This week, we shall be looking at how we mix direct and reported speeches in statements and how we can remedy that. A lot of us are guilty of this error without knowing it. Look at the following:
1. The man asked me what is my name.
2. He also said who is my father.
3. He asked me what is the question.
4. The woman asked me what is my concern in the matter.
5. She said I will not take any insult from anyone.
These are some of the ways we mix up direct and reported speeches in statements. Other examples of such mix-ups abound.
How can we remedy this?
First, we have to understand that a direct speech refers to the exact speech of a speaker, usually with the use of quotation marks. Let's take some of our examples from the ones above:
1. The man asked, "What is your name?"
2. "What is your concern in the matter?" the woman asked.
Consider the examples above. You will notice that the exact words of the speakers have been enclosed in quotation marks.
In a reported speech, the speaker tries to relate a message or comment made by someone to another using a paraphrase. For that to be effective, some factors will be put into consideration. Let's take a look at some of them:
1. First and second person pronouns become third person pronoun. E.g.
The man said, "We have dogs in the compound." This becomes: The man said that they had dogs in the compound. Notice that "we" changed to "they" while "have" changed to "had".
2. The verb tense changes this way:
i. Present tense changes to past tense
ii. Past tense changes to past/past perfect
iii. Present perfect tense changes to past perfect
iv. Future tense changes to secondary future (future in the past).
E.g. "You look happy," Ada said. Becomes: Ada said that I/he looked happy.
The man insisted, "My doctor will advise me better." Becomes: The man insisted that his doctor would advise him better.
Note the following when reporting speeches:
Can changes to could
May changes to might
Must remains must
Ought remains ought
Shall changes to should
Will changes to would
Here changes to there
Now changes to then
Yesterday becomes the previous day or the day before
This becomes that
These becomes those
Today becomes the next day
Tomorrow becomes the next day
Also note that in direct speeches that express general truth, the tense does not change. E.g. "Birds have feathers," the children sang. Remains: The children sang that birds have feathers.
Back to our first examples. Let's rearrange them in correct form as reported speeches:
1. The man asked what my name is. (We have used "is" here because the persons name has not changed)
2. He also asked who my father is. (We have also used "is" here because his father remains his father and has not stopped being his father).
3. He asked me what the question was.
4. The woman asked what my concern was in the matter.
5. She said that she would not take any insults from anyone.
To be continued...
Now, you can make, at least, to statements and change them to reported speech using the tips above.
We expect your comments and questions on this post.
Best regards!
From the grammarstar team.
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