Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.
Examples
She says, "What time will you be home?"
She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "
"There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."
Indirect Speech
Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.
She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said that she had seen him. (indirect speech)
'That' may be omitted: She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.
'Say' and 'tell'
Use 'say' when there is no indirect object: He said that he was tired.
Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object): He told me that he was tired.
Talk' and 'speak'
Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating: He talked to us. She was speaking on the telephone.
Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said: He talked (to us) about his parents.
Passive voice
Functions of the passive voice
The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the sentence.
Examples
The passive voice is used frequently. (= we are interested in the passive voice, not in who uses it.)
The house was built in 1654. (= we are interested in the house, not in who built it.)
The road is being repaired. (= we are interested in the road, not in the people who are doing the repairs.)
Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don't know or do not want to express who performed the action.
Examples
I noticed that a window had been left open.
Every year thousands of people are killed on our roads.
All the cookies have been eaten.
My car has been stolen!
The passive voice is often used in formal texts. Switching to the active voice will make your writing clearer and easier to read.
Passive
A great deal of meaning is conveyed by a few well-chosen words.
Our planet is wrapped in a mass of gases.
Waste materials are disposed of in a variety of ways.
Active
A few well-chosen words convey a great deal of meaning.
A mass of gases wrap around our planet.
The city disposes of waste materials in a variety of ways.
Reported Speech
If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.
Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Type Example
direct speech “I speak English.”
reported speech
(no backshift) He says that he speaks English.
reported speech
(backshift) He said that he spoke English.
Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don't know or do not want to express who performed the action.
Examples
I noticed that a window had been left open.
Every year thousands of people are killed on our roads.
All the cookies have been eaten.
My car has been stolen!
The passive voice is often used in formal texts. Switching to the active voice will make your writing clearer and easier to read.
Passive
A great deal of meaning is conveyed by a few well-chosen words.
Our planet is wrapped in a mass of gases.
Waste materials are disposed of in a variety of ways.
Active
A few well-chosen words convey a great deal of meaning.
A mass of gases wrap around our planet.
The city disposes of waste materials in a variety of ways.
If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.
Statements
When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Type Example
direct speech “I speak English.”
reported speech
(no backshift) He says that he speaks English.
reported speech
(backshift) He said that he spoke English.
Questions
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
pronouns
present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
place and time expressions
tenses (backshift)
Also note that you have to:
transform the question into an indirect question
use the interrogative or if / whether
TypeExample
with interrogative direct speech “Why don’t you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without interrogative direct speech “Do you speak English?”
reported speech He asked me whether / if I spoke English.
Requests
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change: