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Reported speech - indirect speech with free online exercises, Reported speech - indirect speech examples and sentences. Online exercises Reported speech - indirect speech, questions and negative sentences.
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Gain a deep understanding of 100+ examples of direct and indirect speech, along with detailed, step-by-step guides on converting between the two. Enhance the skill of maintaining correct tense, pronoun, and modal usage when transforming direct and indirect speech. Explore comprehensive examples to support your learning journey.
When a speech is quoted with exact words used by the speaker is called Direct speech or narration .
Direct Speech: Ravi says, “I am tired.”
The speech which is quoted above in actual words (“ I am tired” is called the Reported Speech and the verb (“ says “) that introduces speech is called the Reporting Verb. The above speech is called Direct Speech .
On the other hand, when the speech is reported in the form of a narrative, without quoting the speaker’s actual words , it is called Indirect speech or narration.
Indirect Speech: Ravi says that he is tired.
The above speech is reported in the form of a narrative , without quoting the speaker’s actual words , but keeping the meaning the same. So, it is Indirect Speech
Punctuating direct and indirect speech correctly is essential for clarity and grammatical correctness in writing. Let me provide examples of both with explanations:
Direct speech involves conveying the exact words spoken by a person. When punctuating direct speech, you enclose the spoken words within quotation marks and separate them from the rest of the sentence using commas, question marks, or exclamation marks as appropriate.
Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, involves reporting what someone said without quoting their exact words. When punctuating indirect speech, you do not use quotation marks. Instead, you change the verb tense and possibly pronouns to reflect the shift from direct to indirect speech.
In both direct and indirect speech, proper punctuation and verb tense agreement are crucial for accurately conveying the speaker’s words and maintaining grammatical correctness within the sentence.
In English grammar, examples of all tenses can be found in both direct and indirect speech, illustrating how verbs and structures change to reflect the shift in time.
Direct: “I love chocolate,” she says . Indirect: She says that she lo ves chocolate.
Direct: “I am watching TV,” he says. Indirect: He says that he is watching TV.
Direct: “I have finished my homework,” she says. Indirect: She says that she has finished her homework.
Direct: “I have been studying for hours,” he says. Indirect: He says that he has been studying for hours.
Direct: “I played cricket,” he says . Indirect: He says that he played cricket.
Direct: “I shall visit New York,” he says . Indirect: He says that he will visit New York.
Direct: He says, “You will make a good result.” Indirect: He says that I shall make a good result.
Direct: They say, “We won the match.” Indirect: They say that they won the match.
Direct: “I visited Paris last summer,” she said. Indirect: She said that she had visited Paris last summer.
Direct: “I was reading a book when you called,” he said. Indirect: He said that he had been reading a book when I called.
Direct: “I had already eaten dinner when she arrived,” she said. Indirect: She said that she had already eaten dinner when I arrived.
Direct: “I had been working on this project for months,” he said. Indirect: He said that he had been working on that project for months.
Direct: She said to me, “I am writing a letter now.” Indirect: She told me that she was writing a letter then.:
Direct: He said to me, “I shall not do it.” Indirect: He told me that he would not do it.
Direct: They said to us, “You make a mistake.” Indirect: They told us that we made a mistake
Direct: The doctor said to me, “You have brought the patient in time.” Indirect: The doctor told me that I had brought the patient in time.
Direct: Mother said , “I took tea.” Indirect: Mother said that she had taken tea.
Direct: My friend said to me, “you were doing a good job.” Indirect: My friend told me that I had been doing a good job.
Direct: The man said to me, “I had not seen you before.” Indirect: The man told me that he had not seen me before.
Direct: “I will call you tomorrow,” she will say. Indirect: She will say that she will call me tomorrow.
Direct: “I will be traveling to Europe next month,” he will say. Indirect: He will say that he will be traveling to Europe next month.
Direct: “I will have finished the project by Friday,” she will say. Indirect: She will say that she will have finished the project by Friday.
Direct: “I will have been studying for five hours by then,” he will say. Indirect: He will say that he will have been studying for five hours by then.
Direct: He will say , “I shall be there within an hour.” Indirect: He will say that he will be there for an hour.
Direct: Mother will say , “I made the fish curry.” Indirect: Mother will say that She made the fish curry.
