Reported Speech | ENGLISH GRAMMAR VIDEOS
Understanding Reported and Direct Speech
Key Concepts of Speech
- Reported Speech: Refers to conveying what someone else has said without quoting their exact words.
- Direct Speech: Involves quoting the actual words spoken by a person, often enclosed in speech marks.
- Use of Speech Marks: Essential for indicating direct speech, as seen in examples like "He said, my dad knew."
Transforming Speech
- Characteristics of Reported Speech: When using reported speech, the original words are paraphrased. For instance, "He said that he was Batman" does not use speech marks.
- Pronoun and Tense Changes: When converting from direct to reported speech, it is necessary to change pronouns and verb tenses accordingly.
Examples of Reported Speech
- Example 1: "She said that she liked his style but she didn't like his girlfriend." This illustrates how feelings can be conveyed indirectly.
- Example 2: "He said that he was looking for Batman," showing a straightforward report of someone's statement.
- Extended Reporting: The speaker elaborates on multiple statements made by an individual about events (e.g., being bitten by a spider).
Questions in Reported Speech
- Yes/No Questions: Example includes "She asked him if he drove a car," demonstrating how questions are transformed into reported form.
- Information Questions (W-H Questions):
- Example 1: "They asked her what she wanted."
- Example 2: "They asked her why she had come there."