Speaking: Speech

SPEAKING : SPEECH

We use indirect speech when we report what people said. In indirect speech, the tense usually goes “one step” back. Look at the table below

► Direct Speech

~ Simple Present Tense “I always go to school”

~ Present Continous “I’m doing my homework”

~ Simple Past / Present Perfect “ I didn’t do my test well” / “I have sent an e-mail”

~ Modals “I’ll see you at the party” / “ You must be carefully”

► Indirect Speech

~ Simple Past Tense “She said that she always went to school”.

~ Past Continous “She said that she was doing her homework”.

~ Past Perfect “She said that she had not done her test well” / “She said that she had sent an e-mail”.

~ Modals “She said that she would see me at the party” / ‘She said that I had to be carefully”.

Direct Speech → Refers to reproducing another person’s exact words. We use avotation marks.

Indirect Speech → Refers to reproducing the idea of another person’s words not all the exact words are used verb form and pronoun may change. We do not used avotation marks.