Page 1 13 245 REPORTED SPEECH There are two main ways of relating what people have said. We can use our own words (for instance, if we don't remember exactly what was said, or if we don't want to quote or repeat the exact words) E.g (a) Mrs Palit greeted everybody cheerily. (b) I replied that I had no idea when I was going. We can report what someone thinks in a similar way. (c) He thought that Mahua was worried. OR We can use the actual words, as if recorded on a tape recorder, to report what has been said. E.g (a) "Good morning, everybody!" said Mrs Palit. (b) I told my friends, “I've no idea when I'm going.” (c) He thought : “Mahua's worried." It is important to remember that we come across both ways of reporting in newspapers, novels, magazines etc. Points to note: The exact words of the speaker quoted in Direct Speech are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the words quoted. The end mark could be a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark depending on the meaning, context and mood expressed. The first letter within the inverted commas is capitalized. There is no comma after Reporting Verbs like said, asked, claimed in reported speech. The end mark in Reported Speech is always a full stop. Use of Direct Speech and Reported Speech. • • • Page 2 13 245 REPORTED SPEECH There are two main ways of relating what people have said. We can use our own words (for instance, if we don't remember exactly what was said, or if we don't want to quote or repeat the exact words) E.g (a) Mrs Palit greeted everybody cheerily. (b) I replied that I had no idea when I was going. We can report what someone thinks in a similar way. (c) He thought that Mahua was worried. OR We can use the actual words, as if recorded on a tape recorder, to report what has been said. E.g (a) "Good morning, everybody!" said Mrs Palit. (b) I told my friends, “I've no idea when I'm going.” (c) He thought : “Mahua's worried." It is important to remember that we come across both ways of reporting in newspapers, novels, magazines etc. Points to note: The exact words of the speaker quoted in Direct Speech are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the words quoted. The end mark could be a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark depending on the meaning, context and mood expressed. The first letter within the inverted commas is capitalized. There is no comma after Reporting Verbs like said, asked, claimed in reported speech. The end mark in Reported Speech is always a full stop. Use of Direct Speech and Reported Speech. • • • CBSE 246 a) Direct speech is generally used i) to create a dramatic effect ii) to create a sense of urgency and immediacy iii) because the exact words of the speaker or writer are in some way important iv) because a quote is required from authors, scientists, experts and politicians to lend authenticity v) to make a piece of writing or speech interesting by adding variety in the mode of narration. b) Indirect speech is used when we are interested not in the exact words that someone has chosen, but in the essential information they convey. Far fewer words are used to report what has originally been said. c) We should remember that usually a judicious combination of the use of direct and reported speech enhances the effectiveness of speaking or writing . The Road to English (Adapted from an article by Arishban Bagchi (Hindu college) [The Hindustan Times, 4 October 1996] 1. The great question, after you have failed to put yourself in an engineering or medical college in contemporary Indian society, is whether you'll ever find a job. 2. "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days," says the sister of the neighbour of your aunt in Timbuctoo. "Now look at my Bittoo," she goes on. "In spite of being so brilliant and all, he could only barely manage a grade A+ at MIT, and then he only just managed a well- paid job. How difficult getting jobs must be." A.1 Read and enjoy the following article. Page 3 13 245 REPORTED SPEECH There are two main ways of relating what people have said. We can use our own words (for instance, if we don't remember exactly what was said, or if we don't want to quote or repeat the exact words) E.g (a) Mrs Palit greeted everybody cheerily. (b) I replied that I had no idea when I was going. We can report what someone thinks in a similar way. (c) He thought that Mahua was worried. OR We can use the actual words, as if recorded on a tape recorder, to report what has been said. E.g (a) "Good morning, everybody!" said Mrs Palit. (b) I told my friends, “I've no idea when I'm going.” (c) He thought : “Mahua's worried." It is important to remember that we come across both ways of reporting in newspapers, novels, magazines etc. Points to note: The exact words of the speaker quoted in Direct Speech are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the words quoted. The end mark could be a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark depending on the meaning, context and mood expressed. The first letter within the inverted commas is capitalized. There is no comma after Reporting Verbs like said, asked, claimed in reported speech. The end mark in Reported Speech is always a full stop. Use of Direct Speech and Reported Speech. • • • CBSE 246 a) Direct