Introduction:

There are two way to convey a message of a person, or the words spoken by a
person to another person.
1. Direct Speech:
We may quote the actual words of the speaker, this method is called direct
speech.
2. Indirect Speech:
We may report when he said without quoting his extract words. This method is
called indirect speech or reported speech.
For Example:
They said, “We are going to Cinema” (Direct)
They said that they were going to Cinema. (Indirect)
Structure:
 It will be seen in Direct Speech.
 The exact words of speaker will be used.
 The wordy quoted have been put with in quotation marks or inverted commas.
 The first letter of the quotation begins with a capital letter.
 There are always a comma with a colon after “said” that introduces the spoken
words.
 In Indirect speech the speech that is reported is not put with in inverted commas
and does not begin with a capital letter.
 That has been placed before the indirect speech.
Rule for the change of pronoun.
1. Pronouns of the first person in reported speech are changed in direct speech to
the same person as the subject of reporting verb.
Example:
He says to me, “I am tired” (Direct)
He tells me that is tired. (Indirect)
He said to me, “I am faithful” (Direct)
He told me that he was faithful. (Indirect)
 2. Pronouns of the second person in the reported speech are changed in indirect
speech to the same person as the noun or pronoun coming after the reporting
verb is not given, the sense of the pronoun to be used should be carefully
determined.
Example:
She said to him, “You are intelligent” (Direct)
She said to him that he was intelligent (Indirect)
He said to me, “You are late for the party” (Direct)
He said to me that I was late for the party. (Indirect)
3. Pronouns of the third person in the reported speech remain unchanged in
Direct Speech.
Example:
They said, “He will come” (Direct)
They said that he would come (Indirect)
You said, “They are waiting for the bus” (Direct)
You said that they were waiting for the bus. (Indirect)
Rules for changing the Tense:

Present Simple Past Simple

He said, “I write a letter”. He said that he wrote a letter.
She said, “He goes to school daily”. She said that she went to school daily.
The said, “We love our country”. They said that they love their country.
He said, “He does not like PC”. He said that he did not like PC.

Present Continuous Past Continuous

He said, “He is listening the music”. He said that he was listening the music.
She said, “I am washing my cloths”. She said that she was washing her cloths.
They said, “We are enjoying the They said that they were enjoying the
weather”. weather.
She said, “I am not laughing”. She said that she was not laughing.
 Present Perfect Past Perfect
She said, “He has finished his work”. She said that he had finish his work.
He said, “I have started a job”. He said that he had started a job.
I said, “She have eaten the meal”. I said that she had eaten the meal.
They said, “We have not gone to New They said that they had not gone to New
York”. York.

Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

He said, “I have been studying since 3 He said that he had been studying since 3
O’ clock”. O’ clock.
She said, “It has been raining for three She said that It had been raining for three
days”. days.
I said, “She has been working in this I said that she had been working in this
office since 2007”. office since 2007.

Past Simple Past Perfect

He said to me, “You answered
He said to me that I had answered correctly.
correctly”.
John said “They went to Cinema”. John said that they had gone to Cinema.
He said, “I made a table”. He said that he had made a table.
She said, “I didn’t buy a car”. She said that she had not bought a car.

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

They said, “We were enjoying the They said that they had been enjoying the
weather”. weather.
He said to me that he had been waiting for
He said to me, “I was waiting for you”
me
I said, “It was raining”. I said that it had been raining.
She said, “I was not laughing” She said that she had not been laughing.

 Past Perfect will be same.

