Direct and Indirect Speech

In direct speech the original speaker's exact words are given and are indicated by quotation marks.

'I don't know what to do'said Dan.

In some grammar books said Dan is refered to as a reporting clause:'I don't know what to do' is refered to as the reported clause.

Indirect speech

In indirect speech the exact meaning of the speaker's words is given,but the exact words are not directly quoted.

Dan said that he didn't know what to do

So there are 2 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 the speech without quoting the speaker's exact words.

To convert direct speech in indirect speech:

-If the main verb is past tense,present tense verbs in the that clause must also be changed to past tense

'Dan said that he didn't know what to do'

-First and second person pronouns must be changed to third person pronouns

Dan said that he didn't know what to do

(the that can often be left out;Dan said he didn't know what to do.)

Indirect speech can be introduced by a verb in a present tens.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

example: Andrew says that he will never get married.

Andrew says'I'll never get married'.

When the introductory verb is in a present,present perfect or future tense(less common),the tense of the direct speech does not change.There are some examples:

1.He says'I'm 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 a letter.

3.He says'I have passed the examination'.

He says(that)he has passed the examination.

Indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past tese.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 continous goes to past continous

c)present perfect goes to past perfect

d)simple past goes to past perfect

e)present perfect continous goes to past perfect continous

f)present future goes to past future(conditional)

g)present future continous goes to past future continous(conditional continous)

2.Adverbs

a)now-then

b)ago-before

c)today-that day

d)tomorow-the next day/the following da

e)yesterday-the next day/the following 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 tomorow-in two day's time

j)a year ago-a year before

k)here-there

3.Others