In a broadcast news, we often hear these two sentence patterns… It is Direct and Indirect Speech.
Direct speech is refers to reproducing another person exact word. We usually used quotation marks (" ").
Example of Direct Speech :
1. Justin said, “I’m very busy.”
2. They said, “We have bought a picture.”
4. Selena says, “I got the first prize.”
5. You said, “I will come to help him.”
6. Jeremy will say, “I will do my best.”
Indirect speech is refers to reproducing the idea of another person word.
Example : Yair said that he worked hard the day before.
Verb tense changes also characterize other situations using indirect speech. Note the changes shown in the chart and see the table below for examples. With indirect speech, the use of that is optional.
Direct Speech | Þ | Indirect Speech |
simple present He said, “I go to school every day.” | Þ | simple past He said (that) he went to school every day. |
simple past He said, “I went to school every day.” | Þ | past perfect He said (that) he had gone to school every day. |
present perfect He said, “I have gone to school every day.” | Þ | past perfect He said (that) he had gone to school every day. |
present progressive He said, “I am going to school every day.” | Þ | past progressive He said (that) he was going to school every day. |
past progressive He said, “I was going to school every day.” | Þ | perfect progressive He said (that) he had been going to school every day, |
future (will) He said, “I will go to school every day.” | Þ | would + verb name He said (that) he would go to school every day. |
future (going to) He said, “I am going to school every day.” | Þ | present progressive He said (that) he is going to school every day. |
past progressive He said (that) he was going to school every day | ||
Direct Speech | Þ | Indirect Speech |
auxiliary + verb name He said, “Do you go to school every day?” He said, “Where do you go to school?” | Þ | simple past He asked me if I went to school every day.* He asked me where I went to school. |
imperative He said, “Go to school every day.” | Þ | infinitive He said to go to school every day. |
The situation changes if instead of the common said another part of the very to say is used. In that case the verb tenses usually remain the same. Some examples of this situation are given below. |
Direct Speech | Þ | Indirect Speech |
simple present + simple present He says, “I go to school every day.” | Þ | simple present + simple present He says (that) he goes to school every day. |
present perfect + simple present He has said, “I go to school every day.” | Þ | present perfect + simple present He has said (that) he goes to school every day. |
past progressive + simple past He was saying, “I went to school every day.” | Þ | past progressive + simple past He was saying (that) he went to school every day. |
past progressive + past perfect He was saying (that) he had gone to school every day. | ||
future + simple present He will say, “I go to school every day.” | Þ | future + simple present He will say (that) he goes to school every day. |
Another situation is the one in which modal constructions are used. If the verb said is used, then the form of the modal, or another modal that has a past meaning is used. |
Direct Speech | Þ | Indirect Speech |
can He said, “I can go to school every day.” | Þ | could He said (that) he could go to school every day. |
may He said, “I may go to school every day.” | Þ | might He said (that) he might go to school every day. |
might He said, “I might go to school every day.” | ||
must He said, “I must go to school every day.” | Þ | had to He said (that) he had to go to school every day. |
have to He said, “I have to go to school every day.” | ||
should He said, “I should go to school every day.” | Þ | should He said (that) he should go to school every day. |
ought to He said, “I ought to go to school every day.” | Þ | ought to He said (that) he ought to go to school every day. |
There are 3 kinds of indirect speech :
a) Imperrative (command/request)
b) Interrogative (question)
c) Declarative (statement)
Example :
1. Imperrative (command / request)
Direct : Mrs. Pattie said to Jazmyn, "Don't wory about it."
Indirect : Mrs. Pattie told Jazmyn not to wory about it.
2. Interrogative (question)
Direct : Risma asked to Kevin, "Are you a journalist?"
Indirect : Risma asked if / whether He was journalist.
3. Declarative (statement)
Direct : Mr. Theo said, "I worked hard yesterday."
Indirect : Mr. Theo said that he worked hard the day before.
In comand sentences, direct speech can changed to indirect speech with change "Said" to be "Ordered", "Told", and "Forbade".
Example :
1. Direct : Willow said, "Open the door!"
Indirect : Willow ordered to open the door.
2. Direct : Jack said, "Steven, come here!"
Indirect : Jack told Steven to come there.
3. Direct : Jaxon said to Andi, "Do not disturb me!"
Indirect : Jaxon forbade Andi to disturb him.
1. Imperrative (command / request)
Direct : Mrs. Pattie said to Jazmyn, "Don't wory about it."
Indirect : Mrs. Pattie told Jazmyn not to wory about it.
2. Interrogative (question)
Direct : Risma asked to Kevin, "Are you a journalist?"
Indirect : Risma asked if / whether He was journalist.
3. Declarative (statement)
Direct : Mr. Theo said, "I worked hard yesterday."
Indirect : Mr. Theo said that he worked hard the day before.
In comand sentences, direct speech can changed to indirect speech with change "Said" to be "Ordered", "Told", and "Forbade".
Example :
1. Direct : Willow said, "Open the door!"
Indirect : Willow ordered to open the door.
2. Direct : Jack said, "Steven, come here!"
Indirect : Jack told Steven to come there.
3. Direct : Jaxon said to Andi, "Do not disturb me!"
Indirect : Jaxon forbade Andi to disturb him.
