Direct speech and indirect speech are ways people express how something was said. Direct speech also called quoted speech is said exactly how the speaker initially spoke the words. Indirect speech also called reported speech is reported back not using the exact words as the original speaker.
Time and place can often change when going from direct to indirect speech. When reporting something at a different time, the time word needs to be changed. When reporting something from a different location, the place word needs to be changed.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| "I went to the park today," he said. | He said that he had gone to the park that day. |
| She said, "I saw her yesterday." | She said that she had seen her the day before. |
| Kevin said, "I have a doctor's appointment next week." | Kevin said that he had a doctor's appointment the following week." |
| "I was in Hawaii last month," Jane told me. | Jane told me she had been in Hawaii the previous month. |
| "We had lunch a week ago," she said. | She said they had lunch a week before. |
| John said, "I live in this house." | John said that he lived in that house. |
| Stacy said, "I work here." | Stacy said she worked there. |
Directions: Choose the correct answer.
1) She said, "I will meet her tomorrow."
She said that she would meet her __________.
a. today
b. the next day
c. next week
2) He said, "I have a business trip to Boston next week."
He said that he had a business trip to Boston __________.
a. this week
b. in two weeks
c. the following week
3) "I got a new car last month," he told me.
He told me that he had gotten a new car __________.
a. the previous month
b. following month
c. that month
4) Susie said, "I was sick yesterday."
Susie said that she had been sick __________.
a. the day before
b. today
c. the previous week
5) "I quit my job today," he told me.
He told me that he had quit his job __________.
a. the next day
b. the following day
c. that day
Directions: Choose the correct answer.
1) "I attended this school," the child said.
The child said she had attended __________ school.
a. that
b. this
c. there
d. here
2) "I work in this building," Bill said.
Bill said that he worked in __________ building.
a. that
b. this
c. there
d. here
3) She said, "I often shop at __________ store."
She said that she often shopped at that store.
a. that
b. this
c. there
d. here
4) They said, "We like the food here."
They said that they liked the food __________.
a. that
b. this
c. there
d. here
5) "The people are nice __________," she said.
She said that the people were nice there.
a. that
b. this
c. there
d. here
Quiz 1 Answers
1) b. the next day
2) c. the following week
3) a. the previous month
4) a. the day before
5) c. that day
Quiz 2 Answers
1) a. that
2) a. that
3) b. this
4) c. there
5) d. here
