How to use direct and indirect speech

Hi guys, today we are going to learn everything there is to know about direct and indirect speech.
大家好，今天我们将学习所有关于直接和间接言语的知识。
My aim for this article is to provide you with a great understanding of the two speech acts, when you should use them, what they look like and how they differ from one another.
这篇文章的目的是让你对这两种言语行为有一个很好的理解，当你应该使用它们的时候，它们是什么样子的，它们之间有什么不同。
I will provide you with an indirect speech formula, highlight all the rules and differences between direct and indirect speech, such as the change in tense, pronoun and overall sentence structure.
我将为您提供一个间接引语公式，突出直接引语和间接引语之间的所有规则和区别，如时态、代词和整体句子结构的变化。
I will also show you how to make interrogative and imperative sentences in the indirect speech. I promise to make this as clear and simple as possible. Let’s get started.
我还将教你如何在间接引语中使用疑问句和祈使句。我保证尽可能清楚和简单。我们开始吧。
1. Speech Acts
1.言语行为
So, as some of you may know, direct speech and indirect speech, are speech acts. They are used to pass on information or something spoken by one person, to another person.Pretend you are in a restaurant with your friend Kim, you are having lunch together. Before you order, she tells you “I am so hungry” and she orders a huge meal.The next day you are at home with your family, you want to tell them about your time spent with Kim yesterday.
所以，你们可能知道，直接言语和间接言语都是言语行为。它们被用来把一个人的信息或说话的东西传递给另一个人。假装你和你的朋友金在餐馆里，你正在一起吃午饭。在你点菜之前，她会告诉你“我太饿了”，然后她会点一顿大餐。第二天你和家人在家，你想告诉他们你昨天和金姆在一起的时间。
You have two options, you can say:
你有两个选择，你可以说：
Kim said, “I am so hungry” (direct speech)
金姆说：“我太饿了”（直言）
Kim said that she was so hungry. (indirect speech)
金姆说她太饿了。（间接言语）
Above are examples of how we can use direct speech or indirect speech to transmit what one person said, to another person. Let’s take a step back, at the beginning of this article I said that direct and indirect speech are speech acts. So, what is a speech act? We use language to achieve specific communicative acts, such as asking for a menu at a restaurant or complaining about the food in a restaurant. We also can use speech acts to greet, threaten or invite somebody and to promise or refuse something to somebody and so on.
以上是我们如何使用直接或间接言语将一个人所说的传达给另一个人的例子。让我们退一步，在本文的开头，我说过直接和间接言语都是言语行为。那么，什么是言语行为？我们使用语言来实现特定的交际行为，比如在餐厅要求菜单或抱怨餐厅的食物。我们也可以用言语行为来问候、威胁或邀请某人，向某人许诺或拒绝某事等等。
Below is a list of examples of different types of speech acts;
下面是不同类型言语行为的例子列表；
I ask to visit my sister.
我请求去看望我妹妹。
I promise to visit my sister.
我答应去看望我妹妹。
I refuse to visit my sister.
我拒绝去看望我妹妹。
I threaten to visit my sister.
我威胁说要去看望我妹妹。
I order my brother to visit my sister.
我命令我弟弟去看望我妹妹。
How does this differ from other acts, such as a physical act or a mental act?
这与其他行为，如身体行为或精神行为有何不同？
Here is an example of a mental act:
下
面是一个心理行为的例子：
I think about visiting my sister.
我想去看望我妹妹。
And a physical act:
一个身体动作：
I visit my sister.
我去看望我妹妹。
Can you see how each sentence is talking about the same thing but in a different way with different possible outcomes? Just because you are thinking about visiting your sister, doesn’t mean you actually physically travel and visit your sister. Or you may order your brother to visit your sister but that doesn’t mean he will listen to you and actually visit her. I know my brother never does anything I ever ask him to do… We can divide speech acts into two groups; direct speech and indirect speech. As demonstrated above, direct and indirect speech help us pass on information from one person or time to another. But what is the difference?
