DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
Direct speech (quotation) and indirect (reported) speech are two different ways to express
what somebody says or said. You should not shift between the two in the same sentence.
Direct speech quotes what a person said or asked. Direct speech should therefore be
marked by quotations marks.
Nel: “Where are we going, Mom? Are we leaving today?”
Mrs. Wright: “We are going to New Orleans to visit your great-grandmother.
She is very ill. Your aunt called me yesterday.”
Nel: “I have never been on such a long trip. How long will it take to get to New
Orleans? Will we take the train?”
Mrs. Wright: “Yes, we will take the train. We should reach New Orleans the day
after tomorrow.”
The above is a little dialogue written in direct speech. Let us assume that Mr. Wright,
Mrs. Wright’s husband, overheard the exchange and reported it to a friend. His report
would be expressed in indirect or reported speech:
Yesterday, Nel asked my wife Helene about their trip and whether they would be
leaving that day. Nel wanted to know where they were going. Helene replied that
they were going to go to New Orleans to visit Helene’s grandmother, Nel’s great-
grandmother. Helene also told Nel that her great-grandmother was ill and that
Nel’s aunt had called her the day before. Nel then remarked that she had never
been on such a long trip. She asked how long it would take to reach New Orleans
and whether they would take the train. Helene answered that they would take the
train and that they would reach New Orleans in two days.
The above examples show how direct speech changes when a writer uses indirect
speech:
A direct question turns into a sentence with a verb of inquiry (ask, want to know). Note
that if the verb of inquiry is in the past tense, the tense changes throughout the sentence:
Nel: “Where are we going?”
Nel wants to know where they are going. Nel wanted to know where they were going.
A direct statement turns into a sentence with a verb of speaking (say, tell, remark …):
Nel: “I have never been on such a long trip.”
Nel remarks that she has never been on such a long trip. Nel remarked that she had
never been on such a long trip.
Future tense in direct speech turns into conditional if the verb is in the past tense:
Nel: “Will we be leaving today?”
Nel asked whether they would be leaving that day.
Time indicators change when you turn direct speech into indirect speech:
“Today” turns into “that day”.
Nel: “Are we leaving today?”
Nel asks/asked whether they will/would be leaving that day.
“Yesterday” turns into “the day before”.
Mrs. Wright: “My sister called me yesterday.
Mrs. Wright told Nel that her sister had called her the day before.
“Tomorrow” turns into “the next day”; “the day after tomorrow” becomes “in two
days.”
Nel: “Will we be there tomorrow?” Mrs. Wright: “No, we will be there the day after
tomorrow.”
Nel asked if they would be there the next day, but her mother answered that they
would be there in two days.
SHIFTS BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
It is, of course, possible to use both direct and indirect speech in a passage, but you have
to prepare your reader for the change. In general, though, if a shift between direct and
indirect speech occurs without warning in the same sentence, the reader gets confused.
I wonder whether Sula knew about the accident, and if so, did she ever tell Nel
☺I wonder whether Sula knew of the accident, and if so, whether she ever told Nel.
Nel asked Sula about the insurance settlement and did she pay for college with the
money.
☺ Nel asked Sula about the insurance settlement and whether she paid for college with
the money.
Nel told Sula to have a good time in Cincinnati and be sure to send Eva a postcard.
☺Nel told Sula to have a good time in Cincinnati and reminded her to send Eva a
postcard.
►Did you like the sample sentences? Get the whole story in Toni Morrison’s Sula.
