What a person says can be shown by using direct speech or indirect speech.
- Direct Speech is the actual words of the speaker used within inverted commas.
Examples:
I said “I don’t understand you.”
She asked, “What are you doing here?”
The sweeper said, “There is nobody in the library.”
- Indirect Speech reports what a person saidearlier to someone else without the use of inverted commas.
Examples
I said that I didn’t understand him.
She asked me what I was doing there.
The sweeper said that there was nobody in the library.
Points to Remember.
1a. In indirect speech, the tense used follows that of the main verb in the direct speech
Examples:
Direct: “I will help you,” she promised.
Indirect: She promised that she would help us.
1b. Tense changes in reported speech. If the reporting verb is a present tense, the future tense remains unchanged.
Example:
Paloma says, “Ishall go to Delhi tomorrow.”
Paloma says that she will go to Delhi tomorrow.
1c. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the reported verb is subjected to change.
Direct speech Indirect Speech
Simple present Simple Past
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past perfect
Present perfect continuous past perfect continuous
Simple past past perfect
Past continuous past perfect continuous
Past perfect No change
Past perfect continuous No change
Some Examples
- John said “I cook rice everyday.”
John said that he cooked rice everyday.
- John said “I am cooking rice.”
John said that he was cooking rice.
- John said, “I cooked rice”.
John said he had cooked rice.
- John said, “I have cooked rice.”
John said that hehad cooked rice.
- John said, “I have been cooking rice.”
John said that hehad been cooking rice.
- John said “I was cooking rice.”
John said that he had been cooking rice.
2. Reported Speech expressing a universal truth or habitual fact is not changed. Example: My father said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
My father said that honesty is the best policy.
The teacher said “The earth moves round the sun.”
The teacher said that the sun moves round the sun.
- Pronoun changes,
Direct Indirect
I/you he/she/they
You him/her/them
We they
My his/her
Your my
Our their
Me him/her, them
Us them
- Change place and time
Direct Reported
Here there
Today that day
These those
This morning that morning
Yesterday the day before
Tomorrow the next day
Next week the following week
Next month the following month
Tonight that night
Ago before
- Other examples:
- Sekinat asked, “Where is Chukwu?”
Sekinat asked us where Chukwu was.
- Lara said, “Would you like a cup of tea?”
Lara asked me whether/if I would like a cup of tea.
- Mr. Taiwo said, “Do your work quietly”
Mr. Taiwo told us to do our work quietly.
- She said, “Sit down, please.”
She invited us tosit down.
Evaluations: Change the direct speech to reported speech.
- The professor said, “ I work all day.”
- He said, “I will be visiting Italy in December.”
- The weather man announced, “It may rain today.”
- “I can be a great president.” said Martin.
Reading Assignment: ExamFocus English JSCE page 93 – 94; English Grammar by P.O
Olatunbosun page 90 – 94
- Topic: Writing – A Formal Letter of Invitation
In week four, you were taught formal letter. Your task in this lesson is to write a formal letter of invitation.
Evaluation:Your school is organizing a talk show o the topic Child abuse. As the secretary of the organizing committee of the school, write a formal letter of invitation to be sent out to neigbouring schools, highlighting the various benefits they stand to gain in the talk show.
GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION
Choose the correct option
- She didn’t know ____ when his boss called. a. He was where b. Where he was c. Was he where d. Where was he
- Malaria, which can be fatal let untreated, is transmitted by the female, ____ by the male mosquito. a. Not b. however. c. despite d. instead.
- A good student must know _____ a. to study hard b. to be a good student c. how to study effectively d. the way of efficiency in study.
- Perspiration increases ____ vigorous exercise or hot weather. a. during b. when c. at the time d. for
- Physical fitness exercises can cause injuries ____ the participants are not careful. a. that b. to c. if d. with
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- For each question, choose the best answer from the options given.
- “We’re going out for dinner tonight,” announced Dad. Dad told us that ______ a. we were going out for dinner that night b. we’re going out for dinner tonight c. we were going out for dinner the following night d. we would be going out for dinner the previous night.
- “Where’s the class monitor?” asked the headmaster. The headmaster wanted to know _____. a. where was the class monitor b. where the class monitor was c. where is the class monitor d. where the class monitor would be.
- “I’m sure Ibrahim was not telling the truth when he spoke to us yesterday,” commented Abdullah. Abdullah commented that he was sure that Ibrahim was not ______. a. tells them the truth when he speaking to them yesterday b. told them the truth when he spoke to them yesterday c. telling them the truth when he spoken to them that day d. telling them the truth when he spoke to them the previous day
- “What are you doing here?” asked Asake. Asake asked me _____. a. what am I doing here b. what I was doing here c. what was I doing here d. what were I doing here
- “I’m going home now,” he said. He said that he was _____. A. going home now b. going home then c. went home now d. gone home then
- English Grammar by P.O Olatunbosun, Page 93 Exercise 16, 4(a-g).
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