english grammar direct and indirect speech examples

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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40 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Sentences

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Direct And Indirect Speech Examples

While using English, we use direct and indirect speeches quite often. If a sentence is expressed exactly as it came out of the mouth of the person who said it, it becomes a direct speech. However Indirect Speech (also called reported speech) refers to transmitting a sentence that someone has said. It is often used in daily language.

For example,

• Susan told me she ate pizza yesterday. (Indirect Speech)

Susan said, “I ate pizza yesterday.”. (Direct Speech)

• Mathilda told me she had to go out. (Indirect Speech)

Mathilda said: “I have to go out.”. (Direct Speech)

• Julie asked if the train had left when she arrived at the ticket office. (Indirect Speech)

Julie asked: “Did the train leave?” (Direct Speech)

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50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In this useful lesson, we’ll explore direct and indirect speech through 50 simple examples. These two ways of speaking help us share what someone else said. Think of direct speech as using the speaker’s exact words, like quoting a friend. Indirect speech , on the other hand, involves changing the original words a bit, as if you’re telling a story about what was said. This lesson is great for anyone looking to get better at English, offering clear examples to make learning easier.

Rules to Make Direct and Indirect Speech

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, it’s important to follow specific rules to ensure the sentence still conveys the original meaning. Here are the key rules:

• Change in Pronouns : Pronouns often need to be changed according to the context and the point of view of the reporting verb. For example, “ I am going ” (direct) might become “ He said he was going ” (indirect).
• Tense Shifts : The tense of the verb in direct speech usually changes when converting to indirect speech. If the reporting verb is in the past tense , the tense in the reported speech shifts back as well. For instance, “ She said, ‘I am eating ‘” changes to “ She said she was eating “.
• Time and Place Words : Words indicating time and place in direct speech are often adjusted in indirect speech. “Here” may change to “there,” “today” to “ that day ,” “tomorrow” to “ the next day ,” etc.
• Question Form : If the direct speech is a question, the indirect form does not use a question format. Instead, it integrates the question into a statement, often using “if” or “whether” for yes/no questions, and ‘wh’ words ( what, when, where, why, who ) for questions that require more detailed answers. For example, “ He asked, ‘Are you coming? ‘” becomes “ He asked if I was coming .”
• No Quotes : In indirect speech, quotation marks are not used. The sentence is integrated into a larger statement, which often starts with verbs like said, asked, or told.
• Exclamations and Commands : Exclamatory sentences and commands in direct speech are transformed into statements or requests in indirect speech. For instance, “He said, ‘How beautiful!'” becomes “He exclaimed that it was beautiful.” Commands like “He said, ‘Sit down!'” change to “He ordered me to sit down.”
• Modal Verbs : Modal verbs can also change in indirect speech, especially might, could, would, and should, depending on the context and the necessity to maintain the original sentence’s meaning.

Remember, the goal of these changes is to maintain the essence of the original statement while adapting it to the grammatical and contextual framework of indirect speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

1. Direct: “I am busy,” she said.

Indirect: She said that she was busy.

2. Direct: “We will go tomorrow,” they said.

Indirect: They said that they would go the next day.

3. Direct: “He can play the guitar,” Mike said.

Indirect: Mike said that he could play the guitar.

4. Direct: “Do you like chocolate?” she asked me.

Indirect: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

5. Direct: “Please open the window,” John requested.

Indirect: John requested that the window be opened.

6. Direct: “I have finished my homework,” he announced.

Indirect: He announced that he had finished his homework.

7. Direct: “Don’t touch that,” she warned.

Indirect: She warned not to touch that.

8. Direct: “How are you?” he inquired.

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.

Indirect: Alex said that he was going to the market.

12. Direct: “We saw a movie last night,” they told me.

Indirect: They told me that they had seen a movie the night before.

13. Direct: “Can you drive a car?” she questioned.

Indirect: She questioned whether I could drive a car.

14. Direct: “Please pass the salt,” he requested.

Indirect: He requested that the salt be passed.

15. Direct: “I have been to Spain,” she mentioned.

Indirect: She mentioned that she had been to Spain.

16. Direct: “Stay away from the dog,” he cautioned.

Indirect: He cautioned to stay away from the dog.

17. Direct: “Where did you buy this?” she inquired.

Indirect: She inquired where I had bought that.

18. Direct: “I’ll call you tonight,” he promised.

Indirect: He promised that he would call me that night.

19. Direct: “I didn’t take your book,” Sarah insisted.

Indirect: Sarah insisted that she hadn’t taken my book.

20. Direct: “Let’s meet at the café,” they suggested.

Indirect: They suggested meeting at the café.

21. Direct: “I’m feeling sick,” he said.

Indirect: He said that he was feeling sick.

22. Direct: “I won the match,” she exclaimed.

Indirect: She exclaimed that she had won the match.

23. Direct: “Could you please help me?” he asked.

Indirect: He asked if I could please help him.

24. Direct: “Turn off the lights,” she commanded.

Indirect: She commanded that the lights be turned off.

25. Direct: “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

Indirect: He said that he would see me the next day.

26. Direct: “We’re moving to a new city,” they announced.

Indirect: They announced that they were moving to a new city.

27. Direct: “Do not disturb me,” she warned.

Indirect: She warned not to disturb her.

28. Direct: “Why are you late?” he questioned.

Indirect: He questioned why I was late.

29. Direct: “I’ll handle the situation,” she assured.

Indirect: She assured that she would handle the situation.

30. Direct: “I’ve never been to Asia,” he stated.

Indirect: He stated that he had never been to Asia.

31. Direct: “Let’s go for a walk,” she proposed.

Indirect: She proposed going for a walk.

32. Direct: “I am learning Spanish,” he mentioned.

Indirect: He mentioned that he was learning Spanish.

33. Direct: “Please close the door,” she asked.

Indirect: She asked that the door be closed.

34. Direct: “I will join you later,” he promised.

Indirect: He promised that he would join me later.

35. Direct: “I lost my wallet,” she declared.

Indirect: She declared that she had lost her wallet.

36. Direct: “Keep the secret,” he urged.

Indirect: He urged to keep the secret.

37. Direct: “Where is the nearest bank?” she inquired.

Indirect: She inquired where the nearest bank was.

38. Direct: “I might go to the concert,” he speculated.

Indirect: He speculated that he might go to the concert.

39. Direct: “Please be quiet,” she implored.

Indirect: She implored to be quiet.

40. Direct: “I will finish the project by Monday,” he assured.

Indirect: He assured that he would finish the project by Monday.

41. Direct: “Don’t forget to lock the door,” she reminded.

Indirect: She reminded to not forget to lock the door.

42. Direct: “How do you solve this problem?” he pondered.

Indirect: He pondered how to solve that problem.

43. Direct: “I can’t believe I won!” he exclaimed.

Indirect: He exclaimed that he couldn’t believe he had won.

44. Direct: “Would you like some coffee?” she offered.

Indirect: She offered if I would like some coffee.

45. Direct: “I must leave now,” he stated.

Indirect: He stated that he must leave then.

46. Direct: “We’re adopting a puppy,” they shared.

Indirect: They shared that they were adopting a puppy.

47. Direct: “Never speak to me again,” she commanded.

Indirect: She commanded never to speak to her again.

48. Direct: “When will you return the book?” he asked.

Indirect: He asked when I would return the book.

49. Direct: “I’ll think about your offer,” she considered.

Indirect: She considered that she would think about the offer.

50. Direct: “Please bring me a glass of water,” he requested.

Indirect: He requested that a glass of water be brought to him.

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129 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Sentences

Comprehend the essence of Direct and Indirect Speech examples with detailed step-by-step guides on converting between the two. Master the art of maintaining proper tense , pronoun , and modal usage in transforming Direct and Indirect Speech, supported by illustrative examples.

Direct Speech for Examples

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 .

Indirect Speech for 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  narration.

Indirect Speech: Ravi says that He was 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

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples in sentences

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.

People Also Ask

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Change of Tenses

Direct: He says, “You will make a good result.” Indirect: He says that I shall make a good result.

Direct: Mother says, “I made the fish curry.” Indirect: Mother says that She made the fish curry.

Direct: He will say, “I shall be there within an hour.” Indirect: He will say that he will be there for an hour.

Direct: They say, “We won the match.” Indirect: They say that they won the match.

Direct: They said to us, “You make a mistake.” Indirect: They told us that we made a mistake

Direct: The teacher said to us, “Oil floats on water.” Indirect: The teacher told us that oil floats on water

Direct: She said to me, “I am writing a letter now.” Indirect: She told me that she was writing a letter then.

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: He said to me, “I shall not do it.” Indirect: He told me that he would not do it.

Direct: He said to me, “My father will visit there.” Indirect: He told me that his father would visit there.

Direct: He said to me, “I can try it.” Indirect: He told me that he could try it.

Direct: He said to me, “You may go .” Indirect: He told me that I might go .

Examples from Direct to Indirect Speech of Change of Pronouns

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.

Examples of Change of Time & Place for Direct and Indirect Speech

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of Assertive Sentences

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 Indirect Examples of Universal Truth or Habitual Truth, Historical Truth

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of Interrogative Sentences

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of “Wh-word”

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of Imperative Sentences

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 Speech and Indirect Speech Examples with “Let”

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of Optative Sentences

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of Exclamatory Sentences

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 and Indirect Speech Examples of More than one sentence

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.

