What Is Indirect Speech In Simple Words?

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In linguistics, indirect speech (also reported speech or indirect discourse) is a grammatical mechanism for reporting the content of another utterance without directly quoting it . For example, the English sentence Jill said she was coming is indirect discourse while Jill said “I’m coming” would be direct discourse.

What is indirect speech in easy way?

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past , so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like ‘say’, ‘tell’, ‘ask’, and we may use the word ‘that’ to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used. She said, “I saw him.” (

What is indirect speech with examples?

Indirect speech is speech which tells you what someone said, but does not use the person’s actual words : for example, ‘They said you didn’t like it’, ‘I asked her what her plans were’, and ‘ Citizens complained about the smoke’. [mainly British]regional note: in AM, usually use indirect discourse.

What is direct and indirect speech in simple words?

Direct speech describes when something is being repeated exactly as it was – usually in between a pair of inverted commas. ... Indirect speech will still share the same information – but instead of expressing someone’s comments or speech by directly repeating them, it involves reporting or describing what was said.

What is indirect speech called?

Indirect speech is a report on what someone else said or wrote without using that person’s exact words (which is called direct speech). It’s also called indirect discourse or reported speech .

How do you use indirect speech in a sentence?

Usually indirect speech is introduced by the verb said , as in I said, Bill said, or they said. Using the verb say in this tense, indicates that something was said in the past. In these cases, the main verb in the reported sentence is put in the past.

How do you change direct speech to indirect speech examples?

  1. Direct speech: “Where do they live?”
  2. Indirect speech: You asked me where they lived.
  3. Direct speech: “When are you leaving?”
  4. Indirect speech: He asked us when we were leaving.
  5. Direct speech: “How will they get here?”
  6. Indirect speech: She asked me how they would get here.

What are the rules of indirect speech?

Direct Speech Indirect Speech Present simple (Subject +V1st + Object) Past simple (Subject +V2 + Object) Present continuous (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object) Past Continuous (Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object) Present perfect (Subject + has/have+V3+Object) Past perfect (Subject+had+V3+Object)

How do you identify direct and indirect speech?

Direct Speech: the message of the speaker is conveyed or reported in his own actual words without any change . Indirect Speech: the message of the speaker is conveyed or reported in our own words. a) Direct: Radha said, “I am very busy now.” b) Indirect: Radha said that she was very busy then.

What are the types of direct and indirect speech?

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.

What is the importance of direct and indirect speech?

It helps give a good portrayal of the characters. Direct speech reveals the tone and moods of the characters . Indirect speech, if not used properly, creates a distance between the utterance and the reader’s perception of it.

What are the two basic rules for direct and indirect speech?

Rules for changing Direct into Indirect Speech

Present Tenses in the Direct Speech are changed into Past Tense. If the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense. If in direct speech you find say/says or will say. Direct speech the words within the quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action .

What is free indirect speech with examples?

Free indirect speech is what happens when the subordinate clause from reported speech becomes a contained unit , dispensing with the “she said” or “she thought.” For instance: Kate looked at her bank statement. Why had she spent her money so recklessly?

What is indirect speech class 9?

The exact words spoken by Sohan are put within inverted commas. But when we give the substance of what Sohan said, it is called the Indirect Speech. You can master in English Grammar of various classes by our articles like Tenses, Clauses, Prepositions, Story writing, Unseen Passage, Notice Writing etc.

What is reported speech 5 examples?

Tense Direct Speech Reported Speech would* I would help, but..” She said (that) she would help but... can I can speak perfect English She said (that) she could speak perfect English. could* I could swim when I was four She said (that) she could swim when she was four. shall I shall come later She said (that) she would come later.
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Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.