- Direct speech is the exact words someone said.
These words are but into quotation marks.
- Reported speech is the exact meaning of what someone said, but not the exact words.
Study the examples and explain when say and fell are used.
Say: “I like,” he said (direct speech)
“I like tea,” he said to me. (direct speech)
He said (that) he liked tea. (direct speech)
Tell: He told me (that) he liked tea. (reported speech)
TENSE CHANGES IN REPORTED SPEECH
Played-played
Is playing-was playing
Will play-would play
Have played-had played
Played- had played/played
Have been playing-had been playing
Was playing- had been playing/was playing
Study these examples, then answer the questions.
Direct speech: “I’ m leaving tomorrow,” he said to me.
Reported speech: He told me (that) he was leaving the
next day.
DIRECT AND REPORTED SPEECH
- We use direct speech to give the exact words someone said, and we use quotation [ “ “ ] at the beginning and end of the actual words. e.g. “ I am tired,” he said.
- We use reported speech to give the exact meaning of what someone said, but not the exact words. we do not use quotation marks in reported speech. e.g. He said that he was tired.
REPORTED SPEECH
Say-Tell
Say is used in direct in and reported speech. In reported speech it is followed by a that - clause. e.g. “I won’t go to Japan.’ She said. She said that she wouldn’t go to Japan.
Tell is used in reported speech and has to be followed by a personal direct object (me, you, him, her, etc.) e.g. “I won’t go to Japan,’ she said to me. She told me (that) she wouldn’t go to Japan.
Direct speech Reported speech
Tonight, today, this - that night, that day, that
Week/month/year, week/month/year
now - then, at the time, at once,
immediately
yesterday, last night/ - the day before, the previous night
week/month/year, /night/week/month/year
tomorrow, next week/ - the following day/the day after,
month/year the following/next/week/month/
year
two days/months/ - two days/months/years, etc.
years/months/yars, before
etc.ago