Question

What are the rules to be remembered in changing reported speech to direct speech? a) No rules are needed b) Keep all tenses the same c) Change tenses and pronouns as needed d) Change only the pronouns

Answer 1

When changing reported speech to direct speech, rules are needed. One must adjust the verb tenses, pronouns, and sometimes even adverbs, in order to match the original speaker's viewpoint. Illustratively, in converting 'She said that she was going to the library.' (reported speech) to 'She said, "I am going to the library."' (direct speech), the verb tense and pronoun have been changed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The transition from reported speech to direct speech needs to follow certain rules. The most effective answer from the provided options is c) Change tenses and pronouns as needed. When converting reported speech to direct speech, be aware that the tenses, pronouns, and often the adverbs have to be adjusted to align with the speaker's perspective. Changes are often made to the verb tense (from past to present), pronouns (from third person to first person), and adverbs of time and place.

Here is an example:

Reported speech: She said that she was going to the library.

Direct speech: She said, "I am going to the library."

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