Direct and Indirect Speech

Video Lesson on Direct and Indirect Speech

Introduction of Indirect Speech

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech, indirect narration, or indirect discourse. In grammar, when you report someone else’s statement in your own words without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech. Quoting a person’s words without using his own word and bringing about any change in the meaning of the statement is a reported speech. Look at the following sentences:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.

In the first sentence, the reporter conveys the message of the girl using her actual words (e.g., “I am a little bit nervous.”) In the second sentence, the reporter conveys her message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of a person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.

Important Points

During the process, you will come across many important terms that you need to know better so that you can convert any direct speech into indirect speech easily and without any hassle. Consider the following sentences:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”
Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.
Now consider the different grammatical aspects of both.

Reporting Speech: The first part in the direct speech is called reporting speech.
Reported Speech: The second part of the sentence, which is closed in inverted commas or quotation marks, is called reported speech.
Reporting Verb: The verb of the reporting speech is called the reporting verb.
Reported Verb: The verb of the reported speech is called the reported verb.