6.2  Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

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 or reported speech.

6.2.1  Direct Speech / Quoted Speech

   Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech, sometimes called quoted speech, because what a person says appears within quotation marks ("..."), and should be word for word. Eg.

• The teacher said, "Today's lesson is on direct and indirect speeches."

• "Today's lesson is on direct and indirect speeches," the teacher said.

6.2.2  Indirect Speech / Reported Speech

6.2.2.1  No quotation marks in Indirect / Reported 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.

6.2.2.2  Tense changes in Indirect / Reported Speech

6.2.2.2.1  In indirect / reported 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. Eg.

• Direct speech: "I'm going to shop," she said.

• Indirect speech: She said she was going to shop.

6.2.2.2.2  As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense. Eg.

Direct speech

Indirect speech

 

Present simple

Past simple

She said, "It's cold."

She said it was cold.

Present continuous

Past continuous

She said, "I'm teaching English."

She said she was teaching English.

Present perfect simple

Past perfect simple

She said, "I've been on the web since 2000."

She said she had been on the web since 2000.

Present perfect continuous

Past perfect continuous

She said, "I've been teaching English for five years."

She said she had been teaching English for five years.

Past simple

Past perfect

She said, "I taught online yesterday."

She said she had taught online yesterday.

Past continuous

Past perfect continuous

She said, "I was teaching earlier."

She said she had been teaching earlier.

Past perfect

Past perfect

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

NO CHANGE - She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.

Past perfect continuous

Past perfect continuous

She said, "I'd already been teaching for five minutes."

NO CHANGE - She said she'd already been teaching for five minutes.

6.2.2.2.3  In complex sentences the verb in the time clause may not
                  change. Eg.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Bill said, “I was watching TV when Jim called.”

Bill said that he had been watching TV when Jim called.

 

6.2.2.2.4  Changes of helping / modal verbs in Indirect / Reported Speech,

6.2.2.2.4.1  Modal verb forms also sometimes change. Eg.

Direct speech

Indirect speech

​

will

would

She said, "I'll teach English online tomorrow."

She said she would teach English online tomorrow.

can

could

She said, "I can teach English online."

She said she could teach English online.

must

had to

She said, "I must have a computer to teach English online."

She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.

shall

should

She said, "What shall we learn today?"

She asked what we should learn today.

may

might

She said, "May I open a new browser?"

She asked if she might open a new browser.

            

6.2.2.2.4.2  There is no change for the following modal verbs:
could, would, should, might and ought to. Eg.

Direct speech

Indirect speech

​

She said, “I could do that.”

She said she could do that.

He said, “I would go to the party.”

He said he would go to the party.

She said, “They should come.”

She said they should come.

"I might go to the cinema," he said.

He said he might go to the cinema.

“I ought to do that,” she said.

She said she ought to do that.

 

6.2.2.2.5  Indirect / Reported speech in present tense.

6.2.2.2.5.1  You can use the present tense in reported speech if you want to say that something is still true, i.e. my name has always been and will always be Peter, so:

Direct speech

Indirect speech

​

He said his name was Peter.

"My name is Peter," he said.

​

He said his name is Peter.

 

6.2.2.2.5.2  You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.

Direct speech (exact quote)

Indirect speech (not exact)

​

"Next week's lesson is on reported speech," she said.

She said next week's lesson is on reported speech.

​

6.2.2.2.5.3  You can use the present tense if the reported words are always true.

Direct speech

Indirect speech

​

Copernicus said, “The planets move around the Sun.”

Copernicus said that the planets move around the Sun.

 

6.2.2.2.5.4  You can use the present tense if the reported words are true at the time of reporting.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Peter said, “I’m meeting Margaret tomorrow.”

Peter said he is meeting Margaret tomorrow. (reported on the same day, tomorrow still refers to tomorrow)

​

Peter said he was meeting Margaret the following day. (reported later, the meeting has already happened)

 

6.2.2.2.5.5  You can use the present tense if the reporting verb is in present or future tense.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Margaret said, “I love you.”

 

Margaret says she loves me. (the reporting verb says is in simple present tense)

Peter said, “I’m always there for you.”

Peter will tell you he's always there for you. (the reporting verb will tell is in simple future tense)

​

6.2.2.2.6  Reporting Conditional Sentences.

6.2.2.2.6.1  Reporting First Conditional Sentences.

   When reporting a first conditional sentence, the following tense changes may be applied.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Mary said, "If we leave now, we’ll catch the train."

