DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

A. Direct speech:
When you use direct speech, you repeat what someone has said using exactly the words
they used:
She said, "If it rains, I won't go out." is an example of the use of direct speech.
When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between speech marks (" ")
and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW
(for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.
PUCTUATION:
In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause.
The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double
(“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said.

Rita said, ‘I don’t need you any more.’
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation
mark, not a comma:
‘Is there a reason for this?’ she asked.
“I hate you!” he shouted.
We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause
when the reporting clause is first:
EXAMPLES
 She says, "What time will you be home?"
 She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "
 "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
 John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."
In narratives, especially novels and short stories, when the reporting clause comes second, we
often invert the subject (s) and reporting verb (v):
“Things have always been the same in this village,” [V]said [S]the old man.
‘Hold on! I’m coming!’ [V]cried [S]Maurice.

B. Indirect speech:
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact
words. In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker
is reporting a statement, a question or a command.
1. PUCTUATION:
In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting
clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When
the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:
She told me they had left her without any money.
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money.
We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and
exclamations:
He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?

2. CHANGE:
2.1 Đổi thì của câu:

The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

Thì của các động từ trong lời nói gián tiếp thay đổi theo một nguyên tắc chung là lùi 1 thì:
 direct indirect

present simple → past simple

present continuous → past continuous

present perfect simple → past perfect simple

present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous

past simple/ past perfect → past perfect simple

past continuous → past perfect continuous

future (will) → future-in-the-past (would)

If the reporting verb is in the present tense or we report something that is still true, the
verb forms remain the same.
Bill: "I am enjoying my holiday." - Bill says he is enjoying his holiday.
Sandy: "I will never go to work." - Sandy says she will never go to work.

Dan: "Asia is the largest continent." - Dan said Asia is the largest continent.
Emma: "People in Africa are starving." - Emma said people in Africa are starving.

Modal verbs
Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

direct speech indirect speech change

‘We will be there,’ he He promised they would be

will will becomes would
promised. there.

She said she would need more shall usually

She said, ‘I shall need more
money. becomes would
shall money.’
She asked if she should open in reported questions, shall
‘Shall I open it?’ she asked.
it. becomes should

‘I can see you at 2.30,’ he He added that he could see me

can can becomes could
added. at 2.30.

She said she might be back may (possibility)

‘I may be back later,’ she said.
later. becomes might
may ‘You may wait in the hallway,’
He said we could wait in the may (permission)
he said.
hallway. becomes could

She said, ‘You must pay by She said we had to pay by must (obligation) usually
must
30th April.’ 30th April. becomes had to
 direct speech indirect speech change

‘It must be awful to live in She said it must be awful to must (speculation) does not
such a noisy place,’ she said. live in such a noisy place. change

‘We could sell it for about He said they could sell it for
could no change
2,000 euros,’ he said. about 2,000 euros.

‘You should go there She said I should go there

should no change
immediately,’ she said. immediately.

‘I would buy it if I had the He said he would buy it if he

would no change
money,’ he said. had the money.

‘It might snow tonight,’ he He warned that it might snow

might no change
warned. that night.

‘You needn’t come till six He said we needn’t come till

need no change
o’clock,’ he said. six o’clock.

We can use a perfect form with have + P2 form after modal verbs, especially where the report
looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:
He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The
noise might be the postman delivering letters.’)
He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you
if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’)
Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’)
The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to
leave immediately.’)

2.2 Các thay đổi khác:

a. Thay đổi Đại từ
Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech
and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.
ĐẠI TỪ TRỰC GIÁN TIẾP ĐẠI TỪ TRỰC TIẾP GIÁN TIẾP
TIẾP
Đại từ nhân xưng I he, she Đại từ Sở hữu my his, her
we they our their
you they your their
me him, her mine his, her
us them ours theirs
you them yours theirs
Ngoài quy tắc chung về các thay đổi này, ta cần chú ý đến các thay đổi khác liên quan đến vị trí
tương đối của người đóng vai trò thuật lại trong các ví dụ sau đây:
Ví dụ: Jane, "Tom, you should listen to me."
I told Tom that he should listen to me.  Jane tự thuật lại lời của mình
Jane told Tom that he should listen to her  Người khác thuật lại lời nói của Jane
Jane told you that he should listen to her.  Người khác thuật lại cho Tom nghe
Jane told me that I should listen to her.  Tom thuật lại lời nói của Jane
b. Các thay đổi ở trạng từ không gian và thời gian
Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions
Trực tiếp Gián tiếp
This/ that That
These/ those Those
Here/ there There
Now Then
Today That day
(2 weeks) ago (2 weeks) before
Tomorrow The next day / the following day
The day after tomorrow In two day's time / two days after
Yesterday The day before / the previous day
The day before yesterday Two day before
Next week The following week
Last week The previous week / the week before
Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: "I saw the school-boy here in this room today."
Gián tiếp: She said that she had seen the school-boy there in that room that day.