Frequently Asked Questions Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Q: What are the 10 examples of direct and indirect speech?

• Direct Speech: Rohan said, “She works hard.”
• Indirect Speech: Rohan said that she worked hard
• Direct Speech: Rohan said, “She is singing a song.”
• Indirect Speech: Rohan said that she was singing a song.
• Direct Speech: The guest said shouting, “We have arrived .”
• Indirect Speech: The guest said shouting that they had arrived.
• Direct Speech: My sister said, “It has been raining hard for 3 days”.
• Indirect Speech: My sister said that it had been raining hard for 3 days.
• Direct Speech: Father said, “I visited the Taj yesterday.”
• Indirect Speech: Father said that he had visited the Taj the previous day.
• Direct Speech: Boys said, “They were travelling in the park.”
• Indirect Speech: Boys said that they had been travelling in the park.
• Direct Speech: The reporters commented that the Kohinoor had been lost long ago.
• Indirect Speech: The reporters commented, “The Kohinoor had been lost long ago”.
• D i rect Speech: Jyotsna said, “ She had been doing the work for 3 hours”.
• Indirect Speech: Jyotsna said that she had been doing the work for 3 hours.
• Direct: The boy said to his mother, “ The sun rises in the East”. Indirect: The boy told his mother that the sun rises in the East. [ Universal Truth ]
• Direct: The monk answered, “ Man is mortal”. Indirect: The monk answered that man is mortal. [ Universal Truth ]

Q: What is direct and indirect speech with examples for Class 5?

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 sentence, Interrogative Sentence, Imperative Sentence, Optative Sentence, and Exclamatory Sentence.

Related posts:

What is Direct and Indirect Speech with Examples?

Direct and indirect speech are two different ways of reporting spoken or written language. Let's delve into the details and provide some examples.

Direct Speech

Direct speech refers to the exact words someone said, often (but not always) enclosed in quotation marks. It is also known as quoted speech or direct discourse. This method is useful when you want to convey someone's words verbatim. For example: Sarah said, "I'm feeling very happy today." "It's a beautiful day," commented John. In these examples, the words within the quotation marks are exactly what the speaker said.

Indirect Speech

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech or indirect discourse, is when you report what someone said, but not in their exact words. You're paraphrasing their words. When you use indirect speech, you don't use quotation marks. For example: Sarah said that she was feeling very happy that day. John commented that it was a beautiful day. In these examples, you're reporting the essence of what the speaker said, but not using their exact words. It's also worth noting that in indirect speech, verb tenses, pronouns, and words expressing time and place may need to change to reflect the shift in perspective. Here is an example: Direct speech: He said, "I am going to the store now." Indirect speech: He said that he was going to the store then. Notice how "am" changed to "was" and "now" changed to "then". This is because the time and context have shifted from when the speaker originally spoke to when the speaker's words were reported. Click here if you want to read more about direct and indirect speech.

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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

• The comma ( , )after the reporting verb is removed and the conjunction that is added in the indirect speech.
• If the direct speech contains ‘said to’ , it will be converted into ‘told’ in the indirect speech.
• The quotation marks (Inverted commas) are to be removed in the indirect speech.
• I becomes He/ She
• We becomes they
• You becomes He / She/ They
• Me becomes Him/ he r (Depending on the gender in the direct speech)
• My becomes His/ Her .
• Our becomes their
• Us becomes them
• Your becomes His/ her/ their .

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

• Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech

Example: He said to me, “I am happy”   becomes  He told me that he was happy

(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)

• Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: He said to me, “I was happy”   changes into  He told me that he had been happy

• Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom”   changes into  The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom. 

• 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 of tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.

Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

• Rule 6: While converting interrogative sentences, the verb ‘said to’ becomes ‘asked’ and if/ whether will come in the place of ‘that’. The connecting word ‘that’ will not be used in indirect speech. Also, the interrogation mark (?) is not repeated in the indirect speech.

Example:   He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

• Rule 7: During the conversion of imperative sentences, the verb “said to” is changed into ordered, advised, requested, suggested, proposed, etc. depending on the situation.  Also, the connecting word ‘that’ is not used. Instead of that, ‘ to’ is used before the reporting verb.

Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

• Rule 8: For exclamatory sentences, the verb is converted into: exclaimed with joy or sorrow or with surprise, wished, prayed, applauded,/ etc. The exclamatory words and the exclamation are not mentioned anymore in the indirect speech. For example,

Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech

Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.

Changes in Time and Place 

Cha nges in pronoun s

The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.

• Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb.

Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.

Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.

• Rule 2: The second person in reported speech changes based on the object of the reporting verb.

Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.

• Rule 3 : The third person in the reported speech remains unchanged.

Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

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Direct and Indirect Speech: The Ultimate Guide

Direct and Indirect Speech are the two ways of reporting what someone said. The use of both direct and indirect speech is crucial in effective communication and writing. Understanding the basics of direct and indirect speech is important, but mastering the advanced techniques of these two forms of speech can take your writing to the next level. In this article, we will explore direct and indirect speech in detail and provide you with a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know.

Table of Contents

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech is a way of reporting what someone said using their exact words. Direct speech is typically enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish it from the writer’s own words. Here are some examples of direct speech:

• “I am going to the store,” said John.
• “I love ice cream,” exclaimed Mary.
• “The weather is beautiful today,” said Sarah.

In direct speech, the exact words spoken by the speaker are used, and the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained. Punctuation is also important in direct speech. Commas are used to separate the quote from the reporting verb, and full stops, question marks, or exclamation marks are used at the end of the quote, depending on the tone of the statement.

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone said using a paraphrased version of their words. In indirect speech, the writer rephrases the speaker’s words and incorporates them into the sentence. Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• John said that he was going to the store.
• Mary exclaimed that she loved ice cream.
• Sarah said that the weather was beautiful that day.

In indirect speech, the tense and pronouns may change, depending on the context of the sentence. Indirect speech is not enclosed in quotation marks, and the use of reporting verbs is important.

Differences Between Direct and Indirect Speech

The structure of direct and indirect speech is different. Direct speech is presented in quotation marks, whereas indirect speech is incorporated into the sentence without quotation marks. The tenses and pronouns used in direct and indirect speech also differ. In direct speech, the tense and pronouns used in the quote are maintained, whereas, in indirect speech, they may change depending on the context of the sentence. Reporting verbs are also used differently in direct and indirect speech. In direct speech, they are used to introduce the quote, while in indirect speech, they are used to report what was said.

How to Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech

Converting direct speech to indirect speech involves changing the tense, pronouns, and reporting verb. Here are the steps involved in converting direct speech to indirect speech:

• Remove the quotation marks.
• Use a reporting verb to introduce the indirect speech.
• Change the tense of the verb in the quote if necessary.
• Change the pronouns if necessary.
• Use the appropriate conjunction if necessary.

Here is an example of converting direct speech to indirect speech:

Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

How to Convert Indirect Speech to Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech to direct speech involves using the same tense, pronouns, and reporting verb as the original quote. Here are the steps involved in converting indirect speech to direct speech:

• Remove the reporting verb.
• Use quotation marks to enclose the direct speech.
• Maintain the tense of the verb in the quote.
• Use the same pronouns as the original quote.

Here is an example of converting indirect speech to direct speech:

Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store. Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.

Advanced Techniques for Using Direct and Indirect Speech

Using direct and indirect speech effectively can add depth and complexity to your writing. Here are some advanced techniques for using direct and indirect speech:

Blending Direct and Indirect Speech

Blending direct and indirect speech involves using both forms of speech in a single sentence or paragraph. This technique can create a more engaging and realistic narrative. Here is an example:

“Sarah said, ‘I can’t believe it’s already winter.’ Her friend replied that she loved the cold weather and was excited about the snowboarding season.”

In this example, direct speech is used to convey Sarah’s words, and indirect speech is used to convey her friend’s response.

Using Reported Questions

Reported questions are a form of indirect speech that convey a question someone asked without using quotation marks. Reported questions often use reporting verbs like “asked” or “wondered.” Here is an example:

“John asked if I had seen the movie last night.”

In this example, the question “Have you seen the movie last night?” is reported indirectly without using quotation marks.

Using Direct Speech to Convey Emotion

Direct speech can be used to convey emotion more effectively than indirect speech. When using direct speech to convey emotion, it’s important to choose the right tone and emphasis. Here is an example:

“She screamed, ‘I hate you!’ as she slammed the door.”

In this example, the use of direct speech and the exclamation mark convey the intense emotion of the moment.

• When should I use direct speech?
• Direct speech should be used when you want to report what someone said using their exact words. Direct speech is appropriate when you want to convey the speaker’s tone, emphasis, and emotion.
• When should I use indirect speech?
• Indirect speech should be used when you want to report what someone said using a paraphrased version of their words. Indirect speech is appropriate when you want to provide information without conveying the speaker’s tone, emphasis, or emotion.
• What are some common reporting verbs?
• Some common reporting verbs include “said,” “asked,” “exclaimed,” “whispered,” “wondered,” and “suggested.”

Direct and indirect speech are important tools for effective communication and writing. Understanding the differences between these two forms of speech and knowing how to use them effectively can take your writing to the next level. By using advanced techniques like blending direct and indirect speech and using direct speech to convey emotion, you can create engaging and realistic narratives that resonate with your readers.

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Learn English Grammar: DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED SPEECH)

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15 comments.