Mary told me that if we leave now, we’ll catch the train. (if we can still catch the train)

 

Mary told me that if we left, we’d catch the train. (if the train has already left)

 

6.2.2.2.6.2  Reporting Second Conditional Sentences.

   When reporting a second conditional sentence, the following tense changes may be applied.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Professor Wilhelm said, "If I had some chalk, I could write on the blackboard."

Professor Wilhelm said if he had had some chalk, he could have written on the blackboard.

 

6.2.2.2.6.3  Reporting Third Conditional Sentences.

When reporting a third conditional sentence, we apply no tense changes.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

"If they had been more careful, they wouldn't have been killed in the accident," the policeman muttered.

The policeman remarked that they wouldn't have been killed in the accident if they had been more careful.

 

6.2.2.2.6.4  Reporting Zero Conditional Sentences.

When reporting a zero conditional sentence, the following tense changes may be applied.

 

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Present time

 

Linda said, "If John is cursing, it means that he is very angry."

Linda said (that) if John is cursing, it means that he is very angry. (if this is a general truth)

 

Linda said if John was cursing, it meant that he was very angry. (if this refers to a past habit; John may have changed or died since then)

​

Past time

 

Alice remarked, “If he was in Hong Kong he always went to visit his uncle.”

Alice mentioned that if he was in Hong Kong he always had gone to visit his uncle. (Here only the tense in the main clause changes. No changes are made in the if-clause as it does not express a condition but functions as a time clause.)

 

6.2.2.2.7  Wish, it's (high) time in Indirect / Reported Speech.

When reporting structures such as wish, it's (high) time 是時候了、早該做, etc., the same rules apply as in the case of reporting second and third conditional sentences.

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

"I wish I could talk to him!" Bob complained.  (present reference)

Bob (complained that he) wished he could talk to him.

"I wish I could have talked to him!" Bob agonized.  (past reference)

Bob (lamented that he) wished he could have talked to him.

"I wish I hadn’t been there!" moaned Phil. (past reference)

Phil (regretted that he) wished he hadn’t been there.

"It's high time you started looking after your health," the doctor said.

The doctor advised her that it was high time she started looking after her health.

 

6.2.2.3  Changes of expression of time in Indirect / Reported Speech

      If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting if it has different meaning at the time of reporting.  

Expressions of time if reported on a different day

​

this (morning)

that (morning)

today

yesterday

these (days)

those (days)

now

then

(a month) ago

(a month) before

last weekend

the previous weekend

next (week)

the following (week)

tomorrow

the next / following day

​

6.2.2.4  Changes of expression of place in Indirect / Reported Speech

          If you report something that someone said in a different place to where you heard it you must change the place (here) to the place (there).

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Eugene asked, "How long have you worked here?"

Eugene asked me how long I'd worked there.

 

6.2.2.5  Changes of pronouns in Indirect / Reported Speech

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Rose said, "I teach English at Oregon State College."

Rose said she teaches English at Oregon State College.

 

6.2.2.6  Reporting verbs used in Indirect / Reported Speech

There are many reporting verbs we use in indirect or reported speech. The most

common ones are said, told and asked. Others include accused, added, admitted, advised, agreed, alleged, answered, apologized, begged, believed, boasted, claimed, complained, confessed, confirmed, decided, denied, doubted, explained, felt, hoped, implied, insisted, invited, mentioned, offered, ordered, promised, repeated, replied, suggested and thought.

 

6.2.2.6.1  We use asked to report questions. Eg.

• Jimmy asked Peter what time the movie started.

6.2.2.6.2  We use told with an object. Eg.

• Peter told Jimmy the movie started at 7.  (Jimmy is the object)

6.2.2.6.3  We usually use said without an object. If said is used with an object we must include to. Eg.

• Jimmy said he would go to the movie on time.  

• Jimmy said to Peter that he’d go to the movie on time.  (Note: We usually use told in this case rather than said to.)

6.2.2.6.4  Properly using other reporting verbs can make what you say much more interesting and informative. Eg.

•  Peter asked Jimmy to go to the movie.

To make the sentence more interesting and informative, we can write:

• Peter invited Jimmy to go to the movie.

• Peter suggested that Jimmy should go to the movie.

