Muhammad Rafiq is a freelance writer, blogger, and translator with a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Malakand.

What are direct and indirect speech? Read on to learn the differences (with examples).

What Is Direct Speech? What Is Indirect Speech?

Direct speech is exactly what it sounds like—text that reports the exact thoughts expressed by a person in their original form. It is often enclosed in quotation marks so that the reader understands that the quoted text is the speaker’s original narrative.

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech, indirect narration, or indirect discourse. In grammar, when you report someone else’s statement in your own words without any change in the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech.

Quoting a person’s words without using his own word and bringing about any change in the meaning of the statement is reported speech. Look at the following sentences:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.

In the first sentence, the writer conveys the girl’s message using her actual words (e.g., “I am a little bit nervous.”). In the second sentence, the writer conveys her message but in his own words without changing the meaning. Thus, direct and indirect speech each report a person’s statement in different ways.

This article will cover the following topics:

• Key Terminology
• The Basic Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech
• Important Word Changes: How Words Are Used Differently in Direct vs. Indirect Speech
• Examples of Direct Speech Converted to Indirect Speech
• Understanding Direct and Indirect Speech in Different Types of Sentences
  • Assertive Sentences
  • Imperative Sentences
  • Interrogative Sentences
  • Exclamatory Sentences
  • Optative Sentences

Key Terminology

During the process, you will come across many important terms that you need to know better so that you can convert any direct speech into indirect speech easily and without any hassle. Consider the following examples from the previous section:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am a little bit nervous.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she is a little bit nervous.

Now consider the different grammatical aspects of both.

• Reporting Speech: The first part of the direct speech is called reporting speech (she says).
• Reported Speech: The second part of the sentence, which is enclosed in inverted commas or quotation marks, is called reported speech (I am a little bit nervous).
• Reporting Verb: The verb of the reporting speech is called the reporting verb (says).
• Reported Verb: The verb of the reported speech is called the reported verb (am).

Direct vs. indirect speech: the key differences defined

The Basic Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Before proceeding, you must memorize these rules:

Changes in Person of Pronouns:

• First-person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the subject of the reporting speech.
• Second-person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the object of the reporting speech.
• Third-person pronouns in reported speech are not changed.

Changes in Verbs:

• If the reporting speech is in the present or future tense, then it is not required to change the verb in the reported speech. This verb could be in any tense, i.e., present, past, or future. For example:

Direct Speech: He says, “I am ill.”

Indirect Speech: He says that he is ill.

Direct Speech: She says, “She sang a song.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she sang a song.

Direct Speech: You say, “I shall visit London.”

Indirect Speech: You say that you will visit London.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the reported verb will be changed per the following criterion.

Present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense. For example:

Direct Speech: They said, “They take a walk every day.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they took a walk every day.

Present continuous is changed into past continuous tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They are taking a walk every day.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they were taking a walk every day.

Present perfect is changed into the past perfect tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They have taken a walk.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken a walk.

Present perfect continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They have been taking a walk since morning.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had been taking a walk since morning.

Past indefinite is changed into past perfect tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They took a walk.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken a walk.

Past continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct Speech: They said, “They were taking a walk.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had been taking a walk.

No changes are necessary to change into past perfect and past perfect continuous tenses.

Direct Speech: They said, “They had taken a walk.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they had taken a walk.

In future tense, no changes are made except shall and will are changed into would.

Direct Speech: They said, “They will take a walk.”

Indirect Speech: They said that they would take a walk.

Changes in tense: how to change direct speech into indirect speech and vice versa

Important Word Changes: How Words Are Used Differently in Direct vs. Indirect Speech

Word in Direct SpeechWord in Indirect SpeechDirect SpeechIndirect Speech

This

That

He says, “I want to buy this book.”

He says that he wants to buy that book.

These

Those

He says, “I want to buy these books.”

He says that he wants to buy those books.

Here

There

She says, “Everybody was here.”

She says that everybody was there.

Now

Then

They say, “It’s ten o’clock now.”

They say that it’s ten o’clock then.

Sir

Respectfully

They said, “Sir, the time is over.”

They said respectfully that the time was over.

Madam

Respecfully

They said, “Madam, the time is over.”

They said respectfully that the time was over.

Today

That Day

She said, “I am going to London today.”

She said that she was going to London that day.

Yesterday

The Previous Day

She said, “I visited Oxford University yesterday.”

She said that she had visited Oxford University the previous day.

Tomorrow

Following Day or Next Day

She said, “I am going to London tomorrow.”