Direct: Sarah said, “I am going to the store.” Indirect: Sarah said that she was going to the store.
Direct: “The meeting starts at 9 AM,” announced the manager. Indirect: The manager announced that the meeting started at 9 AM.
Direct: Tom asked, “Did you finish your homework?” Indirect: Tom asked if I had finished my homework.
Direct: “I love watching movies,” she exclaimed. Indirect: She exclaimed that she loved watching movies.
Direct: “Don’t touch that!” shouted Mark. Indirect: Mark shouted not to touch that.
Direct: He said, “You are intelligent.” Indirect: He said that I was intelligent.
Direct: You will say, “I am right.” Indirect: You will say that you are right.
Direct: Rita said, “She is my favourite player.” Indirect: Rita said that she was her favourite player.
Direct: I said to you, ‘I wish to start a business next year.’ Indirect: I told you that I wished to start a business in the following years.
Direct: Mother said to her, “Are you feeling feverish?” Indirect: Mother inquired of her if she was feeling feverish.
Direct: She said to him, ‘Which of the books do you want to buy?’ Indirect: She asked him which of the books he wanted to buy.
Direct: The teacher said, “Boys, go to your classes.” Indirect: The teacher ordered the boys to go to their classes.
Direct: Mother said, ‘May you be happy.’ Indirect: Mother wished that I might be happy.
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Direct and Indirect Speech with Examples | |
Direct: He said to me, “You may go. ” Indirect: He told me that I might go.
Direct: “I can swim,” she said . (can) Indirect: She said that she could swim. (can)
Direct: “You will attend the meeting tomorrow,” he said to me. Indirect: He told me that I would attend the meeting the next day.
Direct: You will attend the meeting tomorrow,” I said to him. Indirect: I told him that he would attend the meeting the next day.
Direct: “You should study harder,” he advised . (should) Indirect: He advised that I should study harder. (should)
Direct: “ May I borrow your pen?” she asked . (may) Indirect: She asked if she might borrow my pen. (may)
Direct: “We must finish this project by Friday,” he insisted. (must) Indirect: He insisted that we must finish the project by Friday. (must)
Direct: “You might want to consider that option,” she suggested. (might) Indirect : She suggested that I might want to consider that option. (might)
Direct: “I will help you with your homework,” she promised. (will) Indirect: She promised that she would help me with my homework. (will)
Direct: “You ought to apologize for your mistake,” he scolded. (ought to) Indirect: He scolded that I ought to apologize for my mistake. (ought to)
Direct: “ Can you lend me some money?” she requested. (can) Indirect: She requested if I could lend her some money. (can)
Direct: “You need to finish your chores before you go out,” he reminded. (need to) Indirect: He reminded me that I needed to finish my chores before going out. (need to)
Direct: “You are allowed to leave early today,” she informed. (are allowed to) Indirect: She informed that we were allowed to leave early that day. (are allowed to)
Direct: He said to me, “ I am ill.” Indirect: He told me that he was ill.
Direct: They will say to you, “ We have made it.” Indirect: They will tell you that they have made it.
Direct: You said to him, “ You are not like me.” Indirect: You told him that he was not like you.
Direct: He said to me, “ My name is John.” Indirect: He tells me that his name is John.
Direct: They said to me, “ This is our playground.” Indirect: They told me that that was their playground.
Direct: He says to me, “Elders give us blessings.” Indirect: He tells me that elders give them blessings.
Direct: He said to me, “ You are not smart .” Indirect: He told me that I was not smart.
Direct: She said to him, “ I am not your friend.” Indirect: She told him that she was not his friend.
Direct: He said to us, “ I shall give you money.” Indirect: He told us that he would give us money.
Direct: You said, “ He is right.” Indirect: You said that he was right.
Direct: I said, “ They will be late.” Indirect: I said that they would be late.
Direct: He said to me, “ This is my house.” Indirect: He told me that that was his house.
Direct: She said to him, “ These are golden flowers.” Indirect: She told him that those were golden flowers.
Direct: He said, “I have done it today .” Indirect: He said that he had done it that day.
Direct: She said to him, “I bought the book yesterday .” Indirect: She said that she had the book the previous day.
Direct: They said, ‘We will play now. ‘ Indirect: They said that they would play then .
Direct: You said, ‘ Here lives a lion.’ Indirect: You said that there lived a lion.