I will keep learning.

I made one mistake in quiz Thanks Mrs.Gill for this top-notch clarification of the difference between direct and indirect/reported speech

I made one mistake in this quiz Thank Mrs.Gill for this lesson My mistake was when he asked me to suggest the direct speech and I saw in indirect speech (past perfect), so what I should choose ( the present perfect or past perfect too) for the right as a direct speech

I have 100% accuracy of quiz. Thanks. This was a very interesting lesson.

Thanks Gill ! I got 10 correct out of 10.

Thank you Gill! this was so useful for me. i got 9 out of 10.

10/10 thanks

Thank you Mrs Gill, I’ve got 7 out of 10. I’ve got 2 wrong answer. I did not give my answer for the 1st question but I wrote the correct answer in my paper.

This is going to be a big help for me in improving my English grammar.

By the way, I am a non native English speaker. I hope to see more of you videos about paraphrasing, how to begin to answer questions like how, why identify, describe, outline etc.

Thank you and God bless

I made 1 mistake in the quiz.

Thank you I have got a problem of speaking confidently I always doubt myself 😭

Mrs. Gill, I just want to thank you for these very helpful explanations, Thanks to you, I already know what’s the difference between what we call “Direct speech” and ” Indirect speech. What I keep in mind is: in direct speech, we use quotations and the right personal pronoun whereas, in Indirect, we don’t them, however, we use the third personal pronoun, we use the verb in the past tense as well

Thanks Gill I got 10 correct. I love grammar, without grammar we wouldn’t speak correctly.

Good lesson thank you.

8 out of 10 hehehe

Thank you Gill,this lesson helps me understand the difference between Direct speech and indirect speech.This is going to be a big help for me to improve my grammar in English

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Direct and Indirect speech: rules and examples

Direct and indirect speech with rules and examples, download all the grammar lessons in one click   $27   $19.

In English, to report someone’s words or their own words, you can use direct or indirect speech. These may include statements, questions, orders, advice…

When moving from direct to indirect style, it is often necessary to change personal pronouns, demonstrative and possessive pronouns according to who says what:

• I  → he / she
• me →  him / her
• my →  his / her
• this →  that
• mine →  his / hers
• ours →  theirs
• our →  their

Here are some examples:

Note: That is often implied in indirect speech. It is not mandatory to use it, so it is indicated in brackets in this lesson.

Introductory verbs

To relate someone’s words to both direct and indirect speech, you need an introductory verb.

The two most frequent are tell and say, but there are many other possible ones like:

• want to know 

Say or tell ?

Be careful to distinguish SAY from TELL . The two verbs may have the same meaning, but their use is different. With TELL, the interlocutor is quoted: the name or pronoun is placed immediately after tell (tell somebody something).

With SAY, the interlocutor is not necessarily quoted; if he is, he is introduced by the preposition to ( say something to somebody ):

• He says (that) he is English. 
• He tells me (that) he is English. 

However, tell is used in some expressions without mentioning a contact person:

• tell the truth 
• tell a story 
• tell the time 

Note:  the wording ‘ He said to me… ‘ is possible but seems clumsy. It is best to use ‘ He told me… ‘.

TIMES MODIFICATIONS

The shift to indirect speech leads to changes in the tense, depending on whether the verb is in the present tense or in the past tense.

If the introductory verb is in the present tense, the tense (or modal) does not change. 

• “I’m sorry.” → He says he is sorry. 
• “I hate driving” → He says he hates driving.

Be careful, if the statements reported are still true now you must not change the tense!

• He said this morning (that) he hates driving. (= He still hates driving now).

If the introductory verb is in the past, the verb tense changes:

Examples of major changes in time:

The modals could, should, would, might, needn’t, ought to, used to don’t change when used with indirect speech.

Those who change are will → would, can → could, may → might :

• I will come with you. → Tina promised she would come with me. 
• I can help you. → He said he could help me. 
• It may be a good idea. → I thought it might be a good idea.

* do not change

TIME, PLACE AND DEMONSTRATIVE MARKERS

Expressions of time, place and demonstratives change if the context of indirect speech is different from that of direct speech.

She said “I saw him yesterday.” → She said she had seen him the day before. 

Orders and prohibitions to indirect speech

To relate an order or prohibition to indirect speech, verbs such as tell, order or forbid are used… Be careful, remember to replace Don’t by NOT when it is the main verb of the sentence!

For affirmative sentences, use to + infinitive

For negative sentences use not to + infinitive

• Don’t worry! → He told her not to worry.
• He said, “go to bed!” → He ordered the child to go to bed.
• Don’t marry him! → She forbade me to marry him.
• Please don’t be late. → She asked us not to be late.

Questions to the indirect speech

If there is an interrogative word like where/who/when/why… in direct speech, we keep it in indirect speech:

• What are you doing? → She asked me what I was doing. 
• Who was that beautifl woman? → He asked me who that beautiful woman had been.
• Where do you live? → He wanted to know  where I lived.
• “Why don’t you speak Spanish?” → He asked me why I didn’t speak Spanish.

If it is a closed-ended question or you have to answer yes/no, you use if or whether :

• “Do you like chocolate?” → She asked me if I liked chocolate.
• “Are you living here?” → She asked me if I was living here.
• “Have you ever been to Paris?” → He asked me if I had ever been to Paris.

When the question contains a modal, it is preterite in the reported question:

• How will he react? → He wondered how he would react.

Some examples of indirect questions:

• I wondered what they were talking about.
• I don’t know if they’ll come or not.

OTHER CHANGES

Expressions of advice such as must, should and ought are usually reported using the verbs advise or urge :

• “You must read this book.” → He advised / urged me to read that book.

The expression let’s is usually reported using the verb suggest, with gerund or with should:

• “Let’s go to the cinema.” → He suggested going to the cinema. OR He suggested that we should go to the cinema.

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Introduction to Direct and Indirect Speech

The distinction between Direct and Indirect Speech may be confusing for some students. Often when we need to explain an incident or action, it involves quoting what someone said. A social situation, as well as a work email or presentation, are examples of such instances. There are two forms of Speech used to explain what other people say: direct Speech and indirect Speech (or reported Speech).

Direct Speech

The same words spoken are quoted indirect Speech. If we use Direct Speech in writing, we bring the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and leave them alone. We may be reporting something that is being said (for example, a phone conversation) or asking someone about a previous conversation later.

Nirmal said, "There's a dog outside the window."

Mahima says, "What time will you be home?"

Supriya said, "I don't know!"

Indirect Speech

When we use reported or Indirect Speech to speak about the past, we generally change the tense of the words we say. We use reporting verbs like 'say,' 'tell,' and 'ask,' and we can introduce the reported words with the word 'that.' There are no inverted commas in this sentence.

For Example,

Mahima said that she had seen him.

Nirmal said he was looking forward to playing in the match on Saturday.

Children often mix up Direct and Indirect Speech. We need a way to say the difference between what someone is claimed to have said and what they said when we're writing. What did she say if you asked her? You may respond in one of two ways:

“I don’t like pizza,” Siddi said. (Direct Speech)

Siddi says she doesn’t like pizza. (Indirect Speech)

Note how Speech marks (“...”) are used in Direct Speech to indicate precisely what was said. Speech labels are located at the beginning and end of the actual words spoken. The words 'Siddi said' are not in Speech marks because they were not spoken aloud; rather, they are a way for the writer to express who was speaking to the reader.

The past tense is often used in reported Speech. This is because the words have already been spoken, and the writer is simply reporting on what has already been saying. It's critical to think about what was said and convert it to the past tense.

Direct and Indirect Narration Rules

Following are the steps to convert the Direct/Indirect Speech and also let’s discuss Direct and Indirect Speech tenses rules in detail.

Step 1: Write down the reporting verb that is used to determine the Indirect Speech's tense.

Step 2: Change the position and time to reflect the speaker's actual location and time.

Step 3: For both the object and the subject, use the correct pronoun.

Step 4: Make sure the sentence has the correct structure and word order.

Now we'll go through each of these measures in greater depth.

Step 1: Choosing the Verb's Tense and Conversion

Case 1: Nirmal said, ‘I go to the gym every day.

Case 2: Nirmal says, ‘I go to the gym every day.’

The verb ‘say' is used in both of the instances above to express the action of speaking. In addition, the reporting verb say is used in the past tense in the first case – said. In case 2, however, the reporting verb is in the present tense.

As a consequence, all verbs must be in the relevant past tense here. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, this is often followed. Thus, Nirmal said, ‘I go to the class every day will change to Nirmal said that he went to the gym every day.

The second rule is that the tense is not changed whether the reporting verb is in the future or present tense. So, Nirmal says, ‘I go to the class every day will be changed to Nirmal says that he goes to the class every day.

Step 2: Changes are Made to the Word That Communicates Place, Time, and Connection.

The time or place specified in the sentence should be changed to match the current time or position.

On 21st, May 2015: ‘I will come tomorrow,’ Sriram said.

On 21st, May 2015, Sriram said that he would come the next day.

Step 3: The Subject and Object Pronouns are Chosen Separately.

Case 1: Saurav will say to his friends, “I have started learning psychology” will change to Saurav will tell his friends that he has started learning psychology.

In this case, the speaker and the reporter are the same people. As a consequence, the pronoun should be the first person pronoun.

