Definition of 'indirect speech'
- indirect speech
indirect speech in British English
Examples of 'indirect speech' in a sentence indirect speech, trends of indirect speech.
View usage for: All Years Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years
Browse alphabetically indirect speech
- indirect result
- indirect role
- indirect route
- indirect subsidy
- indirect sunlight
- indirect support
- All ENGLISH words that begin with 'I'
Wordle Helper
Scrabble Tools
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Score: 0 / 5
- Access the entire site, including the Easy Learning Grammar , and our language quizzes.
- Customize your language settings. (Unregistered users can only access the International English interface for some pages.)
- Submit new words and phrases to the dictionary.
- Benefit from an increased character limit in our Translator tool.
- Receive our weekly newsletter with the latest news, exclusive content, and offers.
- Be the first to enjoy new tools and features.
- It is easy and completely free !
- Humanities ›
- English Grammar ›
Indirect Speech Definition and Examples
- An Introduction to Punctuation
- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
Indirect speech is a report on what someone else said or wrote without using that person's exact words (which is called direct speech). It's also called indirect discourse or reported speech .
Direct vs. Indirect Speech
In direct speech , a person's exact words are placed in quotation marks and set off with a comma and a reporting clause or signal phrase , such as "said" or "asked." In fiction writing, using direct speech can display the emotion of an important scene in vivid detail through the words themselves as well as the description of how something was said. In nonfiction writing or journalism, direct speech can emphasize a particular point, by using a source's exact words.
Indirect speech is paraphrasing what someone said or wrote. In writing, it functions to move a piece along by boiling down points that an interview source made. Unlike direct speech, indirect speech is not usually placed inside quote marks. However, both are attributed to the speaker because they come directly from a source.
How to Convert
In the first example below, the verb in the present tense in the line of direct speech ( is) may change to the past tense ( was ) in indirect speech, though it doesn't necessarily have to with a present-tense verb. If it makes sense in context to keep it present tense, that's fine.
- Direct speech: "Where is your textbook? " the teacher asked me.
- Indirect speech: The teacher asked me where my textbook was.
- Indirect speech: The teacher asked me where my textbook is.
Keeping the present tense in reported speech can give the impression of immediacy, that it's being reported soon after the direct quote,such as:
- Direct speech: Bill said, "I can't come in today, because I'm sick."
- Indirect speech: Bill said (that) he can't come in today because he's sick.
Future Tense
An action in the future (present continuous tense or future) doesn't have to change verb tense, either, as these examples demonstrate.
- Direct speech: Jerry said, "I'm going to buy a new car."
- Indirect speech: Jerry said (that) he's going to buy a new car.
- Direct speech: Jerry said, "I will buy a new car."
- Indirect speech: Jerry said (that) he will buy a new car.
Indirectly reporting an action in the future can change verb tenses when needed. In this next example, changing the am going to was going implies that she has already left for the mall. However, keeping the tense progressive or continuous implies that the action continues, that she's still at the mall and not back yet.
- Direct speech: She said, "I'm going to the mall."
- Indirect speech: She said (that) she was going to the mall.
- Indirect speech: She said (that) she is going to the mall.
Other Changes
With a past-tense verb in the direct quote, the verb changes to past perfect.
- Direct speech: She said, "I went to the mall."
- Indirect speech: She said (that) she had gone to the mall.
Note the change in first person (I) and second person (your) pronouns and word order in the indirect versions. The person has to change because the one reporting the action is not the one actually doing it. Third person (he or she) in direct speech remains in the third person.
Free Indirect Speech
In free indirect speech, which is commonly used in fiction, the reporting clause (or signal phrase) is omitted. Using the technique is a way to follow a character's point of view—in third-person limited omniscient—and show her thoughts intermingled with narration.
Typically in fiction italics show a character's exact thoughts, and quote marks show dialogue. Free indirect speech makes do without the italics and simply combines the internal thoughts of the character with the narration of the story. Writers who have used this technique include James Joyce, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Henry James, Zora Neale Hurston, and D.H. Lawrence.
- How to Use Indirect Quotations in Writing for Complete Clarity
- What Is Attribution in Writing?
- Conversational Implicature Definition and Examples
- Direct Speech Definition and Examples
- Indirect Question: Definition and Examples
- The Top 25 Grammatical Terms
- Verbal Irony - Definition and Examples
- The Power of Indirectness in Speaking and Writing
- Backshift (Sequence-of-Tense Rule in Grammar)
- What Is a Word Salad in Speech or Writing?
