BASIC RULES FOR

INDIRECT SPEECH
RULE 1:
Words of the speaker
(reported speech) are not
enclosed in inverted
commas or quotation
marks in indirect speech.
 BASIC RULES FOR
INDIRECT SPEECH
RULE 2:
Usage of word “that”
Ex. The conjunction “that” is
always He
Direct speech: used between
said, “I write a
letter.” reporting verb and
reported speech in
Indirect speech: He said that he
indirect speech.
wrote a letter.
 BASIC RULES FOR
INDIRECT SPEECH
RULE 3:
Change in tense of the reported speech.
If the reporting verb is either present or future
Ex.
tense, no
Direct change
Speech: Hewill be made
says, “I aminplaying
the reported
cricket.”
speech. Only
Indirect if theHe
Speech: reporting verb
says that heofisdirect speech
playing a
belongs to(No
cricket. thechange
past tense, changes will be made
in tense)
in tenseSpeech:
Direct reportedShe
speech
said,for
“I making indirecta
am watching
speech.
movie.”
Indirect Speech: She said that she was
watching a movie. (tense changed)
BASIC RULES FOR
INDIRECT SPEECH
RULE 4: Changes in pronoun
The
Ex. pronoun (or subject) of the reported
speech is sometime
Direct Speech: Hechanged
said, “I according
eat two to
the pronoun (or subject) or object of the
apples.”
reported
Indirectverb. The possessive
Speech: He said that pronouns
he ate(i.e.
his,
twoher, my, their, your, etc.) may also
apples.
change accordingShe
Direct Speech: to subject
said to or me,
object
“I of the
like
first
yoursentence.
book.”
Indirect Speech: She said to me that
she liked my book.
BASIC RULES FOR
INDIRECT SPEECH
RULE 4: Change in Time
If there speech:
Direct is time mentioned
She said,in“Ithe
am buying
sentence
a of direct speech, the time will
laptop today.”
be changed
Indirect in indirect
Speech: She speech.
said thatThere
she are
was buying
certain rules a laptop that
changing day., i.e. now
the time
Direct Speech:
into then, tomorrowHe into
said, “ Inext
the need your
day,
now.”
today into that day, yesterday into the
Indirect
previous Speech:
day. He said that he
needed my help then.
 EN9G-IVf-1: Change
direct speech to
indirect and vice
versa
At the end of the lesson, the students
should be able to:
a. identify direct and indirect speech;
b. change the direct speech to indirect
and vice versa
Direct the Indirect Way (p.531)
Compare and contrast the following sentences:
A. B.
President Obama said, President Obama
“There were no winners in said that there were
this government no winners in this
shutdown.” government
  shutdown.
 
Obama said it would
Obama said, “It won’t be not be easy.
easy.”
What can you
observe in the given
statement?

Cite the changes in

the original
statement?
Direct speech – the words
of the speaker are given
exactly as they are
spoken.
Indirect speech- the
words of the speaker are
not given as spoken but
are given indirectly.
 Change in writing direct to indirect
way or speech”
1. change all the pronouns to agree
with the sense of the new sentence.
2. In indirect way, the word that is
inserted after the verb.
3. Present tense is followed by the
tense used.
Past tense is followed by the past
tense.
4. Said to is changed to told and said
to him is changed to told him.
Change the following direct
statements to indirect.

1. Biff said, “I just can’t focus

on my job.”
2. “I am tired to death, said
Willy”.
3. Linda replied, “Your idea is
good.”
1. Biff said that he just
couldn’t focus on his job.”
2. Willy said that he is tired
to death.
3. Linda replied that your
mind is overactive and the
mind is what counts.
Directions:
Change the following sentences from
direct to indirect speech.

1. He said, “I will be here at noon.”

2. Mary said, “The train will probably
arrive on time.
3. He promised, “I have to finish the
report by five o’clock”.
4. “A small man can be just as
exhausted as a great man” said Linda.
5. “I am satisfied,” Edsel says.