What you'll learn
This revision guide covers the conversion between direct and indirect speech, a core skill tested in Paper 1 (Multiple Choice) and Paper 2 (Essay) of the CXC CSEC English Language examination. You will learn the systematic rules for transforming quoted speech into reported statements, including tense changes, pronoun shifts, and time expression adjustments.
Key terms and definitions
Direct speech — The exact words spoken by a person, enclosed in quotation marks, as originally stated.
Indirect speech (Reported speech) — A paraphrased version of someone's words without using quotation marks, typically introduced by a reporting verb.
Reporting verb — The verb used to introduce indirect speech (e.g., said, told, asked, explained, replied).
Backshift — The systematic change of verb tenses backwards in time when converting from direct to indirect speech.
Time expression — Words or phrases indicating when an action occurs (e.g., now, today, yesterday) that must be adjusted in reported speech.
Pronoun shift — The necessary change in pronouns when reporting someone else's words to reflect the change in perspective.
Reporting clause — The introductory part of an indirect speech sentence that includes the subject and reporting verb.
Modal verbs — Auxiliary verbs (can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would) that express possibility, ability, permission, or obligation and follow specific rules when reported.
Core concepts
Understanding the basic structure
Direct speech presents someone's exact words within quotation marks, while indirect speech reports the content without quotations. The reporting verb typically introduces the statement.
Direct speech structure:
- Subject + reporting verb + comma + "Capital letter + exact words + punctuation inside quotes"
- Example: Maria said, "The breadfruit crop is ready for harvest."
Indirect speech structure:
- Subject + reporting verb + that (optional) + reported statement
- Example: Maria said that the breadfruit crop was ready for harvest.
The word "that" after the reporting verb is optional in indirect speech but often aids clarity. Notice the absence of quotation marks and the tense change from present ("is") to past ("was").
Tense changes (Backshift)
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you must shift the tenses of the original statement backwards in time. This process is called backshift.
Present Simple → Past Simple
- Direct: "I work at the bauxite plant."
- Indirect: He said he worked at the bauxite plant.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous
- Direct: "The tourists are arriving at Grantley Adams Airport."
- Indirect: She said the tourists were arriving at Grantley Adams Airport.
Present Perfect → Past Perfect
- Direct: "We have completed the CSEC syllabus."
- Indirect: The teacher announced they had completed the CSEC syllabus.
Past Simple → Past Perfect
- Direct: "I attended the Crop Over festival."
- Indirect: He mentioned that he had attended the Crop Over festival.
Will → Would
- Direct: "I will visit Maracas Beach tomorrow."
- Indirect: She said she would visit Maracas Beach the next day.
Can → Could
- Direct: "I can speak Patois."
- Indirect: He said he could speak Patois.
Important exceptions: When the reporting verb is in the present tense or when reporting a general truth, no backshift occurs.
- Direct: "Sugar cane requires abundant rainfall."
- Indirect: The agriculturalist says (that) sugar cane requires abundant rainfall.
Pronoun and possessive adjective changes
Pronouns must shift to reflect the change in perspective from the original speaker to the person reporting.
First person → Third person (typically)
- Direct: "I am preparing for my CSEC exams."
- Indirect: She said she was preparing for her CSEC exams.
Second person → First or Third person (depending on context)
- Direct: The principal told the students, "You must submit your forms by Friday."
- Indirect: The principal told the students they must submit their forms by Friday.
Third person → Usually remains third person
- Direct: "He runs the roti shop on Frederick Street."
- Indirect: She said he ran the roti shop on Frederick Street.
Pay careful attention to possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, their) and reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself), which follow similar transformation patterns.
Time and place expression changes
Time and place references in direct speech must be adjusted to maintain logical consistency when converted to indirect speech.
Common time expression changes:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| now | then/at that time |
| today | that day |
| tonight | that night |
| tomorrow | the next day/the following day |
| yesterday | the day before/the previous day |
| last week | the week before/the previous week |
| next month | the following month |
| ago | before |
| this | that |
| these | those |
Examples:
Direct: "I will call you tomorrow."
Indirect: He said he would call me the next day.
Direct: "The hurricane passed through here last night."
Indirect: She reported that the hurricane had passed through there the previous night.
Questions in reported speech
When reporting questions, the word order changes from question form to statement form, and the question mark disappears.
Yes/No questions Use "if" or "whether" after the reporting verb (asked, enquired, wanted to know).
- Direct: "Are you attending the cricket match at Kensington Oval?"
- Indirect: He asked if/whether I was attending the cricket match at Kensington Oval.
Wh- questions Retain the question word but use statement word order.
Direct: "Where did you buy the saltfish?"
Indirect: She asked where I had bought the saltfish.
Direct: "What time does the maxi taxi depart?"
Indirect: He enquired what time the maxi taxi departed.
Commands, requests, and advice in reported speech
Imperatives (commands and requests) transform using an infinitive structure with "to."
Commands Use reporting verbs like ordered, commanded, instructed + object + to-infinitive.
