DIRECT
AND
INDIRECT
SPEECH
INTRODUCTION
Direct and Indirect Speech
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 .
DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH
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.
EXAMPLES
• She says, "What time will you be home?“
• "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
‘said', ‘told', ‘asked', requested etc. and we may use
the word 'that' to introduce the reported words.
Inverted commas are not used in indirect speech.
For example:
She said, "I saw him." (direct speech)
She said that she had seen him. (indirect speech)
SAID AND TOLD
Use ‘said' when there is no indirect
object:
He said that he was tired. said
Always use ‘told' when you say
who was being spoken to (i.e. with told
an indirect object):
He told me that he was tired.
Conversion Rules: Direct to Indirect Speech- Reporting Verb
Rule 1: Conversion Rules as per the Reporting Verb
When the reporting or principal verb is in the Past Tense, all Present
tenses in direct speech are changed into the corresponding Past Tenses.
Direct: He said, “I am unwell.”
Indirect: He said (that) he was unwell.
If the reporting verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the tenses of the
Direct Speech do not change.
Direct: He says/will say, “I am unwell.”
Indirect: He says/will say that he is unwell.
The Tense in Indirect Speech is NOT CHANGED if the words within
the quotation marks talk of a UNIVERSAL TRUTH or habitual action.
Direct: They said, “We cannot live without water.”
Indirect: They said that they cannot live without water.
Rule 2: Conversion Rules of Present Tense
in Direct Speech
Simple Present Changes to Simple Past
Direct: "I am happy," she said.
Indirect: She said that she was happy.
Present Continuous Changes to Past Continuous
Direct: He said "I am reading a book,".
Indirect: He said that he was reading a book.
Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect
Direct: She said, “He has finished his food.”
Indirect: She said that he had finished his food.
Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect
Direct: "I have been to Gujarat,” he told me.
Indirect: He told me that he had been to Gujarat.
Rule 3: Conversion Rules of Past & Future
Tense
Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect
Direct: He said, “Ira arrived on Monday."
Indirect: He said that Ira had arrived on Monday.
Past Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: "We were living in Goa", they told me.
Indirect: They told me that they had been living in Goa.
Future Tense Changes to Present Conditional
Direct: He said, "I will be in Kolkata tomorrow."
Indirect: He said that he would be in Kolkata the next day.
Future Continuous Changes to Conditional Continuous
Direct: She said, "I'll be using the car next Friday.”
Indirect: She said that she would be using the car next Friday.
Rule 4: Changes in Modals
CAN changes into COULD
Direct: He said, "I can swim."
Indirect: He said that he could swim.
MAY changes into MIGHT
Direct: He said, "I may buy a house.”
Indirect: He said that he might buy a house.
MUST changes into HAD TO/WOULD HAVE TO
Direct: He said, "I must work hard.”
Indirect: He said that he had to work hard.
Modals that DO NOT Change: Would, Could, Might, Should, Ought
to.
Direct: He said, "I should face the challenge.”
Indirect: He said that he should face the challenge.
Rule 5: Conversion of Interrogative
Reporting Verb like ‘said/ said to’ changes to asked, enquired or
demanded etc.
Direct: He said to me, “What are you doing?”
Indirect: He asked me what I was doing.
If a sentence begins with auxiliary verb, the joining clause should be if
or whether.
Direct: He said, “Will you come for the meeting?”
Indirect: He asked him/her whether he/ she would come for the
meeting.
If a sentence begins with ‘wh’ questions then no conjunction is used as
the "question-word" itself act as joining clause.
Direct: The girl said, “Where do you live?”
Indirect: The girl enquired/ asked where I lived.
Rule 6: Command, Request, Exclamation, Wish
Commands and Requests
Indirect Speech is introduced by some verbs like ordered, requested,
advised and suggested. Forbid(s)/ forbade is used for the negative
sentences. The imperative mood is changed into the Infinitive.
Direct: Rafique said to Ahmed, “Go away.”
Indirect: Rafique ordered Ahmed to go away.
Direct: He said to her, “Please wait.”
Indirect: He requested her to wait.
Exclamations and Wishes
Indirect Speech is introduced by some words like grief, sorrow,
happiness, applaud. Exclamatory sentence changes into assertive
sentence and Interjections are removed.
a) Direct: He said, “Alas! I failed in the exam.”
b) Indirect: He exclaimed sadly that he had failed in the exam.
Rule 7: Change of Pronouns
The first person of the reported speech changes according to the
subject of reporting speech.
a) Direct: She said, “I am in ninth class.”
b) Indirect: She said that she was in ninth class.
The second person of reported speech changes according to the object
of reporting speech.
a) Direct: He says to them, "You have completed your job.”
b) Indirect: He tells them that they have completed their job.
The third person of the reported speech doesn't change.
a) Direct: He said, "She is in tenth class.”
b) Indirect: He said that she was in tenth class.
Rule 8: Change of Place and Time
Words expressing nearness in time or place in Direct
Speech are generally changed into words expressing
distance in Indirect Speech.
Now -- then
Here -- there
Ago -- before
Thus -- so
Today -- that day
Tomorrow -- the next day/ the following day
This -- that
Rule 8: Change of Place and Time
Yesterday -- the day before/ the previous day
These -- those
Hither-- thither
Come -- go
Hence -- thence
Next week/month -- following week/month
Direct: She said, “My father came yesterday.”
Indirect: She said that her father had come the day before.
Rule 9: Punctuation
The words that are actually spoken should be enclosed in quotes and
begin with a capital letter
Example: He said, “You are right.”
Comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark must be present at the
end of reported sentences and are placed inside the closing inverted comma or
commas.
Example: He asked, “Can I come with you?”
If direct speech comes after the information about who is speaking, comma is
used to introduce the piece of speech, placed before the first inverted comma.
Example: She shouted, “Stop talking!”
Example: “Thinking back,” she said, “he didn't expect to win.” (Comma is
used to separate the two reported speech and no capital letter to begin the
second sentence).
TENSES
ACTIVITY TIME-SPOT THE ERROR IN
EACH STATEMENT
Direct: The boy said, “I’m happy with my results.”
Indirect: The boy said that he is happy with his results.
(Incorrect)
ANSWER
Indirect: The boy said that he was happy with his
results. (Correct)
ACTIVITY TIME-SPOT THE ERROR
IN EACH STATEMENT
Direct: He said, “All people have equal rights.”
Indirect: He said that all people had equal rights.
(Incorrect)
ANSWER
Indirect: He said that all people have equal rights.
(Correct)
ACTIVITY TIME-SPOT THE ERROR
IN EACH STATEMENT
Indirect: The policeman enquired where we were
going.
Direct: The policeman enquired where are you going.
(Incorrect)
ANSWER
Direct: The policeman said, “Where are you going?”
(Correct)