She said that she was going to London the next day.

Tonight

That Night

She said, “I am going to see him tonight.”

She said that she was going to see him that night.

Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Day

Greeted

She said, “Good morning, Sir David.”

She greeted Sir David.

Memorize the above rules because they are necessary to convert direct speech into indirect speech.

The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules.

Examples of Direct Speech Converted to Indirect Speech

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech

She says, “I eat an apple a day.”

She says that she eats an apple a day.

He will say, “My brother will help her.”

He will say that his brother will help her.

We said, “We go for a walk every day.”

We said that we went for a walk every day.

You say, “I went to London yesterday.”

You say that you went to London the previous day.

He said, “My father is playing cricket with me.”

He said that his father was playing cricket with him.

They said, “We have completed our homework.”

They said that they had completed their homework.

She said, “I have been waiting for him since last morning.”

She said that she had been waiting for him since last morning.

She said, “I bought a book.”

She said that she had bought a book.

They said, “We were celebrating Eid yesterday.”

They said that they had been celebrating Eid the previous day.

We said, “We had been waiting since morning.”

We said that we had been waiting since morning.

He said to me, “I will not give you any medicine without prescription.”

He said to me that he would not give me any medicine without a prescription.

Rafiq said, “I shall leave for London tomorrow.”

Rafiq said that he would leave for London the next day.

She said, “I shall be visiting my college tomorrow.”

She said that she would be visiting her college the following day.

They said, “It will have been snowing since morning.”

They said that it would have been snowing since morning.

Understanding Direct and Indirect Speech in Different Types of Sentences

Assertive Sentences

Sentences that make a statement are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect narration, use the rules mentioned above, except said is sometimes replaced with told. Look at the following examples:

Direct Speech: She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she is writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech: She says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech: She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech: She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.

Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences give an order or direct command. These sentences may come in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Either a period or exclamation point is used at the end of the sentence, depending on the forcefulness of the speaker. For example:

• Shut the door!
• Please shut the door.
• Repair the door by tomorrow!

To convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the above-mentioned rules.

The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into order if the sentence gives a direct command. For example:

Direct Speech: The teacher said to me, “Shut the door.”

Indirect Speech: The teacher ordered me to shut the door.

The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into request if the sentence makes a request. For example:

Direct Speech: He said to me, “Shut the door.”

Indirect Speech: He requested me to shut the door.

The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into advise if the sentence gives a piece of advice. For example:

Direct Speech: He said to me, “You should work hard to pass the exam.”

Indirect Speech: He advised me that I should work hard to pass the exam.

The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into forbade if the sentence prevents someone from doing something. For example:

Direct Speech: He said to me, “Not to smoke.”

Indirect Speech: He forbade me to smoke.

Examples

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech

We said to him, “Mind your own business.”

We urged him to mind his own business.

She said to him, “Consult a doctor.”

She suggested him to consult a doctor.

He said to me, “Write it again.”

He asked me to write it again.

You said to your father, “Please grant him leave for some time.”

You requested your father to grant him leave for some time.

My mother said to me, “Never tell a lie.”

My mother forbade me to tell a lie.

Interrogative Sentences

Sentences that ask questions are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence ends with a question mark. For example:

• Do you live here?
• Have you ever watched Terminator III?
• Is it raining?

To convert interrogative sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

• The reporting verb said to is changed into asked.
• If the reporting speech has the reporting verb at its start, then if is used in place of that.
• If the reporting speech has interrogative words like who, when, how, why, when, then neither if is used nor any other word is added.
• A period is placed at the end of the sentence instead of a question mark.

Examples

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

I said to her, “When do you do your homework?”

I asked her when she did her homework.

We said to him, “Are you ill?”

We asked him if he was ill.

You said to me, “Have you read the article?”

You asked me if I had read the article.

He said to her, “Will you go to the Peshawar Radio Station?”

He asked her if she would go to the Peshawar Radio Station.

She says, “Who is he?”

She says who he is.

Rashid said to me, “Why are you late?”

Rashid asked me why I was late.

Exclamatory Sentences

The sentences that express our feelings and emotions are called exclamatory sentences. Exclamation marks are used at the end of an exclamatory sentence. For example:

• Hurray! We have won the match.
• Alas! He failed the test.
• How beautiful that dog is!
• What a marvelous personality you have!

