Direct and Reported Speech (El estilo directo y indirecto)

Cuando queremos comunicar o informar de lo que otra persona ha dicho, hay dos maneras de hacerlo: utilizando el estilo directo o el estilo indirecto.

Direct Speech (El estilo directo)

Cuando queremos informar exactamente lo que otra persona ha dicho, utilizamos el estilo directo. Con este estilo lo que la persona ha dicho se coloca entre comillas y deber ser palabra por palabra.
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Ejemplos: I am going to London next week, she said. Play "I am going to London next week," she said.("Voy a Londres la semana que viene," ella dijo.)

Do you have a pen I could borrow, he asked. Play "Do you have a pen I could borrow," he asked. ("Tienes un bolgrafo que puedas prestarme," l pregunt.)

Alice said, I love to dance. Play Alice said, "I love to dance." (Alice dijo, "Me encanta bailar.")

Chris asked, Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? Play Chris asked, "Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" (Chris pregunt, "Te gustara cenar conmigo maana por la noche?")

Reported Speech (El estilo indirecto)

El estilo indirecto, a diferencia del estilo directo, no utiliza las comillas y no necesita ser palabra por palabra. En general, cuando se usa el estilo indirecto, el tiempo verbal cambia. A continuacin tienes un explicacin de los cambios que sufren los tiempos verbales. A veces se usa "that" en las frases afirmativas y negativas para introducir lo que ha dicho la otra persona. Por otro lado, en las frases interrogativas se puede usar "if" o "whether". Direct Speech Present Simple He's American she said. Play "He's American" she said. I'm happy to see you, Mary said. Play "I'm happy to see you", Mary said. He asked, Are you busy tonight? Play He asked, "Are you busy tonight?" Present Continuous Dan is living in San Francisco, she said. Play "Dan is living in San Francisco," she said. He said, I'm making dinner. Play He said, "I'm making dinner" Why are you working so hard? They asked. Play "Why are you working so hard?" they asked. Past Simple We went to the movies last night, he said. Reported Speech Past Simple She said he was American. Play She said he was American. Mary said that she was happy to see me. Play Mary said that she was happy to see me. He asked me if I was busy tonight. Play He asked me if I was busy tonight. Past Continuous She said Dan was living in San Francisco. Play She said Dan was living in San Francisco. He told me that he was making dinner. Play He told me that he was making dinner. They asked me why I was working so hard. Play They asked me why I was working so hard. Past Perfect Simple He told me they had gone to the movies last

night. Play Play "We went to the movies last night," he said. He told me they had gone to the movies last night. Greg said that he hadn't gone to work yesterday. Play Greg said that he hadn't gone to work yesterday. She asked me if I had bought a new car. Play She asked me if I had bought a new car. Past Perfect Continuous Vicki told me she'd been working last night. Play Vicki told me she'd been working last night. They said that they hadn't been waiting long. Play

Greg said, I didn't go to work yesterday. Play Greg said, "I didn't go to work yesterday." Did you buy a new car? she asked. Play "Did you buy a new car?" she asked. Past Continuous I was working late last night, Vicki said. Play "I was working late last night," Vicki said. They said, We weren't waiting long. Play They said, "We weren't waiting long."

They said that they hadn't been waiting long. He asked, Were you sleeping when I called? He asked if I'd been sleeping when he called. Play Play He asked if I'd been sleeping when he called. Past Perfect Simple Heather told me that she'd already eaten. Play Heather told me that she'd already eaten. They said they hadn't been to China.

He asked, "Were you sleeping when I called?" Present Perfect Simple Heather said, I've already eaten. Play Heather said, "I've already eaten." We haven't been to China, they said.

Play "We haven't been to China," they said. Have you worked here before? I asked. Play "Have you worked here before?" I asked. Present Perfect Continuous I've been studying English for two years, he said. Play "I've been studying English for two years," he said. Steve said, We've been dating for over a year now. Play Steve said, "We've been dating for over a year now." Have you been waiting long? they asked. Play

Play They said they hadn't been to China. I asked her whether she'd worked there before. Play I asked her whether she'd worked there before. Past Perfect Continuous He said he'd been studying English for two years. Play He said he'd been studying English for two years. Steve told me that they'd been dating for over a year. Play Steve told me that they'd been dating for over a year. They asked whether I'd been waiting long. Play

"Have you been waiting long?" they asked. They asked whether I'd been waiting long. Past Perfect Simple Past Perfect Simple (*NO CHANGE) He said that he'd been to Chicago before for I'd been to Chicago before for work, he said. work. Play "I'd been to Chicago before for work," he said. Past Perfect Continuous She said, I'd been dancing for years before the accident. Play He said that he'd been to Chicago before for work. Past Perfect Continuous (*NO CHANGE) She said she'd been dancing for years before the accident.