Trực tiếp: "I will read these letters now."

Gián tiếp: She said that she would read those letters then.

Ngoài quy tắc chung này, ta cần nhớ rằng tình huống thật và thời gian khi hành động được thuật
lại đóng vai trò rất quan trọng trong khi chuyển từ câu trực tiếp sang câu gián tiếp.

3. Câu tường thuật

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that-clause. We often
omit that, especially in informal situations:
The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land.
(The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’)
I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday.
(that-clause without that) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday.)

4. Câu hỏi: được chia làm nhiều loại:

4.1. Câu hỏi NGHI VẤN
Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a
reported clause introduced by if or whether. If is more common than whether. The reported
clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She asked if [S] [V]I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’)
Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: "Does John understand music?" he asked.
Gián tiếp: He asked if/whether John understood music.
Trực tiếp: “Did you come by train or by bus?” he asked me
Gián tiếp: He asked me if/whether I had come by train or by bus.

4.2. Câu hỏi có từ để hỏi: who, whom, what, which, where, when, why, how:

Indirect reports of wh-questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning
with a wh-word (who, what, when, where, why, how, whom,…). We don’t use a question mark:
He asked me what I wanted.
Not: He asked me what I wanted?
The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:
She wanted to know who [S]we [V]had invited to the party.
Not: … who had we invited …
Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: "What is your name?" he asked.
Gián tiếp: He asked me what my name was.
4.3. Các dạng đặc biệt của câu hỏi trong lời nói gián tiếp

a. Shall/ would dùng để diễn tả đề nghi, lời mời:

Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: "Shall I bring you some tea?" he asked.
Gián tiếp: He offered to bring me some tea.

Trực tiếp: "Shall we meet at the theatre?" he asked.

Gián tiếp: He suggested meeting at the theatre.

b. Will/would dùng để diễn tả sự yêu cầu:

Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: Will you help me, please?
Gián tiếp: He ashed me to help him.

Trực tiếp: Will you lend me your dictionary?

Gián tiếp: He asked me to lend him my dictionary.

5. Câu mệnh lệnh và câu yêu cầu trong lời nói gián tiếp.
Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning
with a to-infinitive.
In the direct speech we do not mention the person in the imperative. In the indirect speech the
person addressed must be mentioned.
Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: Go away!
Gián tiếp: He told me/the boys to go away.

Trực tiếp: Listen to me, please.

Gián tiếp: He asked me to listen to him.

We also use a to-infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or
getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn:

Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: ‘You should wait till the following day,’ they said.
Gián tiếp: They advised me to wait till the following day.

Trực tiếp: ‘‘You must not enter the area,’ said the guard.
Gián tiếp: The guard warned us not to enter the area

6. Câu cảm thán trong lời nói gián tiếp.

Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: What a lovely dress!

Gián tiếp: Tùy theo xúc cảm và hình thức diễn đạt, chúng ta có thể dùng các hình thức khác nhau:
She exclaimed that the dress was lovely.
She exclaimed that the dress was a lovely one.

7. Các hình thức hỗn hợp trong lời nói gián tiếp.
Lời nói trực tiếp có thể bao gồm nhiều hình thức hỗn hợp: câu khẳng định, câu hỏi, câu mệnh
lệnh, câu cảm thán:
Ví dụ:
Trực tiếp: She said, "can you play the piano?" and I said "No"
Gián tiếp: She asked me if could play the piano and I said that I could not.

Direct: Tina said to me, "I can't help you now. I am very tired."
Indirect: Tina told me that she couldn't help me then as she was very tired.

Direct: Carl said, "It's hot in here. Isn't the AC on?"

Indirect: Carl said that it was hot in there and asked if the AC was on or not.
8. Indirect speech: typical errors
8.1. Tense change:
Direct: Mr. president said, “He is going to cut the taxes soon.”
× Indirect: Mr. president said that he is going to cut the taxes soon.
✓ Indirect: Mr. president said that he was going to cut the taxes soon.

Direct: My friend said, “We want to buy a new car.”

× Indirect: My friend said that they want to buy a new car.
✓ Indirect: My friend said that they wanted to buy a new car.
8.2. Word order in questions
The word order in indirect reports of wh-questions is the same as statement word order
(subject + verb), not question word order:
She always asks me where [S] [V]I am going.
Not: She always asks me where am I going.
We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh-questions:
I asked him what he was doing.
Not: I asked him what he was doing?
8.3. Tell and ask
Tell can introduce statements, commands, requests or advice. The form is different, however.

Statements with tell, ask

"I'm leaving," he told me. - He told me that he was leaving.

Commands, requests or advice with tell, ask

"Leave the room," he told John. - He told John to leave the room.
"Don't give up," the teacher told her students. - The teacher told the students not to give up.

