17. The captain said the bridge is down do you know another way to cross
18. What shall we do asked a soldier if the bridge is down
19. Do cried the captain swim that's what we'll do
20. As we were riding along spoke up one of the soldiers I heard a farmer shout you fellows better try the bridge lower down
Exercise 171—Indirect Discourse
In the preceding exercise we saw different forms of direct quotations, or direct discourse. In each case, the speaker's words were quoted exactly. When the substance of the thought is given in slightly different form, we have an indirect quotation, or indirect discourse, in which no quotation marks are used. An indirect quotation is usually a subordinate clause depending on a word of thinking, saying, telling, or the like. Indirect statements are usually introduced by that, and indirect questions by when, where, why, whether, if, who, which, what, and the like. When a sentence is changed from direct to indirect discourse, the person and usually the tense of the direct quotation are changed; as,
Direct: He said, "I do not believe the report."
Indirect: He said that he did not believe the report.
Direct: He said, "Germany is over-populated."
Indirect: He said that Germany is over-populated. (See [Exercise 107].)
Direct: She said, "I did my work before I went to school."
Indirect: She said that she had done her work before she went to school.
Direct: "I have finished my work," said the girl.
Indirect: She says that she has finished her work.
Direct: "Why didn't he succeed?" I asked.
Indirect: I asked why he had not succeeded.
Direct: "When may I go?" she inquired.
Indirect: She inquired when she might go.
In the following change the italicized parts to direct quotations. Do not change the paragraphing.
1
The Seal's Lesson
The baby seal said that he could not swim.