Direct and
Indirect
speech
There are two ways of which words spoken by a person can be
reported to the other person.
• Direct speech
• Indirect speech(reported speech)
Direct speech
Direct speech means we quote the actual words spoken by the speaker.
For example.
Khushi said, “ I am busy now.”
Meena said to Nitin, “ I ate brownies.”
Indirect speech
Indirect speech means that we don’t quote the actual words
spoken by someone but we convey the message in our own words.
For example
Khushi said that she was busy then.
Meena told Nitin that she had eaten brownies.
The changes made in the above indirect speech
Khushi said, “ I am busy now.”
Khushi said that she was busy then.
No inverted commas in the indirect speech.
Use of conjunction ‘that’ before the statement.
Changes of pronoun from ‘I’ to ‘she’.
The verb ‘am’ changes to ‘was’( tense changes).
The adverb ‘now’ changes to ‘then.
• If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, no
change in the tense.
Example.
She says,” I have done my duty.”
She says that she has done her duty.
Mohan will say, “ I can’t come.”
Mohan will say that he can’t come.
• If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense too
changes.
Neha said, “ I have a new dress.”
Neha said that she had a new dress.
In certain sentences, the tense in the reported speech is
not changed, even if the reporting verb is in past tense.
• Accepted fact
• Universal truth
• Habitual action
He said, “Slow and steady wins the race” (An accepted fact)
She said, “Sun sets in the west” ( A universal truth)
He said, “After dinner I walk 3 km daily” (A habitual action)
Mark said, “Honesty is the best policy”
Mark said that honesty is best policy.
Mark said, ”I wake up at 8 am everyday”
Mark said that he wakes up at 8 am everyday.
Direct speech Indirect Speech
She said,” I bake a cake.” She said that she baked a cake.
Simple present tense Simple past tense
She said,” I am baking a cake.” She said that she was baking a
cake.
Present continuous tense Past continuous tense
She said,” I have baked a cake.” She said that she had baked a
cake.
Present perfect tense Past perfect tense
She said,” I have been baking a She said that she had been baking
cake.” a cake.
Present perfect continuous tense Past perfect continuous tense
Direct speech Indirect Speech
She said,” I baked a cake.” She said that she had baked a cake.
Simple past tense past perfect tense
She said,” I was baking a cake.” She said that she had been baking a
cake.
Past continuous tense Past perfect continuous tense
She said,” I had baked a cake.” She said that she had baked a cake.
Past perfect tense no change Past perfect tense
She said,” I had been baking a cake.” She said that she had been baking a
cake.
Past perfect continuous tense no change Past perfect continuous tense
Direct speech Indirect Speech
She said,” I will bake a cake.” She said that she would bake a
Time reference cake.
will would
shall Should
can Could
may might
Change in expression of Time and Place
Direct speech indirect speech
Rules regarding change of pronouns
S O N S- Subject
O- Object
N- No change
1 2 3
I – 1st person
2- 2nd person
3 – 3rd person
• The first person in the reported speech changes according to the
subject of the reporting verb
Rajni said,” I am baking a cake for my daughter.”
Rajni said that she was baking a cake for her daughter.
• The second person in the reported speech changes according to the
object of the reporting verb.
She said to her father, “You are late for the meeting.”
She told her father that he was late for the meeting.
Ritu said, “ You can sing well.”
Ritu told (him) that he could sing well.
• The third person in the reported speech, does not change.
He said, “ She wrote the report in detail.”
He said that she had written the report in detail.
Imperative Sentences
An imperative sentence expresses ideas such as advice, order,
request, suggestion, instruction, permission etc.
In order to change an imperative sentence into the indirect speech,
we use a to-infinitive.
Note that instead of ‘said’ we use one of the following reporting
verbs:
Advise, command, request, suggest, threaten, order, forbid, propose,
counsel, pardon, beg, persuade, instruct etc.
Imperative Sentences
Direct: The old woman said to the boy, “Please help me.”
Indirect: The old woman requested the boy to help her.
Direct: I said to him, “Love and obey your parents.”
Indirect: I advised him to love and obey his parents. OR I advised that
he should love and obey his parents.
Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Work hard.”
Indirect: The teacher advised the boys to work hard. OR The
teacher suggested that the boys should work hard.
Exclamatory sentences
Exclamatory sentences express a sudden outburst of some emotions such as joy,
sorrow, contempt, regret, surprise etc. Common explanatory phrases are given below:
Hurrah! Ha! (Express joy)
Alas! Oh! (Express sorrow, regret, or loss)
Bravo! (Express Applause)
What! Oh! How! (Express surprise)
In indirect speech, the exclamatory phrase or word is replaced by ‘exclaimed with
joy, sorrow, regret, surprise, contempt etc.’
The connective ’that’ has to be supplied in the indirect speech.
