Basic Grammar Step by Step Second Edition

Mary W. Ng

Chapter 43

Direct and Reported Speech

In direct speech we repeat the actual words of the speaker. We use quotation marks to quote direct speech. We use a reporting expression like Alice says to identify the speaker.

Alice says, “I am happy.”(statement)
Betty says, “What time is it?”(question)
Carol says, “Please help me.”(imperative)

Reported speech is also called indirect speech. In reported speech we report what the speaker said. We do not use quotation marks in reported speech.

Mark says, “I am hot.”(direct speech)
Mark says that he is hot.(reported speech)

Personal pronouns, reflexive pronouns, possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives often change in reported speech.

    They may change from the first or second person to the third person.

    She said, “I sewed myself a dress.”
    She said that she had sewn herself a dress.
    “The bicycle was mine,” Paul told me.
    Paul told me that the bicycle had been his.
    Dan said, “Diana, you have taken my book.”
    Dan told Diana that she had taken his book.

  1. They may change from the second person to the first person.

    “You did a great job,” Ben told us.
    Ben told us that we had done a great job.
    “Your dog ran away,” Monica told me.
    Monica told me that my dog had run away.

  2. They may also change from the first person to the second person.

    You said, “I am tired.”
    You said that you were tired.

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