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Play

She said, "I'd been dancing for years before She said she'd been dancing for years before the accident." the accident. Nota: Cuando hablamos de algo que no ha cambiado (todava es verdad) o que es en el futuro, no tenemos que cambiar el tiempo verbal.
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Ejemplos: I'm 30 years old, she said. She said she is 30 years old. Play "I'm 30 years old," she said. She said she is 30 years old.

Dave said, Kelly is sick. Dave said Kelly is sick. Play Dave said, "Kelly is sick." Dave said Kelly is sick.

We are going to Tokyo next week, they said. They said they are going to Tokyo next week. Play "We are going to Tokyo next week," they said. Tokyo next week. They said they are going to

I'll cut my hair tomorrow, Nina said. Nina said she is cutting her hair tomorrow. Play "I'll cut my hair tomorrow," Nina said. tomorrow. Nina said she is cutting her hair

Modal Verbs (Los verbos modales)

El tiempo verbal cambia en el estilo indirecto tambin con algunos de los verbos modales: Direct Speech Will I'll go to the movies tomorrow, John said. Indirect Speech Would John said he would go to the movies tomorrow.

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Play

"I'll go to the movies tomorrow," John said. John said he would go to the movies tomorrow. Will you help me move? she asked. She asked me if I would help her move. Play "Will you help me move?" she asked. Can Debra said, Allen can work tomorrow. Play Play She asked me if I would help her move. Could Debra said Allen could work tomorrow. Play

Debra said, "Allen can work tomorrow." Debra said Allen could work tomorrow. Can you open the window, please? he asked. He asked me if I could open the window. Play "Can you open the window, please?", he asked. Must You must wear your seatbelt, mom said. Play Play He asked me if I could open the window. Had to My mom said I had to wear my seatbelt. Play

"You must wear your seatbelt," mom said. My mom said I had to wear my seatbelt. She said, You must work tomorrow. She said I had to work tomorrow. Play She said, "You must work tomorrow." Shall Play

She said I had to work tomorrow. Should Tom asked if we should go to the beach Shall we go to the beach today? Tom asked. today. Play Play Tom asked if we should go to the beach today. She asked me what we should do tonight.

"Shall we go to the beach today?" Tom asked. What shall we do tonight? she asked.

Play "What shall we do tonight?" she asked. May Jane said, I may not be in class tomorrow. Play Jane said, "I may not be in class tomorrow." May I use the bathroom, please? Play

Play She asked me what we should do tonight. Might/Could Jane said she might not be in class tomorrow. Play Jane said she might not be in class tomorrow. The boy asked if he could use the bathroom. Play

"May I use the bathroom, please?" the boy The boy asked if he could use the bathroom. asked.

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speakers 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
direct speech

Example
I speak English.

reported speech He says that he speaks English. (no backshift) reported speech (backshift) He said that he spoke English.

more on statements in reported speech

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

Type
with interrogative direct speech

Example
Why dont you speak English?

reported speech He asked me why I didnt speak English. without interrogative direct speech Do you speak English?

reported speech He asked me whether / if I spoke English. more on questions in reported speech

Requests
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:  pronouns

place and time expressions

Type

Example

direct speech

Carol, speak English.

reported speech He told Carol to speak English.

more on requests in reported speech

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:      main clauses connected with and / but tense of the introductory clause reported speech for difficult tenses exeptions for backshift requests with must, should, ought to and lets more on additional information and exeptions in reported speech

Exercises on Reported Speech

Statements in Reported Speech
    no backshift change of pronouns no backshift change of pronouns and places with backshift with backshift and change of place and time expressions

Questions in Reported Speech

  Exercise 1 Exercise 2

Requests in Reported Speech

   Exercise 1 requests (positive) Exercise 2 requests (negative) Exercise 3 requests (mixed)

Mixed Exercises on Reported Speech

 

Exercise 1 Exercise 2

Grammar in Texts
 The Canterville Ghost (highlight direct speech and reported speech