DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

When we quote the actual words of a speaker, it is called direct speech. When we
report someone's oral communication without using the exact words, we call it indirect
speech.
5.6.2 Rules:
􀁺 Direct speech is indicated by inverted commas.
e.g. She said,” Hari will you eat it?”
􀁺 Indirect speech involves a change in pronoun and tense.
e.g. She asked Hari whether he would eat it.
􀁺 In indirect speech, connectives are used in place of inverted commas.
e.g. Direct: Roy said,' I am free today.”
Indirect: Roy said (that) he was free that day.
􀁺 When the reporting verb(main verb) is in the past, the direct speech changes
from simple present to simple past in indirect speech.
e.g. Direct: He exclaimed, ”I am truly blessed.'
Indirect; He exclaimed that he was truly blessed.
􀁺 When the reporting verb is in present tense, there is no tense change.
e.g. Direct: She says,” I have finished my terms.”
Indirect: She says that she has finished her work.
􀁺 Miscellaneous; Words expressing 'nearness' in time or place are changed in
words expressing 'distance', 'now' becomes 'then', 'here' becomes 'there',
'yesterday' becomes 'the day before', when changed from direct to indirect
speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense.
􀁺 When we report questions, the verb in direct speech are 'enquired', 'asked',
etc.