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SSC Eng Direct and Indirect Speech
SSC Eng Direct and Indirect Speech
DIRECT/INDIRECT SPEECH Pronouns of the second person are changed into pronouns
of the same person as that of
RULES the object of the Reporting Verb:
The matter within inverted commas “………… “is called Example:
the Reported speech and the verb that introduces the The teacher said to me, “You have not done your work
reported speech and the verb that introduces the reported well”.
Speech is called Reporting verb. The teacher told me that I had not done my work well.
In other way quoting the exact words of the speaker is (c) Third Person:
called “The Direct Speech”. Pronouns of the third person generally remain unchanged:
David said, “I am writing a letter now”. Example:
Reporting of what a speaker said without quoting his I said to you, “He should not be trusted”.
exact words is called ‘Indirect Speech’. I told you that he should not be trusted.
When there are two or more third person pronouns in the
RULES FOR DIRECT/INDIRECT SPEECH Indirect Speech, the name of the person referred to by
Change of reporting verbs: each may be written in brackets against each of them to
Change of Pronoun: avoid confusion:
Change the Tenses: Example:
Change of words expressing nearness: The servant said to his master,“I have told you the truth
Rules for Assertive Sentence Rules and I can do no more”.
Rules for Imperative Sentence (Order or Request) The servant told his master that he had told him (master)
Interrogative Sentence (Questions) the truth and he (servant) could do no more
Exclamatory Sentence One has to be little careful while changing the Personal
Detailed explanation Pronoun “we”. “we” can be retained as “we” or changed to
“you” or “they” depending upon the relationship of the
CHANGE OF REPORTING VERBS: speaker, the person(s) addressed and the person reporting
the speech:
In assertive sentences the reporting verb ‘said to’ is
changed into told only and ’said’ alone is not changed. In
Example:
interrogative sentences the reporting verb ‘said to’ is He said to me, “We should have tried harder”.
changed into asked. In imperative sentences the He told me that we should have tried harder.
reporting verb ‘said to’ is changed into ordered, requested,
suggested, begged, proposed forbade etc. according to the CHANGE THE TENSES:
sense of the sentence. when reporting verb is in present or future tense, there
Examples: will be no change of tense, for example:
Rakshit said to his friend, “Where are you going?” Direct: He says, “ Ram is hungry.”
Rakshit asked his friend where he was going. Indirect: He says that Ram is hungry
(b) The headmaster said to the peon, “Give me a glass of (b) Direct: He has told me, “Ram cannot move.”
water.” Indirect: He has told me that Ram cannot move.
The headmaster ordered the peon to give him a glass of (ii) If the reporting verb is in past tense, the tense of the
water. reported speech must be changed as under:
Direct Indirect
CHANGE OF PRONOUNS: 1. Present Indefinite (write) Past Indefinite (wrote)
(a)First Person: 2. Present Continuous (is Past continuous (was
writing) writing)
Pronouns of the first person are changed into pronouns of
the same person as the person 3. Present Perfect ( has Past Perfect ( had
of the subject of the Reporting Verb: written ) written)
Example: 4.Present Perfect Past Perfect Continuous
I said, “I have done my home work”. Continuous (had been writing)
I said the I had done my home work. (has been writing)
(ii) You said, “I have done my home work”. 5. Past Indefinite (wrote) Past Perfect (had
You said that you had done your home work. written)
(iii) He said, “I have done my home work”. 6. Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
He said that he had done his home work. (was writing) (Had been writing)
7. Past Perfect ( had written No change
)