[Update] Direct and Indirect speech | direct indirect speech – NATAVIGUIDES

Direct and Indirect speech!

Reporting and Reported Speech

When a person reports a speech, a statement, an order, etc. of another person, the words uttered by the first person are called the reporting speech, and the speech, the statement, or the order of the other person is called the reported speech.

Example:

Reporting speech———————————Jokey said,                                                          

Reported speech———————————-“I do not eat mangoes”

Jokey said, “I do not eat mangoes”

 

There are two ways to report a speech:

1. Reproduce the words actually used by the speaker in inverted commas. (Direct Narration)

OR

2. Give a substance of the speech in the words of the reporter. (Indirect Narration)

 

Examples:

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

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

NOTE: In the first sentence, the reporter conveys the message of the girl using her actual words (e.g., “I am a little bit nervous.”) In the second sentence, the reporter conveys her message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. So in both the ways we have discussed (about reporting a speech) both are conveying someone’s message.

Rules for Changing Direct Speech to Indirect Speech

Rule 1:

When the reporting verb is in the present, present perfect, or future tense, the verb of the reported speech remains unchanged. We do sometimes change the personal pronouns and add the conjunction ‘that’.

Examples:

Direct: She says, “This is not correct”.

Indirect: She says that this is not correct.

 

Rule 2:

When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the present or future tense in the reported speech changes into a past tense, and present perfect or past tense into past perfect tense. Pronouns change according to the sense of the report.

Example:

Direct: He said, “she has finished her work.”

Indirect: He said that she had finished her work.

Direct: She said, “I met him last year.”

Indirect: she said that she had met him the previous year.

 

Note: When, however, the reporting speech states a universal truth, the present tense in the reported speech remains unchanged in the indirect form of narration.

 

Rule 3:

when the reported speech is an interrogative sentence starting with question words, the reporting verb changes into enquiring, ask, wonder, or some other appropriate verb. The question word remains unchanged in the reported speech. Tense changes in the reported speech are the same as for statements when the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Examples:

Direct: The teacher said, “why are you so late”

Indirect: The teacher asked why he was so late.

Direct: He said, “when are you so exciting your second child.”

Indirect: He inquired when she was so excepting her second child.

 

Rule 4:

when the reported speech is an interrogative sentence made by putting the helping verb before the subject, we use “weather” or “if” to join it to the appropriate reporting verb. Usual tense changes take place in the reporting verb. Is in the past tense.

Examples:

Direct: He said to her, “Are you leaving today?”

Indirect: He enquired of her whether she was leaving that day.

Direct: She said, “Did you take part in the competition.

Indirect: she asked her whether she had taken part in the competition.

 

Rule 5:

Imperative become an infinitive in the reported speech and the reporting verb changes to tell, ask, order, etc.

Examples

Direct:  He said to his servant, “leave the room at once”

Indirect:  He ordered his servant to leave the room at once.

 

Rule 6:

When let occurs in the direct speech, it is changed into the indirect form according to the sense it conveys.

Example:

Direct: Arshad said, “Let him go.”

Indirect: Arshad said that he might be allowed to go.

 

Rule 7:

Must is used:

(1) sometimes as true present tense.

(2) sometimes as future tense.

(3) sometimes as a rule or a regulation.

• As true present tense, ‘must’ changes into past tense in the indirect form of narration:

Direct: He said, “I must do it now.”

Indirect: He said that he must do it at once.

• As future tense, ‘must’ changes into past perfect tense in the indirect form of narration:

Direct: He said, “I must go again next week.”

Indirect: He said that he would have to go again next week.

• As a rule, or regulation, ‘must’ behaves like a universal truth and is treated like that in the indirect form of narration:

Direct: He said, “You must take your shoes off before entering a mosque.”

Indirect: He said that he must take his shoes off before entering a mosque.

 

Rule 8:

If a wish or a prayer is expressed in the reported speech, the reporting verb is changed into a wish or pray or some other appropriate verb.

Direct: He said to me, “May you live long!”

        Indirect: He wished that I might live long!

 

Rule no 9:

An adjective or adverb denoting nearness, in the direct speech, is changed into one denoting distance, in the indirect form of narration. (The reader must have noted it in the examples and exercises already done).

Examples:

Now into then.
Today into that day.

This into that.
Tomorrow into next day.

Hither into thither.
Yesterday into the previous day.

Here into there.
Last night into the previous night.

Hence into thence.
Ago into before.

Come into go.
Now into then.