The exclamatory mark is removed in the indirect speech.
Exclamatory sentences
Direct: The boy said, ‘Hurrah! We have won the match.’
Indirect: The boy exclaimed with joy that they had won
the match.
Direct: The old man said, ‘Alas! I have lost my purse.’
Indirect: The old man exclaimed with sorrow that he
had lost his purse.
Direct: The child said, ‘What a beautiful sight!’
Indirect: The child exclaimed with delight that it was a
very beautiful sight. OR The child exclaimed with delight
that the sight was very beautiful.
Interrogative sentences
An Interrogative sentence is a sentence
that asks a question.
Interrogative sentences
There are two main kinds of interrogative sentences. Those which start
with an auxiliary verb and those which start with a question word such as
what, why, when, where, how etc.
Interrogative sentences beginning with an auxiliary verb are changed into
the indirect speech by using the connective if or whether.
The reporting verb said changes to asked, queried and questioned in
the indirect speech.
Note: The interrogative sentences in the direct speech will change into
assertive sentences in the indirect speech.
Interrogative sentences
Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you coming with us?’
Indirect: She asked me if I was coming with them.
Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you unwell?’
Indirect: She asked me if I was unwell.
Direct: He said to me, ‘Did you meet my friend?’
Indirect: He asked me if I had met his friend.
Direct: The woman asked the stranger, ‘Should I help you?’
Indirect: The woman asked the stranger whether she should help him.
Note that the auxiliary verbs should, could, would, ought to and might do not change
in the indirect speech.
Interrogative sentences with Wh- question
No conjunction is used when reported speech starts with
wh– question (what, why, how, when, where and who).
In these types of sentences, the question word(Wh)
serves a conjunction.
Examples of wh- question
(what, why, how, when, where and who)
Interrogative sentences with Wh- question
Direct: He said to me, ‘Where do you live?’
Indirect: He asked me where I lived.
Direct: Mother said to me, ‘What are you doing here?’
Indirect: Mother asked me what I was doing there.
Direct: She said to us , "Why does he always come late"?
Indirect: She asked us why he always comes late.
PRACTICE SESSION
ON REPORTED
SPEECH
STATEMENTS
Vishwas said,” Veena was playing the sitar. “
Priti said,”Time and tide waits for none. “
Alex says,”The breakfast is delicious. “
Neel said,”The Gulmohar tree fell last evening.”
“Anupam said to Neel,” I am fond of eating fruits.”
“I never make mistakes,” he said.
ANSWERS
Vishwas said that Veena had been playing the sitar.
Priti said that time and tide waits for none.
Alex says that the breakfast is delicious.
Neel said that the Gul mohar tree had fallen the previous evening.
Anupam told Neel that she was fond of eating fruits.
He said that he never makes mistakes.
QUESTIONS YES/NO
Raman said to me,” Are you reading this book ?”
He said, "Will you come with me ?”
She said, "Do you want to stay abroad?”
Ram said to Meera, "How are you feeling now?”
Father said to son, "Do you need money for this project ?”
ANSWERS
Raman asked me if I was reading that book.
He asked if I would come with him.
She asked if I wanted to stay abroad.
Ram asked Meera how she was feeling then.
Father asked son if he needed money for that project.
QUESTIONS WH
The policeman said to us, ”Where are you going?”
I said to Meera,” When are your parents coming?”
My mother said to the stranger, ”What is the purpose of your
coming?”
Doctor said to the patient, ”What did you eat yesterday?”
Preeti said to Naman,”Where did you spend your holidays?”
ANSWERS
The policeman asked us where we were going.
I asked Meera when her parents were coming.
My mother asked the stranger what was the purpose of his coming.
Doctor asked the patient what he had eaten the previous day.
Preeti asked Naman where he had spent his holidays.
COMMANDS AND REQUESTS
He said to his sister, “Please speak slowly.”
The teacher said to the students,”Keep quiet.”
He said to me, “ Don’t tease the animals.”
He said to me,”Let us go for a picnic.”
Sunil said to his friend,”Don’t forget to recharge your mobile.”
My sister said to me,”Consult a doctor regarding your eyesight.”
ANSWERS
He requested his sister to speak slowly.
The teacher ordered the students to keep quiet.
He adviced me not to tease the animals.
He proposed (or suggested) to me that we should go for a picnic.
My sister advised me to consult a doctor regarding my eyesight.
EXCLAMATIONS AND WISHES
They said,” Hurrah! We have won the match.”
She said,’ Alas ! He is no more. “
She said,” May God bless her with a child !”
He said,” What a terrible night it is !”
He said,” Good-bye friends. “
ANSWERS
They exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
She exclaimed with sorrow that he was no more.
She said that God might bless her with a child.
He exclaimed that it was a terrible night.
He bade good-bye to his friends.
