20/05/2026
Subject: English Studies
Topic: Reported Speech ( Direct and Indirect Speech)
๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก
Reported speech is the way we repeat or report what someone has said.
There are two types of reported speech:
1. Direct Speech
2. Indirect Speech
๐ญ. ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
Direct speech gives the exact words spoken by a person.
The exact words are placed inside quotation marks (โ โ).
๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ
1. John said, โI am happy.โ
2. Mary said, โI will come tomorrow.โ
3. The teacher said, โDo your homework.โ
๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
โ Uses quotation marks
โ Shows the speakerโs exact words
โ Begins with a capital letter inside quotation marks
โ A comma is usually used before quotation marks
๐ฎ. ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
Indirect speech reports what someone said without using the exact words.
Quotation marks are not used.
๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ
1. John said that he was happy.
2. Mary said that she would come the next day.
3. The teacher told the students to do their homework.
๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
โ No quotation marks
โ The speakerโs words are reported
โ Pronouns may change
โ Tenses may change
โ Time expressions may also change
๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ก ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
โก๏ธ 1. ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ก๐ฆ๐
Present tense usually changes to past tense.
๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ
1. โI am tired,โ she said.
โก๏ธ She said that she was tired.
2. โI play football,โ John said.
โก๏ธ John said that he played football.
โก๏ธ 2. ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ฆ
Pronouns change according to the speaker.
๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐
โI love my school,โ Ada said.
โก๏ธ Ada said that she loved her school.
โก๏ธ 3. ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ
Examples:
today โ that day
tomorrow โ the next day
yesterday โ the previous day
now โ then
here โ there
๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐
โI will travel tomorrow,โ he said.
โก๏ธ He said that he would travel the next day.
๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
1. Remove quotation marks
2. Change pronouns where necessary
3. Change tense if needed
4. Change time expressions
5. Use reporting verbs like:
said, told, asked
๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐
1. Direct: โI am hungry,โ Jane said.
Indirect: Jane said that she was hungry.
2. Direct: โI will visit Lagos tomorrow,โ Musa said.
Indirect: Musa said that he would visit Lagos the next day.
3. Direct: โWe are studying English,โ they said.
Indirect: They said that they were studying English.
4. Direct: โI like apples,โ Chioma said.
Indirect: Chioma said that she liked apples.
5. Direct: โClose the door,โ the teacher said.
Indirect: The teacher told the students to close the door.
6. Direct: โDo you know my brother?โ he asked.
Indirect: He asked if I knew his brother.
7. Direct: โI can swim,โ Peter said.
Indirect: Peter said that he could swim.
8. Direct: โThis is my bag,โ Mary said.
Indirect: Mary said that that was her bag.
9. Direct: โCome here,โ mother said.
Indirect: Mother told me to go there.
10. Direct: โWe won the match yesterday,โ the boys said.
Indirect: The boys said that they had won the match the previous day.
๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ก๐ง ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐๐ฆ
โ Direct speech uses quotation marks
โ Indirect speech does not use quotation marks
โ Pronouns and tenses may change in indirect speech
โ Reporting verbs are important in reported speech
๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ก ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฆ
โ John said he is happy.
โ John said that he was happy.
โ โI will come tomorrowโ she said.
โ โI will come tomorrow,โ she said.
CLASS ACTIVITY:
Change these sentences to indirect speech:
1. โI am sick,โ Bola said.
2. โWe are ready,โ the boys said.
3. โI will help you tomorrow,โ Mary said.
๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐
Change these sentences to direct speech:
1. The teacher said that the test was difficult.
2. John said that he would travel the next day.
3. Ada said that she liked dancing.
๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ
Reported speech is used to repeat what someone has said.
Direct speech gives the exact words of the speaker, while indirect speech reports the speakerโs words without quotation marks.
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก
Reported speech is very important in speaking and writing because it helps us share information correctly. Learning direct and indirect speech improves grammar, communication and writing skills.
Virginia Onwe
Phonics & Grammar Teacher
