TSPSC - Groups English

We may report the words of a speaker in two ways:

i)    We may quote his actual words. This is called Direct Speech.

ii)    We may report what he said without quoting his exact words. This is called Indirect (or Reported) Speech.

Direct:    Rama said, "I am very busy now."

Indirect:    Rama said that he was very busy then.

It will be noticed that in Direct Speech, we use inverted commas to mark off the exact words of the speaker. In Indirect Speech we do not.

It will be further noticed that in changing the above Direct Speech into Indirect, certain changes have been made. They can be summarized as follows:

1.    The comma after the reporting verb 'said' and the quotation marks are removed.

2.    The conjunction 'that' is put between the Principal clause and the Subordinate clause. (However, it often omitted especially in conversation)

3.    The Pronoun 'I' is changed to 'he'.

4.    The verb 'am' is changed into 'was' according to the rule of the Sequence of Tenses.

Rules for changing Direct Speech into Indirect:

When the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense, all Present tenses of the Direct speech are changed into the corresponding Past Tenses forms. Thus:

a)    A simple present becomes a simple past.

    Direct: He said, "I am unwell."

    Indirect: He said (that) he was unwell.

b)    A present continuous becomes a past continuous.

    Direct:    He said, "My master is writing letters."

    Indirect:    He said (that) his master was writing letters,

c)    A present perfect becomes a past perfect.

    Direct:    He said, "I have passed the examination."

    Indirect:    He said (that) he had passed the examination.

NOTE: The 'shall' of the Future Tense is changed into 'should' and sometimes 'would'. The 'will' of the Future Tense is changed into 'would' or 'should'.

Eg. Direct: He said, "I will help you".

Indirect:    He said that he would (not 'should') help me.

Direct:    I said, "He shall do it".

Indirect:    I said that he should (not 'would') do it.

    As a rule, the simple past in the Direct becomes the past perfect in the Indirect.

Direct: He said, "The horse died in the night."

Indirect:    He said that the horse had died in the night.

If the reporting verb is in the Present Tense, the tenses of the Direct Speech do not change. For example, we may rewrite the above examples, putting the reporting verb in the Present Tense, thus:

He says he is unwell.

He has just said his master is writing letters.

He says he has passed the examination.

He says the horse died in the night.



Change of Pronouns

The pronouns of the Direct Speech are changed, where necessary, so that their relations with the reporter and his hearer, rather than with the original speaker, are indicated. To be a little clearer, the change of pronouns can be explained like this.

The pronouns of the first person are changed to the pronouns of the same person as the subject of the reporting verb

She said, "I am busy" (Direct)

She said that she was busy (Indirect)

I said, "I am busy" (Direct)

I said that I was busy (Indirect)

You said, "I am busy" (Direct)

You said that you were busy (Indirect)

He said, "I am busy" (Direct)

He said that he was busy (Indirect)

The pronouns of second person are changed to the pronouns of the same person as the object of the reporting verb.

Observe the following examples:

Direct:    He said to me, "I don't believe you."

Indirect:    He told me that he didn't believe me

Direct: She said to him, "I don't believe you."

Indirect:    She told him that she didn't believe him

Direct:    I said to him, "I don't believe you."

Indirect:    I told him that I didn't believe him.

Words expressing nearness in time or place are generally changed into words expressing distance. Thus:

Now becomes then

today becomes that day

Here becomes there

tomorrow becomes the next day

Ago becomes before

yesterday becomes the day before

Thus becomes so

last night becomes the night before

Direct:    He said, "I am glad to be here this evening."

Indirect:    He said that he was glad to be there that evening.