DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

In Direct Speech we give the exact words of the speaker, while in Indirect Speech we explain/report what the speaker has said.

A. REPORTING STATEMENTS

When changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, there take place some changes. Generally speaking, words expressing "nearness" in Direct Speech become words expressing "remoteness" in Indirect Speech. Thus, if we refer to word changes, mention must be made of the following ones: Direct speech I we my our this these here now today tonight tomorrow yesterday ago next the day after tomorrow the day before yesterday Indirect speech he/she they his/her their that those there then that day that night the next day/the following day the day before/the previous day before the next in two days' time two days before

As for the tenses used in Indirect Speech it must be shown that, when the reporting verb is in the Present Tense or in the Present Perfect, no tense change occurs in Indirect Speech: "I shall buy this book tomorrow," Jane says. (Direct Speech) Jane says that she will buy this book tomorrow. (Indirect Speech) But, when the reporting verb is in the Past Tense, the following change of tenses takes place: Direct Speech Present Past Simple/ Present Perfect Future EXCEPTIONS: a) When the subjects of the reporting verb and of the action in the direct object clause are identical, the verb must may remain unchanged: "I must do all these exercises today," my son complained. My son complained that he must do all those exercises that day. However, even in this case, the more frequent form would be: My son complained that he had to do all those exercises that day. Indirect Speech Past Simple Example "I live in this house now," the girl explained. The girl explained that she lived in that house then. "We saw this film yesterday," the children told me. The children told me that they had seen that film the day before. "I have not visited New York yet," the tourist said. The tourist said that he had not visited New York yet. "We shall not be late," my friends promised. My friends promised that they would not be late.

Past Perfect

Future in the Past

b) Conditional sentences of Type II remain unchanged, as well as the subjunctive after: wish, would rather, it's (high) time: "I would write to her if I knew her address," the boy explained. The boy explained that he would write to her if he knew her address. She said: "I wish I were younger." She said she wished she were younger. "It's high time you understood such things," my uncle told me. My uncle told me that it was high time I understood such things. c) Had better, might, ought to, used to, could, should, needn't do not normally change in Indirect Speech: "You might be right," she said. She said that he might be right. "I would help you if I could," Mary told Lucy. Mary told Lucy that she would help her if she could. d) When expressing repeated actions in the past: "We often walked on the beach when we were young," my grandparents told me. My grandparents told me that they often walked on the beach when they were young.

B. REPORTING QUESTIONS
1.General (Yes/No) questions will be introduced by if/whether: "Is your mother at home?" aunt Maggie wanted to know. Aunt Maggie wanted to know if/whether mother was at home. Whether usually expresses a doubt and a possible choice between two alternatives: "Will you go to the mountains or will you spend this week-end in town." my friend asked me. My friend asked me whether I would go to the mountains or would spend that week-end in town. 2. Special questions (those questions introduced by interrogative words like: what, which, where, when, who, whose, whom, how) will maintain, in Indirect Speech, the interrogative word they begin with: "Where do you live?" the policeman wanted to know. The policeman wanted to know where I lived. "When will the boys come back?" Mary asked me. Mary asked me when the boys would come back. We must underline that the word order of questions changes to the word order specific to statements when these questions are turned into the Indirect Speech.

C. REPORTING COMMANDS
Direct Speech Indirect Speech AFFIRMATIVE COMMANDS change into LONG INFINITIVES "Come in!" she told me. She told me to come in. NEGATIVE COMMANDS change into NOT + LONG INFINITIVES "Don't run in the street!" mother advised her son. Mother advised her son not to run in the street. The Imperative with let, when turned into the Indirect Speech, is normally introduced by the verb to suggest. "Let's hurry now," he said. He suggested that they should hurry then.

REPORTING EXCLAMATIONS
a) Exclamations with What a ..., or How... are reported by using: "He said that it was a ..." "What a sunny day!" she said. She said that it was a sunny day. b) Exclamations such as: "Heavens!", "Oh!", etc. are usually reported by "She gave an exclamation of surprise/disgust/etc." or "She exclaimed with surprise/disgust/etc."