Angl - Ta - Direct and Indirect Speeches

Institut National de Recherche et d’Action Pédagogiques
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TITRE DE LA LEÇON : DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECHES

Discipline : Anglais
Sous-discipline : Grammaire
Cycle : Lycée - Niveau : Terminale A
There are two ways to report what a person says, said, has said, will say or is saying: direct and
indirect speech.
I- Direct speech/quoted speech

In direct speech, we reproduce the speaker’s exact words between inverted commas or quotation marks
(“ ”).
Examples:
Kombo: I speak English.
Malonga: what does Kombo say?
Oko: Kombo says: ‘‘I speak English.’’
Tom: I play the piano.
Patrick: what did Tom say?
Dorothy: Tom said: ‘‘I play the piano.’’
I- Indirect speech/ reported speech
We use the indirect speech when we report what someone said without using his exact words.
Examples:
Kombo: I speak English.
Malonga: what does Kombo say?
Oko: Kombo says that he speaks English.
Tom: I play the piano.
Patrick: what did Tom say?
Dorothy: Tom said that he played the piano.
Note: When the verb of reporting is in the simple past (said), the following changes occur:
-Tenses changing
Direct speech Indirect speech
Simple Present Simple Past
She said, “I watch TV every day.” She said that she watched TV every day.
Present continuous Past continuous
She said, “I am watching TV.” she said that she was watching TV.
Simple past/ Preterite Past perfect (had + past participle)
She said, “I watched TV every day.” She said that she had watched TV every day.
Present perfect Past perfect (had + past participle)
She said, “I have watched TV.” She said that she had watched TV.
Present perfect continuous Past perfect continuous
She said, “I have been watching TV.” She said that she had been watching TV.
1
Simple future Conditional

She said, “I shall/will watch TV.” She said that she would watch TV.
But, note: Conditional Conditional
She said, “I could/should/would/might watch TV.” She said that she could/would/might watch TV.
- Modal verbs in indirect speech
Modal verbs: can - may - must - ought to.
Changes
Can could
May might
Must had to / must
ought to ought to
Example: Direct speech: They said, “We may visit the museum.”
Indirect speech: They said that they might visit the museum.
Remark: When the introducing verb is in the simple present, the present continuous, the simple
future and the present perfect, the tense of the verb does not change in indirect speech.
Example: Direct speech: Bob says/ is saying/will say/ has said, “I often go to school on foot.”
Indirect speech: Bob says/ is saying/will say/ has said that he often goes to school on foot.
1-Questions in indirect speech

1-1-Yes/no questions in indirect speech
We usually change the introducing verb say by ask or wonder and use the conjunctions if or whether.
Subject + introducing verb+if/whether +Subject +verb (appropriate tense) +object …
Examples:
1-“Do you speak Lingala?”, said Mary. Mary asked if I spoke Lingala.
2-Father said, “Did mother clean the fridge?” Father wondered whether mother had cleaned the
fridge.
Note: In the indirect questions, the auxiliary do is not used.
1-2- Wh- questions in indirect speech

We usually change the introducing verb say by ask or wonder and use the conjunctions what, where,
how, etc.
Subject + introducing verb+Wh+Subject +verb (appropriate tense) +object …
Examples:
1-“What is your name?”, said the teacher. The teacher asked (me) what my name was.
2-Alan asked, “Where is Linda going?” Alan asked/wanted to know where Linda was going.
Note: The Wh-word does not disappear; it is placed before the subject.
2-Orders, requests, advice and suggestions in indirect speech

We usually use an infinitive structure to report orders, requests, advice and suggestions:
… verb+object+infinitive…
Examples: Direct speech: “Be careful!”, said the doctor.
Indirect speech: The doctor told me to be careful.
Direct speech: The police officer said, “Don’t park here!”
Indirect speech: The police officer told me not to park there.
2
Direct speech: Mike said, “Would you like to go out with me?”
Indirect speech: Mike asked me to go out with him.
Direct speech: My friend said, “Think again before you decide which phone to buy.”
Indirect speech: My friend advised me to think again before I decide which phone to buy.
3-Pronouns in indirect speech
I He/She
We They
You I/ me
My his/her
Our their
Your my/his/ her
This that
4-Expressions of time and place in indirect speech
Today that day
Tomorrow the next day / the following day
The day after tomorrow in two days’ time/ two days later
Yesterday the day before / the previous day
The day before yesterday two days before
Last week/month/year the previous week/month/year
Next week/month/year the following week/month/year
Now then
Tonight that night
This that
These those
Here there
Soon in a short time
Ago before
Exercise one: Turn these sentences into indirect speech.
1-She said, “I saw Mary at church.”
2-Paul said, “I always drink coffee.”
3-Jane said, “I am reading a newspaper.”
4-He said, “Bill arrived on Saturday.”
5-“I have been in Spain”, he told me.
6-“I had just turned the light off”, the boy explained.
7-They complained, “We have waited for hours.”
8-Betty said, “I shall be in Paris on Monday.”
9-They explained, “It could be difficult to find our house.”
Exercise two: Turn these sentences into indirect speech
1-He said, “I have called my father today.”
2-She said, “I arrived yesterday.”
3-Paul said, “I met Liz the day before yesterday.”
4-He said, “I will see you tomorrow.”
5-“We’ll come the day after tomorrow”, they said.
3
6-“I have an appointment next week”, said the manager.

7-He told us, “I was on holiday last week.”
8- “I bought a new phone a week ago.” Peter said,
9-She said, “I’m getting a new training this week.”
Exercise three: Turn these sentences into indirect speech.
1- Princess asked me, “Are you travelling?”
2- Mother told me, “Shut the door before going to sleep!”
3- “Where is dad?” Aunt Janet asked.
4- “Stop making a noise!” grandma said to the boys.
5- “What are you doing?” the teacher asked the girl.
6- “Why do you often come late?” asked the principal.
7-“Where are my shoes?” Okoko asked his sister.
8- “Have you finished your homework?” mother asked her son.
Exercise three: Turn these sentences into direct speech.
1-Marc said that there was a cat in the kitchen.
2-Brenda says that she speaks four languages.
3-The teacher told us to take our pencils.
4-Alice said that her father had died two years before.
5-Mother asked me why I was crying.
6-The teacher asked the girl what she was doing.
7-The manager asked me if I could type.
8-The old man complained that his dog had disappeared.

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Institut National de Recherche et d’Action Pédagogiques

TITRE DE LA LEÇON : DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECHES

I- Direct speech/quoted speech

Simple future Conditional

1-Questions in indirect speech

Note: In the indirect questions, the auxiliary do is not used.

1-2- Wh- questions in indirect speech

2-Orders, requests, advice and suggestions in indirect speech

6-“I have an appointment next week”, said the manager.

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