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what are the uses of direct and indirect speech

by Floy Nienow Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Direct speech is used to report or rather repeat the words spoken by the speaker or writer in the way it is told by the speaker, whereas indirect speech is the way in which you convey what someone said to another person, not necessarily using the exact words of the speaker.

Direct speech is used to repeat what someone else has said, and indirect speech is used to report on what someone else has said.Nov 11, 2021

Full Answer

What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?

The difference between direct and indirect speech are discussed as under:

  • Direct Speech refers to the literal repetition of the words spoken by someone, using a quotative frame. ...
  • Direct Speech is also called a quoted speech, as it uses the exact words of the speaker. ...
  • Direct Speech is from the speaker’s standpoint, whereas indirect speech is from the listener’s standpoint.

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Why do we use indirect speech instead of being direct?

Indirect speech is useful for plausible deniability. An example is when someone tries to bribe a police officer, if they do it with an indirect speech, the plausible deniability will save them if the cop is an honest officer. If they use direct speech in this case, they can get in trouble by getting arrested if the cop is an honest cop.

What are some examples of direct speech?

Here are some examples of direct speech:

  • Jonah said, ''I don't like your hat.''
  • Jonah said, ''Please take off that Yankees hat.''
  • Jane said, ''It's not my fault that you are a Red Sox fan.''

How to use direct and indirect speech?

What are the uses of direct and indirect speech?

  • Using direct speech. Using direct speech means repeating the spoken phrase or word exactly as it was said.
  • Using indirect speech. Indirect or reported speech is used to describe speech that happened in the past, where you are recounting something that was said to you before.
  • Your turn.

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What is the use of direct speech?

Using direct speech means repeating the spoken phrase or word exactly as it was said. You can use this to repeat something that was said in the past – but you can also use it to express something being said in the present, too.

Why do we use the indirect speech?

Indirect speech is used to report what someone may have said, and so it is always used in the past tense. Instead of using inverted commas, we can show that someone's speech is being described by using the word “that” to introduce the statement first. For example: “She said that she was not hungry.”

Why is it important to understand direct and indirect?

Knowing which costs are direct vs. indirect helps you with recording expenses in your books and on your business income statement.

What is the main difference between direct and indirect speech?

So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words. Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said.

What do we use for indirect speech?

Usually indirect speech is introduced by the verb said, as in I said, Bill said, or they said. Using the verb say in this tense, indicates that something was said in the past. In these cases, the main verb in the reported sentence is put in the past.

What is the effect of using indirect speech?

Research in the field of sociolinguistics suggests that the use of indirect speech might enhance source memory. In indirect speech, what a protagonist said is conveyed indirectly. The narrator paraphrases what was said and does not pretend to use the speaker's original words.

What is direct speech?

Direct Speech. Direct speech, also known as quoted speech, consists of words or phrases that are taken directly from the source. These words are quoted or written exactly as the words were originally spoken. With regard to direct speech, there is no interpretation or annotation; the words are taken directly from one source and repeated to another. ...

When talking about indirect speech, do we use words that refer to something that has already happened?

When talking about indirect speech, we use words that refer to something that has already happened. To do so, we are speaking in the past tense and are summarizing, modifying, or synthesizing what has already been said.

How to make a direct question indirect?

To make a direct question indirect, follow the same tense change rules as before, add ''asked me'' to signify reporting a question, and keep the question word.

What if the direct speech is already written in the past tense?

What if the direct speech is already written in the past tense? If the sentence is written in simple past tense, you just remove the punctuation and change the verb to past perfect to make it indirect speech.

When converting speech from direct to indirect, do you change the present tense verbs to the past t?

When converting speech from direct to indirect, you must change the present tense verbs to the past tense and remove any quotation marks or commas.

What is written communication?

Spoken and written communication is like one big game of telephone. Sometimes we hear the original tale, and other times we hear a retelling of the story. In this lesson, we're going to explore what that means by studying the difference between direct and indirect speech and learning proper grammar techniques for both.

Is it grammatical to repeat what someone said?

Whether you are repeating or reporting what someone has said, there are grammatical rules for both. First, ask yourself if you are repeating what someone has said, which is considered direct speech, or if you are reporting what someone has said, which is indirect speech.

What is indirect speech?

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech. This is because we are reporting what someone has said. There are situations when we might use direct speech to repeat what someone has said, but this is not very common in spoken English. So what’s the difference between direct and indirect speech?

Can you use "tell" in indirect speech?

Notice that we generally use the verb said in indirect speech. It is also possible to use the verb tell but as always we have to follow the verb tell with someone’s name or a pronoun. For example:

What are the two ways of conveying what someone else has said?

In the English language, there are two ways of conveying what someone else has said: direct/quoted speech and indirect/ reported speech.

Do you have to quote in indirect speech?

Indirect/reported speech, on the other hand, does not have to be within quotes or reported word-to-word. In fact, unless one is relaying the exact words spoken, one should never use quotation marks.

What Is Direct Speech? What Is Indirect Speech?

Direct speech is exactly what it sounds like—text that reports the exact thoughts expressed by a person in their original form. It is often enclosed in quotation marks so that the reader understands that the quoted text is the speaker's original narrative.

What is indirect speech?

In grammar, when you report someone else’s statement in your own words without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech.

What is the second sentence of a direct and indirect speech?

In the second sentence, the writer conveys her message but in his own words without changing the meaning. Thus, direct and indirect speech each report a person's statement in different ways. This article will cover the following topics: Key Terminology. The Basic Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech.

What happens when the reported speech starts with the word "may"?

If the reported speech starts with the word may, then the reporting verb said is replaced with the word prayed.

What is indirect speech?

Indirect speech. Indirect speech is used to report what someone may have said, and so it is always used in the past tense. Instead of using inverted commas, we can show that someone’s speech is being described by using the word “that” to introduce the statement first. “She said that she was not hungry.”.

What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?

What’s the difference between direct and indirect speech? Both terms describe a way of recounting something that may have been said – but there is a subtle difference between them. Direct speech describes when something is being repeated exactly as it was – usually in between a pair of inverted commas.

How to practice writing?

One effective way to practice is by keeping a little diary of what has been said around you – describe what people have said, and try to write a few examples in each form.

Can you use direct speech in the past?

You can also use direct speech in the past and future tenses. You’ll often come across direct speech in the past tense to describe something that has already happened. Most written forms of English will use direct speech in this way. “He said to her, “I’ll catch the last train home.”.

Can you use commas before or after a direct speech?

You can also quote from other texts in a similar way, by using inverted commas before and after the quote. Here, instead of using the verb “to say”, you might want to use a different verb instead, such as “to write”, “to state” or “to describe”.

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Types of Direct and Speech

Formula of Direct Speech

Using Words of Direct Speech

Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Uses of Direct and Indirect Speech

  • The direct speeches change in accordance with the reporting verb. The concept of person changes contextually from direct to indirect speech. Direct and Indirect Speech can be used in different instances during written as well as verbal communication. To brief someone’s comments or ideas, we can use indirect speech. We use direct speech in our daily...
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Conclusion

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