Grammar Topic 9(a) - Direct and Indirect Speech (Statements)

Grammar – Topic 9(a)

Direct and Indirect Speech (Statements)

When we return home at the end of a day, we sometimes tell our family or close friends about our day. 

Let's say this is what your teacher told you today:

"There will be an English test next Friday."

When you get home, you might want to let your parents know what your teacher said (Let's call your teacher Mrs Townson and let's assume you do want your parents to know that you have an upcoming English test.)


You will likely tell your parents that:

Mrs Townson said that there would be an English test the following Friday.


What you have done is to change direct speech to indirect or reported speech. It is reported speech as we are reporting or telling others what someone else has said. Many people do this every day and it is very much a part of our speech. 


This is a commonly asked question in the Synthesis and Transformation section of Paper 2 in the PSLE English paper. 


There are several rules to follow when changing direct speech to indirect or reported speech. However, before we do that, let's learn about the rules of direct speech and indirect or reported speech. 


Direct Speech
Actual words spoken by someone.

Rule 1:
The words spoken by the person are put in inverted commas.

"Playing action video games helps me improve my hand-eye coordination skills," Ian told his mother.



Rule 2:
The first word in inverted commas starts with a capital letter.

"Many people living along the coast died in the tsunami," the journalist reported.

The owner of the pet store said, "The different types of fish food are for different species of fish."



Rule 3: 
If the reporting verb comes at the start of the sentence, put a comma after it.

Mary said, "I would rather be at the beach than reading this."



Rule 4:
If the reporting verb comes after the words spoken and the words spoken form a statement, put a comma before the closed inverted commas.

"Once I am old enough, I will learn to ride a motorcycle," said Chris.

If the words spoken form an exclamatory sentence or a question, put the correct pronunciation before the closed inverted commas.

"How was school today?" Mrs Parker asked Peter.

"Look out! There's a snake in the grass!" one of the hikers shouted to the others in the group.




Indirect Speech

Rule 1:
Inverted commas are not used.


Rule 2:
The actual words of the speaker are not used. The tenses, pronouns and adverbs are changed.



Now let's change direct speech to indirect or reported speech.

Rule 1:
Change the tenses.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Simple present tense	Simple past tense
Present perfect tense	Past perfect tense
Present continuous tense	Past continuous tense
Present perfect continuous tense	Past perfect continuous tense
Simple past tense	Past perfect tense
Past continuous tense	Past perfect continuous tense

Direct Speech: "I want to visit the Liverpool football stadium," said Jack.
                           (simple present tense)

Indirect Speech: Jack said that he wanted to visit the Liverpool football stadium. 
                                                       (simple past tense)


Rule 2:
Change the pronouns. 

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
I	he, she
you (subject) / you (object)	he, she, it (subject) / him, her, it (object)
he, she	he, she
we	they
they	they
me	her, him
us	them
my / mine	his / his, her / hers
your / yours	his / his, her / hers
our / ours	their / theirs

Direct Speech: "I enjoy playing football," said Mary.

Indirect Speech: Mary said that she enjoyed playing football.


Direct Speech: "This laptop is mine but I will lend it to you," Ann told Ben.

Indirect Speech: Ann told Ben that that laptop was hers but she would lend it to him.



Rule 3:
Change the adverbs.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
today	that day
tomorrow	the next day
last night	the night before
next week	the following week
here	there
ago	before
now	then
this	that
these	those

Direct Speech: "We can watch the football match live at this cafe tomorrow evening," said Jeffrey.

Indirect Speech: Jeffrey said that they could watch the football match live at that cafe the next evening.


Rule 4:
Change some modals.

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
can	could
may	might
shall	should
will	would
must	had to

Direct Speech: "I may visit my uncle in Japan next year," Tom told Peter.

Indirect Speech: Tom told Peter that he might visit his uncle in Japan the following year.


Let's Practise 

Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech.

1. David said, "Two passers-by ran after the thief outside the shopping mall."
David said that ________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________


2. "I did not enjoy the boat ride as the boat was rocking about violently," said Ann.
Ann said that ________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________


3. "We will be travelling to Malacca by bus," the teacher told her students.
The teacher told her students that _________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________


4. "At the half-time whistle, we must gather around our coach to listen for instructions," said the football player.
The football player said that _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________   


5. "I am playing golf now so I will only be able to meet you for lunch tomorrow," Mr Peters told Mr Lee.
Mr Peters told Mr Lee that _______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________



Change the following sentences from indirect to direct speech.

6. John said that his school camp would end the next day.
John said, "__________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________"  


7. Lionel said that it was he who had been watering the plants in the garden every day.
Lionel said, "__________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________ " 


8. The coach told the swimmers that they would have to train harder for the competition the following year.
"____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________," the coach told the swimmers.  


9. Samuel told Agnes that she could join his family for the picnic that Sunday.
"____________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________," Samuel told Agnes.  


10. The nurse told the patients that the doctor would see them then. 
"____________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________," the nurse told the patients.  




Answers:
1. David said that two passers-by had run after the thief outside the shopping mall.

Note: Change 'ran' to 'had run'. 
had + past participle form of the verb
had + run

To read the list of verbs in the past participle form, click here.  


2. Ann said that she had not enjoyed the boat ride as the boat had been rocking about violently.

3. The teacher told her students that they would be travelling to Malacca by bus.

4. The football player said that at the half-time whistle, they had to gather around their coach to listen for instructions.

5. Mr Peters told Mr Lee that he was playing golf then so he would only be able to meet him the next day.

6. John said, "My school camp will end tomorrow."

7. Lionel said, "It was I who have been watering the plants in the garden every day."

8. "You will have to train hard for the competition next year," the coach told the swimmers.

9. "You can join my family for the picnic this Sunday," Samuel told Agnes.

10. "The doctor will see you now," the nurse told the patients.