Direct & Indirect Speech

1. Introduction

• Direct Speech: The exact words of a speaker are quoted and placed within quotation marks (” “).
  
  • Example: She said, “I am reading a book.”
• Indirect Speech (also known as Reported Speech): The speaker’s words are conveyed in a reported form, without using the exact wording or quotation marks.
  • Example: She said (that) she was reading a book.

2. Basic Differences

1. Punctuation:
   
   • Direct speech uses quotation marks.
   • Indirect speech does not use quotation marks.
2. Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives:
   
   • Often change to maintain the logical perspective. (e.g., “I” → “he/she,” “my” → “his/her,” etc.)
3. Tense Changes:
   
   • Generally, if the reporting verb (e.g., “said,” “told”) is in the past tense, the tense of the reported speech usually shifts one step back (e.g., Present → Past, Past → Past Perfect).
4. Time and Place Words:
   
   • Words like “now,” “today,” “tomorrow,” etc., often change in indirect speech (e.g., “today” → “that day”).

3. Common Reporting Verbs

1. Said:
   • Most commonly used.
   • “She said that…”
2. Told:
   • Used when specifying whom the statement was made to.
   • “She told me that…”
3. Asked:
   • Typically for questions.
   • “She asked me if/whether…” or “She asked me what/why/where…”
4. Ordered / Commanded / Requested / Suggested, etc.:
   • Used in imperative statements or suggestions.
   • “He ordered me to leave.” / “She suggested that we go out.”

4. Tense Shifts in Indirect Speech

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., “said,” “told”), the tense in the reported clause usually shifts one step back:

Note: If the reporting verb is in the present tense or if the statement being reported is always true, the tense may not change.

• Example (No change): She says, “I eat rice.” → She says she eats rice.
• Example (Always true): “The sun rises in the east.” → She said (that) the sun rises in the east.

5. Change of Pronouns

Pronouns in indirect speech change according to who is speaking, who is being spoken to, and who or what is being spoken about.

• First Person (I, we, my, our, etc.) in direct speech changes according to the subject of the reporting verb.
  • “I love music,” said Rahul. → Rahul said that he loved music.
• Second Person (you, your, etc.) in direct speech changes according to the object of the reporting verb.
  • “You should start early,” she told me. → She told me that I should start early.
• Third Person (he, she, they, him, her, them, etc.) generally remain the same unless clarity demands a change.
  • “He will help us,” said Deepa. → Deepa said that he would help them.

6. Change of Time and Place Words

Certain adverbs of time and place change when converting to indirect speech, typically referencing the moment the speech is reported rather than the original moment.

Example:

• Direct: “I am busy today,” he said.
• Indirect: He said that he was busy that day.

7. Reporting Questions

7.1 Yes/No Questions

• Use if or whether in indirect speech.
• Example:
  • Direct: She asked, “Are you coming with us?”
  • Indirect: She asked if I was coming with them.

7.2 Wh-Questions (Who, What, Why, Where, When, How, etc.)

• Use the Wh-word directly, but remove any auxiliary verbs that are no longer needed and change the pronouns/tenses accordingly.
• Example:
  • Direct: He asked, “Where do you live?”
  • Indirect: He asked where I lived.

8. Reporting Imperatives (Commands, Requests, Advice)

• Structure: Reporting verb + object + (to + base form of verb)
• Example (Command):
  • Direct: The teacher said, “Open your books.”
  • Indirect: The teacher told the students to open their books.
• Example (Request):
  • Direct: He said to me, “Please help me.”
  • Indirect: He requested me to help him.
• Example (Advice/Suggestion):
  • Direct: My father said, “Don’t waste your time.”
  • Indirect: My father advised me not to waste my time.

9. Special Cases

1. Modals:
   
   • will → would
   • shall → should
   • can → could
   • may → might
   • must → often stays must or changes to had to depending on context.
2. No Change When:
   
   • Reporting verb is in the present/future tense: “She says, ‘I am tired.’” → She says she is tired.
   • Reporting universal truths: “He said, ‘Honesty is the best policy.’” → He said that honesty is the best policy.
3. Exclamations:
   
   • Direct: She said, “Wow! What a beautiful scene!”
   • Indirect: She exclaimed with joy/surprise that it was a very beautiful scene.

10. Quick Examples (Summary)

1. Direct → Indirect (Statement)
   • Direct: “I have finished my work,” she said.
   • Indirect: She said that she had finished her work.
2. Direct → Indirect (Question)
   • Direct: He asked, “Did you see my pen?”
   • Indirect: He asked if I had seen his pen.
3. Direct → Indirect (Command)
   • Direct: The doctor said, “Take this medicine twice a day.”
   • Indirect: The doctor told me to take the medicine twice a day.
4. Direct → Indirect (Request)
   • Direct: “Please lend me your book,” she said to me.
   • Indirect: She requested me to lend her my book.
5. Direct → Indirect (Exclamation)
   • Direct: “Alas! I failed the exam,” he said.
   • Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed the exam.

Direct & Indirect Speech MCQ Question and Answers