Case 2: Ma’am said to me, “I hope you will bring the geometry to my next class” will changed to Ma’am hoped that I would bring the geometry to her next class.

The speaker is ma'am, and the reporter is the student. As a consequence, the ma'am pronoun should be in the third person. The reporter's pronoun should also be in the first person.

Remember that we do not change the tense of the reporting verb within the quotation marks when it is in the present or future tense.

When using English, you'll want to use both direct and indirect Speech regularly, so make sure you're familiar with both and can use them correctly. Direct Speech isn't always an accurate representation of what someone has said. Using inverted commas before and after the quotation, you may quote from other texts similarly. Instead of using the verb "to tell," consider using a verb like "to compose," "to state," or "to define." You may convey what is being reported using a variety of verbs; for example, while "to say" is widely used, you may also want to use "to tell" to explain something that has been told to you. Keeping a small diary of what has been said around you is an important way to practise – explain what people have said and try to write a few examples of each form.

FAQs on Direct and Indirect Speech

1. What is Direct and Indirect Speech with Examples?

The same words spoken are quoted in the direct speech. If we use direct speech in writing, we bring the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and leave them alone. We are talking about the present moment and we are talking about the original content. Direct Speech: “I'm seeing my brother tomorrow.” or “I’ll call them tomorrow”

While reporting if we are changing the words without changing the meaning of the sentence then it is called indirect speech. Here the present tense is converted into past tense. Here the sentence of the speaker is summarized without changing the meaning and reported.

Indirect Speech: She said she was seeing her brother the following day. Or She said that it was hot.

2. What are Simple Rules for Conversion of Indirect Speech to Direct Speech? 

Both inverted commas and quotation marks should be eliminated. Put a full stop at the end of the sentence. Shift the present tense of the verb within the inverted commas/quotation marks to the corresponding past tense. Shift it to the past perfect tense if it's in the simple past tense.

Step 1: change the tenses from present to past 

Present Tense: I like chocolates

Past Tense: she said that she liked chocolates 

Step 2: Change the sentences from simple past to past perfect

Present: He arrived on Tuesday

Past: He said that he had arrived on Tuesday

Step 3:  while converting future tense, ‘will’ changes to would

Present: I will be attending the wedding.

Past: She said that she would be attending the wedding.

Step 4: change the present continuous tense to the past continuous tense.

Present:   We are eating dinner

Past: They said that they were eating dinner.

Step 5: Change the  Present Perfect Tense into Past Perfect Tense

Present: She has finished her task.

Past: She said that she had finished her task.

Step 6: Change the Past Progressive Tense into the Perfect Continuous Tense

Present: My husband was cooking

Past: She said that her husband had been cooking.

Step 7:   And also remember past perfect and past perfect progressive doesn't change.

Step 8: And also the future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”. The Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have”.The Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”. 

And also follow these simple rules.

The conjunction ‘that’ is used in indirect speech.

The pronoun ‘I’ has to be changed according to the person.

The verb “am" is changed to “was".

For converting to Indirect speech, the words representing nearness will be changed to the words representing distance like the adverb “now” will be converted to the word “Then”, here now represent the nearness in time while ‘then’ represent distance.

3. What are the Examples of Direct Speech?

Few examples of Direct speech are:

Nirmal said, "There's a dog outside the window."

Mahima says, "What time will you be home?"

Supriya said, "I don't know!"

I like chocolates.

Where do you live in?

Where are you?

I play basketball

I do yoga every morning

Can you pass me the bottle, please?

I brought a new pen

I will shift to Mumbai

She had worked hard.

My mom is preparing sweets

Don’t talk to me 

I play chess every day

Ananth is dancing on the floor

I like Sachin Tendulkar

She plays the guitar very well

4. Differentiate between Direct and Indirect Speech.

5. Give some examples for indirect speech.

She said that she liked chocolates

He said that he played basketball

She asked me to be on time

Neha said that her parents were very well.

He said that he played chess every day

She told me that she liked Sachin Tendulkar

She told me that she had been to the USA.

She said that she had finished her task.

he said that he would come to the party by 8 PM

She said that she hadn’t seen Nupur recently. 

She asked me to bring her dress the next day

He asked us not to be late.

They told that they were ready for competition

Direct and Indirect Speech

Home > Grammar > Direct and Indirect Speech

The function of direct speech 

Direct speech is used to refer specifically to something someone has said. Typically, speech marks are used to indicate this. 

• “It’s a lovely day today,” he said. 
• “Yes,” she replied, “we haven’t had sun like this in weeks.”

The function of indirect speech

Indirect speech is used to report any speech that isn’t a direct quotation as in direct speech. This means it may not necessarily be verbatim. 

• She said we’re meeting at 4 pm today. 
• Frank said he won’t be able to make it today.

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Simple English Grammar

• Direct Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech

• Direct speech is a sentence in which the precise words spoken are reproduced in speech marks (also recognized as quotation marks or inverted commas). For example: He said, “I am very happy”.

Shilpa said to me, “I am reading a book”.

• Indirect speech is speech which states you what someone said, but does not apply the person’s real words: for example: (Converting above direct speech sentences into indirect speech sentences)

He said that he was very happy.

Shilpa told me that she was reading a book.

Regulation : While the reporting or else principal verb remains in the past tense, the simple past in the direct speech turns out to be the past perfect in the indirect.

Incorrect : He said that his parents suffered through a financial crisis five years ago.

Correct : He said that his parents had suffered through a financial crisis five years ago.

Regulation : The pronouns of the direct speech are transformed in the indirect so that their relations with the reporter as well as the hearer, rather than with the original speaker, are directed.

Incorrect : The mentor told the students that I worked for your guidance.

Correct : The mentor told the students that he worked for their guidance.

Regulation : While the reporting or principal verb is in the past tense, the will/shall of the future tense is converted into would/should.

Incorrect : He said that he shall join the party as soon as possible.

Since the reporting verb (said) is in the past tense, ‘shall’ ought to be transformed to ‘should’.  But we also know that ‘shall’ is used with I or We. For he, ‘will’ ought to be used in the direct speech. So, we go for would in place of should. Thus,

Correct : He said that he would join the party as soon as possible.

Regulation : Words expressing nearness in time or else place in the direct speech are normally converted into words expressing distance in the indirect.

Incorrect : She phoned me from Ooty that she was glad to be here .

Correct : She phoned me from Ooty that she was glad to be there .

The below mentioned changes are made while converting the sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

Universal truths stay unchanged in reported speech. Examples :

• The teacher said, “The earth revolves the sun.”
• The teacher said that the earth revolves the sun.

Regulation :  In case the reporting verb is in the Present tense (For example, say) there is no modification in the tense of the verb in the indirect speech.

Pooja says, “I eat a mango”. Pooja says that she eats a mango.

Conjunction Worksheet for Class 3

Imperative sentence example (आज्ञासूचक वाक्य).

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Home » Direct and Indirect Speech Rules and Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules and Examples

Have you ever wondered how we can share what someone said in different ways? Well, that’s where Direct and Indirect Speech come into play. These are two ways of reporting what someone else has said. Let’s break it down simply. Direct Speech is like repeating someone’s words exactly as they said them. For example, if your friend says, “I love ice cream, ” in direct speech, you’d say, “My friend said, ‘I love ice cream. ‘” You use quotation marks to show it’s the exact words.

Now, in Indirect Speech , you don’t repeat the words exactly. You tell what was said in your own words . So, if your friend’s statement is, “ I love ice cream, ” in indirect speech, you’d say, “My friend said that she loves ice cream. ” No quotation marks here.

To get this right, there are some simple rules to follow. When changing from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech , you might need to adjust the verb tenses and pronouns. For instance, if your friend said, “I’m going to the park,” in indirect speech, it becomes, “ My friend said that she was going to the park .” You see how “ am ” changed to “was” because it’s in the past.

These rules help make sure our conversations and stories make sense. And don’t worry, we’ll explore more examples and situations to make it even easier to understand. So, stay with us as we dive deeper into the world of Direct and Indirect Speech .

Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone else has said. They are used to convey the words or thoughts of another person. Here are the definitions for both:

Direct Speech:

Direct speech, also known as quoted speech, involves repeating the exact words that someone has spoken. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used to provide a person’s statements or thoughts as they were originally expressed. For example:

• She said, “I will be there at 3 o’clock.”

In this example, the words spoken by “ She ” are directly quoted and enclosed in quotation marks.

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech):

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a way of conveying what someone has said or thought without repeating their exact words. In indirect speech, the statement is reported as a paraphrase or summary, and it is typically introduced by verbs like “ said ,” “ told ,” or “ asked .” When using indirect speech, the tense, pronouns, and other elements may change to reflect the reporting context. For example:

• She said that she would be there at 3 o’clock.

In this example, the original statement is reported indirectly, and the tense and pronouns have been adjusted to fit the reporting context. Both direct and indirect speech are essential tools in written and spoken language to relay information from one person to another, and the choice between them depends on the context and the speaker’s intention.

Rules of Direct Speech

Use quotation marks:.

• Enclose the spoken words within double quotation marks (” “) .

Punctuation:

• Place punctuation marks (commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation points) inside the closing quotation mark when they are part of the quoted material.
• For example: She said, “I’ll be there on time.”

Capitalization:

• Begin the quoted speech with a capital letter , regardless of how the original sentence began.