 

Speech Table

Direct and Indirect speech

words
will change into
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech

Good Morning, Good evening, Good Day
Greeted
He said, “ Good morning, sir!”
He greeted me respectfully.

Tomorrow
Next-day/Following day
She said, “ I will not go to school tomorrow.”
She said that she will not go to school the next day.

Today
That day
She said to me, “Tell me the truth today.”
She advised me to tell her the truth that day.

Sir
Respectfully
Tom said, “Sir, is Jerry at home?’
Tom said respectfully if Jerry was at home.

Madam
Respectfully
Tom said, “Madam, is Jerry at home?’
Tom said, “Sir, is Jerry at home?’

This
That
He said to her, “ I live in this building.”
He told her that he lived in that building.

These
Those
He says, “ He wants to buy these Computers.”
He said that he wants to buy those computers.

Now
Then
I said to my servant. “Post this letter now,”
I ordered my servant to post that letter then.

Yesterday
The previous day
She said, “ I did not go to school yesterday”
She said that she had not gone to school the previous day.

Tonight
That night
She said, “I am going to see him tonight.”
She said that she was going to see him that night.

an hour before
an hour ago
He said, “ I have completed my drawing half an hour ago.”
He said that he had completed his drawing half an hour before.

Here
There
She said, “Everybody was here.”
She said that everybody was there.

Last Night
Previous night
He said, “ She sang a beautiful song at the concert last night”
He said that she sang a beautiful song at the concert the previous night.

 

Direct and Indirect speech Table:

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Direct
 They said, “we have done our duty.”

Indirect
 They said that they had done their duty.

Direct
 The teacher said to us, “you have not completed your drawing.”

Indirect
 The teacher told us that we had not completed our drawing.

Direct
 She said, “They have not eaten their meals.”

Indirect
 She said that they had not eaten their meals.

Direct
 The teacher said, “I have often told you not to play with fire.”

Indirect
 The teacher said that he had often told me not to play with fire.

Direct
 The brother said to me, “you have missed the point completely.”

Indirect
 The brother told me that I had missed the point completely.

Direct
 He said,  “I complete my drawing half an hour ago.”

Indirect
 He said that he had completed his drawing half an hour before.

Direct
 She said, “I did not go to school yesterday.”

Indirect
 She said that she had not gone to school the previous day.

Direct
 He said, “she sang a beautiful ‘song’ at the concert last night.”

Indirect
 He said that she had sung a beautiful ‘song’ at the concert the previous night.

Direct
 She said, “he rang me up at twelve midnight.”

Indirect
 She said that he had rung her up at twelve midnight.

Direct
 He said, “the boy did not put up a good show last night.”

Indirect
 He said that the boys had not put up a good show the previous night.

 

List 2

Direct
 She said, “I shall never do such a thing.”

Indirect
 She said that she would never do such a thing.

Direct
 Ali said, “they will wait for us for an hour only.”

Indirect
 Ali said that they would wait for them for an hour only.

Direct
 They said, “We shall never make a promise we cannot fulfill.”

Indirect
 They said that they would never make a promise they could not fulfill.

Direct
 He said, “I shall explain this to you only if you listen to me with patience.”

Indirect
 He said that he would explain that to me only if I listened to him with patience.

Direct
 He said, “I hope you will not repeat this mistake.”

Indirect
 He said that he hoped I would not repeat that mistake.

Direct
 He said, “will you listen to me?”

Indirect
 He asked whether I would listen to him.

Direct
 She said, “Are you going to Lahore today?”

Indirect
 She asked whether I was going to Lahore that day.

Direct
 He said, “Do you agree with me?”

Indirect
 He asked whether I agreed with him.

Direct
 He said to me, “what are you looking for?”

Indirect
 He asked me what I was looking for.

Direct
 She said,  “where do you live?”

 

List 3

Indirect
 She asked where I lived.

Direct
 He said, “how many chapters have you already done?”

Indirect
 He asked how many chapters I had already done.

Direct
 She said, “is this your book?”

Indirect
 She asked if that was my book.

Direct
 He said, “Do you have any share in this firm?”

Indirect
 He asked if I had any share in that firm.

Direct
 They said, “have you ever visited the Murree Hills?”

Indirect
 They asked if I had ever visited the Murree Hills.

Direct
 He said, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

Indirect
 He asked if I was not ashamed of myself.

Direct
 The teacher said, “Did you do your home task yesterday?”

