Direct and Reported speech

DIRECT & REPORTED SPEECH

direct

reported

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saytell ask reply explain

Direct speech is what is being said now. We can report direct speech using quotation marks ''

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Reported speech is used to report what had already been said. We tend to use past tenses.

said told (you) asked (him/her) replied explained

'I am feeling sick' - Jack said

Jack told me he is feeling sick.

Jack told me he was feeling sick.

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Info

Tenses change

PAST continuous - PAST PERFECT continuous

PRESENT-PAST

• 'He was thinking about buying a new car.'- she said.
• She said that he had been thinking about buying a new car.

• 'We are training'- he explained.
• He explained that they were training.

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PRESENT PERFECT- PAST PERFECT

• 'I have broken the rules.' - he admitted
• He admitted that he had broken the rules.

Direct - Reported

Remember

When we report, there is more than one person, action involved.We often need to change the pronouns.

More examples

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She lived in Hong Kong for 3 years.

She told me she had lived in Hong Kong for 3 years

'I enjoy working in my office,' said Ben.

Ben said that he enjoyed working in his office.

She told me she's planning to complete it today. [It is currently still the same day.] She told me she was planning to completed it in two days. [It is not the same day any more.]

I'm planning to complete it today.'