- Direct: The lifeguard shouted, "Get out of the water immediately!"
- Indirect: The lifeguard ordered them to get out of the water immediately.
Requests Use reporting verbs like asked, requested, begged + object + to-infinitive.
- Direct: "Please help me prepare the callaloo."
- Indirect: She asked him to help her prepare the callaloo.
Advice Use advised, recommended + object + to-infinitive.
- Direct: "You should apply for the scholarship early."
- Indirect: The counselor advised me to apply for the scholarship early.
Negative commands Add "not" before the infinitive.
- Direct: "Don't walk on the coral reef."
- Indirect: The tour guide told us not to walk on the coral reef.
Worked examples
Example 1: Statement conversion
Task: Convert the following direct speech to indirect speech.
Direct speech: The fisherman said, "I caught these king fish early this morning near the Buccoo Reef."
Solution:
Step 1: Identify the reporting verb and subject.
- Reporting verb: said
- Subject: The fisherman
Step 2: Apply tense backshift.
- "caught" (past simple) → had caught (past perfect)
Step 3: Change pronouns.
- "I" → he
- "these" → those
Step 4: Adjust time expressions.
- "this morning" → that morning
Answer: The fisherman said (that) he had caught those king fish early that morning near the Buccoo Reef.
Marks: In CSEC examinations, such a conversion would typically earn 2-3 marks for accurate tense change, pronoun shift, and time expression adjustment.
Example 2: Question conversion
Task: Rewrite the following as reported speech.
Direct speech: The tourist asked the vendor, "How much does this straw hat cost?"
Solution:
Step 1: Identify the question type.
- Wh-question (begins with "How much")
Step 2: Choose appropriate reporting verb.
- asked (already provided)
Step 3: Change word order from question to statement form.
- "does this straw hat cost" → that straw hat cost
Step 4: Apply pronoun changes.
- "this" → that
Step 5: Apply tense backshift.
- "does cost" (present simple) → cost (past simple)
Answer: The tourist asked the vendor how much that straw hat cost.
Marks: This would typically earn 2 marks for correct word order and appropriate tense/pronoun changes.
Example 3: Command conversion
Task: Convert the following instruction to indirect speech.
Direct speech: The teacher instructed the class, "Complete your comprehension exercises before the end of the period."
Solution:
Step 1: Identify the imperative.
- "Complete" is a command
Step 2: Select appropriate reporting verb.
- instructed (already provided)
Step 3: Convert to infinitive structure.
- instructed + object (the class) + to + infinitive
Step 4: Adjust pronouns.
- "your" → their
Answer: The teacher instructed the class to complete their comprehension exercises before the end of the period.
Marks: This would earn 2 marks for correct infinitive structure and pronoun change.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Failing to backshift tenses consistently. Students often change one verb tense but forget others in the same sentence. Practice converting all verbs systematically, checking each one against the backshift rules.
Retaining quotation marks in indirect speech. Remember: indirect speech never uses quotation marks. If you write "that" after the reporting verb, you are signaling reported speech and must remove all quotation marks.
Forgetting to change time expressions. Words like "tomorrow," "yesterday," and "now" must be adjusted. Create a reference card with the time expression changes and review it regularly.
Using question word order in reported questions. In indirect questions, use statement word order (subject + verb), not inverted question order (verb + subject). "She asked where was the market" is incorrect; "She asked where the market was" is correct.
Omitting "to" before the infinitive in reported commands. Commands must use the structure: reporting verb + object + to + infinitive. "He told me finish" is incomplete; "He told me to finish" is correct.
Changing tenses when the reporting verb is present. If the reporting verb is in the present tense ("says," "tells"), do not backshift the tenses. The original tense is maintained.
Exam technique for "Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech"
Identify the speech type first. Determine whether you are converting a statement, question, or command before beginning. Each type follows different rules. Questions require "if/whether" or retention of question words; commands need infinitive structures.
Work systematically through changes. Use a checklist approach: (1) reporting verb and subject, (2) tense backshift, (3) pronoun changes, (4) time/place expressions, (5) word order (for questions), (6) remove punctuation. This methodical approach prevents omissions.
Watch for command words. CXC exam questions use specific instruction words: "Rewrite," "Convert," "Report," or "Change the following to indirect/reported speech." All mean the same thing—transform direct speech to indirect speech following all applicable rules.
Allocate marks appropriately. In Paper 2, reported speech questions typically carry 2-4 marks. Each mark usually represents one accurate change (tense, pronoun, time expression, or word order). Make all necessary changes to earn full marks.
Quick revision summary
Direct speech reports exact words in quotation marks; indirect speech paraphrases without quotations. When the reporting verb is past tense, apply backshift: move all tenses one step back in time. Change pronouns to reflect the new perspective (first person typically becomes third person). Adjust time expressions (tomorrow → the next day). For questions, use if/whether (yes/no questions) or retain the question word, but always use statement word order. Convert commands to infinitive structures with appropriate reporting verbs. Practice systematically checking each element to avoid common errors in CSEC examinations.