Direct: She always says, ‘I like these flowers.’ Indirect: She always says that she likes those flowers.
Direct: He said, ‘I will come here tomorrow. ‘ Indirect: He said that he would go there the next day .
Direct: I said, ‘You will get it today or tomorrow.’ Indirect: I said that you would get it that day or the next day.
Direct: He said to me, ‘ Come here .’ Indirect: He told me to go there.
Direct: He said, ‘I shall go there the day after tomorrow .’ Indirect: He said that he would go there in two day’s time.
Direct: He said to me, ‘I saw your sister two years ago. ‘ Indirect: He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.
Direct: He said to me, “I have no friend here .” Indirect: He told me that he had no friends here.
Direct: I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world. Indirect: I said that we could not be happy in this world.
Direct: Peter says, “My mother teaches me English.” Indirect: Peter says that his (Peter’s) mother teaches him English.
Direct: Shyam will say, “I have done this work. Indirect: Shyam will say that he has done that work.
Direct: Bappa said to him, “I am ten years old.” Indirect: Bappa told him that he was ten years old.
Direct: Laltu said, “I am watching television now. Indirect: Laltu said that he was watching television then.
Direct: He said to me, “My mother is now sleeping.’ Indirect: He told me that his mother was sleeping then.
Direct: I said, “The teacher has taken me to the task. Indirect: I said that the teacher had taken me to the task.
Direct: Mother said to me, “I have taken the medicine twice today.” Indirect: Mother told me that she had taken the medicine twice that day.
Direct: My sister said to me, “The bird flew away. Indirect: My sister told me that the bird had flown away.
Direct: Namrata said, “They came here yesterday.’ Indirect: Namrata said that they had come there the previous day.
Direct: Jamuna said, “Lalan was listening to my words. Indirect: Jamuna said that Lalan had been listening to her words.
Direct: He said, “I shall take rice.” Indirect: He said that he would take rice.
Direct: They said, “We shall leave for Goa tomorrow.” Indirect: They said that they would leave for Goa the next day.
Direct: Ashisbabu said, “Now we shall start the ceremony.’ Indirect: Ashisbabu said that they should start the ceremony then.
Direct: The teacher said to us, “Oil floats on water.” Indirect: The teacher told us that oil floats on water
Direct: Lopa said, “God is almighty.” Indirect: Lopa said that God is almighty.
Direct: Father said, “God is good.” Indirect: Father said that God is good.
Direct: Keats said, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” Indirect: Keats said that beauty is truth, truth beauty.
Direct: The teacher said, “The earth moves round the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.
Direct: My grandfather said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Indirect: My grandfather said that honesty is the best policy.
Direct: Father said, “The sun rises in the east.” Indirect: Father said that the sun rises in the east.
Direct: Saurav said, “My grandfather recites the Geeta every morning.” Indirect: Saurav said that his grandfather recites the Geeta every morning.
Direct: Arindam’s uncle said, “I walk for half an hour every afternoon.” Indirect: Arindam’s uncle said that he walks for half an hour every afternoon.
Direct: He said, “Man is mortal.” Indirect: He said that man is mortal.
Direct: The old man said, “God is merciful.” Indirect: The old man said that God is merciful.
Direct: The teacher said, “Ashoka was a great emperor.” Indirect: The teacher said that Ashoka was a great emperor.
Direct: The student answered, “Lord Buddha died in his eightieth year.” Indirect: The student answered that Lord Buddha died in his eightieth year.
Direct: He said, “Babar was the first emperor of the Mughal empire.” Indirect: He said that Babar was the first emperor of the Mughal Empire.
Direct: The boy said to me. “Is the mango sweet?” Indirect: The boy asked me whether(or, if) the mango was sweet.
Direct: Tanmay said to me, “Are you ill?” Indirect: Tanmay asked me whether (or, if) I was ill.
Direct: I said to him, “Do you know him?” Indirect: I asked him whether he knew him.
Direct: Rabin said to me, “Is there any problem?” Indirect: Rabin enquired of me if there was any problem.
Direct: I said to my brother, “Are you going to school?” Indirect: I asked my brother whether he was going to school.
Direct: The teacher said to the student. Did you come to school yesterday?” Indirect: The teacher enquired of the student whether he (the student) had come to school the day before.