Reporting Verb:

• Introduce the quoted speech with a reporting verb (e.g., said, asked, replied, shouted) that describes how the words were spoken.

Maintain the Speaker’s Words:

• Reproduce the speaker’s words as accurately as possible, including any grammatical errors or informal language if they are part of the original speech.

Use Ellipsis (…) When Omitting Words:

• If you need to omit part of the quoted speech, use an ellipsis (three dots: …) to indicate the omission.

Avoid Changing the Speaker’s Words:

• Do not alter the speaker’s words in a way that changes their intended meaning. However, you can add clarifications or explanations in brackets if needed.

Maintain Verb Tenses:

• Keep the verb tenses of the quoted speech as they were spoken. For instance, if the speaker said, “I am going,” you should maintain “ am going ” without changing it to “ was going .”

Maintain Pronouns:

• Keep the pronouns used by the speaker consistent with the original statement. If the speaker said, “I will do it,” maintain “ I ” and “ it .”

Here’s an example of a sentence using direct speech that follows these rules:

She said, “I can’t believe I aced the test, but I’m really happy!”

In this example, the quotation marks, capitalization, punctuation, and verb tenses have been appropriately applied to accurately represent the speaker’s words.

Rules of Indirect Speech ( Reported Speech )

Start the reported speech with an appropriate reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked, explained, etc.) to indicate that someone is reporting what was said.

Change of Pronouns:

Change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the perspective of the reporting sentence. For example, if the original statement is “ I am happy,” and you want to report it, you might say, “ She said she was happy .”

Tense Changes:

Adjust the verb tenses to reflect the change in time from the original statement to the reported speech. The general rules for tense changes are as follows:

• Present Simple → Past Simple : “I like coffee.” → She said she liked coffee.
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous : “I am watching TV.” → He said he was watching TV.
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect : “I have seen that movie.” → They said they had seen that movie.
• Past Simple → Past Perfect : “I went to the store.” → She said she had gone to the store.

Reporting Time and Place:

Change any words or expressions that refer to time or place to reflect the perspective of the reporting sentence. For example , change “ today ” to “ that day ” or “ here ” to “ there .” 

Modal Verbs:

When using modal verbs in reported speech, change them as follows:

• “can” → “ could “
• “may” → “ might “
• “must” → “ had to “
• “will” → “ would “
• “shall” → “ should “

Reporting Questions:

When reporting questions, use the word “ if ” or “ whether ” to introduce the reported question. Change the word order and use the appropriate question word if necessary. For example , “Are you coming?” becomes “ She asked if I was coming .”

Imperative Sentences:

Report imperative sentences using the verb “ to ” or “ that .” For example , “Close the door” becomes “ She told me to close the door ” or “ She said that I should close the door .”

Direct Speech in Quotes:

Enclose the reported speech in quotation marks if desired, but this is not always necessary in indirect speech.

Use a comma to separate the reporting verb from the reported speech. Also, use a period at the end of the reported speech or a question mark if it was originally a question.

No Change in Modifiers:

Do not change the modifiers or adverbs in the reported speech unless they are related to time, place, or demonstratives.

Tense Changes Rules in Reported Speech:

Tense changes in reported speech, also known as indirect speech, are a fundamental aspect of English grammar. They involve shifting the verb tenses when you report what someone else has said. The key to using the correct tense changes in reported speech is to understand the relationship between the original statement and its reported version. Let’s break down how tense changes work:

Present Simple in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: She says, “I like chocolate.”
• Reported Speech: She says that she likes chocolate.

In this case, the present simple tense in the direct speech (“I like”) changes to the past simple tense (“she likes”) in the reported speech.

Past Simple in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: He said, “I visited Paris.”
• Reported Speech: He said that he visited Paris.

Here, the past simple tense in the direct speech remains the same in the reported speech (“visited”).

Present Continuous in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: They say, “We are working on a project.”
• Reported Speech: They say that they are working on a project.

The present continuous tense in the direct speech (“are working”) changes to the past continuous tense (“they are working”) in the reported speech.

Past Continuous in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: She said, “I was studying all night.”
• Reported Speech: She said that she had been studying all night.

The past continuous tense in the direct speech (“was studying”) changes to the past perfect continuous tense in the reported speech (“had been studying”).

Present Perfect in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: He says, “I have finished my homework.”
• Reported Speech: He says that he has finished his homework.

The present perfect tense in the direct speech (“have finished”) remains the same in the reported speech.

Past Perfect in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech: They said, “We had already eaten.”
• Reported Speech: They said that they had already eaten.

The past perfect tense in the direct speech (“had already eaten”) remains unchanged in the reported speech.

Future Tenses in Reported Speech:

• Direct Speech (will): She says, “I will meet you tomorrow.”
• Reported Speech (will): She says that she will meet you tomorrow.
• Direct Speech (going to): He said, “I am going to travel next week.”
• Reported Speech (going to): He said that he is going to travel next week.

In these examples, future tenses ( both “will” and “going to “) usually remain the same in reported speech.

Remember that the tense changes in reported speech are necessary to accurately convey what someone else has said. It’s important to understand the original context and the relationship between the reporting verb and the reported statement to make the correct tense shifts.

Tense Changes in reported Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Direct Speech : She said, “ I am happy.”

Indirect Speech:  She said that she was happy.

Direct Speech :  He asked, “ How old are you?”

Indirect Speech:  He asked her how old she was.

Direct Speech :  Mary exclaimed, “ I won a prize!”

Indirect Speech:  Mary exclaimed that she had won a prize.

Direct Speech :  John told his friend, “I like ice cream.”

Indirect Speech:  John told his friend that he liked ice cream.

Direct Speech :  They shouted, “Let’s go to the park!”

Indirect Speech:  They shouted to go to the park.

Direct Speech :  Sarah whispered, “I need help.”

Indirect Speech:  Sarah whispered that she needed help.

Direct Speech :   Peter cried, “I’m scared of the dark.”

Indirect Speech:  Peter cried that he was scared of the dark.

Direct Speech :  The teacher said, “Read the book.”

Indirect Speech:  The teacher said to read the book.

Direct Speech :  Tom yelled, “Stop the car!”

Indirect Speech:  Tom yelled to stop the car.

Direct Speech :  Jane laughed, “That joke is funny.”

Indirect Speech:  Jane laughed and said that the joke was funny.

Direct Speech :  He requested, “Please pass the salt.”

Indirect Speech:  He requested to please pass the salt.

Direct Speech :  Lisa sighed, “I want to sleep.”

Indirect Speech:  Lisa sighed and said that she wanted to sleep.

Direct Speech :  Alex chuckled, “Your drawing is good.”

Indirect Speech:  Alex chuckled, telling them that their drawing was good.

Direct Speech :  Maryam smiled, “Thanks for the gift.”

Indirect Speech:  Maryam smiled and t hanked them for the gift.

Direct Speech :  The coach commanded, “Run faster!”

Indirect Speech:  The coach commanded to run faster.

Direct Speech :  David asked, “Where is the library?”

Indirect Speech:  David asked where the library was.

Direct Speech :  She mentioned, “I have a cat.”

Indirect Speech:  She mentioned that she had a cat.

Direct Speech :  The boy said, “I can ride a bike.”

Indirect Speech: The boy said that he could ride a bike.

Direct Speech :  He advised, “Don’t eat too much candy.”

Indirect Speech:  He advised them not to eat too much candy.

Direct Speech :  Sarah begged, “ Don’t leave me.”

Indirect Speech:  Sarah begged them not to leave her.

Direct and Indirect Speech Questions

Direct: “She said, ‘I am happy.'” Indirect: a) She said she is happy. b) She said she was happy.

Direct: “He asked, ‘Do you like ice cream?'” Indirect: a) He asked if I like ice cream. b) He asked if I liked ice cream.

Direct: “They said, ‘We are playing in the park.'” Indirect: a) They said they are playing in the park. b) They said they were playing in the park.

Direct: “She said, ‘I will visit my friend.'” Indirect: a) She said she will visit her friend. b) She said she would visit her friend.

Direct: “He asked, ‘Have you finished your homework?'” Indirect: a) He asked if I finished my homework. b) He asked if I had finished my homework.

Direct: “Mary said, ‘I can swim.'” Indirect: a) Mary said she can swim. b) Mary said she could swim.

Direct: “Tom asked, ‘Did you watch the movie?'” Indirect: a) Tom asked if I watched the movie. b) Tom asked if I had watched the movie.

Direct: “She said, ‘Please close the door.'” Indirect: a) She said please close the door. b) She said to close the door.

Direct: “He exclaimed, ‘Wow, what a lovely day!'” Indirect: a) He exclaimed wow, what a lovely day. b) He exclaimed that what a lovely day.

Direct: “The teacher said, ‘Bring your books to class.'” Indirect: a) The teacher said to bring your books to class. b) The teacher said to bring their books to class.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Are you coming with us?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I am coming with them. b) She asked if I was coming with them.

Direct: “They said, ‘We have a dog.'” Indirect: a) They said they have a dog. b) They said they had a dog.

Direct: “He said, ‘I will be there at 3 PM.'” Indirect: a) He said he will be there at 3 PM. b) He said he would be there at 3 PM.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Do you like chocolate?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I like chocolate. b) She asked if I liked chocolate.

Direct: “They said, ‘We are going to the zoo.'” Indirect: a) They said they are going to the zoo. b) They said they were going to the zoo.