To change exclamatory sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the above-mentioned rules:

• If there is an interjection, i.e., alas, aha, hurray, etc., in the reported speech, then they are omitted along with the exclamation point.
• The reporting verb, i.e., said, is always replaced with exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed joyfully, exclaimed sorrowfully, or exclaimed with great wonder or sorrow.
• If there is what or how at the beginning of the reported speech, then they are replaced with very or very great.
• In an indirect sentence, the exclamatory sentence becomes an assertive sentence.

Examples

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech

He said, “Hurray! I have won the match.”

He exclaimed with great joy that he had won the match.

She said, “Alas! My brother failed in the test.”

She exclaimed with great sorrow that her brother had failed in the test.

They said, “What a beautiful house this is!”

They exclaimed that that house was very beautiful.

I said, “How lucky I am!”

I said in great wonder that I was very lucky.

You said to him, “What a beautiful drama you writing!

You said to him in great wonder that he was writing a beautiful drama.

Optative Sentences

Optative sentences express a hope, prayer, or wish. Usually, there is an exclamation mark at the end of an optative sentence. For example:

• May you succeed on the test!
• May you get well soon!
• Would that I were rich!

To change optative sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the above-mentioned rules:

• If the reported speech starts with the word may, then the reporting verb said is replaced with the word prayed.
• If the reported speech starts with the word would, then the reporting verb said is replaced with the word wished.
• May is changed to might.
• The exclamation mark is omitted.
• In indirect speech, the optative sentences become assertive sentences.

Examples

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech

He said to me, “May you live long!”

He prayed that I might live long.

My mother said to me, “May you succeed in the test!”

My mother prayed that I might succeed in the test.

She said, “Would that I were rich!”

She wished she had been rich.

I said to him, “Would that you were here on Sunday!”

I wished he had been there on Sunday.

You said to me, “ May you find your lost camera.”

You prayed that I might find my lost camera.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2014 Muhammad Rafiq

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Perry on August 31, 2020:

How do we change,

1.He buys a camera .

2.I wrote a letter

Nn on August 28, 2020:

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My Geography teacher said,’The earth is round’.

Help me with this, Sir and what’s the concept that justifies this.

Haile on July 30, 2020:

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Yogeshwar on July 27, 2020:

Ans of Zoya’s question:

Father, “We shall go for a picnic tomorrow”.

Children said, ” Can we go to Gulmarg?”

Zoya on July 23, 2020:

Father suggested that they should go for a picnic the next day. Children asked if they

could go to Gulmarg. ( Change from indirect to direct speech)

gael on July 23, 2020:

can you change this to indirect:

He said to her, ‘What a hot day!

Opel on July 18, 2020:

The teacher forbade me to play with fire

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Ahmed on July 10, 2020:

Sir kindly change this sentence into indirect

The teacher said, I have often told you don,t play with fire.

Muhammad Rafiq (author) from Pakistan on July 10, 2020:

Rohit said that he had been playing PUBG.

Vishu bhai on July 10, 2020:

Change it to indirect

Rohit said,”I was playing PUBG”

Muhammad Rafiq (author) from Pakistan on July 09, 2020:

Binanda asked what the time was.

Swagata on July 08, 2020:

Plz change the narration

Binanda said, what is the time now?

Swagata on July 08, 2020:

It’s good but i have a question binanda said that, what is the time now

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theres a typo erro

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Muhammad Rafiq (author) from Pakistan on June 27, 2020:

This sentence cannot be changed into indirect speech as it is lacking in an essential part, which is called Reporting Speech. Without a Reporting Speech, we cannot convert it into Indirect Speech. Please, read the article thoroughly.

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Thanks

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Mee Nge on June 27, 2020:

How to change ‘ Who are my parent’ to indirect speech?

Zoha on June 25, 2020:

Kindly change into indirect

1.He Will says to us, you can not play with me,

2.we shall say to you, they have lost our pens.

3.we Said, from where do these things come.

Muhammad Rafiq (author) from Pakistan on June 22, 2020:

My girlfriend asked whether she liked horror films.

Huma naz on June 22, 2020:

Direct:- My girlfriend asked, “Do you like horror films?”

Indirect:- ???

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Reported speech is just a category in English Grammar to get the sentences directly or indirectly

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If the reporting speech is having the reporting verb at it its start, then if is used in place of that.

I Could Not Understood It Please Help Me What Does It Mean?

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Indirect Speech: Formula and Rules

We are talking about a very important and interesting topic. We are talking about direct and indirect speech in English and what is the correct formula of the usage.

