ENGJHS 1 • Term 3Topic 13Free Trial Lesson
Conjunctions, Direct & Indirect (Reported) Speech
Master coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and the rules of converting direct speech into reported speech with tense and pronoun shifts.
Curated Video Lesson
Visual explanation and practical step-by-step walk-through
Comprehensive Study Notes
Aligned with Ghana NaCCA & WAEC BECE syllabus standards
Topic Introduction & Real-World Context:
Whether reporting testimonies in a court of law, summarizing a speaker's presentation in an essay, or communicating what a teacher instructed, converting between Direct Speech (exact spoken words) and Indirect / Reported Speech (recounting what was said) is a vital communication skill. It is one of the most heavily tested grammatical transformations in BECE Section A.
What You Will Master in This Lesson (NaCCA Objectives):
Distinguish between Direct Speech and Indirect (Reported) Speech.
Apply the rules of Tense Backshifting when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
Transform pronouns, possessives, and demonstratives correctly during conversion.
Shift time and place adverbials accurately (e.g. now → then, today → that day, here → there).
1. Direct vs Indirect Speech: Core Concepts
• Direct Speech:
Repeats the EXACT words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks (" ").
- Kofi said, "I am preparing for the BECE examination."
• Indirect (Reported) Speech:
Reports the substance of what the speaker said WITHOUT quoting the exact words. Quotation marks are dropped, and a reporting conjunction (such as 'that') is typically introduced.
- Kofi said that he was preparing for the BECE examination.
• The Decisive Role of the Reporting Verb:
If the reporting verb is in the PAST TENSE (e.g. said, told, inquired, explained), all tenses inside the quotation backshift one step into the past. However, if the reporting verb is in the PRESENT or FUTURE tense (e.g. says, will say), NO tense change occurs!
- Direct: He says, "I am hungry."
- Indirect: He says that he is hungry. (No tense change because 'says' is present).
Key Takeaway: Quotation marks disappear in reported speech. If the reporting verb is past ('said'), the inner tenses backshift.
Real-World Application: In reporting news: 'The Minister announced that government had secured funding for the new hospital project.'
2. Rules of Tense Backshifting
When the reporting verb is in the past tense ('said'), tenses change according to these strict rules:
• Simple Present → Simple Past:
- Direct: "I study every evening," said Kwame.
- Indirect: Kwame said that he studied every evening.
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous:
- Direct: "The baby is crying," said Mother.
- Indirect: Mother said that the baby was crying.
• Simple Past → Past Perfect:
- Direct: "We won the match," boasted the players.
- Indirect: The players boasted that they had won the match.
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect:
- Direct: "I have finished my project," stated Ama.
- Indirect: Ama stated that she had finished her project.
• Modal Auxiliary Shifts:
- will → would
- can → could
- shall → should
- may → might
- must → had to
• Exception (Universal Truths & Scientific Facts):
When reporting an eternal fact or scientific law, the present tense remains unchanged!
- Direct: The teacher said, "The earth revolves around the sun."
- Indirect: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
Key Takeaway: Present shifts to Past; Past shifts to Past Perfect; universal truths do NOT change.
Real-World Application: Direct: 'We can win,' said the coach → Indirect: The coach said that they could win.
3. Transformation of Pronouns and Adverbials
When shifting from direct to reported speech, pronouns and time/place words must adjust to match the perspective of the reporter:
• Pronoun Adjustments:
- 'I' changes to 'he' or 'she'
- 'We' changes to 'they'
- 'My' changes to 'his' or 'her'
- 'Our' changes to 'their'
- 'Me' changes to 'him' or 'her'
- 'Us' changes to 'them'
• Time and Place Adverbial Shifts:
- now → then / at that moment
- today → that day
- yesterday → the previous day / the day before
- tomorrow → the following day / the next day
- last night → the previous night
- ago → before
- this → that
- these → those
- here → there
- come → go
Key Takeaway: Remember key shifts: 'today' becomes 'that day', 'yesterday' becomes 'the previous day', and 'here' becomes 'there'.
Real-World Application: Direct: 'I will travel tomorrow,' said Kofi → Indirect: Kofi said that he would travel the following day.
4. Reporting Questions, Commands, and Requests
• Reporting Wh- Questions:
Wh- questions (who, what, where, when, why, which, how) retain the question word, but the word order changes from interrogative (verb before subject) to declarative (subject before verb). Drop the question mark!
- Direct: He asked, "Where do you live?"
- Indirect: He asked where I lived. (NOT 'where did I live').
• Reporting Yes/No Questions:
Use 'if' or 'whether' as the connecting conjunction:
- Direct: "Are you coming with us?" asked Akosua.
- Indirect: Akosua asked whether I was coming with them.
• Reporting Commands and Requests (Imperatives):
Use an infinitive verb ('to' + base verb) with reporting verbs like 'ordered', 'commanded', 'requested', or 'begged':
- Direct: The headmaster ordered, "Stand up immediately!"
- Indirect: The headmaster ordered the pupils to stand up immediately.
- Direct: "Please do not make noise," pleaded the prefect.
- Indirect: The prefect pleaded with them not to make noise.
Key Takeaway: Reported questions never take question marks, and use normal statement word order: 'He asked where I was going.'
Real-World Application: Direct: 'What is your name?' asked the officer → Indirect: The officer asked what my name was.
Common Mistakes Students Make in BECE Examinations:
⚠️Keeping question marks in reported questions: writing 'He asked me where I was going?' (incorrect; should end with a period).
⚠️Using inverted interrogative word order in reported speech: 'She asked where was my book' (incorrect; must be 'where my book was').
⚠️Failing to shift time and place words: leaving 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' unchanged in reported speech.
⚠️Changing tenses when reporting an eternal scientific truth ('The teacher said that the earth was round' is incorrect; the earth is still round!).
Teacher's BECE Exam Pro-Tips:
⭐In BECE Section A transformation questions, immediately check the reporting verb: if it says 'says', eliminate all options that change the inner tense.
⭐Always watch out for 'said to me' → change it to 'told me' in reported speech ('told' takes a personal object without 'to').
⭐Remember that 'must' shifts to 'had to' in reported speech.
Quick Revision Summary Checklist:
Distinguish between Direct Speech and Indirect Speech.
Know all Tense Backshifting rules (Present → Past, Past → Past Perfect, will → would).
Can shift time/place words: today → that day, yesterday → the previous day, here → there.
Correctly convert questions using 'if/whether' or Wh- words with declarative word order.
Step-by-Step Worked Examples (2)
Real BECE exam-standard problems with complete solution steps
Example 1: Converting a Statement from Direct to Reported Speech
Problem StatementConvert into indirect speech: Ama said, "I have finished my homework today."
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Change pronoun "I" to "she", and "my" to "her".
Step 2: Backshift tense from present perfect "have finished" to past perfect "had finished".
Step 3: Change time adverb "today" to "that day".
Indirect: Ama said that she had finished her homework that day.
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Key Takeaway / Exam Rule: In reported speech, shift tenses back, adjust pronouns, and convert time adverbs (today -> that day).
Example 2: Reporting a Question with "If / Whether"
Problem StatementConvert into indirect speech: The teacher asked Kofi, "Did you see the headmaster?"
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Yes/No questions use "if" or "whether" as connectors in reported speech.
Step 2: Change direct question word order into a statement word order.
Step 3: Shift past simple "did you see" to past perfect "had seen".
Indirect: The teacher asked Kofi IF he had seen the headmaster.
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Key Takeaway / Exam Rule: Reported Yes/No questions use "if" or "whether", and change into statement word order without question marks.
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