- Preterit(e) Verbs
- Definition and Examples of Allusion
- The Meaning of Innuendo
- Nominal: Definition and Examples in Grammar
- Quotation and Quote
- Performative Verbs
- Dictionaries home
- American English
- Collocations
- German-English
- Grammar home
- Practical English Usage
- Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
- Word Lists home
- My Word Lists
- Recent additions
- Resources home
- Text Checker
Definition of indirect speech noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
- indirect speech
Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press!
Other results
Nearby words.
- Daily Crossword
- Word Puzzle
- Word Finder
- Word of the Day
- Synonym of the Day
- Word of the Year
- Language stories
- All featured
- Gender and sexuality
- All pop culture
- Writing hub
- Grammar essentials
- Commonly confused
- All writing tips
- Pop culture
- Writing tips
Advertisement
indirect speech
- the reporting of something said or written by conveying what was meant rather than repeating the exact words, as in the sentence He asked me whether I would go as opposed to He asked me, "Will you go?" Also calledreported speech
Example Sentences
This “free indirect speech” allowed the reader to see, think and feel exactly as the character did while also maintaining a critical distance and the ability to move between various points of view.
In rural Madagascar, men are prized for kabary: flowery, indirect speech that avoids putting other people on the spot, a mode that is thought to be beyond women’s abilities.
Readers generally find that direct speech is more vivid than indirect speech, and there’s evidence to tie this to specific processes in the brain.
She cares nothing for the circumscribed style of narration known as “free indirect speech,” enshrined as the one true method by the critic James Wood in his book How Fiction Works.
In these later pieces, the writing was so saturated in free indirect speech, so infused with her character’s thoughts, that it became difficult to tell whether the voice narrating belonged to MacFarquhar or the person being profiled.
- Phrases and Clauses
- Parts of a Sentence
- Modal Verbs
- Relative Clauses
- Confusing Words
- Online Grammar Quizzes
- Printable Grammar Worksheets
- Courses to purchase
- Grammar Book
- Grammar Blog
- Direct & Indirect Speech
Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.
Definition of Direct Speech
Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .
When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s) / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.
Examples of Direct Speech:
- He said, "Don't take the car without asking me".
- John says, "I will help you with your work".
- "We are prepared to revise the law if we can", they said.
- The teacher said, "You must wear the proper uniform".
Definition of Indirect Speech
Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .
Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said.
Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:
- say(s)/said (that)
- told me (that)
That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.
Examples of Indirect Speech:
- He said (that) he would definitely buy it.
- Sheila told me (that) I had to come back in the afternoon.
- The council said (that) they will try and clear the rubbish.
- She told me (that) she was feeling unwell.
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. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said correct.
But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.
View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>
Direct and Indirect Speech Conversion
With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:
- Changes in Tense
- Changes in Person and Pronouns
- Changes in Time Phrases
Changing Tenses
The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:
- "I am feeling tired" (= Direct Speech )
- Present Continuous
- She said she is feeling tired (= Indirect Speech )
However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.
Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:
Direct Speech
- "I want to meet you later".
- "You have to come back in the afternoon"
- "We like it a lot"
- "I have been mowing the lawn"
Indirect Speech
- He said he wanted to meet me later.
- Sheila told me I had to come back in the afternoon.
- They said they liked it a lot.
- He said he had been mowing the lawn.
There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:
Learn more about changing tenses >>
Changing Pronouns
Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:
- " I want to meet you later".
- " You have to come back in the afternoon"
- " We like it a lot"
- " I have been walking with my wife"
- He said he had been walking with his wife.
Changing Time Phrases
You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech.
With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.
- She said, "I saw her yesterday ".
- He said, "He will bring the book tomorrow ".
- She said, "I'm going to London today ".
- He said, "We need your assistance now ".
- She said that she had seen her the day before .
- He said that he would bring the book the next day .
- She said she was going to London that day .
- He said they needed my assistance then .
Imperatives
Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:
Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>
More on Reported Speech:
Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech
Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.
Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech
This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.
Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech
In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.
Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses
Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.
New! Comments
Any questions or comments about the grammar discussed on this page?
Post your comment here.
Sign up for free grammar tips, quizzes and lessons, straight into your inbox
Grammar Rules
Subscribe to grammar wiz:, grammar ebook.
