DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
There are two ways of reporting the words of the speaker. If we mention the actual words of the speaker, the statement is said to be in the direct form of speech, as:
Emma says, “I am at home and I am cooking.”
In the above sentence, Emma is the speaker and what ever she has said, has been enclosed in the same way as it was stated by her, between the inverted comas. In the above sentence, Emma said, is Reporting Speech and “I am at home and I am cooking” is Reported Speech.
The other way to mention the words of the speaker is that we may give the substance of the actual speech. If we do so, the statement is said to be in the indirect form of speech, as:
Emma says that she is at home and she is cooking.
In the above sentence we have removed the inverted comas and have put‘ that’ (Conjunction). We have read that we use Conjunction to join two sentences. To change the Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, we have to make certain changes.
a) Change in Tenses.
If the reporting verb is in the Present or Future Tense there shall be no change in the verbs of the Reported Speech, but if the reporting verb is in the Past Tense, the verb of the Reported Speech will have to be changed into the Past Tense, as,
(Present) Emma says, “I am at home and I am cooking.”
Emma says that she is at home and she is cooking.
(Future) Henry will say, “I am in the market and I am
buying shoes.”
Henry will say that he is in the market and he is
buying shoes.
(Past) Nina said, “ I am in the class and I am studying.”
Nina said that she was in the class and she was
studying.
Now note the changes:-
He goes becomes he went
He will go becomes he would go
He went becomes he had gone
Is, am becomes was
Are becomes were
Do becomes did
Have, has becomes had
Can becomes could
May becomes might
OTHER WORDS
this becomes that
these becomes those
here becomes there
now becomes then
today becomes that day
tomorrow becomes the next day
yesterday becomes the previous day,
the day before
For changing the reporting verbs follow the chart given below:-
Reporting verb Changes
says - says (no change)
will say - will say (no change)
said - p; said (no change)
says to - tells
will say to - p; will tell
said to - told
COVERSION OF SENTENCES
(PRACTICE EXERCIES)
EXERCISE-1
( Change into Indirect Speech)
First see the example:-
Henry says, “I am reading.”
Ans. Henry says that he is reading.
1. I say, “ I am coming.”
2. We say, “We are going.”
3. You say, “I am sleeping.”
4. They say, “We are singing.”
5. He says, “I am studying.”
6. She says, “I am sewing.”
7. Saad says, “I am playing.”
8. Madiha says, “I am writing.”
9. Father says, “I am waiting.”
10. Mother says, “I am cooking.”
EXERCISE-2
First see the example:-
Ian says to me, “I am your son.”
Ans. Ian tells me that he is my son.
1. I say to him, “I am your teacher.”
2. He says to me, “You are coming.”
3. She says to her, “I am your neighbour.”
4. Gilbert says to him, “I am your class fellow.”
5. The boys says to the girl, “You are good.”
EXERCISE-3
First see the example:
1. Julius will say to me, “You are my brother.”
Ans. Julius will tell me that I am his brother.
1. I will say to her, “You are my good student.”
2. You will say to him, “You are my good friend.”
3. We will say to them, “You are our good neighbours.”
4. They will say to us, “We are your class fellows.”
5. Father will say to mother, “We are life partners.”
EXERCISE-4
First see the example:-
Arshad said, “I like bananas.”
Ans. Arshad said that he liked bananas.
1. I said, “I am unwell.”
2. You said, “I shall come tonight.”
3. We said, “We shall attend the class tomorrow.”
4. They said, “We shall go to Lahore today.”
5. He said, “I shall help you.”
EXERCISE-5
First see the example:-
Gilbert said to his uncle, “I shall visit Quetta in July.”
Ans. Gilbert told his uncle that he will visit Quetta in July.
1. I said to her, “You can solve this sum easily.”
2. We said to them, “ The Principal wants to see you.”
3. You said to him, “You can see me anytime.”
4. They said to them, “ We shall see you next time.”
5. The boy said to the girl, “I shall gift you a book.”
EXERCISE-6 (Universal truths)
First see the example:-
The teacher said, “The sun is the centre of the solar system.”
Ans. The teacher said that the sun is the centre of the solar system.
1. My father said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
2. The Principal said, “Virtue is its own reward.”
3. He said to me, “Karachi is a sea-port.”
4. Henry said his friend, “Man is mortal.”
5. Father said to his son, “God is one.”
EXERCISE-7
First see the example:-
He said to me, “Are you ready.”
Ans. He asked me if I was ready.
1. I said to him, “Where do you come from?”
2. You said to her, “Why are you feeling shy?”
3. He said to me, “When will you be back from Korea?”
4. They said to us, “Why don’t you stay with us?”
5. Chloris said to me, “How do you go to school?’
6. Father said to me, “Who is your class teacher?”
7. The Cashier said to me, “Haven’t you paid your fee?”
8. The boy said to the girl, “Aren’t you happy to see me?”