Reported Speech (Direct to Indirect Speech)

1. Reported Speech(Direct to Indirect Speech) P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

2. Reporting a speech • There are two ways to report the words of a speaker: • Direct Speech: • Reporting words, as they were spoken. • Used mostly in writing. • For example: Tara said, “It is time to leave for the meeting.” • Indirect Speech: • Reporting the words of the speaker in our own words by making some changes. • Used both in speech and writing, but mostly in speech. • For example: Tara said that it was time to leave for meeting. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

3. Connective Reporting verb Reported verb P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

4. Reporting verb Connective Reportedverb P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

5. Changing into Indirect Speech:Selecting the Reporting Verb • Statements (affirmative & negative): • affirm, state, declare, assert, propose, suggest, allege, maintain, assure, announce, protest, swear, agree, promise, remark, remind, explain, advise etc. • For example: She said, “I will bring chocolates for the children.” She promised to bring chocolates for the children. He said, “Let us invite Rupa to dinner.” He suggested thatthey invite Rupa to dinner. Use connective thatwith statements and exclamatory sentences. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

6. Changing into Indirect Speech:Selecting the Reporting Verb • Questions: • enquire (of someone), question, query, wonder, want to know etc. • For example: The editor asked, “Is the work original? ” The editor queried whether/if the work was original. Raghu said to Raman, “When are you going home?” Raghu asked Raman whenhe was going home. Use connective whether/if while reporting yes/no questions. In case WH questions, use the WH word as connective . P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

7. Changing into Indirect Speech:Selecting the Reporting Verb • Commands and Requests: • command, direct, forbid, warn, ask, beg, plead, pray etc. • For example The nurse said to Raj, “Check with the doctor before stopping your medicine.” The nurse directed/instructed Raj to check with the doctor before stopping his medicine. The lady said to Ramesh, “Could you please help me with the bag ?” The lady requested Ramesh to help her with the bag. Note that in this type of sentences, finite forms of the reported verbs – check, help are changed with infinitive forms like to check, to help etc. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

8. Changing into Indirect Speech:Selecting the Reporting Verb • Exclamations: • exclaim, cry, yell, shout etc. • For example: Anju said, “How careless of him to lose the key !” Anjuexclaimedthat it was careless of him to lose the key. Miranda said “O, What a beautiful world !” Miranda exclaimedthat it is a beautiful world. “Ouch, the injection hurts !”, the patient said. The patient criedthat the injection hurt. Use connective thatwith statements and exclamatory sentences. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

9. Change of Tense in Reporting Does not change The tense of the verb in the direct speech changes while reporting into indirect speech as follows: Reporting Verb Reported Verb Simple Present Present Continuous Present Perfect Future Tense For example: Damusays, “Priya is working in Ahmedabad.” Damusaysthat Priya is working in Ahmedabad. I am sure you will say, “The tea is too sweet.” I am sure you will say that the tea is too sweet. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

10. Change of Tense in Reporting If the reporting verb is in simple past tense, the reported verb changes to the corresponding past tense. For example: Direct SpeechIndirect Speech • Simple Present  Simple Past • Gopusaid, “The bell rings at 9 a.m.”Gopu said that the bell rangat 9 a.m. • Present Continuous  Past Continuous • Gopusaid, “The bell is ringing.”Gopusaid that the bell was ringing. • Present Perfect  Past Perfect • Gopusaid, “The bell has rung.” Gopu said that the bell had rung. • Present Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Progressive • Gopu said, “The bell has been ringing.”Gopu said that the bell had been ringing. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

11. Change of Tense in Reporting Direct SpeechIndirect Speech • Simple Past  Past Perfect • Gopusaid, “The bell rang.”Gopu said that the bell had rung. • Past Continuous  Past Perfect Continuous • Gopusaid, “The bell was ringing.”Gopusaid that the bell had been ringing. • Will/Shall Would • Gopusaid, “The bell will ring.”Gopu said that the bell would ring. • Must/ShouldUnchanged/ had to/ would have to • Gopusaid, “The bell must ring.”Gopu said that the bell had to/should ring. • Ought to Ought to (Unchanged) • Gopu said, “The bell ought to ring.”Gopusaid that the bell ought to ring. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

12. Exceptions… Sometimes even when reporting verb is in simple past tense, tense of the reported verb does not change. This happens when: The speaker refers to a historical event. For example: The teacher said, “India became independent in 1947.” The teacher said that India became independent in 1947. When the speaker refers to a hypothetical or imagined condition. For example: They said, “If it rained for three months in the desert, farming would be possible.” They said that if it rained for three months in the desert, farming would be possible. When the speaker describes two events occurring at the same time. For example: Jagan said, “When the President came, everybody stood up.” Jagaon said that when the President came, everybody stood up. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

13. Exceptions… Simple present tense of the reported verb does not change even if the reporting verb is in past tense in following cases: When the reported sentence expresses a habitual action that is true at the time of reporting. For example: She said, “Nitin takes 8 o’clock train everyday.” She said that Nitin takes 8 o’clock train everyday. When a universal fact or scientific truth is reported. For example: I said, “Water is essential for life.” I said that water is essential for life. Something that is expected to happen in the very near future at the time of reporting.For example: Tara said just a minute ago, “The minister is visiting the village very soon.” Tara said just a minute ago that the minister is visiting the village very soon. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

14. Change of Demonstratives While reporting sentences from direct to indirect speech, demonstratives change as follows: P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

15. For example: He said, “I going to Bangalore today.” He said that he was going to Bangalore thatday. The officer said, “Can you come tomorrow?” The officer asked if I could come the next day. Shrikant said to Shanta, “I am feeling much better now.” Shrikant said to Shanta that he was feeling much better then. I said, “I am going to take thisbag.” I said that I was going to take thatbag. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

16. Exercise Convert the following sentences into indirect speech: I said to the men, “You can keep your boxes in the room.” “Did you know that I am your son’s friend ?” said Ramesh to Shridhar. Tony said to his teacher, “Please give me another day to complete my work.” She said, “Oh, what a pleasant surprise !” Shamika said to me, “How kind of you to come !” Raghuvir said to his friends, “ We will have a grand party tonight.” P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

17. Answers I said to the men that they could keep their boxes in the room. Ramesh asked Shridhar whether/if he knew that he was his son’s friend. Tony requested his teacher to give him another day to complete his work.” She said that it was a (very) pleasant surprise. Shamika said that it was very kind of me to come. Raghuvir told his friends that they would have a grand party that night. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

18. Any Questions ? P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303

19. P. P. Thakur, Assistant Professor of English, G.S. Science, Arts & Commerce College, Khamgaon 444303