This is an affiliate link
Recent Articles
Double Prepositions Quiz: Gap Fill
Nov 30, 24 05:34 AM
Semi-modal Verbs Explained (aka Marginal Modal Verbs)
Nov 15, 24 05:13 AM
Detached Prepositions Quiz
Oct 26, 24 04:03 AM
Important Pages
Online Quizzes Grammar Lessons Courses Blog
Connect with Us
Search Site
Privacy Policy / Disclaimer / Terms of Use
Direct and Indirect Speech
Ai generator.
Direct and Indirect Speech: Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, using quotation marks, while indirect speech paraphrases the spoken words without quotes, often changing tenses and pronouns. Both forms are essential for effective communication, emphasizing clarity and context in reporting speech.
What is Direct Speech?
Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by someone, presented within quotation marks and often accompanied by a speech tag that attributes the statement to the speaker. This method of reporting speech is used to convey the original words and the tone in which they were spoken, preserving the personal touch and specific expressions of the speaker.
For example , if John says, “I am going to the store,” the direct speech presentation would be:
John said, “I am going to the store.”
What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a method of conveying what someone said without quoting their exact words. Instead of using direct quotations, indirect speech summarizes or paraphrases the original statement. It often involves changes in verbs tenses, pronouns, and other elements to fit the grammatical context of the reporting sentence.
For example , consider the direct speech statement:
Tom said, “I am going to the gym now.” When converted into indirect speech, it becomes:
Tom said that he was going to the gym then.
Indirect speech does not use quotation marks and typically introduces the reported clause with conjunctions like “that,” although “that” can be omitted in informal contexts.
Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech
Rules for converting direct into indirect speech.
- Example : Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
- Indirect: He said that he was tired.
- Example : Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.”
- Indirect: She says that she is reading a book. (Note: When reporting in the present tense, as with ‘says’, the tense may not always change.)
- Example : Direct: “I will go there tomorrow,” John said.
- Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
- Example : Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
- Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
- Example : Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
- Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
- Example : Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
- Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
- Example : Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”
- Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
Rules for converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech
- Example : Indirect: He said that he was tired.
- Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
- Example : Indirect: She says that she is reading a book.
- Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.” (Note: Sometimes the tense doesn’t need to change if the reporting verb is in the present tense.)
- Example : Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
- Direct: John said, “I will go there tomorrow.”
- Example : Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
- Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
- Example : Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
- Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
- Example : Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
- Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
- Example : Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
- Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”
Difference Between Direct and Indirect Speech
This table should help you clearly see how the format, verbs, pronouns, and other elements differ between direct and indirect speech.
Direct and Indirect Speech Examples
1. Direct : “I love reading books,” Jane said. Indirect : Jane said that she loved reading books. 2. Direct : “We will go to the park,” they announced. Indirect : They announced that they would go to the park. 3. Direct : “I have finished my homework,” he told his mother. Indirect: He told his mother that he had finished his homework. 4. Direct : “Can you help me with this?” she asked. Indirect: She asked if I could help her with that. 5. Direct : “I am feeling sick today,” he whispered. Indirect: He whispered that he was feeling sick that day. 6. Direct : “I won’t be able to attend the meeting,” Laura said. Indirect: Laura said that she would not be able to attend the meeting. 7. Direct : “Please open the window,” she requested. Indirect: She requested him to open the window. 8. Direct : “Do not touch my phone,” he warned. Indirect: He warned not to touch his phone. 9. Direct : “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised. Indirect: She promised that she would call me the next day. 10. Direct : “What time does the concert start?” he asked. Indirect: He asked what time the concert started.
Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers
Direct to indirect speech exercises.
Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech:
Exercise 1 : “I am learning to play the piano,” she said. Answer 1 : How did she say she was learning to play the piano?
Exercise 2 : “Will you be attending the meeting?” he asked me. Answer 2 : How did he ask if I would be attending the meeting?
Exercise 3 : “I have seen that movie three times,” Alex told her. Answer 3 : How did Alex tell her that he had seen that movie three times?
Exercise 4 : “You should try the new Italian restaurant,” he recommended. Answer 4 : How did he recommend trying the new Italian restaurant?
Exercise 5 : “Please pass the salt,” she requested. Answer 5 : How did she request to pass the salt?
Exercise 6 : “I cannot come to your party,” Jane apologized. Answer 6 : How did Jane apologize that she could not come to the party?