Direct: I said to Binay, “Did you see Palash?” Indirect: I asked Binay whether he (Binay) had seen Palash.
Direct: His mother angrily said to him, “Do you know better than your elder brother?” Indirect: His mother asked him angrily whether he supposed that he knew better than his elder brother.
Direct: The judge said to the accused, “Have you anything to say in justification of your action?” Indirect: The judge wanted to know from the accused if he had anything to say in justification of his action.
Direct: Sadhan said to Nabin, “Have you read the letter?” Indirect: Sadhan asked Nabin if he had read the letter.
Direct: Santosh said to Seema, “Can you lend me a pen?” Indirect: Santosh asked Seema if she could lend him (Santosh) a pen.
Direct: The trainer said to Tarun, “Can you swim?” Indirect: The trainer asked Tarun whether he (Tarun) could swim.
Direct: The poet said, “Real happiness is only a dream.” Indirect: The poet said that real happiness is only a dream.
Direct: He said to me, “What are you doing?” Indirect: He asked me what I was doing.
Direct: I said to him, “What is your name?” Indirect: I asked him what his name was.
Direct: The passerby said to me, “What is the time now by your watch?” Indirect: The passerby asked me what time it was then by my watch.
Direct: I said to Basu, “Where do you live?” Indirect: I asked Basu where he (Basu) lived.
Direct: Dinu said to Manu, “Where are you going?” Indirect: Dinu asked Manu where he (Manu) was going.
Direct: I said to Gopal, “Where is your pencil box?” Indirect: I enquired of Gopal where his (Gopal’s) pencil box was.
Direct: The passenger asked, “When will the train start?” Indirect: The passenger asked (or, wanted to know) when the train would start.
Direct: Ratan said to me, “How are you?” Indirect: Ratan wanted to know from me how I was.
Direct: Suman said to me, “How did you know this? Indirect: Suman enquired (asked) me how I had known that.
Direct: I said to the policeman, “Why did you strike the boy?” Indirect: I wanted to know from the policeman why he had struck the boy.
Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Sit down.” Indirect: The teacher told the students to sit down.
Direct: The commander-in-chief said to the soldiers, “March forward.” Indirect: The commander-in-chief ordered the soldiers to march forward.
Direct: The master said to his servant, Polish my shoes,” Indirect: The master ordered his servant to polish his master’s shoes.
Direct: Ratanbabu said to the man, “Leave the house at once,” Indirect: Ratanbaby ordered the man to leave the house at once.
Direct: The teacher said to his pupils, “Go out.” Indirect: The teacher told his pupils to go out.
Direct: Mother said to me, “Go to school at once.” Indirect: Mother ordered/urged me to go to school that very moment.
Direct: He said to Sujay. “Let’s have a cup of tea. Indirect: He invited Sujay to have a cup of tea with him.
Direct: Sunillbabe said to Sistab. Please lend me some money.” Indirect: Sunilbabe requested Sisibaba to lend him (Sababu) some money.
Direct: Father said, “Go on, apply for the job.” Indirect: Father advised/encouraged me to apply for the job.
Direct: The teacher said to the boy, “Don’t spit on the floor. Indirect: The teacher forbade the boy to spit on the floor.
Direct: I said to my brother, “Do not run in the sun.” Indirect: I advised my brother not to run in the sun. Or I forbade my brother to run in the sun.
Direct: The teacher said to me, “Do not waste time.” Indirect: The teacher advised me not to waste time.
Direct: He said to his sons, “Do not quarrel among yourselves.” Indirect: He advised his sons not to quarrel among themselves.
Direct: Mukti said, “Let’s go for a walk.” Indirect: Mukti suggested that they should go for a walk.
Direct: The inspector said to the constable, “Let the man go.” Indirect: The inspector ordered the constable to let the man go.
Direct: Rama said, “Let’s arrange a musical party.” Indirect: Rama suggested that they should arrange a musical party.
Direct: The clergyman said, “The nations of the world should forget their differences and work together for peace.” Indirect: The clergyman suggested that the nations of the world should forget their differences and work together for peace.
Direct: Ramen said, “I must not delay any longer.” Indirect: Ramen said that he ought not to delay any longer.
Direct: He said, “I must return before 5 in the evening.” Indirect: He said that he must (or, would have to) return before 5 in the evening.
