DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
A Speechis said to be direct when it is the original or exact words made by a speaker and nothing has been added or removed from it.
A speech is said to be indirect when the originalor exact words of a speaker has been reported. Indirect Speech is also called Reported Speech.
Examples:
- I am sick”, my friend told me [direct speech].
- My friend told me that he was sick [indirect/reported speech].
When converting a direct speech to an indirect/reported one, implement the following changes:
Rules:
1. Effect the following changes:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| This | That |
| Here | There |
| Now | Then |
| These | Those |
| Yesterday | The previous day |
| Today | That day |
| Tomorrow | The following day |
| Next week | The following week |
| Next month | The following month |
| Next year | The following year |
| Last week | The previous week |
| Last month | The previous month |
| Last year | The previous year |
- They are here now’ said the pastor [Direct Speech].
- The pastor said that they were there then [Indirect Speech].
2. If a pronoun is used in a direct speech, then convert it in the indirect speech as follows:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| I | He or She |
| We | They |
| You | He or They |
- We are angry’, they said. [Direct Speech]
- They said that they were angry [Indirect Speech].
3. If a verb is used in a direct speech, then convert it in the indirect speech as follows:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| Is | Was |
| Am | Was |
| Are | Were |
| Past tense | Past perfect |
| Present perfect | Past perfect |
| Past perfect | Past perfect |
| Present progressive | Past progressive |
| Future time | Past future time |
- I am not happy!’, he shouted. [Direct Speech].
- He shouted that he was not happy[Indirect Speech].
- I am singing’, she said. [Direct Speech]
- She said that she was singing [Indirect Speech].
- He sang a song in church yesterday’. [Direct Speech].
- He said he had sung a song in church the previous day. [Indirect Speech]
4. If a direct statement is true or factual then when converting to an indirect one, do not change the tense of verb.
5. When a direct speech is made in form of a question, when converting the direct speech to an indirect one, turn the question into a statement. (See the example below).
6. If a question demands a yes or no answer, then make use of whether/if in the indirect speech.
E.g. ‘Do you know my house?’, the rich man asked me. [Direct Speech]
[Indirect Speech] – The rich man asked me if/whether I knew his house.
Quick Drill:
Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech:
1. “The road may be blocked”, suggested John.
2. “How can you do a thing like this?”, wondered Ayo.
3. “Oh Yes, I’m willing to assist”, confirmed Chris.
4. “Is anybody interested in my party of tomorrow?” inquired Peter.
5. Olu said, “I want you to know that death is a fact of life”.
6. “Don’t concentrate on only one aspect of your studies”, cautioned the teacher.
7. “We have been invited to John’s Party”, said the two boys.
8. “I visited my sister in Lagos yesterday”, reported Musa.
9. “I have won the first prize”, exclaimed our friend.
10. “I shall be visiting my sister tomorrow”, remarked Andrew.
11. “Hello everybody. What can I do for you?”
Convert the following into direct speech:
12. We were requested to hand in our assignments the following day.
13. The teacher said that he had made up his mind to stop lecturing now.
14. According to the lecturer, he would be prepared to organize tutorials for us.
15. In his statement, the student observed that he had been invited many times to Olu’s house.
16. They said that many people would have been willing to assist if an announcement had been made.
Post a Comment