This topic can seem complicated at the beginning, but necessary to learn. Having this topic solved, you improve your English to a new level, so let’s start to deal with it.

What are Direct and Indirect speech?

In English, there are two ways how we can tell what another person said. Two ways you can say what someone else has said before.

• Direct Speech
• Indirect (Reported) Speech

Note: Indirect speech in different textbooks can be called differently: Indirect Speech or Reported Speech. But these two names mean the same.

Indirect Speech = Reported Speech

indirect speech and reported speech mean the same.

Direct speech in English is a type of speech when we retell someone’s speech as it was. We don’t change anything.

John says: I’m a good boy.

To tell what John said, we will say:

We say: John said, “I’m a good boy.”

Indirect speech differs from direct speech in that we DO NOT tell exactly what another person said. We are NOT repeating what someone else said. Indirect speech is when we tell the MEANING of what someone else said.

John says: I’m a good boy.

We say: John said he was a good boy.

Pay attention to what this sentence looks like. Earlier, when John said this, the sentence looked like this:

I am a good boy.

But after WE retell John’s words, in the indirect speech, this sentence looks like this:

John said he was a good boy.

The Quotes and the comma that stood after the name John, separating the speaker from his direct speech, disappeared from this sentence.

In indirect speech, we do not use the separating comma and quotation marks. Because now it is WE are retelling the meaning of what the other person (John) said.

Comma and quotation marks in indirect speech.

In direct speech, the speaker most often speaks in the first person. That is, the speaker speaks from his person.

John will not talk about himself: John is a good boy. John will say it on his behalf: I am a good boy.

But when we retell the words of John (indirect speech), we cannot speak on his behalf. We cannot say “I am a good boy” because those are not our words. This is John a good boy.

Therefore, in indirect speech, we change “I” to the third person.

He says: I hate you but I need your help.

I retell: He said that he hated me but he needed my help.

To translate direct speech into indirect speech, we use certain rules that you should know.

Let’s take a look at these rules and formulas in order.

Quotation marks and comma

In direct speech, we use a comma to separate the speaker from what he is saying. Direct speech (what the speaker says) is in quotation marks.

When we translate direct speech into indirect speech, we remove quotes and commas.

Jessica says, “I’m from the future.”

We retell Jessica’s words: She said that she was from the future.

Personal and possessive pronouns

When translating direct speech into indirect speech, we change personal and possessive pronouns to third-person pronouns.

Direct Speech: He says, “I couldn’t stay”
Indirect Speech: He said that he couldn’t stay.

Direct Speech: Tom says, “I am deeply disturbed”
Indirect Speech: Tom said that he was deeply disturbed.

Note: If in direct speech the speaker tells his own words, then we do not change personal and possessive pronouns.

Direct Speech: I said, “I will do that”
Indirect Speech: I said that I would do that.

Adverbs in direct speech

When we translate adverbs from direct speech to indirect, adverbs change their form.

You can see how adverbs look in direct speech and how adverbs look in indirect speech in this table:

But we don’t always change adverbs this way. We change adverbs only if, when translating from direct speech into indirect speech adverbs cannot express the same meaning as in direct speech.

Take a look at an example:

Mom says, “Tomorrow we will go to Uncle John’s.”
Mom said that the next day we would go to Uncle John’s.

In these examples, we have replaced the adverb tomorrow with the next day. Because we retell Mom’s words on another day. We cannot say tomorrow anymore.

Now look at another example:

Mom says, “We went to visit Uncle John yesterday.”

Now imagine that we are retelling this the next day. We have to say:

Mom said that we went to visit Uncle John the day before yesterday.

If we said “yesterday“, it would change the meaning of what we want to tell.

Predicate

If in direct speech in the main sentence the predicate is in Past Simple, then in indirect speech we use the agreement rules.

We put the conjunction “that” in front of indirect speech.

Note: We may not use the conjunction that after verbs such as:

• to know
• to think
• to say

He said he found it on the island.

He thought he was better than me.

He knew he could call you anytime.

Prepositional object

If in direct speech after the verb to say there is a prepositional object, then in order to translate such a sentence into indirect speech, we change the verb to say to tell. In this case, tell is used without the preposition to.

Incorrect: to tell
Correct: tell

This means:

She said to me … changes to She told me that …

Note: Remember that in this case we also change the adverbs of place and time and demonstrative pronouns, if they are in direct speech.

Modal verbs

For modals, we use several important rules.

We change modal verbs as well as main verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech.

But we do not change all modal verbs. We leave some verbs in their original form.