Exercise 7 “Let’s meet at the mall,” they suggested. Answer 7 : How did they suggest meeting at the mall?
Exercise 8 : “Do you know where the station is?” he inquired. Answer 8 : How did he inquire if I knew where the station was?
Exercise 9 : “I must finish this book tonight,” she declared. Answer 9 : How did she declare that she must finish the book that night?
Exercise 10 : “I didn’t take your notebook,” he denied. Answer 10 : How did he deny taking my notebook?
Indirect to Direct Speech Exercises
Convert the following sentences from indirect to direct speech:
Exercise 11 : She said that she was learning to play the piano. Answer 11 : What did she say about learning to play the piano in direct speech?
Exercise 12 : He asked if I would be attending the meeting. Answer 12 : How did he ask about my attendance at the meeting in direct speech?
Exercise 13 : Alex told her that he had seen that movie three times. Answer 13 : What did Alex tell her about how many times he had seen the movie in direct speech?
Exercise 14 : He recommended trying the new Italian restaurant. Answer 14 : What did he say about trying the new Italian restaurant in direct speech?
Exercise 15 : She requested to pass the salt. Answer 15 : What did she request about the salt in direct speech?
Exercise 16 : Jane apologized that she could not come to the party. Answer 16 : What did Jane say when she apologized for not coming to the party in direct speech?
Exercise 17 : They suggested meeting at the mall. Answer 17 : What did they suggest about meeting in direct speech?
Exercise 18 : He inquired if I knew where the station was. Answer 18 : How did he inquire about the location of the station in direct speech?
Exercise 19 : She declared that she must finish the book that night. Answer 19 : What did she declare about finishing the book in direct speech?
Exercise 20 : He denied taking my notebook. Answer 20 : What did he say when he denied taking the notebook in direct speech?
FAQ’s
How do tenses change in indirect speech.
Tenses in indirect speech usually shift back (e.g., present to past) to reflect that the speaking occurred in the past.
Do pronouns always change in indirect speech?
Pronouns change in indirect speech to match the perspective of the speaker reporting the speech, ensuring clarity and coherence.
How do you convert a question from direct to indirect speech?
Questions in direct speech are converted by introducing a clause with ‘if’ or ‘whether’, and rearranging the syntax to statement form.
What happens to modal verbs in indirect speech?
Modal verbs often change in indirect speech, with ‘will’ becoming ‘would’ and ‘can’ changing to ‘could’, for example.
Can the verb tense remain the same in indirect speech?
Yes, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense within the reported clause might not change.
What are the typical introductory verbs used in indirect speech?
Common verbs include ‘said’, ‘told’, ‘asked’, ‘replied’, ‘exclaimed’, and ‘advised’, depending on the nature of the speech.
How do you handle imperatives in indirect speech?
Imperatives are converted into infinitive structures, such as changing “Close the door” to “He asked her to close the door.”
Text prompt
- Instructive
- Professional
10 Examples of Public speaking
20 Examples of Gas lighting
- Cambridge Dictionary +Plus
Reported speech
Reported speech is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. There are two main types of reported speech: direct speech and indirect speech.
Direct speech repeats the exact words the person used, or how we remember their words:
Barbara said, “I didn’t realise it was midnight.”
In indirect speech, the original speaker’s words are changed.
Barbara said she hadn’t realised it was midnight .
In this example, I becomes she and the verb tense reflects the fact that time has passed since the words were spoken: didn’t realise becomes hadn’t realised .
Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words:
“I’m sorry,” said Mark. (direct)
Mark apologised . (indirect: report of a speech act)
In a similar way, we can report what people wrote or thought:
‘I will love you forever,’ he wrote, and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (direct report of what someone wrote)
He wrote that he would love her forever , and then posted the note through Alice’s door. (indirect report of what someone wrote)
I need a new direction in life , she thought. (direct report of someone’s thoughts)
She thought that she needed a new direction in life . (indirect report of someone’s thoughts)
Reported speech: direct speech
Reported speech: indirect speech
Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses
Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout , usually in the past simple, and the reported clause includes what the original speaker said.
Reported speech: punctuation
Direct speech.
In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas, either single (‘…’) or double (“…”). If the reported clause comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas:
“ I couldn’t sleep last night, ” he said.
Rita said, ‘ I don’t need you any more. ’
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark, not a comma:
‘Is there a reason for this ? ’ she asked.
“I hate you ! ” he shouted.