你能看到每一句话是如何谈论同一件事，但在不同的方式，不同的可能结果？仅仅因为你想去看望你的妹妹，并不意味着你真的要去旅行和看望你的妹妹。或者你可以命令你弟弟去看望你妹妹，但这并不意味着他会听你的话并真正看望她。我知道我哥哥从来没有做过我让他做的任何事……我们可以把言语行为分为两类：直接言语和间接言语。如上所述，直接和间接言语帮助我们将信息从一个人或时间传递给另一个人。但有什么区别呢？
2. Direct Speech Definition
2.直接引语的定义
Direct speech includes exactly what the person said, the spoken phrase is placed between quotation marks and there is no need to change the tense or the pronoun in the sentence structure.
直接引语包括人所说的话，口语短语放在引号之间，不需要改变句子结构中的时态或代词。
Kim said, “I am hungry”
金说：“我饿了”
The waiter said, “The food will be ready soon.”
服务员说：“菜很快就好了。”
Direct speech, narrates a situation, it recounts exactly what happened and was said at the time. The sentence structure is very simple as you don’t have to change the tense or any pronoun that may be used, just don’t forget the comma before or after ‘said’ and the quotation marks. Below are examples of direct speech.
直言不讳，叙述一种情况，它准确地叙述了当时发生的事情和所说的话。句子结构非常简单，因为你不必改变时态或任何可能使用的代词，只是不要忘记“said”前后的逗号和引号。下面是直接引语的例子。
They said, “We were watching a movie last night”
他们说，“我们昨晚在看电影”
“I will visit America next year,” she said.
她说：“我明年将访问美国。
3. The Indirect Speech Definition and Formula
3.间接言语的定义与公式
Unfortunately, indirect speech isn’t as simple as direct speech, but once you understand the sentence structure and the indirect speech rules, it is straight forward and a great way to show off your English language skills. So let’s get started, first of all, we don’t use quotation marks with indirect speech, instead we include ‘that’ before retelling what has been said.
不幸的是，间接引语并不像直接引语那么简单，但是一旦你了解了句子结构和间接引语的规则，它就直截了当地展现了你的英语语言能力。所以让我们开始吧，首先，我们不在间接引语中使用引号，而是在复述之前加上“that”。
Look at the direct speech example again:
再看一下直接引语的例子：
Kim said, “I am hungry”
金说：“我饿了”
Now look at the example using indirect speech:
现在看看使用间接引语的例子：
Kim said that she was hungry.
金姆说她饿了。
Did you notice where ‘that’ is located and how the quotation marks are not required? What else is different?
你注意到“that”的位置了吗？它是如何不需要引号的？还有什么不同？
4. The Tense Change in Indirect Speech
4.间接引语的时态变化
Take a look at the examples of direct and indirect speech below:
请看下面的直接和间接言语例子：
She said, “I study English every day.”
她说：“我每天都学英语。”
She said that she studied every day.
她说她每天都学习。
Can you see what happens to the tense with the indirect sentence structure? Yes, the present tense is changed to the past tense. This is another adjustment made when using indirect speech; sometimes we have to change the tense. This can cause confusion for many language learners but I will provide you with a helpful tense chart that demonstrates when you need to change the tense and which tense switches with another tense.
你能看到间接句结构的时态发生了什么变化吗？是的，现在时改成过去时。这是使用间接引语时的另一个调整；有时我们必须改变时态。这可能会给许多语言学习者带来困惑，但我会给你提供一个有用的时态表，演示你何时需要改变时态，以及哪些时态与另一个时态切换。
The Present Tenses
现在时态
The Past Tenses
过去时态
The Future Tenses
将来时态
5. Direct Speech Indirect Speech (Present)
直接引语间接引语（现在时）
The present simple changes to the past simple.
一般现在时变为一般过去时
She said, “I play football”
她说，“我踢足球”
She said that she played football.
她说她踢足球。
The present continuous changes to the past continuous.
现在进行时变为过去进行时
John said, “he is reading about World War II in school”
约翰说：“他正在学校里读二战的书”
John said that he was reading about World War II in school.
约翰说他在学校里读到了关于第二次世界大战的书。
The present perfect changes to the past perfect.
