10 examples of indirect speech in English grammar
Narration change is an important chapter to learn English language. Direct speech is changed into indirect speech and vice versa in narration change. To complete this transformation of speech students must know the rules for each tense. Indirect speech means reporting the speech of another speaker indirectly. In indirect speech any kind of sentence is changed into assertive sentence. Students have to remember all rules tense wise for changing direct speech into indirect speech correctly. They will know better from the application rules and examples.
Structure: subject+ reporting verb+ linker+ reported speech
Tense, pronouns, person, modal, adverb etc. are changed into indirect speech according to definite rules. The reported speech is changed into indirect speech as per the tense of reporting verb in direct speech. If the reporting verb is in present tense or future tense then reported speech remains unchanged. If reporting verb is in past tense then reported speech will be changed accordingly. To change interrogative sentence into assertive sentence ‘wh’ words act as linkers. Modals of direct speech are changed into the past forms of it. Imperative sentences are changed with infinitive in indirect speech. Adverbs of time will be changed in indirect speech as per the rules. Reporting verbs of indirect speech will be said, says, told, asked, requested, exclaimed etc. as per requirements and mood of the sentence.
Examples:
- She said to me, “Are you hungry?” (direct)
She asked me if I was hungry. (Indirect)
- He said, “I am having breakfast now.”
He said that he was having breakfast then.
- Rita said, “Can you give me this pen?”
Rita asked if I could give her that pen.
- Rajesh said, “I have returned home after one year.”
Rajesh said that he had returned home after one year.
- Father said to his son, “Why did you come so late?”
Father asked his son why he had come so late.
- She said to her friend, “Are you coming to party this night?”
She asked her friend if she was coming to party that night.
- Mother said to her child, “May you live long”.
Mother prayed that her child might live long.
- The student said, “I have completed my assignment.”
The student said that he had completed his assignment.
- She said, “I cooked rice today”.
She said that she had cooked rice that day.
- He said, “What a beautiful picture it is!”
He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful picture.
All the sentences are examples of changing direct speech into indirect speech.