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Direct and Indirect J

This document provides an overview of Direct and Indirect Speech in English Language. It outlines the features and rules for constructing sentences in both forms, including examples for clarity. The document also highlights necessary changes in verb tenses and pronouns when converting from direct to indirect speech.

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Steve Dan
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9 views

Direct and Indirect J

This document provides an overview of Direct and Indirect Speech in English Language. It outlines the features and rules for constructing sentences in both forms, including examples for clarity. The document also highlights necessary changes in verb tenses and pronouns when converting from direct to indirect speech.

Uploaded by

Steve Dan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Welcome to Class !!

We are eager to have you join us !!

In today’s English Language class, We will be learning about Direct and Indirect
Speech. We hope you enjoy the class!

CONTENT

A direct Speech sentence is a sentence that reports the actual utterance/statement of


the speaker or writer without any alteration. A direct speech contains the exact
words used by the speaker.

Features of Direct Speech

1. After the subject (speaker) and the reporting verb, put a comma.
2. Put quotation marks before you write the first word of his speech.
3. Write in capital letter, the first letter of the first word of his speech.
4. Put the appropriate punctuation mark at the end of the speech, e.g; a full-
stop, a question mark or an exclamation mark.
5. Close the speech with quotation marks

Below are examples of direct speech sentences:

Akin said, ‘I am a nice boy’.

Analysis: Akin (speaker or subject)

Said (reporting verb)

( ‘) (comes after the verb)

I am a nice boy (the exact words of Akin)

A full-stop (.) is applied because it is a complete statement.

Lastly, a quotation mark is used to close the speech.

Indirect Speech / Reported Speech

In reported speech, the exact words of the original speaker are not used. Some
changes take place when giving a report using indirect speech sentence.

Features of Indirect Speech Sentences

1. After the subject (speaker) and the reporting verb, the reported speech is
introduced with the conjunction “that”, where appropriate.
2. All the verbs in the present tense in a quotation must be changed to past
tense
3. All pronouns must be changed to the third person.
4. All words of nearness must be changed to corresponding words of
remoteness

Below are the changes in a tabular form:

Present Tense Past Tense

am/ is/be was

will would
shall should

have had

has had

Pronouns

I he/ she

we They

can could

must had to

Other changes

yesterday the previous day / the day before

this week that week

next week the following week

here there

now then

today that day

tomorrow the following / next day

ago before

these those

this that

However, when reporting a universal truth, no changes take place in the reported
speech, including the reporting verb. Also, if the reporting verb is in the present or
future tense, the verb in the reported speech does not change.
Now, consider the following examples:

Direct speech: He said, ‘We have enough rooms for all of you.’

Indirect speech: The man informed us / told us that they had enough rooms for all
of us.

Direct speech: Tade says, ‘We have lectures every Friday.’

Indirect speech: Tade says that they have lectures every Friday.

Direct speech: Our geography teacher said, ‘The earth is spherical’.

Indirect speech: Our geography teacher said that the earth is spherical.

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