Let’s talk about modals in more detail.

Modal verb must

If in direct speech the verb must means an obligation or command, then in the subordinate clause in indirect speech must does NOT change and looks like must.

The teacher says, “You must behave well in class.”
The teacher said that we must behave well in class.

If in direct speech the verb must expresses the need, then in the subordinate clause in indirect speech we change the verb must to had to.

Mom says, “You must visit the doctor.”
Mom said that I had to visit the doctor.

The past form of Modal verbs in indirect speech

Can and Could.

We change the modal verb can in direct speech to could in indirect speech. Could is the past form of the modal verb can.

She says, “I can swim.”
She said that she could swim.

May and might.

We change the modal verb may in direct speech to might in indirect speech. Might is the past form of the modal verb may.

John says, “I may propose to Maria.”
John said that he might propose to Maria.

Must and had to.

We change the modal verb must in direct speech to had to in indirect speech (if the verb must expresses the need). Had to is the past analog of the modal verb must.

Mom says, “You must visit the doctor.”
Mom said that I had to visit the doctor.

Examples.

Modal verbs that do not change in indirect speech

The following verbs move from direct to indirect speech in their original form. They don’t change in any way.

• must (if the verb must means an obligation or command)
• might
• could
• would
• should
• used to
• ought

He says, “I could do this.”
He said he could do that.

Let’s take a closer look at these verbs:

Would.

The modal verb would in direct speech remains in the form would in indirect speech too.

Mom says, “I would bake a cake.”
Mom said she would bake a cake.

Сould.

If we use the modal verb could in direct speech, then we do not change this verb in any way in indirect speech. Because could is a past form already (It’s the past form of the modal verb can).

John says, “I could learn to swim”
John said he could learn to swim.

Might.

The modal verb might does not change its form when we translate this verb from direct to indirect speech. Because the modal might is the past form of the modal may.

He says, “I might ask the same question again”.
He said that he might ask the same question again.

Should.

We do not change should when switching to indirect speech. Because should is considered the past form of the modal verb shall.

He says, “We should see Mr. Gannon”
He said that we should see Mr. Gannon.

OUGHT TO.

We do not change the modal verb OUGHT TO when translating this verb into indirect speech.

She says, “You ought to be angry with John”
She said that I ought to be angry with John

Exceptions to the rules

Let’s talk about the important exceptions to the rules of this lesson.

1. We can exclude the word that out of affirmative sentences in indirect speech. Because in indirect speech in affirmative sentences, the meaning of the sentence does not change, regardless of whether we use that or not.

He said (that) he thought you seemed depressed.

He said (that) there was no need.

He said (that) he had many friends.

2. If in direct speech we are talking about a specific event that happened at exactly the specified time and did not happen anymore, then we translate the sentence into indirect speech without the agreement.

He says, “Gagarin went to space in 1961.”
He said that Gagarin went to space in 1961.

The event that we are talking about in this example happened at exactly the specified time and did not happen anymore.

Rule and Examples.

3. If in direct speech we use verbs such as:

• would
• might
• could
• should
• ought to

then when translating into indirect speech, we do not change the form of these verbs. These verbs remain in their form.

She says, “We might find some treasure”
She said that we might find some treasure.

He says, “I should do it”.
He said that he should do it.

4. If indirect speech begins with the verb say or tell which is used in the form:

• Present Simple
• Present Perfect
• Future Simple

then we translate such a sentence into indirect speech without changing the tense to the past:

She says, “I cook deliciously.”
She says that she cooks deliciously.

He says, “I have a new smartphone.”
He says that he has a new smartphone.

She will say, “I didn’t know it.”
He will say (that) he didn’t know it.

5. If in direct speech we are talking about a well-known fact or law of nature, then we do not transfer to the past such a fact or the law of nature when translating from direct speech to indirect.

He says, “After winter comes spring.”
He said that after winter comes spring.

She says, “Lions don’t hunt camels.”
She said that lions don’t hunt camels.

6. If in direct speech we use tenses:

• Past Continuous
• Past Perfect
• Past Perfect Continuous

then when translating into indirect speech, we do not change the sentence, we do not translate the sentence into the past.

He says, “I had fixed my car.”
He said he had fixed his car.

He says, “I was skiing.”
He said he was skiing.

He says, “I had been all alone for a very long time”.
He said that he had been all alone for a very long time.