 Future Simple changes into would.
 Future Continuous will be same only will be changes into would be.
 Future Perfect will be same only will have changes into would have.
Rules for changing the tense (Universal Truth):
The tense of Reported Speech may not change if reported speech is a universal
truth though it’s reporting verb.
Example:
He said, “Mathematics is a science”. (Direct)
He said that Mathematics is a science. (Indirect)
He said, “Sun rises in east”. (Direct)
He said that sun rises in east. (Indirect)
Tense didn’t change because Reported Speech is a universal truth thought its
Reporting verb belongs to Past Tense.
Change of Words:
Words indicating nearness of time or place in the Direct Speech are changed
into those In directing distance when converted into indirect speech.
Now becomes → Then / Right away
Here becomes → There
Ago becomes → Before
Thus becomes → So
Today becomes →That day
Tomorrow becomes → Next day/ Following day/ The coming day
Yesterday becomes → Day before / The last day/ Previous day
Last night becomes → Night before/ Previous night/ The night before
This becomes → That / The
These becomes → Those
Hence becomes → Thence
Hither becomes → Thither
Will becomes → Would
Will be becomes → Would be
Will have becomes → Would have
Would, Could, Might, Should, Ought to ----------- (Don’t change)
Must changes into Must / Had to
May changes into Might
Can changes into Could
Is to/ are to/ am to changes into Was to/ Were to
Has to / Have to changes into Had to
The day after tomorrow changes into In two day’s time
The day before yesterday changes into Previous day last day The day before.
Tonight changes into That Night
Come changes into Go
Ago changes into Before
Sir & Madam changes into Respectfully
Good morning/ afternoon/ evening changes into Greeted
Good night/ Good bye/ Farewell changes into No change
Hello/ Hallo/ Hullo/ Yes/ No/ Alright / Hi changes into Removed
Next Sunday, Month, Week, Year etc. changes into The following next Sunday…etc.
Last night, week, Sunday, month, year etc. changes into The Previous the last night
week, Sunday month, year etc.
Kinds of Sentences
1. Assertive Form or Declarative sentence / Declarative form or
Indicative form/ sentences:
Definition:
 Statement or Assertive Sentences are also known as indicative or Declarative
sentence.
 The Reporting verb in this forms in generally a verb of saying and is changed into
tell told in the Indirect Speech.
 Sometimes the following words are use, to give clearness of meaning inform state,
reply, answer, remind declare remark assure, etc.
Jamila said, “Brother I am going”. (Direct)
Jamila told her brother that she was going. (Indirect)
Nelson said to his Granny, “I have never seen tear anywhere here”. (Direct)
Nelson told his Granny that he had never seen fear any anywhere here. (Ind)
Imperative Forms:
A sentence which expresses command, request, advice or suggestion is called
imperative sentence.
Example:
Open the door.
Please help me.
Learn your lesson.
 To change such sentences into Indirect speech the word “Ordered” “Requested”
or “Advised” or “Suggested” or “Forbade” or “Not to do” is added to reporting
verb depending upon nature of nature imperative sentence in reported speech.
 No conjunction is used.
 Change the verb of the Reported Speech into an infinite by placing before it the
preposition to.
Example:
He said, “Manzur sit still”. (Direct)
He told Manzur to sit still. (Indirect)
Forgive the boys his first mistake, “said the mother to her husband”. (Direct)
The mother implored her husband to forgive the boy his first mistake. (Indirect)
The Gentle man said to his servant, “Do not stay here”. (Direct)
The Gentle man ordered to his servant that not to stay there. (Indirect)
The Interrogate Forms:
 In reporting question in the indirect way the reporting verb is changed into ask
enquire (inquire) demand or query or some such verb.
 Inquire & Demand take of before the personal object while ask may be followed by
such an object.
 Rewrite the Reported Speech in the Assertive form (i.e Bring the subject before the
verb).
 Question Mark (?) give place to full stop(.).
 When the questions begins with an interrogative pronouns such as what, who,
which, whom, whose, or with an interrogative adverb, such as when, where, why,
how, the same word is used to introduce the Indirect Speech.
Examples of Interrogative Forms:
I said to him, “Who are you” (Direct)
I (enquire/ asked) him who he was. (Indirect)
Amjad said to me, “Why do you not go to home”. (Direct)
Amjad asked me why I did not go to home. (Indirect)
The Master said to the servant, “Where do you come from” (Direct)
The Master enquired of the servant where he came from. (Indirect)
 When the Question begins with the Auxiliary of the finite verb is, are, am, was, do,
did, can, may, will, shall, has, have, etc. (or in other words whenever, the question
may have yes, or no for an answer) if or whether is used to introduce Indirect
Speech.
Examples:
The Teacher said to the boy, “Have you done your homework”. (Direct)
The Teacher asked the boy whether he had done his homework.
Mr. Jones said, “Is Mr. Smith at home?” (Direct)
Mr. Jones inquired if Mr. Smith was at home. (Indirect)
The mother said to the young girl, “Do you know where Salim is?” (Direct)
The mother asked the young girl whether she knew where Salim was. (Indirect)
Exclamatory Forms:
 The sentence which expresses state of joy, sorrow or wonder is called exclamatory
sentence.
Examples:

Hurrah! We won the match.

Alas! I failed the exam.

Wow! What a nice shirt it is.

 To change such sentence the words “exclaimed with joy” or “exclaimed with
sorrow” or “exclaimed with wonder” is added in the Reporting verb depending
upon the nature of exclamatory sentence in Indirect Speech.
 He said, “Hurrah! I won the prize” (Direct)

He exclaimed with joy that he had won a prize. (Indirect)

She said, “Alas! I failed in exam” (Direct)

She exclaimed with sorrow that she failed in the exam. (Indirect)

Ali said, “Wow! What a nice shirt it is”. (Direct)

Ali exclaimed with wonder that it was a nice shirt. (Indirect)

She said, “Hurrah! I am selected for the job”. (Direct)

She exclaimed with joy that was selected for the job. (Indirect)

He said, “Oh no! I missed the train”. (Direct)

He exclaimed with sorrow that he had missed the train. (Indirect)

They said, “Wow! What a pleasant weather it is”. (Direct)

They exclaimed with wonder that it was a pleasant weather. (Indirect)

 Omit interjection such as (Oh, bravo, such, hush, alas, hurrah ) and exclamations

as Ah me, confound it etc.

 Suitable verbs such as wish, declare, cry out, exclaim, pray, confers, bless, etc.

are used in place of the Reporting verb.

 The sense of feeling of the exclamations my be indicate4d in the principle clause

by means by means of adverbial phrases such as with regret, with fear, with

sorrow, with joy or delight, etc. where necessary.

The End