Direct and Indirect Speech in English
There are two ways of reporting what speakers have said, direct and indirect. Direct speech is used when we want to repeat the original speaker's exact words, while indirect speech is used when we want to give the exact meaning of a speech without quoting the speaker's exact words.A. Indirect speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tense. This usually when we are:
1. reporting a conversation that is still going on
2. reading a letter or something else and reporting what it said
3. reading instructions and reporting them
4. reporting a statement that someone makes very often
e.g. Andrew says that he will never get married.
Andrew says,"I will never get married".
Further, when the introductory verb (reporting verb) is in a present, present perfect, or future tense (less common), the tense of the direct speech does not change. Study the following examples:
1. He says,"I am unwell."
He says (that) he is unwell.
2. He has just said,"My master is writing letters."
He has just said (that) his master is writing letters.
3. He says,"I have passed the examination."
He says (that) he ahs passed the examination.
B. But indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tense. When the reporting or principle verb is in the past tense, all present tense or verb in the direct speech have to be changed into the corresponding past tense. The changes are shown as follows:
1. Tenses
a.simple present goes to simple past
b.present continuous goes to past continuous
c.present perfect goes to past perfect
d.simple past goes to past perfect
e.present perfect continuous goes to past perfect continuous
f.present future goes to past future (conditional)
g.present future continuous goes to past future continuous (conditional continuous)
2. Adverbs
a.now - then
b.ago - before
c.today - that day
d.tomorrow - the next day/the following day
e.yesterday - the day before/the previous day
f.last night - the night before/the previous night
g.next week/year - the following week/year
h.the day before yesterday - two days before
i.the day after tomorrow - in two days' time
j.a year ago - a year before/the previous year
k.here - there
etc.
3. Others
a.this - that
b.these - those
c.come - go there/here
'that' is usually optional after the verbs "say, tell, think, believe", and is obligatory after the verbs "mention, declare, report, state".
Study the folowing examples:
1. He said,"I am unwell."
He said (that) he was unwell.
2. She said to me,"I don't believe you."
She said (that) she didn't believe you.
3. He said,"I have seen this film."
He said that he had seen that film.
4. She said,"I saw these boys yesterday."
She said that she saw those boys yesterday.
5. John told me,"You can leave us now."
John told me that I might leave them then.
6. "I saw her the day before yesterday", he said.
He said he had seen her two days before.
7. "I'll do it tomorrow", she promised.
She promised that she would do it the next day.
8. Andrew said to Tom,"You are wrong."
Andrew said to Tom that he (Tom) was wrong.
9. Jane said,"I have done my homework."
Jane said that she had done her homework.
10. "I'm starting the day after tomorrow, father", she said.
She said to (told) her father that she was starting in two days' time
Phonetics Phonology Morphology Semantics Syntax Sociolinguistics Language Society
posted by Rini Ekayati :: Linguistics :: @ 12:18 PM
5 Comments:
Nice post, useful info ;)
Thank you.And i had visited your side, and it seems that you have the same interest with me. May i link?
Regards,
Rini
I'd be very happy! I can also add your site to my 'links' section. could you review my site in your blog? i think of reviewing your blog in coming days ;)
Thank you for your kindness. Let me consider to do that, because i'm not good enough in reviewing others, but i'll try my best.
And thanks before for your intention to review my blog.
Regard,
Rini
thank you rini - i will use this with my year 8 kids, studying "Holes" by Louis Sachar. We are in Methwold, Norfolk, England.
Kind regards
Bernie
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