Interrogative (question) sentences in indirect speech

Look at the following rules and nuances to know how to correctly translate interrogative (question) sentences from direct speech to indirect speech:

1. When we translate a general question into indirect speech, we put one of the conjunctions between the main sentence and the question:

• if
• whether

He asks, “Do you play dominoes?”
He asked if I played dominoes.
He asked whether I played dominoes.

Conjunctions IF and WHETHER

2. If we translate an interrogative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, then we change the interrogative word order to direct word order.

We remove the auxiliary verb that was used in the interrogative sentence. We put the subject before the predicate as it should be for the direct word order.

He asks, “Where are you going?”
He asked where I was going.

3. If in an indirect sentence we ask a question using the verb say and if there is no indirect object in the main sentence, then we change the verb say to one of these words:

• ask
• want to know
• inquire

She asks, “Where you are?”
She wanted to know where you were.

4. When translating an interrogative sentence from direct speech into indirect speech, we change all pronouns, verbs, adverbs of place, adverbs of time.

She asks, “What do these letters mean?”
She asked what those letters mean.

Special questions in indirect speech

Special questions (or Wh-questions) are questions that begin with an additional, question word.

In indirect speech, such a question should also begin with a question word.

This question word also serves as conjunction. This word attaches the question part to the main sentence.

In the question part, we use direct word order.

At the same time, we comply with all the rules for the Sequence of tenses.

My dad asks, “What do you plan to do with yourself?”
My dad asked what I planned to do with myself.

Imperative sentences in indirect speech

When translating imperative sentences from direct to indirect speech, we must take into account several nuances:

1. Orders in indirect speech look like this:

He said, “Go now!”
He said to go then.

She says, “Carry my bag”
She asked to carry her bag.

We use the verb to say when we translate an ordinary sentence into indirect speech. But in imperative sentences, we change the verb to say to a verb that expresses an order or request:

• to ask
• to command
• to order
• to tell

She says, “Carry my bag”
She asked to carry her bag.

Imperative sentences and Indirect speech.

2. In direct speech in the imperative mood, we often use:

let’s (let us)

let’s encourage the speaker and the person to do something together.

In indirect speech, we change let’s to to suggest. For example:

She says, “let’s do that!”
She suggested to do that.

3. In indirect speech, we put a noun after the verb that expresses an order or request. The noun is the one to whom this request or order is addressed. Then we use the infinitive.

She says, “Replace him, John“
She asked John to replace him.

4. We can strengthen the request or order in indirect speech if we add verbs such as:

• to remind
• to invite
• to warn
• to advise
• to recommend
• to beg
• to urge
  etc.

She says, “Read this book”
She ordered (advised, recommend) me to read that book.

5. In order to make a negative imperative sentence in direct speech, we need:

not + infinitive

He says, “Don’t cry.”
He said to me not to cry.

6. In direct speech, we often do not name the person to whom the order or request is addressed. But when translating an imperative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, we must indicate the one to whom the order or request is addressed.

For this, we use a noun or a pronoun.

She says, “Speak to him!”
She asked me to speak to you.

Exclamations in indirect speech

Let’s look at some of the nuances of translating exclamation sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

When translated into indirect speech, exclamation sentences turn into affirmative sentences.

Let’s take a look at how this happens.

1. We change the exclamations:

• How …!
• What a…!

to expressions such as:

• it was …
• He said (that)

He says, “What a good boy!”
He said that he was a good boy!

2. We change such emotional exclamations as:

• Heavens!
• Oh!
• Ugh!

on expressions that express exclamations in other words. Expressions that describe the nature of the exclamation:

He says, “Oh!”

Не gave an exclamation of surprise.

Не screamed surprisingly.

He was surprised.

Present and future tense in indirect speech

Most often, we translate the future and the present into the past.

He says, “I have two brothers”
He says that he had two brothers

She says, “I do this every time”
She says that he did that every day.

He says, “I write books”
He says that he wrote books.

She says, “I am reading”
She said that she was reading.

He says, “I can swim”
He said that he could swim.

He says, “I will help you”
He said that he would help me.

Past tense in indirect speech

When we translate a sentence written in the past into indirect speech, we can leave it unchanged or we can change the past to the Past Perfect.

He says, “I saw this movie”
He said that he saw that movie.
He said that he had seen that movie.

What if in direct speech the main verb is already in Past Perfect?

In this case, the verb in Past Perfect remains unchanged. The verb in Past Perfect in direct speech remains in Past Perfect in indirect speech too.

He says, “I had bought I new house”
He said that he had bought a new house.

Recommended reading: Complex Sentence in English.