Direct and Indirect Speech Examples
Table of Contents
Direct And Indirect Speech Examples
While using English, we use direct and indirect speeches quite often. If a sentence is expressed exactly as it came out of the mouth of the person who said it, it becomes a direct speech. However Indirect Speech (also called reported speech) refers to transmitting a sentence that someone has said. It is often used in daily language.
For example,
- Susan told me she ate pizza yesterday. (Indirect Speech)
Susan said, “I ate pizza yesterday.”. (Direct Speech)
- Mathilda told me she had to go out. (Indirect Speech)
Mathilda said: “I have to go out.”. (Direct Speech)
- Julie asked if the train had left when she arrived at the ticket office. (Indirect Speech)
Julie asked: “Did the train leave?” (Direct Speech)
Direct Speech
Present Simple: He said, “The car is dirty”.
Present Continuous: He said, “I’m washing the car”.
Past Simple: He said, “I washed the car”.
Modals
Wil, Can, Must, Am/are/is going to
Mustn’t, Could, Would, Should, Might
Today
Tomorrow
Next day
Now
Yesterday
Last week
Indirect Speech
Past Simple: He said that the car was dirty.
Past Simple: He said that he was washing the car.
Past Perfect: He said that he had washed the car.
Modals
Would, Could, had to, was/were going to
Mustn’t, Could, Would, Should, Might
That day
The next day
The following day
Then
The day before
The week before
