Indirect Speech / 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.
When reporting 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
example : He said he was going to the cinema.
She said she had been teaching English for seven years.
She said she had been teaching earlier.
tenses change : Past simple
She said it was cold.
Past continuous
She said she was teaching English online.
Past perfect simple
She said she had been on the web since 1999.
Past perfect simple
She said she had been on the web since 1999.
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
would
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.
could
She said she could teach English online.
should
She asked what we should learn today.
Time change
If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting.
For example we need to change words like here and yesterday if they have different meanings at the time and place of reporting.
ex : She said yesterday’s lesson was on presentations.
Contoh soal :
Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.
1. John said, ‘I am very busy now.’
2. He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’
3. ‘I know her name and address,’ said John.
4. ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said.
5. He said, ‘I am writing letters.’
6. ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said.
7. He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’
8. He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’
9. He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’
10. ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger.
Answer :
1. John said that he was very busy then
2. He said that the horse had been fed.
3. John said that he knew/knows her name and address.
4. She said that German is/was easy to learn.
5. He said that he was writing letters.
6. Alice said that it was too late to go out.
7. He told me that he didn’t believe me or he said he didn’t believe me.
8. He says that he is glad to be here this evening.
9. He asked me what I was doing.
10. The stranger asked where the post office is/was
Direct Speech / Quoted Speech
Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech)Here what a person says appears within quotation marks (“…”) and should be word for word
prounoun change : i teach english online
reporting verb : lina told me she felt tired
Modal verb forms also sometimes change:
will
She said, “I’ll teach English online tomorrow.”
can
She said, “I can teach English online.”
shall
She said, “What shall we learn today?”
tenses change :
Present simple
She said, “It’s cold.”
Present continuous
She said, “I’m teaching English online.”
Present perfect simple
She said, “I’ve been on the web since 1999.”
time change : “Today’s lesson is on presentations.”
contoh soal :
1. I asked Amy____________turned off the coffe pot
answer : if she had
2.elly wanted to know ___________supper was ready
answer : whether
3.paul asked me whether or not i_________at the party
answer : would be
4.sharon asked me when i ____ called
answer : had
5.george said ____ hungry
answer : he was
6.karen said ______ her glases
answer : i had seen
7.she said that we __________her when we get home
answer : should call
8.my father told me that _____ a planned
answer : i should
9. she asked me __________________________the box for her
answer : if i would carry
10. the student asked _______________ make an appoinment
answer : if he could
