Direct/indirect speech

The indirect speech is recognisable thanks to...

• the visible quotation marks (")

• the speech introducing verbs (say, answer, ask...)

• the use of subordinate clause (proposition subordonnée) sometimes included with that

To switch from direct to indirect speech...

• pronouns need to be changed sometimes

• the time markers don't change

• time markers need to be changed

• verbs' tense need to be changed

Answer explanation

You don't need to change the verbs' tense everytime: you don't change it when the dialogue introducing verb is in present tense.

Pour passer du style direct à l'indirect, pas besoin de changer le temps des verbes à chaque fois : quand le verbe introducteur est au présent, on ne change pas ce qu'il y a entre guillemets (le dialogue).

To respect the sequence of tenses (concordance des temps) between direct and indirect speech...

• the conversation introducing verb's tense changes

• the verb in the conversation changes

Answer explanation

Rappel :

verbe introducteur au présent --> on ne change rien

verbe introducteur au preterit:

--> style direct : verbe dialogue présent -> style indirect : preterit

style direct : verbe dialogue preterit ou present perfect -> style indirect : past perfect

To change a question from direct speech to indirect...

• the interrogative form is used, reversing (en inversant) subject and auxiliary verb

• affirmative form is used with ask concerning an open question

• interrogative form is used without (sans) the question mark (?)

• affirmative form is used with ask if concerning a yes/no question

Answer explanation

Exemples :

Question fermée (yes-no question)

"Can you open the bottle?" --> Fred asked (me) if I could open the bottle.

Question ouverte

"What were you doing?" --> George asked (me) what I had been doing.

Ici, on voit bien que le style indirect est l'utilisation d'une phrase affirmative. (I could open it / I had been doing.)

The wolf admitted that he had eaten Grandma.

Quel est le verbe introducteur ?

• admitted

• had eaten

• the wolf

• that

Fill in the blank:

Fairy tales are still inspiring artists. --> She says that fairy tales ___ still inspiring artists.

Fill in the blank:

"You are hungry." --> He noticed that I ___ hungry.

Answer explanation

to be hungry: avoir faim

to notice: remarquer

Ici "was" parce que you --> I

et le présent --> preterit

Fill in the blank:

"Were you at school yesterday?" --> He asked me if I ___ at school the day before.

Answer explanation

concordance des temps car verbe introducteur au prétérit

Si verbe dans le dialogue au prétérit (ou present perfect) --> past perfect

Direct to indirect speech

"Can you come to my party?"

• I said to come to my party

• I asked him if he could come to my party

• I asked him if could come he to my party

• I asked him if could he come to my party

Answer explanation

Rappel :

phrase affirmative avec ask if pour une question fermée

Change from indirect to direct speech the following sentence:

I asked her if she was married.