DIRECT SPEECHSaying exactly what someone has

said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech)Here what a person says appears within quotation marks ("...") and

should be word for word.For example:

"I'm going to the cinema", he said.

Indirect Speech Indirect speech is also called as reported speech because it is used by a person to report someone’s speech in his/her own words.

For example: He said he was going to the

cinema.

CHANGING SPEECHGRAMMAR GRANNY

TELLS YOU THE

RULES !!

RULE 1Check the tense of the reporting verb to decide whether the corresponding tenses will change or not.

When reporting speech, the tense usually changes. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs, therefore, usually have to be in the past too.

RULE 2If the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tenses of the Direct Speech do not change. Thus, Example: He says he is unwell.

RULE 3When the reporting verb is in the past tense, all present tenses of the Direct Speech are changed into the corresponding past tenses.

Direct speech Indirect speech

Present simple She said, "It's cold.“

Present continuous She said, "I'm teaching English online."

Present perfect She said, "I've been on the web since 1999."

Past simple She said it was cold.

Past continuous She said she was teaching English online.

Past perfect She said she had been on the web since 1999.

Direct speech Indirect speechPast simple She said, "I taught online yesterday.“

Past continuous She said, "I was teaching earlier."

Past perfect She said, "The lesson had already started when he arrived."

Past perfect She said she had taught online yesterday.

Past perfect continuous

She said she had been teaching earlier.

Past perfect NO CHANGE

RULE 4Words expressing nearness in time or place are generally changed into words expressing distance in case of both rule 2 and rule 3.

Direct speech Indirect speechthis (evening)

today

these (days)

now

(a week) ago

last weekend

here

next (week)

tomorrow

that (evening)

That day

those (days)

then

(a week) before

the previous weekend there

the following (week)

the next/following day

REPORTING QUESTIONS

The Indirect Speech is introduced by verbs such as asked, enquired, questioned etc. When the question is not introduced by an interrogative word, the reporting verb is followed by whether or if.

REPORTING COMMANDS AND REQUESTS

In reporting commands and requests, the Indirect Speech is introduced by some verb expressing command or request, and the imperative mood is changed into the Infinitive.

THANK YOU!