Direct and Indirect Speech (Simplified Explanation for JSS 3 Students)
Direct and Indirect Speech (Simplified Explanation for JSS 3 Students)
What is Direct Speech?
Direct speech is when we write or say the exact words of a speaker. We use quotation marks (” “) to show the exact words.
Example:
- Tolu said, “I am going to school.”
The exact words, “I am going to school,” are inside quotation marks.
What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech is when we report what someone said without using their exact words. We do not use quotation marks, and we may change pronouns, tenses, and time expressions.
Example:
- Tolu said that she was going to school.
In this case, we reported what Tolu said without quoting her exact words.
Key Rules to Remember
- Change of Pronouns:
The pronouns change depending on who is speaking and who is being spoken to.
Example:- Direct: She said, “I like apples.”
- Indirect: She said that she liked apples.
- Change of Tense:
The verb tense usually changes when converting to indirect speech.- Present → Past
- Past → Past Perfect
Examples:
- Direct: He said, “I eat rice.” → Indirect: He said that he ate rice.
- Direct: She said, “I saw a bird.” → Indirect: She said that she had seen a bird.
- Change of Time and Place Words:
Words like “today,” “tomorrow,” and “yesterday” change in indirect speech.Examples:- “Today” → “That day”
- “Tomorrow” → “The next day”
- “Yesterday” → “The previous day”
How to Report Questions
- Yes/No Questions:
Use “if” or “whether” in indirect speech.
Example:- Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
- Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
- Wh-Questions:
Keep the question word but remove the question format.
Example:- Direct: She asked, “Where are you going?”
- Indirect: She asked where I was going.
How to Report Commands
- Use “to” for positive commands.
Example:- Direct: The teacher said, “Read your books.”
- Indirect: The teacher told us to read our books.
- Use “not to” for negative commands.
Example:- Direct: She said, “Don’t touch the fire.”
- Indirect: She told me not to touch the fire.
Examples to Practice
- Direct: He said, “I am happy.”
Indirect: He said that he was happy. - Direct: They said, “We are playing football.”
Indirect: They said that they were playing football. - Direct: She asked, “What is your name?”
Indirect: She asked what my name was. - Direct: The coach said, “Don’t be late for practice.”
Indirect: The coach told us not to be late for practice.
Summary
- Direct speech uses the speaker’s exact words with quotation marks.
- Indirect speech changes the words to report what the speaker said without quotation marks.
- Remember to change pronouns, tenses, and time expressions when converting to indirect speech.
Evaluation Questions
15 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions (with options):
- She said, “I am going to school.” → She said that she ____ going to school.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) will be
(d) were
Answer: (b) - He said, “I have finished my homework.” → He said that he ____ finished his homework.
(a) has
(b) had
(c) will have
(d) is
Answer: (b) - The teacher said, “Don’t talk during the lesson.” → The teacher told us ____ talk during the lesson.
(a) to not
(b) not to
(c) don’t
(d) no
Answer: (b) - They said, “We are watching a movie.” → They said that they ____ watching a movie.
(a) are
(b) was
(c) were
(d) will
Answer: (c) - She asked, “Where is your brother?” → She asked where my brother ____.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) were
(d) will be
Answer: (b) - He asked, “Do you play football?” → He asked if I ____ football.
(a) played
(b) play
(c) plays
(d) playing
Answer: (a) - They said, “We will visit the museum tomorrow.” → They said that they ____ visit the museum the next day.
(a) would
(b) will
(c) shall
(d) can
Answer: (a) - She said, “I can’t attend the party.” → She said that she ____ attend the party.
(a) can’t
(b) couldn’t
(c) won’t
(d) shouldn’t
Answer: (b) - He said, “I am writing a letter.” → He said that he ____ writing a letter.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) will be
(d) were
Answer: (b) - The coach said, “Run faster!” → The coach told us ____ faster.
(a) to run
(b) run
(c) to ran
(d) running
Answer: (a) - She asked, “Why are you late?” → She asked why I ____ late.
(a) was
(b) were
(c) am
(d) will be
Answer: (a) - He said, “I need help with this project.” → He said that he ____ help with the project.
(a) needs
(b) needed
(c) will need
(d) had needed
Answer: (b) - She said, “The children are playing outside.” → She said that the children ____ playing outside.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) were
(d) will
Answer: (c) - The manager said, “Complete the report by Monday.” → The manager told us ____ the report by Monday.
(a) complete
(b) to complete
(c) completing
(d) completed
Answer: (b) - He asked, “Have you eaten?” → He asked if I ____ eaten.
(a) had
(b) have
(c) has
(d) was
Answer: (a)
Class Activity Discussion (15 FAQs):
- What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?
Answer: Direct speech uses the exact words of the speaker with quotation marks, while indirect speech reports the words without quoting directly. - Why is tense changed in indirect speech?
Answer: Tenses are changed to reflect the shift in time between when the speech was spoken and when it is being reported. - Can “if” and “whether” be used interchangeably in indirect questions?
Answer: Yes, “if” and “whether” can both be used in Yes/No questions without changing the meaning. - How do we report a command in indirect speech?
Answer: Use “to” for positive commands and “not to” for negative commands. - What are reporting verbs?
Answer: Verbs like “say,” “tell,” “ask,” and “command” that introduce reported speech are called reporting verbs. - What happens to pronouns in indirect speech?
Answer: Pronouns are adjusted to match the perspective of the reporter. - What punctuation is used in direct speech?
Answer: Quotation marks are used in direct speech. - What is backshifting?
Answer: Backshifting is the process of changing verb tenses in indirect speech to reflect the past. - Do all direct speech sentences require backshifting in indirect speech?
Answer: No, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, no backshifting is needed. - How do we handle time expressions in indirect speech?
Answer: Time expressions are adjusted, e.g., “today” becomes “that day.” - What are some examples of indirect speech for questions?
Answer:- Direct: “What are you doing?” → Indirect: He asked what I was doing.
- Can we omit the word “that” in indirect speech?
Answer: Yes, it is optional. - What is the rule for Yes/No questions in indirect speech?
Answer: Use “if” or “whether” to introduce the question. - What is the rule for Wh-questions in indirect speech?
Answer: Retain the question word and adjust the structure to a statement. - How do we report negative statements in indirect speech?
Answer: Add “not” in the reported clause, e.g., “She said, ‘I don’t know'” → “She said that she did not know.”
Welcome to the Quiz! Test your knowledge and see how well you understand the topic
Results
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#1. Direct: She said, “I love ice cream.” Indirect: She said that she ____ ice cream.
#2. Direct: He said, “I will go to the market.” Indirect: He said that he ____ go to the market.
#3. Direct: They said, “We are studying for the test.” Indirect: They said that they ____ studying for the test.
#4. Direct: The teacher said, “Write your names on the board.” Indirect: The teacher told us ____ our names on the board.
#5. Direct: He asked, “What is your name?” Indirect: He asked what my name ____.