DIRECT SPEECH AND INDIRECT SPEECH
There are two main ways or forms of reporting, namely the direct speech and the indirect speech(reported speech)
If the actual words of the speaker are quoted, it is called the direct speech. If the words of the speaker are changed without changing the meaning of, his/her words, it is called indirect speech(or reported speech). The reporter conveys the speaker's idea to the receiver.
1. A suitable reporting verb like said, asked, replied, requested, exclaimed, etc., is used depending on the type of reported clause, whether it is a statement, question, exclamation or request or on the meaning(argue, agree, deny, apologize, etc.).
(i) Direct speech: Gandhi said, "I respect all religions."
Indirect speech: Gandhi said that he respected all religions
(ii) Direct speech: He said to me, "Who is your favorite politician?"
Indirect speech: He asked me who my favorite politician was.
2. Comma and quotation marks are omitted and a conjunction like that, if/whether is used.
3. All pronouns are changed according to the speaker and the listener.
(i) DS: Abdul Kalam said, "I have come from a poor background."
IDS: Abdul Kalam said that he had come from a poor background.
(ii) DS: The teacher said to the student, "Are you confident?"
IDS: The teacher asked the student whether he/she was confident.
4.(a) Tenses of the verbs in the reported part(in quotation)are changed into their corresponding past tense forms.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
am/is Was
are Were
do/does did
has/have had
V1(s/es)(go, goes) V2(went)
V2(went) had+V3(had gone)
was/were+V4 had been+v4
(was/were going) (had been going)
had+v3 remains the same
(had gone) had gone
had been+v4 remains the same
(had been going) had been going
will/shall/can/may+v1 would/should/could/might+v1
(will go) would go
must+v1 had to+v1
(must go) (had to go)
would/should/could/might+v1 remains the same
(would go) would go
Tense in the reported part doesn't change in the following conditions.
(i) when the reporting verb is in the present tense or in the future tense.
Latha says "I am learning music."
Latha says that she is learning music.
(ii) when the reported part is a universal truth/fact/a habitual action.
Teacher said, "The sun gives us light"
Teacher said that the sun gives us light.
4. (b) The words expressing nearness in place or time are changed into the words of distance, when the time and place of the reporting are different. These words remain unchanged if reported from the same place and during the same time.
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
this that
these those
here there
now then
thus in that way
ago before
today that day
tonight that night
tomorrow the next day
yesterday the day before/the previous day
hereby thereby
hence thence
henceforward thenceforward
lastnight the night before/the previous night
next week the following week
come(sometimes becomes) go
REPORTING STATEMENTS
Reporting Verbs
(i) Say/said is the most commonly used verb in reporting statements.
Direct: Dr. Rahul said, "I will try my best to save the patient."
Indirect: Dr. Rahul said that he would try his best to save the patient.
(ii) Say to/ said to is used when the listener is mentioned and they are changed into tell/told.
Direct: Yashoda said to Krishna, "You are mischievous and trouble me a lot."
Indirect: Yashoda told Krishna that he was mischievous and troubled her a lot.
(iii) Add/continue is used when more than one sentence is reported.
Direct: They said, "The Minister has at last unveiled the statue today. It has not been unveiled for so many months for reasons unknown."
Indirect: They said that the Minister had at last unveiled the statue the other day that it had not been unveiled for so many months for reasons unknown.
(iv) Besides say to/said to or tell/told some more reporting verbs are used when a statement (affirmative/negative)is reported.
announce, answer, explain, complain, reply, affirm, declare, state, allege, propose, maintain, depose, pronounce, represent, put forward, assure etc.
Use of the conjunction that
The conjunction that is used between the principal clause and the subordinate clause but that is optional in spoken form and with the verbs referring simply to the act of saying or thinking (say, tell, think)
Eg: Shakespeare says (that) talkers are not good doers.
That is used after verbs, which give more information such as explain, complain, reply, shout, etc.
Direct: A North Indian friend of mine said, "Unlike in Delhi, the climate in Hyderabad is moderate."
Indirect: A North Indian friend of mine remarked that unlike in Delhi, the climate in Hyderabad was moderate.
Examples:
1. He said, "I have many problems."
He said that he had many problems.
2. "I am reporting her words," he said. (or)
He said, "I am reporting her words."
He said that he was reporting her words.
3. The cashier in the Bank said, "I have sent a report".
The cashier in the Bank said that he/she had sent a report.
4. A student said, "I have been trying to speak in English for two years."
A student said that he had been trying to speak in English for two years.
5. "I forgot my hall ticket," a candidate said.
A candidate said that he had forgotten his hall ticket.
6. "I was watering the plants in the garden," she said.
She said that she had been watering the plants in the garden.
7. "We will move to Hyderabad next year," Rajitha said.
Rajitha said that they would move to Hyderabad the following year.
8. Sunil said to his daughter, "I will take care of you."
Sunil told his daughter that he would take care of her.
9. The M.L.A. said to the villagers, "You have every right to question me"
The M.L.A. told the villagers that they had every right to question him.
10. The Inspector said to the constable, "I am your boss."
The Inspector told the constable that he was his boss.
No comments:
Post a Comment