speech is generally used i) to create a dramatic effect ii) to create a sense of urgency and immediacy iii) because the exact words of the speaker or writer are in some way important iv) because a quote is required from authors, scientists, experts and politicians to lend authenticity v) to make a piece of writing or speech interesting by adding variety in the mode of narration. b) Indirect speech is used when we are interested not in the exact words that someone has chosen, but in the essential information they convey. Far fewer words are used to report what has originally been said. c) We should remember that usually a judicious combination of the use of direct and reported speech enhances the effectiveness of speaking or writing . The Road to English (Adapted from an article by Arishban Bagchi (Hindu college) [The Hindustan Times, 4 October 1996] 1. The great question, after you have failed to put yourself in an engineering or medical college in contemporary Indian society, is whether you'll ever find a job. 2. "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days," says the sister of the neighbour of your aunt in Timbuctoo. "Now look at my Bittoo," she goes on. "In spite of being so brilliant and all, he could only barely manage a grade A+ at MIT, and then he only just managed a well- paid job. How difficult getting jobs must be." A.1 Read and enjoy the following article. CBSE 247 3. The next line reads, "I wonder how your son will find a job, being a non- engineer, and that too in India." 4. Your father's friend, a prosperous doctor, decides to come visiting. Quite predictably, his first question on seeing you is the inevitable, "Why in heaven's name did you not qualify in the pre-medical test?' Followed by the equally inevitable, "Now what are you going to do?" 5. He raves on about his nephew who has just gone to the UK for his FRCS, and his daughter who has just completed her MBBS from AIIMS with top results, and what exciting prospects they have. 6. Your father into whose eyes you haven't dared to look for quite some time, speaks up. "I have lost all hope for him. However, educating him is my duty and I won't shirk from it." 7. Someone speaks up. "Let him go to college to study Physics or Chemistry." Everyone sits in silence. You cannot help feeling a little proud. At length, someone plucks up the courage: "It's quite impossible to educate him any further. Youngsters these days never seem to listen to what we have to say." 8. "I will study English Literature," you say, dropping a bombshell, fearless of the consequences. Amazingly, it works. The crowd hurries to disperse. You are so relieved to see their backs that you don't care. Thankfully, your parents voice no objection, remembering, perhaps, that you did manage to score highly in English in your Board exams. 9. So you finally take English literature as your subject of study. i. ____________________________________________________ ii. ____________________________________________________ iii. ____________________________________________________ iv. ____________________________________________________ v. ____________________________________________________ A.2 Work in pairs and list the speakers in the passage you have just read. Page 4 13 245 REPORTED SPEECH There are two main ways of relating what people have said. We can use our own words (for instance, if we don't remember exactly what was said, or if we don't want to quote or repeat the exact words) E.g (a) Mrs Palit greeted everybody cheerily. (b) I replied that I had no idea when I was going. We can report what someone thinks in a similar way. (c) He thought that Mahua was worried. OR We can use the actual words, as if recorded on a tape recorder, to report what has been said. E.g (a) "Good morning, everybody!" said Mrs Palit. (b) I told my friends, “I've no idea when I'm going.” (c) He thought : “Mahua's worried." It is important to remember that we come across both ways of reporting in newspapers, novels, magazines etc. Points to note: The exact words of the speaker quoted in Direct Speech are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the words quoted. The end mark could be a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark depending on the meaning, context and mood expressed. The first letter within the inverted commas is capitalized. There is no comma after Reporting Verbs like said, asked, claimed in reported speech. The end mark in Reported Speech is always a full stop. Use of Direct Speech and Reported Speech. • • • CBSE 246 a) Direct speech is generally used i) to create a dramatic effect ii) to create a sense of urgency and immediacy iii) because the exact words of the speaker or writer are in some way important iv) because a quote is required from authors, scientists, experts and politicians to lend authenticity v) to make a piece of writing or speech interesting by adding variety in the mode of narration. b) Indirect speech is used when we are interested not in the exact words that someone has chosen, but in the essential information they convey. Far fewer words are used to report what has originally been said. c) We should remember that usually a judicious combination of the use of direct and reported speech enhances the effectiveness of speaking or writing . The Road to English (Adapted from an article by Arishban Bagchi (Hindu college) [The Hindustan Times, 4 October 1996] 1. The great question, after you have failed to put yourself in an engineering or medical college in contemporary Indian society, is whether you'll ever find a job. 2. "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days," says the sister of the neighbour of your aunt in Timbuctoo. "Now look at my Bittoo," she goes on. "In spite of being so brilliant and all, he could only barely manage a grade A+ at MIT, and then he only just managed a well- paid job. How difficult getting jobs must be." A.1 Read and enjoy the following article. CBSE 247 3. The next line reads, "I wonder how your son will find a job, being a non- engineer, and that too in India." 