Transcript (that) he went to school every day.

Lecture 15: Direct and
Indirect Speech
• Teaching aims:
• 1. Students can understand the
difference between direct and
indirect speech..
• 2. Students can learn how to
transform direct speech into indirect
speech.
1. Introduction
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We often have to give information about what people say or think. In order
to do this you can use direct or quoted speech, or indirect speech.
1.1 Direct Speech
Saying 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:
She said, "Today's lesson is on presentations."
or
"Today's lesson is on presentations," she said.
1.2 Indirect Speech
Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech), doesn't use quotation
marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn't have to be word for
word.
2. Transformation of
direct speech into indirect
speech.
• 2.1 TENSE HARMONY
• simple present
• He said, “I go to school every day.”
simple past
He said (that) he went to school
every day.
• simple past
He said, “I went to school every day.”
• past perfect
He said (that) he had gone to school every
day. present perfect
He said, “I have gone to school every day.”
• past perfect
He said (that) he had gone to school every
day. present progressive
• He said, “I am going to school every day.”
• past progressive
He said (that) he was going 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.
• simple present + simple present
He says, “I go to school every day.”
• 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.”
• present perfect + simple present
He has said (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.
• can
He said, “I can go to school every day.”
• could
He said (that) he could go to school every day.
• may
He said, “I may go to school every day.”
• 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.”
• had to
He said (that) he had to go to school every day.
• e. g. If the main verb of the sentence is in the past, the
verb in the noun clause will usually be in a past form.
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He said, “I will never forget you.”
•  He said (that) he would never forget you.
• Note:
• If the reporting verb is simple present, present perfect, or
future, the noun clause verb is not changed.
• She says, "I wash my hair every day."
•  She says she washes her hair every day.
• She has said, "I wash my hair every day."
•  She has said that she washes her hair every day.
• She will say, "I wash my hair every day."
•  She will say that she washes her hair every day.
2.2 CHANGE OF TIME
AND PLACE REFERENCE
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Now then,
at that time
this week
that week
Today that day
Tomorrow the following day, the next
day, a day later
• 2.3 Other changes:
• In general, personal pronouns change to the third
person singular or plural, except when the speaker
reports his own words:
• I/me/my/mine, you/your/yours ==>
him/his/her/hers
• we/us/our/ours, you/your/yours ==>
they/their/theirs:
• e. g. He said: "I like your new car."
•  He told her that he liked her new car.
• I said: "I'm going to my friend's house."
•  I said that I was going to my friend's house.
3. INDIRECT
QUESTIONS
• When reporting yes/no questions connect the reported
question using 'if'. When reporting questions using question
words (why, where, when, etc.) use the question word.
• For example:
• She asked, "Do you want to come with me?"
•  She asked me if I wanted to come with her.
• Dave asked, "Where did you go last weekend?"
•  Dave asked me where I had gone the previous weekend.
• He asked, "Why are you studying English?"
•  She asked me why I was studying English.
4. HOPES, INTENTIONS,
PROMISES
• When we report an intention, hope or promise, we
use an appropriate reporting verb followed by a
that-clause or a to-infinitive:
• "I'll pay you the money tomorrow."
• He promised to pay me the money the next day.
• He promised that he would pay me the money the
next day.
• Other verbs used in this pattern include:
• hope, propose, threaten, guarantee, swear.
5. ORDERS, REQUESTS,
SUGGESTIONS
• 1. When we want to report an order or request, we can use a
verb like 'tell' with a to-clause.
• Examples:
• He said, “Go away.”
•  He told me to go away.
• Other verbs used to report orders and requests in this way
are: command, order, warn, ask, advise, invite, beg, teach,
forbid.
• Examples:
• The doctor said to me, "Stop smoking!"
•  The doctor told me to stop smoking.
• 2. Requests for objects are reported using the
pattern ask + for + object:
• Examples:
• a. "Can I have an apple?", she asked.
•  She asked for an apple.
• b. "Can I have the newspaper, please?"
•  He asked for the newspaper.
• c. "May I have a glass of water?" he said.
•  He asked for a glass of water.
• d. "Sugar, please."
•  She asked for the sugar.
• e. "Could I have three kilos of onions?"
•  He asked for three kilos of onions.
• 3. Suggestions are usually reported with a thatclause. 'That' and 'should' are optional in these
clauses:
• She said: "Why don't you get a mechanic to look at
the car?"
•  She suggested (that) I (should) get a mechanic
to look at the car.
• Other reporting verbs used in this way are: insist,
recommend, demand, request, propose.
• Examples:
• The dentist said, "I think you should use a
different toothbrush".
•  The dentist recommended (that) I (should) use
a different toothbrush.
• Assignment:
• 1. Read the chapter 33.
• 2. Do the exercises after the
chapter.