Direct: Rima said to me, “You ought to be careful when driving.” Indirect: Nima advised me to be careful when driving.
Direct: My father said, “You ought not to trust a man who is a habitual liar.” Indirect: My father warned me against trusting a man who was a habitual liar
Direct: Father said, “You should not be late in reaching school.” Indirect: Father advised me not to be late in reaching school. Or, Father said that I should not be late in reaching school.
Direct: Somen said, “It might rain tonight.” Indirect: Somen said that it might rain that night, Or Somen said that there was the possibility of rainfall that night,
Direct: He said, “May God bless you.’ Indirect: He prayed that God might bless him (or, me).
Direct: The priest said to the accused, “May God pardon your sins.” Indirect: The priest prayed to God that He might pardon his sins (or, the sins of the accused).
Direct: We said, “May Mother Teresa’s soul rest in peace.” Indirect: We prayed that Mother Teresa’s soul might rest in peace.
Direct: The retiring teacher said to his pupils, “I bid all of you goodbye.” Indirect: The retiring teacher bade goodbye (or, farewell) to all his pupils.
Direct: They said, “Long live Netaji.” Indirect: They prayed for Netaji’s long life.
Direct: My grandfather said to me, “May you be happy.” Indirect: My grandfather blessed me wishing that I might be happy. Or. My grandfather blessed me by wishing me a happy life. Or, My grandfather wished that I might be happy.
Direct: His father said to him, “May you prosper.” Indirect: His father wished him prosperity. Or. His father wished that he might prosper.
Direct: Ajay said to his brother, “Welcome home.” Indirect: Ajay bade his brother welcome.
Direct: Rahul said to his playmates, “Good morning, I hope you are quite well.” Indirect: Rahul wished his playmates a good morning and expressed his hope that they were quite well.
Direct: The students said, “Hurrah! Our school won the match.” Indirect: The students shouted with delight (exclaimed with joy) that their school had won the match.
Direct: He said, “Alas! I am ruined.” Indirect: He lamented that he was ruined.
Direct: He said, “What a fool I am !” Indirect: He reproached (feata lucuíba) himself for being such a big fool.
Direct: The audience said to the actor, “How wonderful is your acting !” Indirect: The audience expressed to the actor their appreciation of his fine acting.
Direct: Returning from the place of the accident, he said, “What a ghastly sight it was!” Indirect: Returning from the place of the accident he expressed his disgust at the ghastliness of the sight.
Direct: Looking at the Tajmahal the tourist said, “What an exquisitely beautiful creation !” Indirect: Looking at the Tajmahal the tourist exclaimed in wonder that it was indeed an extremely beautiful creation.
Direct: The youth said, “Alas! I am undone by the death of my father.” Indirect: The youth lamented that he was undone by his father’s death.
Direct: The coach of the team said to his players, “Bravo! You have played extremely well.” Indirect: The coach of the team cheered the players and said that they had played extremely well indeed.
Direct: Nabinbabu said to Sajal, “What a pity you could not succeed in spite of such great efforts !” Indirect: Nabinbabu expressed his sympathy for Sajal for not being successful in spite of his great efforts.
Direct: Sanu said to Sushama over the telephone, “I have got the tickets. Meet me at the station at 6.30 p.m.” Indirect: Sanu informed Sushama over the telephone that he had got the tickets and suggested that she meet him at the station at 6.30 p.m.
Direct: The supervisor of the examination said to the candidates, “Do not forget to put your names at the top of the page. Write down also the roll and the number.” Indirect: The supervisor of the examination advised the candidates not to forget to put their names at the top of the page and also reminded them to write down their roll and number therein.
Direct: Surabhi said to Mohan, “Let’s buy some flour. We will prepare bread at home.’ Indirect: Surabhi suggested to Mohan that they buy some flour and make bread themselves at home.
Direct: My assistant said to me, “You look tired. Why don’t you take a rest for a couple of days?” Indirect: My assistant told me that I looked tired, and suggested that I should take a rest for a couple of days.
Direct: My friend said to me, “Why don’t you open a bank account? I have opened one.” Indirect: My friend advised me to open a bank account and he also informed me that he had opened one.
Q: What are the 10 examples of direct and indirect speech?
Ans: When a sentence is quoted with the exact words used by the speaker, it is called a sentence in Direct Speech.
