Direct and Indirect Speech

How To Teach Direct and Indirect Speech

Objective:

To teach students the differences between direct and indirect speech and how to correctly use and convert between them, thereby enhancing their understanding of reported speech and its application in both writing and speaking.

Introduction to Direct and Indirect Speech

• Define direct speech as quoting someone's exact words, often enclosed in quotation marks, and indirect (or reported) speech as paraphrasing what someone said without quoting word for word.
• Emphasize key changes when converting from direct to indirect speech, such as tense shifts, pronoun changes, and modifications in time and place references.

Real Life Examples

• Use examples from literature, news reports, and everyday conversations to illustrate the use of direct and indirect speech.
• Highlight how indirect speech is often used in formal writing and reporting, whereas direct speech is common in dialogue and quotations.

Interactive Activities

• Conduct a ‘Speech Conversion' exercise, where students convert sentences from direct to indirect speech and vice versa, paying attention to the changes in tense and pronouns.
• Organize a role-playing activity where one student narrates a story or an event in indirect speech based on another student's direct speech dialogue, enhancing understanding of both forms.