Indirect Speech: Reporting What Someone Said
Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a way of rephrasing what someone said without using their exact words. It's like summarizing what someone said, but in your own words.
Here's how it works:
1. Change the tense of the verb. If the original sentence is in the present tense, you usually shift it to the past tense in indirect speech.
2. Change pronouns and time/place references. You need to adjust these to reflect the speaker's perspective.
3. Use a reporting verb. Words like "said," "told," "asked," "explained," or "admitted" are used to introduce the reported speech.
Here's an example:
* Direct Speech: "I am going to the store," she said.
* Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the store.
Key Points:
* No quotation marks: Indirect speech doesn't use quotation marks.
* Changes to tense, pronouns, and time/place: These are adjusted to reflect the speaker's perspective.
* Reporting verb: A reporting verb is necessary to introduce the reported speech.
* Focus on meaning, not exact words: The focus is on conveying the meaning of the original statement, not on using the exact words.
Why is indirect speech used?
* To avoid directly quoting someone: This can be useful if you want to summarize what someone said without using their exact words.
* To make a story or conversation more natural: By using indirect speech, you can make the story flow more smoothly and avoid interrupting the narrative with long direct quotes.
* To be more formal: In formal writing, indirect speech is often preferred to direct quotes.
Let me know if you have any other questions or want to practice some examples!