Speech

  Speech           

 Direct and Indirect Speech                   

There are two ways of relating what a person has said: direct and Indirect.

Direct Speech

When we repeat the original speaker's exact words it is called direct speech. In direct speech, the exact words of the speaker are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the remark.

e.g. He said, I have been to London.

This sentence is in direct speech because the actual words of the speaker I have been to London' have' been quoted.

Parts of the Direct Speech
In direct speech, there are two parts.
i. Reporting clause
ii. Reported clause

The part of the sentence containing the reporting verb is known as the reporting clause. In the sentence above 'He said' is reporting clause and the verb 'said' alone is reporting verb. The verb that introduces the reported clause is known as the 'reporting verb.
The exact words of the speaker that are put within inverted commas are known as the 'reported clause or reported speech'. In the
the sentence above 'I have been to London is the reported clause.
e.g. He said, Ihave been to London.'
In this statement "He said is a reporting clause, 'said' is a
reporting verb and I have been to London' is a reported clause.
Note on usage
The direct speech is placed between inverted commas.
A comma or colon is placed between the reporting clause and the
reported clause.
The first word of the reported clause (direct speech) begins with
a capital letter.
The reporting verb is usually in the past tense.

Indirect Speech

When we say the same meaning of a remark or a speech in our own words without necessarily using the speaker s Exact words, it i

called the indirect speech. In indirect speech the comma and the

inverted commas are not placed. But the conjunction that' is used to

join the reported speech with the reporting clause.

e.g He said that he had been to London.

This sentence is in the indirect speech because the speaker's

exact words have not been repeated.

Note on Usage

n indirect speech the reported clause is not placed between

inverted commas.

A comma or colon is not used between the reporting clause and

the reported clause.

The conjunction 'that' is usually used to join the reported clause

with the reporting clause.

The indirect speech is usually introduced by a verb in the past

tense.

In indirect speech the present tense is usually changed into the

past tense.

In indirect speech the Ist and 2nd person pronouns are usually

changed into the 3rd person pronouns.

In indirect speech time adverbs and place adverb are changed.

Rules for changing Direct speech into Indireet speech

The Tenses in Indirect Speech

When the reporting verb is in the past tense all the tenses of

the direct speech are changed into the corresponding past tense.

Simple present tense in direct speech becomes simple past tense

in indirect speech. (When the reporting verb is in the past tense)

Direct Speech mdirect Speeeh

Simple Present Tense Simple Past Tense

vl. v5 2

e.g. Direct: He said Tlive in a villuge.

Indirect: He said that he lived in a village.

Present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous.                           for more detail check these pages.

The summary of this chapter will be posted later.

Youtube video Learn Infinite

Click here to go