• Peter advised Jimmy to go to the movie.

• Peter begged Jimmy to go to the movie.

• Peter ordered Jimmy to go to the movie.

6.2.2.7  Use of ‘that’ in Indirect / Reported Speech

      In indirect or reported speech, the word that is often used. However, the use of that is sometimes optional. Eg.

• Peter told Jimmy that he should go to the movie.

• Peter told Jimmy he should go to the movie.

6.2.2.7.1  Reporting verb + that-clause

         add, admit, agree, answer, believe, claim, complain, confess, confirm, decide, deny, doubt, explain, feel, 
         hope, insist, mention, promise, repeat, reply, say, suggest, etc.

 

   Direct speech

   Indirect speech

​

Charles said, “…and I would also like to say that I have been a conscientious employee here for twenty years.”

Charles added that he had been a conscientious employee there for twenty years.

Judy said, “Sorry, I broke the cup.”

Judy admitted that she had broken the cup.

Francis said, “Yes, the movie was really good, indeed.”

Francis agreed that the movie had been really good.

He replied, “I’ve never felt more comfortable, as I’ve been in the shade all afternoon.”

He answered that he had never felt more comfortable, because he had been in the shade all afternoon.

Thales of Miletus, the Greek philosopher, said, "The Earth is a disk floating on an endless ocean."

Thales of Miletus, the Greek philosopher, believed that the Earth was a disk floating on an endless ocean.

Bob yelled: “Of course I didn’t block the road and cause this traffic jam!”

Bob claimed that he had not blocked the road and caused the traffic jam.

Bruce said, “I hate having to do three essays every week.”

Bruce complained that he had to do three essays every week.

“Yes, it was me who started that ugly rumor about you. Can you forgive me?” Mary said to Jack.

Mary confessed to Jack that she had started an ugly rumor about him.

Jojo said, “Yes, Jim, the meeting is on tonight.”

Jojo confirmed to Jim that the meeting was on that night.

Liza said, “Well, I think I’d rather not buy this dress.”

Liza decided that she wouldn’t buy that dress.

Howie said, “No, I wasn’t in the party.”

Howie denied that he had been in the party.

Pete said, “I don’t think we’ve gotten the right deal.”

Pete doubted that they had gotten the right deal.

Albert said, “I could make fire with chocolate, because my friend showed me how.”

Albert explained that his friend had taught him how to make fire with chocolate.

Mr. Harvard replied, Well, I think we should back him up to avoid bankruptcy.”

Mr. Harvard felt that they should back him up to avoid bankruptcy.

Bill said, “I hope the weather conditions will turn out okay.”.

Bill hoped that the weather conditions would turn out fine.

Parka said, “No, I’m absolutely sure that I’ve closed the door.”

Parka insisted that he had closed the door.

Warren said, “Well, I may take that offer and go on a trip for two months.”

Warren casually mentioned that he might take that offer and go on a trip for two months.

Lue said, “I will be on time, I promise.”

Lue promised that she would be on time.

Alice said, “Honey, as I’ve told you before, the girls are going with us.”

Alice repeated that she insisted on having the girls going with them.

Tom said, “Yes, I’ve finished the assignment.”

Tom replied that he had finished the assignment.

Pluto said, “We’re all on the same page.”

Pluto said that they were all on the same page.

Maria said, “Maybe they’ve gotten lost in the mail system.”

Maria suggested that they might have gotten lost in the mail system.

​

6.2.2.7.2  Reporting verb + that-clause with subjunctive虛擬語氣

         advise, agree, demand, insist, prefer, propose, recommend, request, suggest, urge, etc.

6.2.2.7.3  Reporting verb + that-clause with should + infinitive

         advise, agree, demand, insist, prefer, propose, recommend, request, suggest, urge, etc.

6.2.2.7.4  Reporting verb + to + infinitive

         agree, claim, decide, demand, hope, offer, prefer, promise, refuse, threaten, etc.

6.2.2.7.5  Reporting verb + somebody + to + infinitive

ask, advise, allow, beg, command, encourage, forbid, instruct, invite, order, permit, persuade, prefer, recommend, remind, request, tell, urge, warn, want, etc.

6.2.2.8  When reporting questions, the word ‘that’ is never used; instead, we often use the word ‘if’. Eg.

• Peter asked Jimmy if he would go to the movie.