Direct Speech : Meaning, Identification and Use of Quotation Marks to show Direct Speech Grammar English Grammar Primary 6 First Term Lesson Notes Week 6
Class: Primary 6
Subject: English Grammar
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Topic: Direct Speech: Meaning, Identification, and Use of Quotation Marks to show Direct Speech
Sub-topic: Understanding and Using Direct Speech
Duration: 45 minutes
Previous Knowledge: Students should have a basic understanding of sentence structure and the use of punctuation, including periods and quotation marks.
Instructional Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Chalkboard and chalk
- Visual aids (pictures of direct speech)
- Examples of sentences in direct speech
- Sample quotations with quotation marks
- Worksheet for practice
Reference Materials:
- English Grammar textbook
- Examples of direct speech in literature
- Online resources (if available)
Entry Behaviour: Begin the class by asking students to share if they’ve ever heard someone speak directly or in their own words. Encourage discussion about their understanding of how people talk.
Set Induction: Show a short video or a real-life conversation where people are speaking directly, such as a movie clip or a dialogue from a book. Discuss the difference between spoken and written language.
Behavioral Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- Define direct speech and understand its purpose.
- Identify direct speech in sentences.
- Properly use quotation marks to indicate direct speech.
Instructional Procedure:
Content:
Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by a person, and quotation marks are used to indicate direct speech in writing.
In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are enclosed in quotation marks and conveyed as they were originally said. For example:
Direct speech: Mary said, “I will go to the store.”
In this example, the words “I will go to the store” are presented exactly as spoken by Mary. It is a way to quote or report someone’s words verbatim.
Here are the rules guiding the conversion of direct speech to indirect speech:
- Change in Pronouns:
- In indirect speech, pronouns are often changed to match the perspective of the reporting speech.
Example:
- Direct speech: She said, “I am happy.”
- Indirect speech: She said that she was happy.
- Change in Verb Tenses:
- The tense of the verb may shift back in time when moving from direct to indirect speech.
Example:
- Direct speech: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”
- Indirect speech: He said that he would come the next day.
- Reporting Verb Changes:
- The verb used to introduce the speech may change to indicate the reporting tense.
Example:
- Direct speech: She said, “I love ice cream.”
- Indirect speech: She said that she loved ice cream.
- Time and Place Expressions:
- Time and place expressions may need to change when converting to indirect speech.
Example:
- Direct speech: They said, “We are meeting here at 3 PM.”
- Indirect speech: They said that they were meeting there at 3 PM.
- Backshifting in Time:
- When reporting speech in the past, you may need to change the tense of the direct speech verbs to reflect an earlier time.
Example:
- Direct speech: He said, “I go to the library every day.”
- Indirect speech: He said that he went to the library every day.
- Punctuation Changes:
- Quotation marks used in direct speech are removed in indirect speech.
Example:
- Direct speech: She said, “It’s raining.”
- Indirect speech: She said that it was raining.
Remember these rules when changing from direct to indirect speech. They help make the reported speech flow smoothly while adjusting for changes in time, perspective, and tense.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| “I like ice cream,” she said. | She said that she liked ice cream. |
| “We are going to the park,” he exclaimed. | He exclaimed that they were going to the park. |
| “I will call you later,” said Mary. | Mary said that she would call later. |
| “It’s a beautiful day,” they shouted. | They shouted that it was a beautiful day. |
| “I can’t swim,” he admitted. | He admitted that he couldn’t swim |
And here are 5 more examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| “I have finished my homework,” Tom explained. | Tom explained that he had finished his homework. |
| “We won the game,” she told us. | She told us that they had won the game. |
| “I want to go home,” he complained. | He complained that he wanted to go home. |
| “I’m coming with you,” he promised. | He promised that he was coming with us. |
| “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she assured me. | She assured me that she would see me the next day. |
More examples
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| “I love playing soccer,” Matthew said. | Matthew said that he loved playing soccer. |
| “I’m going to visit my grandmother,” Akande explained. | Akande explained that he was going to visit his grandmother. |
| “We will meet at the café,” Segun suggested. | Segun suggested that they would meet at the café. |
| “Tosin can solve the puzzle,” said Tosan. | Tosan said that Tosin could solve the puzzle. |
| “Let’s have dinner at 7 PM,” Emily proposed. | Emily proposed that they should have dinner at 7 PM. |
| “I have completed my project,” Anthony informed. | Anthony informed that he had completed his project. |
| “I will attend the conference,” Adebowale declared. | Adebowale declared that he would attend the conference. |
| “I’m coming to the party,” Adeniyi promised. | Adeniyi promised that he was coming to the party. |
| “I know the answer,” Gbadebo said confidently. | Gbadebo said confidently that he knew the answer. |
| “I can swim,” said Tosin. | Tosin said that he could swim. |
[mediator_tech]
- Reporting verb changes: They said, “We like pizza.” They said that they _________ pizza. a) liked b) like c) liking d) likes
- In direct speech, use _________ marks. a) quotation b) exclamation c) question d) all of the above
- When we change from direct to indirect speech, we make _________ in time. a) no change b) a backshift c) a shift forward d) a shift backward
- “We are playing in the park,” she shouted. In indirect speech, she shouted that they _________ in the park. a) played b) were playing c) will play d) play
- “I can cook,” said Mark. In indirect speech, Mark said that _________ cook. a) he could b) he can c) he cooking d) he will cook
- In direct speech, we use quotation marks to make it clear that we’re sharing the _________ words. a) exact b) unusual c) colorful d) silent
- Direct speech helps us understand the exact words of the _________. a) teacher b) speaker c) listener d) writer
- Quotation marks are used to show the beginning and end of _________ speech. a) indirect b) whispered c) direct d) written
- Jenny said, “I love chocolate.” In this sentence, “I love chocolate” is an example of _________ speech. a) direct b) indirect c) quiet d) written
- In indirect speech, we don’t use _________ marks. a) quotation b) exclamation c) question d) none of the above
- Change the pronouns: She said, “I am happy.” She said that _________ happy. a) he is b) I was c) I am d) I is
- Change the tense: He said, “I will come tomorrow.” He said that he _________ come the next day. a) come b) coming c) will come d) would come
- Direct speech is also known as _________ speech. a) reported b) indirect c) whispered d) loud
- In direct speech, we tell exactly what someone _________. a) wrote b) shouted c) said d) sang
- To identify direct speech, look for words inside _________ marks. a) brackets b) exclamation c) quotation d) asterisks
[mediator_tech]
Presentation:
Step 1: Explain that direct speech is when we use a person’s exact words in a sentence. Emphasize that it helps bring conversations to life in writing.
Step 2: Show examples of sentences in direct speech and point out the use of quotation marks to indicate the speaker’s words.
Step 3: Discuss the importance of using quotation marks to clearly show when someone is speaking directly.
Teacher’s Activities:
- Present the concept of direct speech.
- Engage students with questions and discussions.
- Use visual aids to explain the use of quotation marks.
- Provide examples for clear understanding.
Learners’ Activities:
- Participate in class discussions.
- Observe and understand the usage of quotation marks.
- Ask questions for clarification.
Evaluation: Distribute worksheets with sentences and ask students to identify the direct speech and correctly place quotation marks. Review their work together to ensure understanding.
Conclusion: Summarize the key points of the lesson. Reiterate the importance of using quotation marks to indicate direct speech. Encourage students to practice recognizing direct speech in their readings.
Assignment/Homework: Ask students to find examples of direct speech in a story or article they are reading and write down the sentences, correctly placing quotation marks around the spoken words.
