Direct and reported speech

The forming of direct and reported speech varies according to the types of sentences, whether it is a declarative sentence or a question. Also, The forming requires knowing the tense of the sentence.

Direct speech

It is also called quoted speech, and it is used to convey a speech literally. We put the quoted sentence between quotation marks. We also add a reporting verb that comes before or after the quote to refer that it is from another person, such as (he said).

Examples: 

Notes:

1- Pronouns in the quoted sentence do not change.

2- Tenses in the quoted sentence do not change and are not related to the tense of the reporting verb.

3-  We always put quotation marks before and after the quoted sentence, and if it includes punctuation marks, we also put them.

4- The quoted sentence can be a declarative, question, or imperative sentence.

Indirect speech

It is also called reported speech, and it is used to convey a speech in a nonliteral way. The tenses and pronouns change depending on who said the sentence, and we do not put the sentence in quotation marks. We also put (that) before the sentence, whether it is an affirmative or negative sentence.

Forming indirect speech

1- The pronouns in the reported speech change to match the one who said the main sentence, and we use third-person pronouns.

2- If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we do not make any changes to the tenses and use the present tense.

3- If the reporting verb is in the past tense, we change the tenses, and each tense has a different case.

4- If there are words indicating time and place, we change them to suit the meaning.

Tenses changing cases

• Declarative sentences

In the present tense:

If the sentence begins with the present tense, like (He says), then we do not change the tense.

Example:

Ahmad: I want to eat. → He says that he wants to eat.

Notice the tense of the reporting verb is present (says), which means we do not change the tense of the reported sentence. On the other hand, the pronoun (I) changed to match the pronoun (he).

In the past tense:

If the sentence begins with the past tense, like (He said), then some changes are necessary.

1- If it is present simple, we change it to the simple past.

Example:

Sara: I am happy. → She said that she was happy.

2- If it is present continuous, we change it to the past continuous.

Example:

Sara and Ahmad: We are cooking. → They said that they were cooking.

3- If it is present perfect, we change it to the past perfect.

Example:

Sara and Ahmad: We have traveled. → They said that they had traveled.

4- If it is present perfect continuous, we change it to the past perfect continuous.

Example:

I have been writing. → He said that he had been writing.

5- If it is simple past, we change it to the past perfect.

Example:

I was in France. → He said that he had been to France.

6- If it is past continuous, we change it to the past perfect continuous.

Example:

I was studying. → She said that she had been studying.

7- If it is past perfect or past perfect continuous, then it remains the same.

Examples:

I had worked. → She said that she had worked.

I had been writing this book for two years.  → He said that he had been writing this book for two years. 

8- If a sentence contains modal verbs as auxiliary verbs or in future tenses, then it becomes:

Example: 

He can swim. → He told me that he could swim.

• Interrogative and imperative sentences

We apply the previous rules here too, but with some more changes to the sentence:

1- In interrogative sentences, we switch between the subject and the auxiliary verb.

2- We put (if or whether) instead of (that) with Yes/No questions.

3- In imperative sentences, we put (to) before the main verb in the sentence, and the verb always comes in the infinitive form. 

Examples: 

What are you doing? → He asked me what I was doing.

Does he speak English? → She asked him if/whether he spoke English.

Sit down. → She told me to sit down.

Leila, do your homework. → He asked Leila to do her homework.

Note: We do not change the tense in indirect speech when talking about something that has not changed in the present or future.

Examples: 

I am 17 years old. → He said he is 17 years old.

We are going to Venice next month. → They said they are going to Venice next month.

Place and time expressions

We replace some expressions such as:

Example: 

I am reading now. → He said that he was reading then.

Notes:

1- If a sentence has two parts and each part is in a different tense, we process each tense separately.

Example: 

I was cleaning my room when the phone rang. → He said he had been cleaning his room when the phone had rung.

2- If a sentence includes conjunctions, such as (and or but), then there are two cases:

• If a sentence with a subject and a verb comes after the conjunction:

Example: 

I woke up early and I went to school. → She said that she had woken up early and that she had gone to school.

• If a verb or a phrase comes after the conjunction:

Example: 

We are studying and working at the same time. → They said that they were studying and working at the same time.

That is all about direct and indirect speech and how we form them. If you have any questions or suggestions, you can share them with us in the comments section below.

Exercise

Complete the following sentences.

1- I had my lunch. → He says: …

2- They are moving into a new apartment next week. → They said …

3- What is your favorite snack? →  He asked me …

4- Maher, give me the remote, please. → She asked Maher …

Answers

1- "I had my lunch."

2- that they were moving into a new apartment the following week.

3- what my favorite snack was.

4- to give her the remote.