Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a grammatical mechanism for reporting the content of another utterance without directly quoting it. In indirect speech, the words spoken are reported in our own words, and the original words are modified and/or paraphrased. Indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so the tense of the words spoken is normally changed.
Here are some key features of indirect speech:
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Reporting verbs: Indirect speech is introduced by reporting verbs like say, tell, explain, ask, etc. .
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Pronoun changes: Pronouns in indirect speech must change to agree with their antecedents.
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Backshift: Verbs in indirect speech must be backshifted, meaning they are changed to a past tense.
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No quotation marks: Unlike direct speech, indirect speech does not use quotation marks.
Here are some examples of direct and indirect speech:
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Direct speech: "I finished my homework," he said.
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Indirect speech: He said he finished his homework.
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Direct speech: "Are there any good hiking trails?" Avery asked Rebecca.
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Indirect speech: Avery asked Rebecca if there were any good hiking trails.
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Direct speech: "Theres a fly in my soup!" Simone screamed.
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Indirect speech: Simone screamed that there was a fly in her soup.