Direct: “He said, ‘I can play the guitar.'” Indirect: a) He said he can play the guitar. b) He said he could play the guitar.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Have you finished your lunch?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I finished my lunch. b) She asked if I had finished my lunch.

Direct: “They said, ‘We will come to your party.'” Indirect: a) They said they will come to my party. b) They said they would come to my party.

Direct: “He asked, ‘Did you watch the game?'” Indirect: a) He asked if I watched the game. b) He asked if I had watched the game.

Direct: “She said, ‘I am cooking dinner.'” Indirect: a) She said she is cooking dinner. b) She said she was cooking dinner.

Direct: “Tom said, ‘I have a red ball.'” Indirect: a) Tom said he has a red ball. b) Tom said he had a red ball.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Will you help me with this?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I help her with that. b) She asked if I would help her with that.

Direct: “They said, ‘We know the answer.'” Indirect: a) They said they know the answer. b) They said they knew the answer.

Direct: “He said, ‘I want to go to the park.'” Indirect: a) He said he wants to go to the park. b) He said he wanted to go to the park.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Did you buy the book?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I bought the book. b) She asked if I had bought the book.

Direct: “They said, ‘We can swim in the pool.'” Indirect: a) They said they can swim in the pool. b) They said they could swim in the pool.

Direct: “He said, ‘I am playing with my toys.'” Indirect: a) He said he is playing with his toys. b) He said he was playing with his toys.

Direct: “She asked, ‘Did you call the teacher?'” Indirect: a) She asked if I called the teacher. b) She asked if I had called the teacher.

Direct: “They said, ‘We may go to the park tomorrow.'” Indirect: a) They said they may go to the park tomorrow. b) They said they might go to the park tomorrow.

Direct: “He said, ‘I will meet you at the café.'” Indirect: a) He said he will meet me at the café. b) He said he would meet me at the café.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Direct: “She said, ‘I am going to the store.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He asked, ‘Do you like ice cream?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They exclaimed, ‘What a beautiful sunset!'” Indirect:

Direct: “She said, ‘I will call you later.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He asked, ‘Have you finished your homework?'” Indirect:

Direct: “Mary said, ‘I can swim.'” Indirect:

Direct: “Tom asked, ‘Did you watch the movie?'” Indirect:

Direct: “She said, ‘Please close the door.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He exclaimed, ‘Wow, what a lovely day!'” Indirect:

Direct: “The teacher said, ‘Bring your books to class.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Are you coming with us?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We have a dog.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He said, ‘I will be there at 3 PM.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Do you like chocolate?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We are going to the zoo.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He said, ‘I can play the guitar.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Have you finished your lunch?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We will come to your party.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He asked, ‘Did you watch the game?'” Indirect:

Direct: “She said, ‘I am cooking dinner.'” Indirect:

Direct: “Tom said, ‘I have a red ball.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Will you help me with this?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We know the answer.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He said, ‘I want to go to the park.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Did you buy the book?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We can swim in the pool.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He said, ‘I am playing with my toys.'” Indirect:

Direct: “She asked, ‘Did you call the teacher?'” Indirect:

Direct: “They said, ‘We may go to the park tomorrow.'” Indirect:

Direct: “He said, ‘I will meet you at the cafe.'” Indirect:

Indirect: She said she was going to the store.

Indirect: He asked if I liked ice cream.

Indirect: They exclaimed what a beautiful sunset.

Indirect: She said she would call me later.

Indirect: He asked if I had finished my homework.

Indirect: Mary said she could swim.

Indirect: Tom asked if I had watched the movie.

Indirect: She asked to close the door.

Indirect: He exclaimed that what a lovely day.

Indirect: The teacher said to bring my books to class.

Indirect: She asked if I was coming with them.

Indirect: They said they had a dog.

Indirect: He said he would be there at 3 PM.

Indirect: She asked if I liked chocolate.

Indirect: They said they were going to the zoo.

Indirect: He said he could play the guitar.

Indirect: She asked if I had finished my lunch.

Indirect: They said they would come to my party.

Indirect: He asked if I had watched the game.

Indirect: She said she was cooking dinner.

Indirect: Tom said he had a red ball.

Indirect: She asked if I would help her with that.

Indirect: They said they knew the answer.

Indirect: He said he wanted to go to the park.

Indirect: She asked if I had bought the book.

Indirect: They said they could swim in the pool.

Indirect: He said he was playing with his toys.

Indirect: She asked if I had called the teacher.

Indirect: They said they might go to the park tomorrow.

Indirect: He said he would meet me at the café.

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Reported speech

Direct and indirect speech

Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

You can answer the question  What did he say?  in two ways:

• by repeating the words spoken (direct speech)
• by reporting the words spoken (indirect or reported speech).

DIRECT SPEECH

Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.

• She says, "What time will you be home?"
• She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "
• "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
• John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."

INDIRECT SPEECH

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.

She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said  that she had seen him . (indirect speech)

'That' may be omitted: She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.

'SAY' AND 'TELL'

Use 'say' when there is no indirect object: He said that he was tired.

Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object): He told me that he was tired.

'TALK' AND 'SPEAK'

Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating: He talked to us. She was speaking on the telephone.

Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said: He talked (to us) about his parents.

Course Curriculum

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Indirect Speech Definition and Examples

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Indirect speech is a report on what someone else said or wrote without using that person's exact words (which is called direct speech). It's also called indirect discourse or reported speech . 

Direct vs. Indirect Speech

In direct speech , a person's exact words are placed in quotation marks and set off with a comma and a reporting clause or signal phrase , such as "said" or "asked." In fiction writing, using direct speech can display the emotion of an important scene in vivid detail through the words themselves as well as the description of how something was said. In nonfiction writing or journalism, direct speech can emphasize a particular point, by using a source's exact words.

Indirect speech is paraphrasing what someone said or wrote. In writing, it functions to move a piece along by boiling down points that an interview source made. Unlike direct speech, indirect speech is  not  usually placed inside quote marks. However, both are attributed to the speaker because they come directly from a source.

How to Convert

In the first example below, the  verb  in the  present tense  in the line of direct speech ( is)  may change to the  past tense  ( was ) in indirect speech, though it doesn't necessarily have to with a present-tense verb. If it makes sense in context to keep it present tense, that's fine.

• Direct speech:   "Where is your textbook? " the teacher asked me.
• Indirect speech:  The teacher asked me  where my textbook was.
• Indirect speech: The teacher asked me where my textbook is.

Keeping the present tense in reported speech can give the impression of immediacy, that it's being reported soon after the direct quote,such as:

• Direct speech:  Bill said, "I can't come in today, because I'm sick."
• Indirect speech:  Bill said (that) he can't come in today because he's sick.

Future Tense

An action in the future (present continuous tense or future) doesn't have to change verb tense, either, as these examples demonstrate.

• Direct speech:  Jerry said, "I'm going to buy a new car."
• Indirect speech:  Jerry said (that) he's going to buy a new car.
• Direct speech:  Jerry said, "I will buy a new car."
• Indirect speech:  Jerry said (that) he will buy a new car.

Indirectly reporting an action in the future can change verb tenses when needed. In this next example, changing the  am going  to was going implies that she has already left for the mall. However, keeping the tense progressive or continuous implies that the action continues, that she's still at the mall and not back yet.

• Direct speech:  She said, "I'm going to the mall."
• Indirect speech:  She said (that) she was going to the mall.
• Indirect speech: She said (that) she is going to the mall.

Other Changes

With a past-tense verb in the direct quote, the verb changes to past perfect.

• Direct speech:  She said,  "I went to the mall."
• Indirect speech:  She said (that)  she had gone to the mall.

Note the change in first person (I) and second person (your)  pronouns  and  word order  in the indirect versions. The person has to change because the one reporting the action is not the one actually doing it. Third person (he or she) in direct speech remains in the third person.

Free Indirect Speech

In free indirect speech, which is commonly used in fiction, the reporting clause (or signal phrase) is omitted. Using the technique is a way to follow a character's point of view—in third-person limited omniscient—and show her thoughts intermingled with narration.

Typically in fiction italics show a character's exact thoughts, and quote marks show dialogue. Free indirect speech makes do without the italics and simply combines the internal thoughts of the character with the narration of the story. Writers who have used this technique include James Joyce, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, Henry James, Zora Neale Hurston, and D.H. Lawrence.  

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• Direct Speech Definition and Examples
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• How to Use Indirect Quotations in Writing for Complete Clarity
• Backshift (Sequence-of-Tense Rule in Grammar)
• What Is Attribution in Writing?
• Indirect Question: Definition and Examples
• Reported Speech
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• What Are Reporting Verbs in English Grammar?
• Preterit(e) Verbs
• Dialogue Guide Definition and Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar with Examples [PDF]

In this lesson of English grammar, we will be going to learn What is Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar? and we also going to see the definition of direct and indirect speech and their examples. So let’s jump in. To download the lesson in PDF format, please find the downloadable link attached below in the article.

Direct Speech Definition:

Direct speech is writing that quotes what somebody has said in full, and is meant to be an accurate record of what was said, and by whom it was said.

Indirect Speech Definition:

Indirect speech is writing that provides a summary of what somebody was supposed to have said, and when they said it. As it is a summary it does not have to be a word for word account of conversations, meetings, or group discussions.

In English grammar, the importance of clearly defining the difference between direct and indirect speech should not be underestimated.

