Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
Direct speech
repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:
- Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
In indirect
speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.
- Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight.
In this
example, I becomes she and
the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were
spoken: didn’t
realise becomes hadn’t
realised.
Indirect
speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact
words:
- “I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
- Mark apologised. (indirect: report of a speech act)
RULES
EXAMPLE INDIRECT SPEECH AND VERBS
- ‘“Why are you fighting here in Gondor?” they asked’ (‘Present Continuous’). – ‘They asked me why I was fighting there in Gondor’ (‘Past Continuous’).
- ‘“We haven’t been to Orodruin” the Fellowship said’ (‘Past Continuous’). – ‘The Fellowship said they hadn’t been to Orodruin’ (‘Past Perfect Continuous’).
- ‘“Can you throw the ring into the volcanic lava, please?”, Sam asked’ (‘Can’). – ‘Sam asked Frodo if he could throw the ring into the volcanic lava’ (‘Could’).
The 'Reported Speech', the affirmations and examples
The simplest of the simple in terms of the indirect style of English is concerned. In addition to everything discussed in previous points, you just have to keep in mind that the 'That' can be included as well as omitted.
Example: ‘“I’m not going to Fantasia today” Bastián said’ – ‘Bastián said (that) he was not going to Fantasia that day’.
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