Direct and Indirect Sentences
Direct and Indirect Sentences
Direct and Indirect Sentences
He said: I need a glass of coffee. (direct speech) He said that he needed a glass of coffee. (indirect speech)
Changes that are normally made in converting from direct to indirect speech
a. Change present tense verbs into the past tense (to match the reporting verb). b. Change 1st person and 2nd person pronouns into the 3rd person. c. Sometimes change pointer words like this, now, here, tomorrow, into that, then, there, the next day, etc.
DIRECT They said, we were having dinner earlier. She said, I had started the lesson when they came.
INDIRECT They said they had been having dinner earlier. NO CHANGE
NO CHANGE.
He said, I had already taken the map before you called me.
Had to They said they had to wait for the official announcement.
Should She said she should have lunch on her own. Might He said I might take three more credits.
exercises
He said, I am going to take a day off. She said, I am really starving. They said, We are on a great journey. He said, I am working on an amazing project. 5. They said, We arrived early when we were in college. 6. She said, I visited my parents few days ago. 1. 2. 3. 4.
7. They said, We have been waiting for an hour. 8. He said, I have been fixing this bike for two days. 9. She said, I will buy three bars of chocolate. 10. He said, I must go earlier. 11. They said, you can call us whenever you want.
sources
https://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/re portedspeech.htm Leech, Geoffrey and Jan Svartvik. 1981.