When the sentence is spoken or written in the form of a narrative without quoting the speaker’s actual words but keeping the meaning the same, it is called a sentence in Indirect Speech .
(1) I said to him that I had once seen him before. Ans: I said to him, “ I once saw you ago.”
(2) She said that she had a dream that night. Ans : She said, “I have a dream tonight.”
(3) The boy said. “We were playing.” Ans: The boy said that they had been playing.
(4) He told me that I should obey my parents. Ans: He said to me, “You will obey your parents.”
(5) Amal said to Bimal, “I gave you, my pen.” Ans: Amal told Bimal that he had given him his pen.
Q: What is the example of direct and indirect speech Class 9?
Ans: Direct: You say, ‘I am always busy.’ Indirect: You say that you are always busy.
Direct: The child will say, ‘Mum knows everything.’ Indirect: The child will say that Mum knows everything.
Direct: He said, ‘I need some money.’ Indirect: He said that he needed some money,
Direct: She said, ‘I am waiting for him.’ Indirect: She said that she was waiting for him.
Q: What are the 5 rules of indirect speech?
Ans: The five rules of indirect speech consist of Assertive sentences, Interrogative Sentences, Imperative Sentences, Optative Sentences, and Exclamatory sentences.
We learned about direct and indirect of past perfect tense . In this lesson, I am going to elaborate direct and indirect of past perfect progressive tense. You will learn how to convey a message from past perfect progressive tense . Structures for affirmative, negative, negative interrogative and interrogative sentences.
For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules
Tense Change: As a rule, when we convey a message we go one tense back, but remember we have to use the same tense both in quoted and reported speech when we convey a message from past perfect progressive tense.
Affirmatives
Interrogatives
Negative interrogatives
WH/Information questions
Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers
If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.
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24 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Tenses
Tense | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
Present Simple | I ice cream. | He said that he ice cream. |
Present Continuous | I in Paris. | He said that he in Paris. |
Past Simple | I a car. | He said he a car. |
Past Continuous | I along the Street. | He said he along the Street. |
Present Perfect | I Mary. | He said he Mary. |
Past Perfect | I Spanish lessons before. | He said he Spanish lessons before. |
Will | I’II you later. | He said he me later. |
Would | I help, but… | He said he but… |
Can | I speak perfect Spanish. | He said he perfect Spanish. |
Could | I swim when I was four. | He said he when he was four. |
Should | I call my mother | He said he her mother. |
Might | I be late. | He said he late. |
About the author.
Direct and indirect speech is used in many situations while conversation. In this article, we will learn the rules of direct and indirect speech.
Table of Contents
Direct and Indirect Speech : Direct speech is a method of reporting what someone has said in their own words. It is frequently surrounded by quotation marks. Indirect speaking is a method of relaying what someone has said without using their precise words. It is frequently preceded by a verb like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”
Direct and Indirect Speech: For some children, the difference between direct and indirect speech can be difficult. In order to explain an event or action, we frequently need to quote someone. This article will clear all your doubts regarding Direct and Indirect Speech. Direct and Indirect Speech are the two types of speech that are used to explain what other people say (or reported Speech).
The exact same words are quoted using direct speech. When writing in direct speech, we enclose the said words in quotation marks (“”) and leave them alone. We might be writing in inverted commas what is being said (for instance, during a phone call) or subsequently enquiring about a past conversation.
For examples:
We use indirect speech when we don’t use the exact copy of the speaker’s words. In simple words, we can say that in indirect speech we convey what someone has said but in our own words. No inverted commas will be used in indirect speech. Instead of commas ‘that’ conjunction will be used.
Rules that must be followed while using direct and indirect speech are given below. Follow and practice these rules to change direct speech into indirect speech. Before learning the rules you need to know these two parts of Direct and Indirect Speech.
Reporting Verb: Direct speech has two parts, the first part of the sentence is known as reporting verb as it tells about the person who is speaking (Rohan said, He says, etc.).
For Examples:
In the above two sentences, the first part is reporting verbs. In the first sentence, ‘He says’ is reporting verb and in the second sentence, ‘The teacher says’ is reporting verb.
Reported Speech : The second part of the sentence or the words which is actually said by the speaker is known as reported speech.