现在完成时变为过去完成时
I said, “he has started the movie”
我说，“他已经开始拍电影了”
I said that he had started the movie.
我说他已经开始了这部电影。
The present perfect continuous changes into the past perfect continuous.
现在完成进行时变为过去完成进行时
He said, “it has been raining all day”
他说，“下了一整天的雨”
He said that it had been raining all day.
他说下了一整天的雨。
6. Direct Speech Indirect Speech (Past)
直接引语与间接引语（过去时态）
The past simple changes to the past perfect.
一般过去时变为过去完成时
Kate said, “I cooked dinner”
凯特说，“我做了晚饭”
Kate said that she had cooked dinner.
凯特说她做了晚饭。
The past continuous doesn’t change.
过去的连续不变。
She said, “Jenny had parked the car”
她说，“珍妮把车停好了”
She said that Jenny had parked the car.
她说珍妮把车停好了。
Past perfect doesn’t change.
过去完成时不用变。
They said, “we had eaten in that restaurant before”
他们说，“我们以前在那家餐馆吃过饭”
They said that they had eaten in that restaurant before.
他们说他们以前在那家餐馆吃过饭。
7. Direct Speech Indirect Speech (Future)
直接引语间接引语（将来时）
Future simple, “will” changes to “would”
未来简单，“意志”变为“意志”
She said, “I will buy food for dinner”
她说，“我会买吃的”
She said that she would buy food for dinner.
她说她会买晚饭吃的。
Did you notice how all the present tenses were changed into one of the past tenses?Also look at how the past continuous tense and the past perfect tense don’t change when you are using the indirect sentence structure, they remain the same. Try to memorise these tense rules, they will help you greatly.
你注意到现在的时态都变成过去的时态了吗？再看看过去进行时态和过去完成时态在使用间接句结构时是如何保持不变的。试着记住这些紧张的规则，它们会对你有很大的帮助。
8. Modal Auxiliary Verbs in Indirect Speech
8.间接引语中的情态助动词
Can you remember what a modal verb is in English or what its function is?
你还记得英语中的情态动词是什么吗？它的功能是什么？
Modals are used to show modality. This means they provide extra information when used in a sentence, they may show a persons ability, obligation, possibility or permission for example.
情态动词用来表示情态动词。这意味着它们在句子中使用时提供了额外的信息，例如，它们可以显示一个人的能力、义务、可能性或许可。
With indirect speech you must change the modal verbs; can, may and must from the present tense to the past tense. Whereas the modals; would, could, should, ought to and might do not change when using the indirect speech.
使用间接引语时，你必须改变情态动词；可以、可以和必须从现在时改为过去时。而情态动词在使用间接引语时会、会、应该、应该和可能不会发生变化。
9. Modal Verbs that Change in Indirect Speech
间接引语中的情态动词变化
Let’s look at some examples to see how modal verbs work with indirect speech.
让我们看一些例子，看看情态动词是如何与间接引语一起工作的。
She said, “I can speak five languages.”
她说：“我会说五种语言。”
She said that she could speak five languages.
她说她会说五种语言。
She said, “I can’t speak a foreign language”
她说，“我不会说外语”
She said that she could not speak a foreign language.
她说她不会说外语。
He said, “I may need time off work”
他说，“我可能需要休息”
He said that he might need time off work.
他说他可能需要休息。
The teenagers said, “We must be home before 10 P.M.”
孩子们说：“我们必须在晚上10点以前到家。”
The teenagers said that they had to be home before 10 P.M.
青少年们说他们必须在晚上10点以前到家。
The examples above show us that the modal verb can changes to could, may changes might and must changes to had to.
上面的例子说明情态动词可以变为可以，可以变为可以，也必须变为不得不。
10. Modal Verbs that Don’t Change in Indirect Speech
间接引语中情态动词不变
As I said other modals don’t change when using indirect speech but you may still have to change the pronoun, the word order or the adverb of time. Read the examples below to see what I mean.
正如我所说，其他情态动词在使用间接引语时不会改变，但你可能仍然需要改变代词、词序或时间副词。阅读下面的例子来了解我的意思。
She said, “I would travel the world if I had enough money”
她说，“如果我有足够的钱，我会周游世界”
She said that she would travel the world if she had enough money.
