Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (or reported speech), are two ways in which we can write about something that is, or was, said.
Direct
When we write word for word what someone said, it’s called direct speech. This is also sometimes referred to as quoted speech. You’ll quickly realize why. When we write any speech in its direct form, we use quotation marks (“..”) to frame the exact words someone used. For example:
- Tom said, “Let’s order a pizza.”
(Let’s order pizza, were Tom’s exact words.)
- The teacher asked his class, “Do you have any questions?”
(Again, the exact words are in between the quotes.
Indirect
Indirect, or reported speech, is when we talk about what was said, but without always using their exact words. When reporting speech, we’re most commonly talking about something that was said before the moment we are talking about it. This means that the grammar tense of what was said usually changes one step back into the past. For example:
Direct Speech Indirect (Reported) Speech
Direct: “I like cheeseburgers,” said Tom.
(present simple)
Indirect: Tom said that he liked cheeseburgers.
(Past Simple)
Direct: “The dog bit me!” said Sarah.
(past simple)
Indirect: Sarah said that the dog had bitten her.
(Past Perfect)
Pronouns
You will also notice that we move from first person (I, me, we) in direct speech, to the second person (he, she, they) in reported speech. This is because, by nature, reported speech is about someone other than ourselves.
For example:
Direct: “I am going to the markets.” said Tom.
Becomes:
Indirect: Tom said that he was going to the markets.
List of Tense Changes
Here are how different tenses change when moving from direct speech to indirect speech, with examples included.
Present Tenses
Present Simple changes to Past Simple
Direct: Sarah said, “The flight is bumpy.”
Indirect: Sarah said that the flight was bumpy.
Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous
Direct: “I am cooking dinner,” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that she was cooking dinner.
Present Perfect Simple changes to Past Perfect Simple
Direct: “We’ve eaten breakfast here many times before” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that they had eaten breakfast there many times before.
Present Perfect Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “I’ve been looking forward to this trip all year” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that she had been looking forward to the trip all year.
Past Tenses
Past Simple changes to Past perfect
Direct: “I went there last week” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that she had gone there the week before.
Past Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “We were eating lunch when the phone rang” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that they had been eating lunch when the phone rang.
Past Perfect changes to Past Perfect
Direct: “I had been there before that night.” Said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that she had been there before that night.
Past Perfect Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “We had been collecting shells when it started to rain” said Sarah.
Indirect: Sarah said that she had been collecting shells when it started to rain.
Modal Verb Changes
Modal verbs such as will, must, shall, and can also change in tense. Here’s a list of how each modal verb changes with examples
Direct Speech – Indirect Speech
Will — Would
Can — Could
Must — had to
Shall — Should
May — Might
Some modal verbs don’t change from indirect speech to direct speech. This is mainly because their past form is the same as their current form.
Direct Speech – Indirect Speech
Would — Would
Might — Might
Ought to — Ought to
Should — Should
Time changes
When speech has certain expressions of time and place, they must be changed to allow for the change in moment and location when and where something is said. For example.
Direct: “I put my keys here yesterday,” said Jenny.
Indirect: She said that she had put her keys there the day before.
“Here” becomes there. Whereas yesterday becomes the day before. However, it depends on when the reporting takes place. If we were to tell someone about what Jenny said on the same day that she said it, we would say:
Indirect: She said that she had put her keys there yesterday.
Other changes made to time and place phrases
Direct Speech – Indirect Speech
Now – then
Here – there
Today – that day
This morning/afternoon/evening/night – that morning/afternoon/evening/night
Next week/month – the following week/month
Last week/month – the previous week/month