4. Your father's friend, a prosperous doctor, decides to come visiting. Quite predictably, his first question on seeing you is the inevitable, "Why in heaven's name did you not qualify in the pre-medical test?' Followed by the equally inevitable, "Now what are you going to do?" 5. He raves on about his nephew who has just gone to the UK for his FRCS, and his daughter who has just completed her MBBS from AIIMS with top results, and what exciting prospects they have. 6. Your father into whose eyes you haven't dared to look for quite some time, speaks up. "I have lost all hope for him. However, educating him is my duty and I won't shirk from it." 7. Someone speaks up. "Let him go to college to study Physics or Chemistry." Everyone sits in silence. You cannot help feeling a little proud. At length, someone plucks up the courage: "It's quite impossible to educate him any further. Youngsters these days never seem to listen to what we have to say." 8. "I will study English Literature," you say, dropping a bombshell, fearless of the consequences. Amazingly, it works. The crowd hurries to disperse. You are so relieved to see their backs that you don't care. Thankfully, your parents voice no objection, remembering, perhaps, that you did manage to score highly in English in your Board exams. 9. So you finally take English literature as your subject of study. i. ____________________________________________________ ii. ____________________________________________________ iii. ____________________________________________________ iv. ____________________________________________________ v. ____________________________________________________ A.2 Work in pairs and list the speakers in the passage you have just read. CBSE 248 Still working in pairs, answer the following. 1. Did anyone actually say (or write) "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days?" (Yes/No) How can you tell? ____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 2. Is "Now look at my Bittoo", said by the same person as the extract in 1 above? (Yes/ No) How do you know? _______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3. In paragraph 4, who says "Now what are you going to do?" What words help you to know? ______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 4. i) In paragraph 5, who is the speaker? _________________________________ Discuss and work out what must have been his exact words. Then write them below. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ii) Underline the verb which tells you how the person must have said this. [Hint: Try to work out the meaning of this verb. ] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 5. How many of the nine paragraphs in the passage are reporting what someone has said? ______________________________________________ Page 5 13 245 REPORTED SPEECH There are two main ways of relating what people have said. We can use our own words (for instance, if we don't remember exactly what was said, or if we don't want to quote or repeat the exact words) E.g (a) Mrs Palit greeted everybody cheerily. (b) I replied that I had no idea when I was going. We can report what someone thinks in a similar way. (c) He thought that Mahua was worried. OR We can use the actual words, as if recorded on a tape recorder, to report what has been said. E.g (a) "Good morning, everybody!" said Mrs Palit. (b) I told my friends, “I've no idea when I'm going.” (c) He thought : “Mahua's worried." It is important to remember that we come across both ways of reporting in newspapers, novels, magazines etc. Points to note: The exact words of the speaker quoted in Direct Speech are placed between inverted commas, and a comma or colon is placed immediately before the words quoted. The end mark could be a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark depending on the meaning, context and mood expressed. The first letter within the inverted commas is capitalized. There is no comma after Reporting Verbs like said, asked, claimed in reported speech. The end mark in Reported Speech is always a full stop. Use of Direct Speech and Reported Speech. • • • CBSE 246 a) Direct speech is generally used i) to create a dramatic effect ii) to create a sense of urgency and immediacy iii) because the exact words of the speaker or writer are in some way important iv) because a quote is required from authors, scientists, experts and politicians to lend authenticity v) to make a piece of writing or speech interesting by adding variety in the mode of narration. b) Indirect speech is