English grammar direct and indirect speech | direct and indirect speech

 Direct and Indirect Speech 

English grammar direct and indirect speech | direct and indirect speech

English grammar direct and indirect speech | direct and indirect speech

English grammar direct and indirect speech | direct and indirect speech 

What is Direct Speech? 

In direct speech, we use the actual words of the speaker which are enclosed within inverted commas placed at the beginning and at the end.  

Example :- 1. Maya said, ' I am happy. ' 

What is Indirect Speech? 

In indirect speech, we express the content of statement that is said by the speaker without quoting them with inverted commas as done in direct speech.

Example :- Maya said that she was happy.

What is a Reporting Verb? #

A reporting verb is a word which is used to talk about or report on other people's work. 

Example :- Raj said that he was living in Mumbai . ( Here , said is a reporting verb ) and 'was' is the reported verb. 

Now there are some Basic Rules for the conversion of Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.... 

Change in Tense 

1. The tenses of direct speech do not change in Indirect speech if reporting verb is in the Future tense or Present tense. 

For Example :- 1. She says/ will say, ' I am going'. ( Direct) 

Answer :- She says/ will say she is going.  (Indirect) 

2.  When the reporting verb is in the Past Tense, all the Present Tenses of the direct are changed into the following Past tenses. 

They are : 

(a.) Simple Present becomes  Simple Past 

  Eg : He said, ' I do not  like to cook.'     

         He  said that he did not like to cook. 

         

(b.)  Present Continuous becomes Past         Continuous    

  Eg : He said, ' I am going for a walk.' 

         He said that he was going for a walk. 

         
(c.) Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect 

  Eg : He said, '  I have done my project.' 

         He said that he had done his project. 

(d.) Present Perfect Continuous becomes Past Perfect Continuous 

   Eg :  He said, '  I have been singing since childhood.' 

         He said that he had been singing since childhood. 

         

(e.) Simple Past becomes Past Perfect 

   Eg : He said, ' They horse died in the night'. 

          He said that the horse had died in the night. 

(f.) Past Continuous becomes Past Perfect Continuous 

  Eg : He said, ' I was reading a book.' 

         He said that he had been reading a book. 

Some important points 

Past Perfect does not change. 

Past Perfect Continuous does not change. 

Shall, will, may and can become should, would, might and could. 

Examples : He said,' I will eat an apple'. 

                    He said that he would eat an                            apple pie.   

                    

                    I said, ' I shall try to help her.' 

                    I said that I should try to help 

                    her. 

                    He said, ' I may travel to Pune.' 

                    He said that he might travel to     

                    Pune.

                    He said,' I can eat 10 eggs.' 

                    He said that he could eat 10 eggs