Putting words incorrectly into direct speech and indirect speech can alter the context of those words, and change the meaning of the entire piece of writing.

When a writer puts words into direct speech they are declaring that the words were definitely those of the person being quoted.

On the other hand, when words are placed in indirect speech it implies that the writer is unsure that the person used those exact words , or that somebody said that the person used those words.

In the context of fictional writing using the wrong type of speech wrong could just appear to be unprofessional.

However, in terms of non-fiction writing getting direct or indirect wrong, there could be consequences for the writer if the work is published electronically or in hard copy.

Anyway, here is how to correctly record direct speech in written texts. To show that a quote was directly spoken it is enclosed between ” .” These speech marks indicate that the words were actually spoken:

• Frank said, “It was so cold outside that I had to put on an extra jumper just to stay warm.”
• The President stated that “It is the time that the opposition stopped making pointless remarks, and actually started to make positive suggestions, which would serve the national interest.”
• I was livid with my manager and said “That was a complete waste of my time and effort after the director pulled my plan to pieces. You failed to back me up in the meeting, why?”

The grammar rules for indirect speech [External Links] are not the same, as shown here. Notice that there are no speech marks so that the reader knows that it is what someone is supposed to have said. instead of a word for word account of what was said.

• Jane confirmed that Roger was happy to have chicken chow mien from the takeaway tonight.
• Martha told me that she was not content with having to settle for the assistant manager role when she was better qualified and more experienced than the manager.
• The teacher was not happy with her students, as none of them had bothered to do the homework she set them.

Points to Remember when using Direct And Indirect Speech:

The grammar and punctuation required for direct speech are more specific than it is for indirect speech. This is due to direct speech being a word for word account of what somebody has said.

Such accuracy is even more important in a non fiction account. Direct speech is used in minutes from meetings as well as court hearings, and in legislatures too. Inaccurate records could have consequences and would certainly be regarded as unprofessional, possibly leading to the person recording the proceedings to lose their job.

• The main rule for direct speech is to make sure that the direct quote is fully enclosed by speech marks. When the quote has finished the comma, full stop, exclamation mark or question mark should come before the closing speech mark.
• When a lengthy speech is being recorded then the writer may choose to break that speech up into different parts, this particularly apt when the speech is covering a variety of different topics.
• Direct speech is also used when two or more people are involved in a dialogue. This would be written in the same way for fiction and non-fiction accounts. The words of each speaker are given their own line or paragraph. The name of each speaker is indicated before their words are quoted.
• Indirect speech does not have to be accurate as the writer is only attempting to convey the outline or gist of what was said and not provide a full quote. The writer may want to consider how they phrase what was said as it might not give the reader the impression of events that the writer was aiming to convey.
• As indirect speech does not require speech marks what was said goes before the punctuation, which ends the sentence.

A Must Watch Video Lesson on Direct and Indirect Speech:

So this is the complete lesson on Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar , I hope you liked it, if you have any doubts, feel free to share those on the comment section.

Resources [External Links]:

• English Resource EF
• Study Exam Direct Indirect Speech

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors.

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

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English Grammar Here

Direct and Indirect Speech With Examples and Detailed Explanations

Transferring the sentence that someone else says is called indirect speech . It is also called reported speech . Usually, it is used in spoken language. If the transmitted action is done in the past, the sentence becomes the past tense.

• He said; the newspaper is very interesting.
• He said the newspaper was very interesting.

Time changes in indirect speech;

• He said; I live in Island.
• He said he lived in Island.
• He said; I am reading book.
• He said he was reading book.
• He said; I visited France three times.
• He said he had visited France three times.
• He said; I went to holiday last year.
• He said he had gone to holiday the year before.
• He said; I already eaten meat.
• He said he had already eaten meat.
• He said; I am going to find a new girlfriend.
• He said he was going to find a new girlfriend.
• He said; I will give my mother a call.
• He said he would he would give his mother a call.
• He said; I have been working on that agency for over two years.
• He said he had have been working on that agency for over two years.
• He said; I can come tonight with my brother.
• He said he could come that night with his brother.
• He said; I have to done this work tonight.
• He said had to done this work that night.
• He says the newspaper is interesting.
• He has said that he reads the newspaper every day.
• He will say that he reads the newspaper every day.

If the subject is always referring to an action that maintains its correctness, then the broad time is used.

• The sun rises in the east sets in the west and this is an unchanging rule.

While the speech is being transferred, it is necessary to change the pronoun so that it becomes compatible with the object in the sentence.

• She said, I want to go to Paris.
• She said she wanted to go to Paris.

When we pass a sentence indirectly, some words in the sentence change.  This change is made in order not to distort the meaning in the sentence.

• Jake said; I will buy the new car tomorrow.
• Jake said that he would buy the new car the next day.

Changes in time of adverbs;

• Today-the next day
• Tonight-that night
• The day after tomorrow-in two days time
• Next week/year -following week/year
• Yesterday-the day before
• The day before yesterday-two days before

Here is Direct, Indirect(Reported) Speech Chart, Example Sentences

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Direct vs Indirect Speech in English

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When it comes to communicating in English, there are two types of speech that you need to be familiar with - direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you quote someone's exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said, but don't use their exact words. Both types of speech have their own rules and uses.

In this reference, we will explore the differences between direct and indirect speech, provide examples, and discuss the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech.

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct speech is when you use someone's exact words to report what they said. For example, if someone says "I am going to the store," and you repeat their words, that is direct speech. Direct speech is enclosed in quotation marks and attributed to the speaker.

Indirect speech  is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. For example, if someone says "I am going to the store," and you report it as "He said he was going for a walk," that is indirect speech. Indirect speech doesn't need to be enclosed in quotation marks and the speaker is usually not mentioned.

Examples of direct and indirect speech

To better understand the differences between direct and indirect speech, let's take a look at some examples.

Direct Speech:

• "I love ice cream," said Sarah.
• "I am going to the party," said John.
• "I need a vacation," said Mary.

Indirect Speech:

• Sarah said that she loves ice cream.
• John said that he was going to the party.
• Mary said that she needed a vacation.

As you can see, in direct speech, the speaker's exact words are used, while in indirect speech, the speaker's words are reported but not necessarily in the same way they were said.

The differences between direct and indirect speech

The main difference between direct and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the speaker's exact words, while indirect speech reports what someone said without using their exact words. This means that direct speech is usually more immediate and personal, while indirect speech is more removed and less personal.

Direct speech is normally enclosed in quotation marks and attributed to the speaker, while indirect speech is not enclosed in quotation marks and the speaker is usually not mentioned.

Rules for changing direct to indirect speech

When you need to report what someone said in indirect speech, there are certain rules you need to follow.

Tense Changes

When changing direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs to reflect the time of the reporting. For example, if someone says "I am going to the store," and you report it the next day, you would say "He said he was going to the store."

Pronoun Changes

When changing direct speech to indirect speech, you also need to change the pronouns to reflect the subject of the reporting. For example, if someone says "I am going to the store," and you report it as "He said he was going away for a while," you need to change the pronoun "I" to "He."

Reporting verbs

When changing direct speech to indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as "said," "told," "asked," etc. For example, if someone says "I am going to the store," and you report it as "He said he was going to be outside," you need to use the reporting verb "said."

Common mistakes

There are several common mistakes that people make when using direct and indirect speech. Some of these mistakes include:

Mixing direct and indirect speech

One common mistake people make is mixing direct and indirect speech. For example, saying "He said, 'I am going to the store,'" is a mix of direct and indirect speech. It should be reported as "He said he was going to the store."

Incorrect tense changes

Another common mistake people make is incorrect tense changes. For example, saying "He said he is going to the store," is incorrect. It should be reported as "He said he was going to the store."

Incorrect pronoun changes

Finally, people often make mistakes when changing pronouns. For example, saying "He said she was going to the store," is incorrect. It should be reported as "He said he was going to the store."

Are indirect or direct speech different from reported speech?

Indirect and direct speech are sometimes referred to as reported speech. Reported speech is a more general term that includes both indirect and direct speech. Overall, reported speech comes up in a variety of situations, such as news reporting and storytelling.

Direct speech uses the speaker's exact words, while indirect speech reports what someone said without using their exact words. When changing direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow certain rules, such as tense changes, pronoun changes, and using reporting verbs. By understanding the differences between both kinds of speech, you can communicate more effectively in English. Good luck on your journey and be sure to check out more helpful references below!

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More helpful articles:

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

English grammar direct and indirect speech rules, what is direct and indirect speech.

We often have to give information about what people say or think. In order to do this, we can use direct or quoted speech or indirect or reported speech .

Direct Speech

Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech).

For example:

• She said, “Today’s lesson is on presentations.” Or “Today’s lesson is on presentations,” she said.

Indirect speech

Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech or Narration ), doesn’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn’t have to be word for word. Thus, in indirect speech, we convey the speaker’s message in our own words.

• Direct Speech: He said, “I’m going to the cinema”.
• Indirect Speech: He said that he was going to the cinema.

Reported Speech Tenses Change Chart

Reported speech does not go back a tense if it is already in the past perfect (there is no further back it can go), and some modal verbs also do not change.

Direct and Indirect speech Examples for Tense

1. Simple Present to Simple Past

• Direct: He said, “The boy goes home.” Indirect: He said that the boy went home.