Indirect
 The teacher asked if I had done my home task the previous day.

Direct
 The mother said, “Didn’t I ask you not to go there?”

Indirect
 The mother asked if she had not asked me not to go there.

Direct
 Riana said,  “will you stop interfering in my work?”

Indirect
 Riana asked me if I would stop interfering in her work.

Direct
 The mother said, “shall we invite the Qureshi’s also?”

Indirect
 The mother asked if they would invite the Qureshi’s also.

 

List 4

Direct
 Ali said, “Had you left Hawaii before writing this letter?”

Indirect
 Ali asked if I had left Hawaii before writing that letter.

Direct
 The judge said, “have anything more to say?”

Indirect
 The judge asked if I had anything more to say.

Direct
 He said, “what do you want me to do?”

Indirect
 He asked what I wanted h to do.

Direct
 The mother said, “how did you fail in your examination?”

Indirect
 The mother asked how I had failed in my explanation.

Direct
 Raza said, “where are you going?”

Indirect
 Raza asked where I was going.

Direct
 The teacher said, “whose book is this?”

Indirect
 The teacher asked whose book that was.

Direct
 The teacher said, “who is the author of this book?”

Indirect
 The teacher asked who the author of that book was.

Direct
 The stranger said, “which is the way to the Gardens?”

Indirect
 The stranger asked which way to the gardens was.

Direct
 The manager said, “how do you propose to solve this problem”?

Indirect
 The manager asked how I proposed to solve that problem.

Direct
 The boy said, “what do you want me to do?”

Indirect
 The boy asked what I wanted him to do.

 

List 5

Direct
 The pupil said, “where have I eased?”

Indirect
 The pupil asked where he had eased.

Direct
 The teacher said, “who is the next on the list?”

Indirect
 The teacher asked who the next on the list was.

Direct
 The referee said, “Quiet, please.”

Indirect
 The referee requested the spectators to be quiet.

Direct
 The teacher said, “Do not make a noise.”

Indirect
 The teacher asked the student not to make a noise.

Direct
 She said to me, “tell the truth.”

Indirect
 She advised me to tell the truth.

Direct
 She said to me, “please lend me your camera for a day.”

Indirect
 She requested me to lend her my camera for a day.

Direct
 Ali said, “let us finish our work first.”

Indirect
 Ali proposed that they should finish their work first.

Direct
 He said to his sister, “please say something”.

Indirect
 He requested his sister to say something.

Direct
 She said to her friends, “please have dinner with me tomorrow at eight.”

Indirect
 She requested her friend to have dinner with her the next day at eight.

Direct
 The judge said, “call the next witness.”

Indirect
 The judge ordered the peon to call the next witness.

 

List 6

Direct
 Ali said to his uncle, “please help me in getting some job.”

Indirect
 Ali requested his uncle to help him in getting some job.

Direct
 The doctor said the patient, “take complete rest and follow my direction.”

Indirect
 The doctor advised the patient to take complete rest and follow his direction.

Direct
 The teacher said to the pupil, “read the paragraph and explain it in simple English.”

Indirect
 The teacher asked the pupil to read the paragraph and explain that in simple English.

Direct
 The mother said to the daughter, “please tidy up your room.”

Indirect
 The mother advised her daughter to tidy up her room.

Direct
 She said to me, “Do not waste your time in idle talk.”

Indirect
 She advised me not to waste my time in idle talk.

Direct
 The father said to his son, “get up early in the morning and go for a walk.”

Indirect
 The father advised his son to get up early in the morning and go for a walk.

Direct
 Ali said, “let us go for a picnic on Friday.”

Indirect
 Ali suggested that they should go for a picnic on Friday.

Direct
 He said to his friend, “please lend me your bike for a day.”

Indirect
 He requested his friend to lend him his bike for a day.

Direct
 He said to her, “please fetch me a glass of water.”

Indirect
 He requested her to fetch him a glass of water.

Direct
 The master said to the servant, “Go and fetch me a glass of milk.”

Indirect
 The master ordered the servant to go and fetch him a glass of milk.

 

List 7

Direct
 The father said to his son, “Do not leave this room without my permission.”

Indirect
 The father asked his son not to leave that room without his permission.

Direct
 She said to them, “let us not deceive ourselves.”

Indirect
 She suggested that they should not deceive themselves.

Direct
 He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”

Indirect
 He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

Direct
 He said, “Alas! I am ruined.”

Indirect
 He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

Direct
 He said, “may Allah help me do my duty!”

