Direct and Reported Speech

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is the second in a 10-lesson unit titled Reporting the Whale Story. It introduces Year 4 pupils to direct and reported speech, following the National Curriculum for England: English Programmes of Study (Year 3 and Year 4, Writing – Grammar and Punctuation). The lesson helps pupils understand the difference between quoting someone’s exact words (direct speech) and recounting what someone said (reported speech) through engaging activities centred on excerpts from The Whale story.

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National Curriculum Links

English - Writing: Grammar and Punctuation (Years 3 and 4)

• Use direct speech and punctuate it correctly (including inverted commas).
• Use reported speech with changes in pronouns and verb tense where necessary.
• Understand how to convert sentences from direct to reported speech and vice versa.

English - Reading: Comprehension

• Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination (extracts from The Whale).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson pupils will be able to:

• Identify direct speech in a written passage and understand the role of inverted commas.
• Recognise reported speech and understand changes in verb tense and pronouns.
• Convert sentences from direct to reported speech and from reported to direct speech accurately.
• Explain the difference between direct and reported speech using examples from The Whale.

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Resources

• Excerpts from The Whale story printed on A4 sheets (3 different short extracts with direct speech).
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Pupil individual whiteboards and pens.
• Direct/Reported Speech Conversion worksheet (differentiated).
• A short animated clip or audio recording of a dramatic reading of a dialogue from The Whale (if available).
• Speech bubble template paper for creative activity.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Hook: Begin by playing the short animated clip or reading aloud a short dialogue from The Whale including direct speech.
• Ask pupils what they notice about the exact words spoken by characters (introduce the idea of “speech bubbles” or ‘talking’ in writing).
• Write an example sentence on the board with direct speech:
  “I saw the whale!” exclaimed Jack.
• Discuss why we use quotation marks and how the speaker’s exact words are shown.

2. Explicit Teaching and Modelling (10 minutes)

• Introduce the term direct speech and write its definition: The exact words spoken by a character, enclosed in inverted commas.
• Introduce reported speech: explaining it as paraphrasing what someone said, without using their exact words and no inverted commas.
• Show the same sentence from direct speech converted into reported speech:
  Jack said that he had seen the whale.
• Point out changes in verb tense and pronouns.
• Write other examples from The Whale extract on the board and demonstrate conversions.

3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

• Hand out the extracts from The Whale (with direct speech).
• Pupils, in pairs, identify and underline direct speech sections.
• Then, with teacher guidance, convert 3 sentences from direct speech to reported speech together on their mini whiteboards.
• Circulate and give immediate feedback.
• Use targeted questioning: “How has the verb changed? Why did we change ‘I’ to ‘he’?”

4. Independent Activity (15 minutes)

• Pupils complete a worksheet with two sections:
  1. Convert five sentences from direct to reported speech.
  2. Convert five sentences from reported to direct speech, adding inverted commas accurately.
• Encourage neat presentation and careful punctuation.

5. Creative Application and Plenary (10 minutes)

• Pupils choose a sentence from The Whale and write it as a speech bubble (direct speech) on a template.
• Below it, write the reported speech version.
• Invite 3-4 pupils to share their speech bubbles and reported speech sentences aloud.
• Recap the key points: the use of inverted commas, verb tense and pronoun changes.
• Use a quick quiz question for each pupil: “Is this direct or reported speech?” (Use examples on the board.)

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Assessment

• Formative through questioning, observation during paired and independent work.
• Evaluate accuracy of speech conversion on worksheets.
• Listen to oral explanations during plenary to assess understanding.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide a word bank of pronouns and verbs to help with reported speech tense changes.
• Challenge: Ask higher-ability pupils to write additional complex sentences using both direct and reported speech, explaining their choice.
• Offer sentence starters for formal reported speech (“He explained that…”).

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SEND Considerations

• Use clear, large print worksheets and visual aids (speech bubbles).
• Provide sentence strips for those needing scaffolded support.
• Pair pupils strategically for peer support.

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Reflection and Teacher Notes

• Consider using real student dialogue samples in later lessons to personalise learning.
• Incorporate technology (speech-to-text) if available for pupils with writing difficulties.
• Aim to encourage creative imagination by linking back to the story’s narrative context consistently.

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This lesson offers a structured yet lively approach, using a compelling narrative text The Whale to root grammar learning in meaningful context, thus supporting mastery of direct and reported speech for Year 4.