她说如果她有足够的钱，她将周游世界。
The students said, “we should study more before our exams”
学生们说：“考试前我们应该多学习”
The students said they should study more before their exams.
学生们说他们应该在考试前多学习。
Future continuous, “will be” changes to “would be”
将来进行时，“will be”变为“would be”
They said, “there will be a party next weekend”
他们说，“下周末有个聚会”
They said that there would be a part next weekend.
他们说下周末有一部分。
Future perfect, “will have” changes to “would have”
将来完成时，将“will have”变为“would have”
I said, “I will have to study more for my exams”
我说，“为了考试我得多学习”
I said that I would have to study more for my exams.
我说为了考试我得多学习。
He said, “I might go to the concert”
他说，“我可能去听音乐会”
He said that he might go to the concert.
他说他可能去听音乐会。
Ryan said, “I could go to the shop later.”
瑞安说：“我可以晚些去商店。”
Ryan said that he could go to the shop later.
瑞安说他可以晚点去商店。
Sarah said, “I ought to buy a new car”
莎拉说，“我应该买一辆新车”
Sarah said that she ought to buy a new car.
莎拉说她应该买一辆新车。
11. Pronouns in Indirect Speech
间接引语中的代词
Another important rule to note is the change in pronoun. Did you wonder why in some of the examples above the pronoun changed? For example:
另一个需要注意的重要规则是代词的变化。你想知道为什么在上面的一些例子中代词变了吗？例如：
She said, “I play football”
她说，“我踢足球”
She said that she played football.
她说她踢足球。
She said, “I will buy food for dinner”
她说，“我会买吃的”
She said that she would buy food for dinner.
她说她会买晚饭吃的。
The subject or the pronoun of the second part of the sentence, the indirect speech, is the pronoun that must be changed. We have to look at the first part of the sentence, see what verb or pronoun is being used and change the pronoun, in the second part of the sentence, in accordance to this. For example:
句子第二部分的主语或代词，即间接引语，是必须改变的代词。我们必须看句子的第一部分，看正在使用什么动词或代词，并根据这个改变句子的第二部分中的代词。例如：
She said, “I am scared of spiders”
她说，“我害怕蜘蛛”
She said that she was scared of spiders.
她说她害怕蜘蛛。
They said, “we want dinner”
他们说，“我们要晚餐”
They said that they wanted dinner.
他们说要吃晚饭。
Don’t forget to change the verb in accordance to the pronoun, I am scared – She is scared.
别忘了根据代词改变动词，我很害怕——她很害怕。
12. Adverbs of Time and Indirect Speech
12.时间副词与间接引语
As we noted above, the tense must change when using the indirect speech. Therefore the aspect of time changes too, this means we must change the adverbs of time when using indirect speech.
如上所述，使用间接引语时时态必须改变。因此，时间方面也会发生变化，这就意味着我们在使用间接引语时必须改变时间副词。
Tim said, “I am going to the match today”
蒂姆说：“我今天要去看比赛”
Tim said that he was going to the match that day
蒂姆说他那天要去看比赛
They said, “we are going to Spain next year”
他们说，“我们明年要去西班牙”
They said that they were going to Spain in the following year.
他们说他们明年要去西班牙。
This may seem a bit confusing so to make it easier for you, I have made a list of the possible changes to the adverbs, from one time to another time. Now can be changed to then.
这可能看起来有点混乱，所以为了让你更容易，我列出了副词从一个时间到另一个时间的可能变化。现在可以改成那时。
Today can be changed to yesterday/that day.
今天可以改成昨天/那天。
Tomorrow can be changed to today/the next day.
明天可以改为今天/第二天。
Yesterday can be changed to the previous day/Thursday.
昨天可以改为前一天/星期四。
Next week/month/year can be changed to next week/month/year.
下一周/月/年可以更改为下一周/月/年。
Last week/month/year can be changed to the previous week/month/year.
上一周/月/年可以更改为上一周/月/年。
13. Questions in Indirect Speech
间接引语中的问题