In the above two sentences, the second part is reported speech which is enclosed in inverted commas. In the first sentence, ‘I have done my work’ is reported speech and in the second sentence, ‘The Earth is round’ is reported speech.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 1. Remove inverted commas and use ‘that’: While changing direct speech into indirect speech, remove inverted commas and use that instead of commas.
Direct to Indirect speech Example:
As in the above sentence inverted commas are removed in indirect speech and the conjunction ‘that’ is also used.
Note:- In indirect speech, tense does not change:
In the above sentence, reporting verb is in the present tense so it will not change into the past and reported speech is also a universal truth that can not be changed.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 2. Change in tense: When the reporting verb is in the past tense then reported speech will be changed into past tense in indirect speech.
As, in the above sentence reporting verb is in the past tense so we have converted reported speech into past tense in indirect speech i.e, will-would.
Read the following table to learn the conversion of tenses
Simple Present | Simple Past |
Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
Present Perfect Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
Simple Past | Past Perfect |
Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
Will | Would |
May | Might |
Can | Could |
Shall | Should |
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 3. Change in Pronoun: The pronoun or subject of the reported speech is changed according to the subject or the pronoun of the reporting verb (first part) of the sentence. The possessive pronouns (his, hers, mine) are also changed sometimes according to the personal or object pronoun.
Direct to Indirect speech Example
In the above example ‘I’ is changed into ‘he’ according to the reporting verb (first part) and the tense is also changed because reporting verb (first part) is in the past tense.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 4. Change in Time: If the word related to time is given in the sentence then it will be changed in indirect speech. Some rules must be followed while doing this and those are given in the following table.
Today | That day |
Tomorrow | Next day or the following day |
Yesterday | Previous day |
Now | Then |
Tonight | That night |
Yesterday night | Previous night |
Tomorrow night | Following night |
Here | There |
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 5. Interrogative sentences: No conjunction is used, if a sentence in direct speech starts with a question word (what/where/when) as the “question-word” itself acts as conjunction.
Note: While changing the interrogative sentence into indirect speech remove the question mark ‘?’.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 6. Yes/No Interrogative sentences: If a direct speech sentence starts with an auxiliary verb/helping verb, the joining clause will be changed into if or whether.
Note: While changing the interrogative sentence reporting verbs (verbs used in the first part) such as ‘said/ said to’ changes to enquired, asked, or demanded.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 7. Request, Command, Wished, Enquired: Some verbs, such as requested, ordered, urged, and advised, are used in indirect speech. For the negative statements, the word forbidden is used. As a result, in indirect communication, the imperative mood that is present in direct speech is replaced by the infinitive word.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rule 8. Exclamatory Sentence: Interjections words are removed from exclamatory sentences that express (grief, sorrow, delight, or applaud) and the sentence is transformed into an assertive sentence.
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Que. what are direct and indirect speech with examples.
Ans. Direct Speech and Indirect Speech are the two types of speech that are used to explain what other people say (or reported Speech).
Ans. The common three rules of direct and indirect speech are: a) Remove inverted commas and use ‘that’. b) Change in tense. c) Change in Pronoun.
Ans. Read and learn all the rules while changing direct speech into indirect speech and practice it on daily basis.
Ans. The four types of reported speech can be Assertive/Declarative, Imperative, Interrogative, and Exclamatory .
Ans. The two parts of direct speech are reporting verb and reported speech.
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Ans. The common three rules of direct and indirect speech are: a) Remove inverted commas and use 'that'. b) Change in tense. c) Change in Pronoun.
Ans. The four types of reported speech can be Assertive/Declarative, Imperative, Interrogative, and Exclamatory.
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Tense Change:As a rule, whenever we change a sentence from quoted speech into reported speech, we go one tense back. But if we have past perfect tense in direct speech, we use the same tense in indirect speech. Direct speech: RP, +, + S + had + V3 + ROTS I said to him, "They had played cricket.". Indirect speech: RP + that + S + had + V3 ...
Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Past Continuous Tense. If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Past Continuous Tense to Past Perfect Continuous Tense. Direct Speech. Indirect Speech. The government said, "We were planning a new bill.". The government said that they had been planning a new bill.
Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech. Example: She said, "I have passed the test" becomes She said that she had passed the test. Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change ...
Watch my reported speech video: Here's how it works: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence: Direct speech: I like ice cream. Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.
