Direct and Indirect Speech (Grade 11 NSC Matric English FAL): Revision Notes
Direct and Indirect Speech
What is direct and indirect speech?
When you write or speak about what someone has said, you can do this in two different ways. Understanding the difference between these two methods is essential for good communication and accurate reporting.
Direct speech
Direct speech is when you repeat the precise words a person used. Think of it as quoting someone exactly as they spoke. This method captures the original speaker's voice and expression.
Key features of direct speech:
- Uses the exact words the speaker said
- Always enclosed in quotation marks (" ")
- Includes all punctuation marks (commas, question marks, exclamation marks) inside the quotation marks
- Maintains the original tense and pronouns
Example: Nosipho said, "My family will be going to a soccer match next Saturday."
Indirect (reported) speech
Indirect speech, also called reported speech, is when you tell what someone said using different words. You're reporting the message rather than quoting it directly. This method is more flexible and often used in formal writing and news reports.
Key features of indirect speech:
- Reports the message without using the speaker's exact words
- No quotation marks are used
- The verb tense shifts backwards (called backshifting)
- The word 'that' is often used to introduce what was said
- Pronouns, time expressions, and place words change to match the new context
Example: Nosipho said that her family would be going to a soccer match the following Saturday.
Key changes from direct to indirect speech
When you convert direct speech to indirect speech, several important changes must occur. Let's explore these systematically.
Removing quotation marks
The first and most obvious change is removing the quotation marks. In reported speech, you're not quoting the person directly, so quotation marks are no longer needed.
Example Transformation:
- Direct: Sipho asked, "Are you coming to the party?"
- Indirect: Sipho asked whether I was coming to the party.
Notice how the question becomes a statement when reported, and the quotation marks disappear.
Verb tense changes (backshifting)
Backshifting means moving the verb tense one step back into the past. This happens because you're reporting something that was said at an earlier time. Think of it as stepping back in time with your verbs.
Important backshifting patterns:
| Direct speech tense | Indirect speech tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| is/am → was | Present becomes past | "I am sick." → He said (that) he was sick. |
| are → were | Present becomes past | "They are happy." → She said (that) they were happy. |
| will → would | Future becomes conditional | "She will help." → He said (that) she would help. |
| can → could | Present ability becomes past ability | "I can swim." → She said (that) she could swim. |
| must → had to | Present obligation becomes past obligation | "You must study." → He said (that) I had to study. |
| have/has → had | Present perfect becomes past perfect | "I have finished." → She said (that) she had finished. |
Exam tip: Always check your verb tenses carefully when converting speech. Forgetting to backshift is a common error that can cost you marks.
Other important changes
Beyond tense changes, you must also adjust pronouns and time expressions to make the reported speech logical and clear.
Pronoun changes
Pronouns must change to reflect the new perspective. You're no longer speaking as the original person, so first-person pronouns (I, we, my) become third-person pronouns (he, she, they, his, her).
Common pronoun shifts:
- I → he/she (depending on the speaker's gender)
- we → they
- us → them
- my → his/her
Example Transformation:
- Direct: "I love my school."
- Indirect: She said that she loved her school.
The pronoun 'I' changes to 'she' and 'my' changes to 'her' to match the new reporting perspective.
Time and place changes
Time expressions must shift to reflect that you're reporting from a later point in time. What was "now" when originally spoken becomes "then" when reported later.
Essential time expression changes:
| Direct speech | Indirect speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| now → then | Present moment becomes past moment | "I am happy now." → He said he was happy then. |
| today → that day | Current day becomes specific past day | "We will meet today." → She said they would meet that day. |
| tomorrow → the next day | Future day becomes relative future | "I'll see you tomorrow." → He said he would see me the next day. |
| yesterday → the previous day | Past day becomes relative past | "I saw her yesterday." → He said he had seen her the previous day. |
| last week → the week before | Recent past becomes more distant past | "We visited last week." → She said they had visited the week before. |
These changes ensure your reported speech makes sense in its new timeframe.
Punctuation in reported speech
Punctuation rules differ significantly between direct and indirect speech. Understanding these differences will help you write more accurately.
Key punctuation rules:
- No exclamation marks or question marks in reported speech (unless you're including a direct quote within your report)
- No commas inside quotation marks (because there are no quotation marks at all)
- The reporting clause and reported clause flow together smoothly
Example Transformation:
Direct: "We've won the competition!" they shouted.
Indirect: They shouted that they had won the competition.
Notice how the exclamation mark disappears in the reported version, and the sentence becomes a calm statement of fact.
Worked examples
Let's apply everything you've learnt by examining these complete transformations. Pay attention to all the changes occurring simultaneously.
Example 1
Direct speech: "I can't give my baby a good life here," the young lady said.
Reported speech: The young lady said that she couldn't give her baby a good life there.
Changes made:
- Removed quotation marks
- Changed "I" to "she"
- Changed "my" to "her"
- Backshifted "can't" to "couldn't"
- Changed "here" to "there"
- Added "that" to introduce the reported clause
Example 2
Direct speech: Graça Machel said, "It is something you give a young girl that can never be taken away."
Reported speech: Graça Machel said that it was something you gave a young girl that could never be taken away.
Changes made:
- Removed quotation marks
- Backshifted "is" to "was"
- Backshifted "give" to "gave"
- Backshifted "can" to "could"
- Added "that" as a connector
Example 3
Direct speech: He wanted to say, "I will never forget you or your parents."
Reported speech: He wanted to say that he would never forget him or his parents.
Changes made:
- Removed quotation marks
- Changed "I" to "he"
- Backshifted "will" to "would"
- Changed "you" to "him"
- Changed "your" to "his"
- Added "that" to connect the clauses
Example 4
Direct speech: Yesterday Robert Phipps said, "Mary, your eyes are the windows to your soul."
Reported speech: The previous day, Robert Phipps told Mary that her eyes were the windows to her soul.
Changes made:
- Removed quotation marks and comma
- Changed "Yesterday" to "The previous day"
- Changed "said" to "told" (because the listener is named)
- Removed the direct address "Mary" from inside the quote
- Backshifted "are" to "were"
- Changed "your" to "her"
- Added "that" to introduce the reported statement
Exam tip: When converting speech, work through your checklist systematically: quotation marks, pronouns, verb tenses, time expressions, and punctuation. This methodical approach prevents errors.
Remember!
- Direct speech uses the exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks with all original punctuation intact.
- Indirect speech reports the message without quoting directly, requiring you to backshift verb tenses, change pronouns, and adjust time expressions.
- Backshifting is essential: Present tenses become past tenses, 'will' becomes 'would', 'can' becomes 'could', and so on.
- Pronouns shift perspective: First person (I, we) becomes third person (he, she, they) to reflect that you're reporting someone else's words.
- Time and place words change: 'Now' becomes 'then', 'today' becomes 'that day', 'here' becomes 'there' to make sense in the new context.
- Punctuation simplifies: No quotation marks, exclamation marks, or question marks in reported speech—it all becomes straightforward statements.