Direct and indirect speech questions

SHARES Every day, people relay messages from one person to another. Whether it is to prove a point, describe an event, or disclose an opinion, we use the freedom of speech to share information. There are generally two ways of reporting a spoken idea: direct and indirect speech. This article shall explain and compare these two types of speech. Some examples are also provided to give you a more in-depth understanding. Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • Direct and Indirect Speech Both direct and Direct Speech In a Examples: • He says, “I want to adopt a dog.” • Julia asks, “What do you want to have for dinner?” • Penny answers, “I would like to have some soup.” • “I have a new job,” Kyle says to us. • “I will be working as a virtual assistant,” he added. As you can see, direct speech can be presented in different tenses: past, present, or future. It depends on when the actual words were spoken and when the reporter is retelling them. Also, reporting verbs (say, ask, answer, etc.) are not necessarily placed before the quoted text. You can also place them after it. This type of speech is often used in writing novels or telling a story. This is because it gives the text a more actual and realistic effect. Indirect Speech Indirect speech is usually used to relay what was being said by the speaker without directly quoting the original words. In this case, the tense of the sentence is typically changed. Reporting verbs, such as say, tell, ask, and others, are used as an in...