Tuesday 1st December 2020

L.C. To understand the difference between  direct and indirect speech.

What are inverted commas?

Direct speech is written inside inverted commas and is what a person has said.

Indirect speech (can also be referred to as reported speech) is not written in inverted commas and does not use the exact words of the original speaker.

Lets look at this carefully to help us to understand.

If I was to say something this:

Hello, children. I'm really please that you are in my group.  said Mr Hindman.

This would be Direct speech. Therefore would need inverted commas around the text. But remember only the bit being spoken would be in inverted commas. So it should look like this.

"Hello, children. I'm really please that you are in my group."  said Mr Hindman.

If it said:

Mr Hindman  said hello to you and that he was pleased to have you in his group.

This would be Indirect speech as these aren't Mr Hindman's exact words. Therefore wouldn't need inverted commas around the text.

The following sentence is in Direct speech could you tell the person next to you what it would be in Indirect speech.

"I hope you are well and ready to work." said Mr Grimshaw.

Hopefully we got the right answer which should have been:

Mr Grimshaw hoped that we were well and ready to work.

Task 1

Write down whether the following sentences are Direct speech or Indirect speech.

1. “I hate you,” she whispered.
2. The man shouted at the dog, “Go home!”
3. She asked whether he had found it in the tunnel.
4.  “Let’s find the others,” he suggested.
5.  He exclaimed it was not fair.
6. He asked her how she knew.
7. “Mending walls,” he said, “is a specialist occupation.”

Task 2

Change the following sentences from Direct speech to Indirect speech or  from Indirect speech to Direct speech.

• “May I have an ice-cream,” asked Ben.
• “I can’t wait for the holidays,” sighed the head teacher.
• The policeman told the children to behave.
• My mother wondered if it was going to rain.

Home learners please could you take a photo of your English work and email it to Mr Hindman on Purple Mash.