Here are the steps on how to do so: 1. Eliminate the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. The quotation marks are the primary indication of a direct speech. Therefore, it is crucial to take them out if you are forming an indirect one. 2. Retain the tense of the reporting verb and add the word "that" after it.
Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.
For example: Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken. Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken. Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form. Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting.
Reported speech tenses will change from that of the direct speech in most cases. This is known as backshifting in reported speech, with the basic rule that a tense is shifted back to its past tense form. This is because we are usually talking about something in the past. You can also watch a video of this lesson:
Reported speech: She says she likes dogs. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, you need to change the tense of both the reporting verb and the main verb. Example: Direct speech: I like dogs. Reported speech: She said she liked dogs. The tenses generally move backward as follows: Direct Speech. Reported Speech.
If you notice these examples carefully, you can see that the tense changes when converting from direct to indirect speech. To illustrate this point, in the following example, direct speech is in the present simple tense, while indirect speech is written in the simple past tense. Direct Speech: "I live in the city centre." Indirect Speech ...
Last updated at April 16, 2024 by Teachoo. In this case,there is no change. In this case,Past Perfect of Direct Speech remains Past Perfect of Indirect Speech. The teenager said"I had pizza for lunch". View Answer View Answer. The rich man said"I had 2 private jets.
Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense. Direct: She said, "They were coming to meet me." Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her. Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same. Direct: He said, "They had come to meet me." Indirect: He said that they had come to ...
Indirect: He inquired how I was. 9. Direct: "I will help you," she promised. Indirect: She promised that she would help me. 10. Direct: "I didn't see him yesterday," Tom confessed. Indirect: Tom confessed that he hadn't seen him the day before. 11. Direct: "I am going to the market," Alex said.
Now consider the different grammatical aspects of both. Reporting Speech: The first part of the direct speech is called reporting speech (she says). Reported Speech: The second part of the sentence, which is enclosed in inverted commas or quotation marks, is called reported speech (I am a little bit nervous). Reporting Verb: The verb of the reporting speech is called the reporting verb (says).
The following rules are used to change an optative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech. (a) Reporting verbs changed to ' wish ', ' pray', and ' bless ' in Indirect Speech. (b) Linker, ' that ' is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration. Example: Direct: The monk said to me, " May God bless you.".
Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I am tired." ——> She said that she was tired. The changes are shown below: She said that she always drankcoffee. "I am reading a book", he explained. "Bill arrived on Saturday", he said. "I have been to Spain", he ...
All direct and indirect speech exercises free and with help function, teaching materials and grammar rules. ... pronouns may be different from those in the direct speech sentence. The Past Perfect Tense does not change in the Reported Speech. Direct speech: Reported speech: ... Reported speech - indirect speech examples and sentences. Online ...
The speech which is quoted above in actual words ("I am tired" is called the Reported Speech and the verb ("says") that introduces speech is called the Reporting Verb.The above speech is called Direct Speech.. Indirect Speech Examples. On the other hand, when the speech is reported in the form of a narrative, without quoting the speaker's actual words, it is called Indirect speech or ...
Direct and Indirect of Past Perfect Progressive Tense Change: As a rule, when we convey a message we go one tense back, but remember we have to use the same tense both in quoted and reported speech when we convey a message from past perfect progressive tense. Affirmatives. Direct speech: RP +, + S + had been + V1ing + ROTS He said, "We had ...
Indirect speech: He said that Sara was going to school. (Tense changed) Rules for change of tense and examples are as follows: Present simple tense into Past simple tense. Present continuous tense into Past continuous tense. Present perfect tense into Past perfect tense. Present perfect continuous tense into Past perfect continuous tense.
Tense: Direct Speech: Indirect Speech: Present Simple: I like ice cream. He said that he liked ice cream. Present Continuous: I am living in Paris. He said that he was living in Paris. Past Simple: I bought a car. He said he bought a car. Past Continuous: I was walking along the Street. He said he had been walking along the Street. Present Perfect
Direct to Indirect speech Example. He said, "I eat an apple." (Direct Speech) He said that he ate an apple. (Indirect Speech) In the above example 'I' is changed into 'he' according to the reporting verb (first part) and the tense is also changed because reporting verb (first part) is in the past tense. Direct and Indirect Speech ...