used when we are interested not in the exact words that someone has chosen, but in the essential information they convey. Far fewer words are used to report what has originally been said. c) We should remember that usually a judicious combination of the use of direct and reported speech enhances the effectiveness of speaking or writing . The Road to English (Adapted from an article by Arishban Bagchi (Hindu college) [The Hindustan Times, 4 October 1996] 1. The great question, after you have failed to put yourself in an engineering or medical college in contemporary Indian society, is whether you'll ever find a job. 2. "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days," says the sister of the neighbour of your aunt in Timbuctoo. "Now look at my Bittoo," she goes on. "In spite of being so brilliant and all, he could only barely manage a grade A+ at MIT, and then he only just managed a well- paid job. How difficult getting jobs must be." A.1 Read and enjoy the following article. CBSE 247 3. The next line reads, "I wonder how your son will find a job, being a non- engineer, and that too in India." 4. Your father's friend, a prosperous doctor, decides to come visiting. Quite predictably, his first question on seeing you is the inevitable, "Why in heaven's name did you not qualify in the pre-medical test?' Followed by the equally inevitable, "Now what are you going to do?" 5. He raves on about his nephew who has just gone to the UK for his FRCS, and his daughter who has just completed her MBBS from AIIMS with top results, and what exciting prospects they have. 6. Your father into whose eyes you haven't dared to look for quite some time, speaks up. "I have lost all hope for him. However, educating him is my duty and I won't shirk from it." 7. Someone speaks up. "Let him go to college to study Physics or Chemistry." Everyone sits in silence. You cannot help feeling a little proud. At length, someone plucks up the courage: "It's quite impossible to educate him any further. Youngsters these days never seem to listen to what we have to say." 8. "I will study English Literature," you say, dropping a bombshell, fearless of the consequences. Amazingly, it works. The crowd hurries to disperse. You are so relieved to see their backs that you don't care. Thankfully, your parents voice no objection, remembering, perhaps, that you did manage to score highly in English in your Board exams. 9. So you finally take English literature as your subject of study. i. ____________________________________________________ ii. ____________________________________________________ iii. ____________________________________________________ iv. ____________________________________________________ v. ____________________________________________________ A.2 Work in pairs and list the speakers in the passage you have just read. CBSE 248 Still working in pairs, answer the following. 1. Did anyone actually say (or write) "Oh! He showed such promise during his early days?" (Yes/No) How can you tell? ____________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 2. Is "Now look at my Bittoo", said by the same person as the extract in 1 above? (Yes/ No) How do you know? _______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3. In paragraph 4, who says "Now what are you going to do?" What words help you to know? ______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 4. i) In paragraph 5, who is the speaker? _________________________________ Discuss and work out what must have been his exact words. Then write them below. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ii) Underline the verb which tells you how the person must have said this. [Hint: Try to work out the meaning of this verb. ] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 5. How many of the nine paragraphs in the passage are reporting what someone has said? ______________________________________________ CBSE 249 6. How many paragraphs include the exact words of the various speakers (direct speech)? _________________________________ 7. How many paragraphs have reported them 'indirectly' (indirect speech)? __________________________________________________________________ 8. What is your conclusion about how writers report what someone says or has said in a newspaper article such as this? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ The tourist complained that the hotel was hot and noisy. In this sentence, the reporting word 'complained' shows that the tourist was clearly unhappy about the arrangements. Now work in groups of four. Read the following sentences carefully, and circle the reporting verbs. Then discuss and write the ways in which each reporting verb adds to the meaning of its arrangement. 1. "When I was in school, I used to skip a few classes, especially Moral Science because of the bookish manner in which it was treated," confessed the retired IAS Officer. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ B. Reporting Verbs B.1 A reporting verb is used in both direct and indirect (reported) speech. The reporting verb usually adds to the meaning of each sentence for instance, it may show the speaker's MOOD (e.g. agreed), PURPOSE (e.g. asked), MANNER OF SPEAKER (e.g. shouted). An example is:Read More
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