8.4. NO change in tenses if:

8.4.1. After wish, would rather, had better, it is time.
Margo: "I wish they were in Greece." - Margo said she wished they were in Greece.
Matt: "I would rather fly." - Matt said he would rather fly.
Betty: "They had better go." - Betty said they had better go.
Paul: "It is time I got up." - Paul said it was time he got up.
8.4.2. In if-clauses.
Martha: "If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy." - Martha said that if she tidied her
room, her dad would be happy.
8.4.3. In time clauses.
Joe: "When I was staying in Madrid I met my best friend." - He said that when he was staying
in Madrid he met his best friend.
8.4.4. We do not change the past tense in spoken English if it is clear from the situation
when the action happened.
"She did it on Sunday," I said. - I said she did it on Sunday.
We must change it, however, in the following sentence, otherwise it will not be clear whether
we are talking about the present or past feelings.
"I hated her," he said. - He said he had hated her.
8.4.5. We do not usually change the modal verbs must and needn't. But must can
become had to or would have to and needn't can become didn't have to or wouldn't
have to if we want to express an obligation.
Would/wouldn't have to are used to talk about future obligations.
"I must wash up." - He said he must wash up/he had to wash up.
"I needn't be at school today." - He said he needn't be/didn't have to be at school that day.
"We must do it in June." - He said they would have to do it in June.
If the modal verb must does not express obligation, we do not change it.
"We must relax for a while." (suggestion) - He said they must relax for a while.
"You must be tired after such a trip." (certainty) - He said we must be tired after such a trip.
 PRACTICE
Exercise 1: Use modal verbs can, may, must in a positive or negative form to complete the following sentences.
1. You ................ give me a lift. I can go by train.
2. Don't talk. You ................ be quiet.
3. I want a computer at home. I ............ buy one.
4. I don't understand. .............. you repeat it? Where is it? I ................. see it.
5. You ....................... drive fast. We have enough time.
6. We ......................... stop here. It is not allowed.
7. How can I get there? - You .............. take a taxi if you want.
8. I failed the English test. But I ................. try again! I want to pass it.

Exercise 2: Put the words in the correct order to make imperative sentences.
1. over/seat/a/there/take ............................................................................
2. eat/something/to/have ............................................................................
3. so/bags/have/many/don't ............................................................................
4. not/sit/do/down ............................................................................
5. quiet/do/be ............................................................................
6. it/me/for/let/you/do ............................................................................
7. let/worried/not/us/be ............................................................................
8. now/the/let/pay/customers ............................................................................
9. explain/it/let/her ............................................................................
Exercise 3: : Match these sentences.
Example: 1. I must eat less. a. I am so thin.
2. I can't eat less. b. I'm getting fat.
1 b, 2 a

1. Hurry up! a The train is coming.

2. We needn't worry. b The train comes on time.
_________

1. He may take it. a. I don't need it.

2. He can take it. b. Who knows?
_________

1. I must study hard. a. I want to be good.

2. I mustn't study hard. b. I am ill.
_________

1. You needn't water the flowers. a. They are dry.

2. You must water the flowers. b. But you could wash the dishes.
_________

1. You mustn't work. a. You don't feel well.

2. You needn't work. b. You can relax.
_________

1. We must clear the table. a Let's do it now.

2. He must clear the table. b Let him do it now.
_________
1. This seat is free. a Do not sit down.
2. This chair is dirty. b Sit down, please.
_________
Exercise 4: Mark the correct verb forms.

We needn't to watch TV all night. I don't think he'll give up drinking coffee.
watch TV all night. to drink coffee.

She was made to sell her house. Was the book worth reading?
sell her house. to read?

They made me get off the bus. Your T-shirt needs to wash.
to get off the bus. washing.

Did she ask you to fetch her bag? I tried driving his car. I liked it.
fetching her bag? to drive his car. I liked it.

You shouldn't risk to get sunburnt. Please, go on reading.

getting sunburnt to read.

I'm sorry to ask you the following question.

for asking you the following question.

Exercise 5: Correct mistakes.

1. "I am not going to tolerate this any more," said Sarah.

Sarah said she was not going to tolerate this any more.

2. "You have always been my friend," said Joe.

Joe said I was always his friend.

3. "We never eat meat," claimed Bill.

Bill claimed that they had never eaten meat.

4. "I will talk to Sam soon," she told me on Sunday.

She told me on Sunday she will talk to Sam soon.

5. "Mary used to exercise every day," he said.

He said Mary had used to exercise every day.

6. "I wish I was twenty years younger," said Linda.

Linda said she wished she had been twenty years younger.

7. "Answer the phone!" he told me.

He told me I answered the phone.

8. "Where is Alex?" she asked me.

She asked me where was Alex.

9. "Don't shout at me anymore," he told me.

He told me I didn't shout at him anymore.