We sometimes use a colon (:) between the reporting clause and the reported clause when the reporting clause is first:
The officer replied: ‘It is not possible to see the General. He’s busy.’
Punctuation
Indirect speech
In indirect speech it is more common for the reporting clause to come first. When the reporting clause is first, we don’t put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause. When the reporting clause comes after the reported clause, we use a comma to separate the two parts:
She told me they had left her without any money.
Not: She told me, they had left her without any money .
Nobody had gone in or out during the previous hour, he informed us.
We don’t use question marks or exclamation marks in indirect reports of questions and exclamations:
He asked me why I was so upset.
Not: He asked me why I was so upset?
Reported speech: reporting verbs
Say and tell.
We can use say and tell to report statements in direct speech, but say is more common. We don’t always mention the person being spoken to with say , but if we do mention them, we use a prepositional phrase with to ( to me, to Lorna ):
‘I’ll give you a ring tomorrow,’ she said .
‘Try to stay calm,’ she said to us in a low voice.
Not: ‘Try to stay calm,’ she said us in a low voice .
With tell , we always mention the person being spoken to; we use an indirect object (underlined):
‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told them .
Not: ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ he told .
In indirect speech, say and tell are both common as reporting verbs. We don’t use an indirect object with say , but we always use an indirect object (underlined) with tell :
He said he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He said me he was moving to New Zealand .
He told me he was moving to New Zealand.
Not: He told he was moving to New Zealand .
We use say , but not tell , to report questions:
‘Are you going now?’ she said .
Not: ‘Are you going now?’ she told me .
We use say , not tell , to report greetings, congratulations and other wishes:
‘Happy birthday!’ she said .
Not: Happy birthday!’ she told me .
Everyone said good luck to me as I went into the interview.
Not: Everyone told me good luck …
Say or tell ?
Other reporting verbs
The reporting verbs in this list are more common in indirect reports, in both speaking and writing:
Simon admitted that he had forgotten to email Andrea.
Louis always maintains that there is royal blood in his family.
The builder pointed out that the roof was in very poor condition.
Most of the verbs in the list are used in direct speech reports in written texts such as novels and newspaper reports. In ordinary conversation, we don’t use them in direct speech. The reporting clause usually comes second, but can sometimes come first:
‘Who is that person?’ she asked .
‘It was my fault,’ he confessed .
‘There is no cause for alarm,’ the Minister insisted .
Verb patterns: verb + that -clause
Word of the Day
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
an extremely famous actor, singer, musician, sports player, etc.
Cringeworthy and toe-curling (The language of embarrassment)
Learn more with +Plus
- Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
- Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
- Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
- Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
- English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
- English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
- English–Dutch Dutch–English
- English–French French–English
- English–German German–English
- English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
- English–Italian Italian–English
- English–Japanese Japanese–English
- English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
- English–Polish Polish–English
- English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
- English–Spanish Spanish–English
- English–Swedish Swedish–English
- Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
To add ${headword} to a word list please sign up or log in.
Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.
{{message}}
Something went wrong.
There was a problem sending your report.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
INDIRECT SPEECH definition: 1. the act of reporting something that was said, but not using exactly the same words 2. the act of…. Learn more.
The reporting of something said or written by conveying what was meant rather than repeating.... Click for English pronunciations, examples sentences, video.
Define indirect speech. indirect speech synonyms, indirect speech pronunciation, indirect speech translation, English dictionary definition of indirect speech. When we tell other people what someone else told us, it is called indirect or reported speech . We use reporting verbs to introduce the information that was...
Free Indirect Speech . In free indirect speech, which is commonly used in fiction, the reporting clause (or signal phrase) is omitted. Using the technique is a way to follow a character's point of view—in third-person limited omniscient—and show her thoughts intermingled with narration.
Definition of indirect speech noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Indirect speech definition: . See examples of INDIRECT SPEECH used in a sentence.
Definition of Indirect Speech. Indirect speech is also known as reported speech.You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration.. Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said.. Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Related topics: Grammar indirect speech ˌindirect ˈspeech British English, indirect discourse American English (also reported speech) noun [uncountable] technical SLG a way of reporting what someone said without repeating their exact words.
Direct and Indirect Speech: Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, using quotation marks, while indirect speech paraphrases the spoken words without quotes, often changing tenses and pronouns. Both forms are essential for effective communication, emphasizing clarity and context in reporting speech.
Reported speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary