Direct/Indirect Speech

DIRECT / INDIRECT   SPEECH :---

      We can report the words of a speaker in two ways:

     

      (1) DIRECT    SPEECH
        

           By using the exact words of the speaker.

      Example: –

            * He said to me, “Be careful!” This is the Direct Speech.

            We repeat the exact words used by the speaker.

        Note :--

            * We keep the exact words within quotation marks.
 

      (2) INDIRECT   SPEECH

           By using our own words to repeat what the speaker said.

      Example: –

            Direct: He said to me, “Be careful!”

            Indirect: He told me to be careful.

     [This is the Indirect (or) Reported Speech.]

            Note :--

            * The past tense is used when the main verb ‘said’ is in the past tense.

            * Here we do not use the quotation marks.

            * We use an infinitive (to) and we repeat the pronoun.

     

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