Subject + exclaimed with + noun (Joy, surprise, happiness, sadness, displeasure, pain) + that
+ W.H words + subject + verb + comp

Example: The players said, “Hurrah! We won the match.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The players exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
Main clause Noun clause

Example: He said, “What a beautiful car it is!”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: He exclaimed with surprise what a beautiful car it was.

Main clause Noun clause

Example: Sana said, “Ouch! I cut my finger.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Sana exclaimed with pain that she had cut her finger.
Main clause Noun clause

Example: The students said, “How difficult this test is!”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The students exclaimed with displeasure how difficult the test was.
Main clause Noun clause

Note: Situations under which formal sequence of tenses is not allowed even if the reporting verb
is in the past tense.
o Reporting Universal Fact

Example: Our teacher said, “Allah is the most merciful and compassionate.”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Our teacher said that Allah is the most merciful and compassionate .
Main clause Noun clause
o Reporting General Fact

Example: Ali said, “Ashraf Ghani is the president of Afghanistan.”

Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: Ali said that Ashraf Ghani is the president of Afghanistan.

Main clause Noun clause

o Reporting a Past Historical Event

Example: My father said, “Afghanistan got its independence from British in 1919.”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: My father said that Afghanistan got its independence from British in 1919.
Main clause Noun clause

o Reporting Real Conditional Clause

Example: The commentator said, “If the rain does not stop, the match will be called off .”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: The commentator said that if the rain does not stop, the match will be called off .
Main clause Noun clause

o Reporting Unreal Conditional Clause

Example: His teacher said, “If he studied hard, he would get good marks.”
Reporting Speech Reported Speech

Example: His teacher said that if he studied hard, he would get good marks.
Main clause Noun clause