2. Present Continuous to Past Continuous

• Direct: Ram said, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: Ram said that he was reading a book.

3. Present Perfect to Past Perfect

• Direct: The girl said, “I have lost my pen.” Indirect: The girl said that she had lost her pen.

4. Present Perfect Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous

• Direct: He said, “Ram has been going.” Indirect: He said that Ram had been going.

5. Past Indefinite to Past Perfect

• Direct: Mother said, “I bought a watch for you.”
• Indirect: Mother said that she had bought a watch for him.

6. Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous

• Direct: Raju said, “I was repairing a car.” Indirect: Raju said that he had been repairing a car.

7. Future Tense (shall/will) to future in the Past (should/would)

• Direct: The teacher said, “I shall give you notes.” Indirect: The teacher said that he would give them notes.

8. Conditional to Perfect Conditional Direct:

• Direct: He said, “If I had the money I could buy the car.” Indirect: She said that if he had the money he could have bought the car.  

9. Past Perfect Tense: No Change

• Direct: She said, “I had gone to Bhagalpur.” Indirect: She said that she had gone to Bhagalpur.

10. Auxiliary Verbs (would, should, might, could, ought, must) —  No Change

• Direct: He said, “I would like to take milk.” Indirect: He said that he would like to take milk.
• Direct: The boy said, “The teacher could have solved it in no time.” Indirect: The boy said that the teacher could have solved it in no time.
• Direct: He said, “The boy must apologise to the teacher.” Indirect: He said that the boy must apologise to the teacher.

Changes of Interrogative Sentences

• Toni said, “What is Luna doing?” Toni asked me what Luna was doing.
• Luna said, “Will she come for lunch?” Luna asked if she would come for lunch.
• The boy asked, “ Wh ere do you stay?” The boy inquired where I stayed

Things are slightly more complicated with imperatives

Time and place references.

• I went to the theatre last night . He said he had gone to the theatre the night before .
• I’m having a party next weekend . He said he was having a party the next weekend .
• I’m staying here until next week . He said he was staying there until the following week.
• I came over from London 3 years ago . He said he had come over from London 3 years before.

When verbs don’t follow the rules?

• You’ve invited someone for dinner at your house, and the phone rings. It’s them! They say:
• (on the phone) “I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to be a bit late. There’s a lot of traffic.”
• After you finish speaking on the phone, you say to someone else:
• That was Juan. He said he thinks he’s going to be late because there’s a lot of traffic.

Another example:

• A friend says to you: “Maria’s ill. She’ s got chickenpox!”
• You say to someone else: Laura said that Maria’ s ill. She’ s got chickenpox.
• However, the following day you see Maria at the beach. You’re surprised and say to her:
• Laura said that you were ill. She said you had chickenpox.

This has to change to the past because it isn’t true . Maria obviously isn’t ill .

• A friend is telling you about the horrible weather: “It started raining heavily when I left work.” (This is where things get confusing):
• He said it had started raining heavily when he had left work (it sounds horrible and the sentence is almost nothing but verbs).
• He said it had started raining heavily when he left work (is wrong because it means it was already raining when he left work)
• He said it started raining heavily when he left work (is the best version because it is accurate, short, and there is no confusion because of the time context)

Generally speaking, the past simple and continuous don’t always need to be changed if:

Rules for Universal Truth, Habitual Facts, etc.

• Direct: My friend said, “I am an early riser.” Indirect: My friend said that he is an early riser.
• Direct: Father said, “Man is the only animal that cooks his food.” Indirect: Father said that man is the only animal that cooks his food.
• Direct: The teacher said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Indirect: The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.
• Direct: The teacher said, “The earth moves around the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth moves around the sun.
• Direct: Sarla said, “When Ram was reading Sham was writing.” Indirect: Sarla said that when Ram was reading Sham was writing.
• Direct: The teacher said, “Akbar died in 1605 AD.” Indirect: The teacher said that Akbar died in 1605 AD.
• Direct: The speaker said, “Gentlemen, I will tell you what is going there.” Indirect: The speaker told his audience (those present) that he would tell them what was going there
• Direct: He said, “I hope, friends, you will support me.” Indirect: He said that he hoped they would support him.
• Direct: He said, “I would rather she played.” Indict: He said that he would rather she played.
• Direct: He said, “If I  were rich, I would settle in Mumbai. Indirect: He said that if he were rich, he would settle in Mumbai.
• Direct: He said. “When we lived/were living in Chennai, we often visited Rameshwarm” Indirect: He said that when they lived/ were living in Chennai, they often visited / had visite Rameshwarm

Rules for the Change of Pronouns

If the direct speech has a pronoun, its person is changed, when necessary, to refer in the indirect to the same individual as it does in the direct.

• Soni said, “ I am a good girl.” Soni said that she was a good girl.
• I told them, “ You have finished your work.” I told them that they had finished their work.
• He said, “ She is in Delhi.” He said that she was in Delhi.
• Direct:  He said, “I can cross this river.” Indirect:   He said that he could cross that river.
• Direct:  You said. “I can cross this river.” Indirect:   You said that you could cross that river.
• Direct:  I said, “I can cross this river.” Indirect:  I said that I could cross that river.

You also need to be careful with  personal pronouns . They need to be changed according to the situation. You need to know the context.

For example , there is possible confusion when you try to change reported speech to direct speech:

• She  said  she ’d been waiting for hours. (Is ‘ she ‘ one person or two different people?)
• I told  them they  would have to ask permission. (Are we talking about two groups of people or only one?)

• Fun Education Quizzes /

English Grammar Quiz: Direct And Indirect Speech

• Questions: 10
• Last Updated: 17 Apr, 2024
• Attempts: 1

Do you want to determine your level of your grammar in a fun way? Try the quiz on direct and reported indirect speech. Direct and indirect are two ways to report speech. The way you tell someone else’s words is called direct speech.  Instead of using the same words, an indirect speech repeats what the speaker said. Now we are going to start a journey where we will learn everything about reported speeches. All the best!  Moreover, we have many other funny quizzes, trivia quizzes, Movie Quizzes, Series quizzes as well. Just join us for more amusement. Also visit other sections such as Guess Who?, Famous Celebrities profiles and all others under The Famous Personalities Staff just for entertainment purposes only.  Play English Grammar Quiz!

Identify the type of speech: "I haven't seen Jack today," she mentioned.

Direct speech, indirect speech, don't understand, identify the type of speech: he asked if they could lend him some money., identify the type of speech: "i'll call you later," he promised., identify the type of speech: rawn said that he was going to the store., identify the type of speech: they explained that they had already finished the project., identify the type of speech: she told me she had seen the movie before., identify the type of speech: they inquired about the location of the nearest gas station., identify the type of speech: "i love cat," she exclaimed., identify the type of speech: "please pass the salt," he requested., identify the type of speech: "what time is the meeting" she asked..

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• Punctuation /

Colon Punctuation Examples with Uses in English Grammar

• Updated on  
• Apr 24, 2024

Colon punctuation examples: Colon (:) as a punctuation mark introduces an element, that illustrates information preceding the colon. When a colon appears in English grammar it gives an impression of “ as follows ” or “ thus ”. But, whether you are a grammar nazi , academic student, or writer, you must know the usage of colons to avoid any first-hand embarrassment of committing punctuational errors. If you are still confused about how a colon is used in a sentence, then continue reading the blog on punctuation examples of colons for ease of learning. 

All About Punctuation

[powerkit_toc title=”This Blog Includes:”]

Colon Punctuation Examples in English

The colon is symbolised as two dots positioned vertically (:), and is often used to divide sentences. It has a variety of uses, some of which include introducing a list, quoting, introducing an explanation and connecting two related sentences. To give you a better understanding, here are some examples of colons that can be used in sentences:

• The teacher provided a simple instruction: complete the assignment by Friday.
• There was only one thing left to do: pack up and leave.
• He made a solemn promise to his friend: to always have his back.
• The menu offered a variety of options: burgers, salads, and sandwiches.
• She faced a difficult decision: to stay and fight or to flee.
• The novel opened with a captivating line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
• The CEO delivered a clear message to the shareholders: cutbacks were inevitable.
• The detective uncovered a crucial piece of evidence: a torn page from the suspect’s journal.
• After hours of deliberation, they reached a compromise: to split the difference.
• His mantra for success was simple: work hard, stay focused, and never give up.

Explore: 19+ Quotation Marks Examples with Rules of Usage

Colon Punctuation Examples and Uses

The colon punctuation marks are used in many ways and can even be used to replace conjunctions like “such as” and “which is” and others. To help you get a better understanding of how a colon can be used along with their usage.   

Colon Punctuation Worksheet

It’s time to test your knowledge! To help you check your knowledge of colon punctuation marks, we have put together a worksheet. In the sentences below, change them by adding a colon in between as suitable. 

Related Reads on Learn English!

No, a colon is not used when writing a sentence in the form of an example. 

A colon is used to introduce a list, a quotation an example following an independent sentence. 

A colon is used in the English language to give emphasis, present dialogue, introduce lists or text and clarify composition titles.

We hope this blog has provided you with all the necessary information on the colon punctuation examples. To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .

Malvika Chawla

Malvika is a content writer cum news freak who comes with a strong background in Journalism and has worked with renowned news websites such as News 9 and The Financial Express to name a few. When not writing, she can be found bringing life to the canvasses by painting on them.

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