Module 1: English Grammar Fundamentals Chapter 6: Direct and Indirect Speech

Module 1: English Grammar Fundamentals

Chapter 6: Direct and Indirect Speech

English Medium Chapter

Introduction

Direct and indirect speech are methods of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves quoting the speaker’s exact words, while indirect speech involves paraphrasing or summarizing the speech. Mastering these forms is essential for effective communication and for writing with clarity.

1. Key Differences Between Direct and Indirect Speech

Aspect	Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Quoting	Exact words of the speaker.	Paraphrased version of the speaker’s words.
Punctuation	Enclosed in quotation marks.	No quotation marks are used.
Tense Changes	Retains the original tense.	Adjusts tense according to reporting verb.
Example	“I am reading,” she said.	She said that she was reading.

2. Rules for Converting Direct to Indirect Speech

2.1 Changes in Pronouns

Direct: “I love chocolate,” she said.
Indirect: She said that she loved chocolate.

2.2 Changes in Tense

Present changes to past (if the reporting verb is in the past).

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
“I am happy,” she said.	She said that she was happy.
“We are leaving,” they said.	They said that they were leaving.

2.3 Changes in Time and Place Words

Direct	Indirect
Today	That day
Tomorrow	The next day
Here	There
Yesterday	The previous day

2.4 No Tense Change (Exceptions)

If the reporting verb is in the present tense.
- Example: He says, “I am tired.” → He says that he is tired.
When reporting universal truths or facts.
- Example: She said, “The earth is round.” → She said that the earth is round.

3. Reporting Statements, Questions, and Commands

3.1 Statements

Direct: “I enjoy music,” he said.
Indirect: He said that he enjoyed music.

3.2 Yes/No Questions

Direct: “Do you like tea?” she asked.
Indirect: She asked if I liked tea.

3.3 WH-Questions

Direct: “Where are you going?” he asked.
Indirect: He asked where I was going.

3.4 Commands and Requests

Direct: “Close the door,” she said.
Indirect: She told me to close the door.

4. Special Cases

Modal Verbs:
- Can → Could: “I can swim,” he said. → He said he could swim.
- Will → Would: “She will come,” he said. → He said she would come.
Expressions of Wish:
- “May you succeed,” she said. → She wished that I might succeed.

5. Common Errors

Forgetting to change time/place words.
Using quotation marks in indirect speech.
Not adjusting the tense appropriately.

6. Exercises

Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
- “I am learning English,” she said.
- “Did you finish your homework?” he asked.
Identify errors in these sentences:
- He told, “I am happy.”
- She asked if I am coming tomorrow.

Sinhala-English Medium Chapter

සෘජු සහ අසෘජු කථනය (Direct and Indirect Speech)

1. සෘජු සහ අසෘජු කථනයේ මූලික වෙනස්කම්

පාර්ශවය	සෘජු කථනය	අසෘජු කථනය
කථනය	කථාකරුගේ මුල් වචන සරලව.	කථාකරුගේ අදහස් සිදුකල යළිගතය.
ලකුණු	උද්ධෘත ලකුණු භාවිතා කෙරේ.	උද්ධෘත ලකුණු භාවිතා නොවේ.
කාලය වෙනස්කම්	මුල් කාලය තබා ගනී.	වාර්තාකරුගේ ක්‍රියාපදයට අනුව කාලය වෙනස් වේ.
උදාහරණය	“මම කථා කරමි,” ඇය කියා සිටියේය.	ඇය කියා සිටියේය මම කථා කරමි.

2. සෘජු කථනය අසෘජු කථනයට සකස් කිරීමේ නීති

2.1 සර්වනාම වෙනස්කම්

සෘජු: “මට මනෝරමාවක් පිටුවක් කියවන්න,” ඇය කියා සිටියේය.
අසෘජු: ඇය මට මනෝරමාවක් පිටුවක් කියවන්න කීවාය.

2.2 කාලය වෙනස්කම්

සෘජු කථනය	අසෘජු කථනය
“මට මනෝරමාවක් ආදරයයි,” ඇය කිව්වේය.	ඇය කියා සිටියේය මනෝරමාවක් ආදරය කරයි.

2.3 වේලා / ස්ථානය වෙනස්කම්

සෘජු	අසෘජු
අද	එදා
හෙට	මීළඟ දින
මෙහි	එහි
ඊයේ	පසුගිය දින