Indirect
 He prayed that Allah might help him do his duty.

Direct
 She said to her father, “may you live long!”

Indirect
 She prayed for her father that he might live long.

Direct
 She said, “May you prosper!”

Indirect
 She prayed that I might prosper.

Direct
 The mother said to her daughter, “May Allah bless you with a son!”

Indirect
 The mother prayed for her daughter that Allah might bless her with a son.

Direct
 She said, “would that my father was alive!”

Indirect
 She wished that her father had been alive.

Direct
 The mother said to her son, “may you return successfully!”

Indirect
 The mother prayed for her son that he might return successfully.

 

List 8

Direct
 She said, “what a beautiful piece of art!”

Indirect
 She exclaimed with wonder that it was a beautiful piece of art.

Direct
 He said, “How well she sings!”

Indirect
 He exclaimed with wonder that she sang very well.

Direct
 He said, “Alas! We cannot defeat our enemies.”

Indirect
 He exclaimed with sorrow that they could not defeat their enemies.

Direct
 She said, “what a pity you missed that function!”

Indirect
 She exclaimed with sorrow that I had missed that function.

Direct
 He said, “Hurrah! I have won the medal.”

Indirect
 He exclaimed with joy that he had won the medal.

Direct
 She says, “I hope I am not late.”

Indirect
 She says that she hopes she is not late.

Direct
 He says, ‘I want to speak to you.”

Indirect
 He says that he wants to speak to me.

Direct
 You have said, “They are waiting outside.”

Indirect
 You have said that they are waiting outside.

Direct
 You will say, “she is cranky.”

Indirect
 You will say that she is cranky.

Direct
 They say, “we have done our duty.”

Indirect
 They say that they have done their duty.

 

List 9

Direct
 She says, “we have shifted to another house.”

Indirect
 She says that they have shifted to another house.

Direct
 The teacher will say, “you have done your work very well.”

Indirect
 The teacher will say that I have done my work very well.

Direct
 He says, “she has written me a very encouraging letter.”

Indirect
 She says that she has written him a very encouraging letter.

Direct
 She says, “We love and respect our neighbors very much.”

Indirect
 She says that they love and respect their neighbors very much.

Direct
 She has said, “she is ready to accompany us to Karachi.”

Indirect
 She has said that she is ready to accompany them to Karachi.

Direct
 He says, “I have not heard the latest news about her.”

Indirect
 He says that he has not heard the latest news about her.

Direct
 The doctor says, “the patient is still in a state of coma.”

Indirect
 The doctor says that the patient is still in a state of coma.

Direct
 The teacher says, “she has always been a good student.”

Indirect
 The teacher says that she has always been a good student.

Direct
 She will say, “he did not come up to my expectations.”

Indirect
 She will say that he did not come up to her expectations.

Direct
 He said to me, “He does his duty.”

Indirect
 He told me that he did his duty.

 

List 10

Direct
 He says, “I am going to college.”

Indirect
 He says that he is going to college.

Direct
 He said to me, “you are not a man of your word.”

Indirect
 He told me that I was not a man of my word.

Direct
 Ali said, “He will come and meet you.”

Indirect
 Ali said that he would come and meet me.

Direct
 He said to me, “ I shall visit you soon.”

Indirect
 He told me that he would visit me soon.

Direct
 He said, “it was raining.”

Indirect
 He said that it had been raining.

Direct
 He said, ‘My friend left for Lahore.”

Indirect
 He said that his friend had left for Lahore.

Direct
 He says, “my father is an engineer.”

Indirect
 He says that his father is an engineer.

Direct
 She says, “I am working hard.”

Indirect
 She says that she is working hard.

Direct
 He says, “I go to school regularly.”

Indirect
 He says that he goes to school regularly.

Direct
 she said, “I am doing my home task now.”

Indirect
 she said that she was doing her home task then.

 

List 11

Direct
 He said, “I am not a thief.”

Indirect
 He said he was not a thief.

Direct
 she said, “I am working hard.”

Indirect
 she said that she was working hard.

Direct
 He said, “I have returned the book.”

Indirect
 He said that he had returned the book

Direct
 she said, “The patient died in the hospital.”

Indirect
 she said that the patient had died in the hospital.

Direct
 He said, “she will go there.”

Indirect
 He said that she would go there.

Direct
 she said, “I do not agree with you.”

Indirect
 she said that she did not agree with me.

Direct
 He said to the stranger, “I do not recognize you”

Indirect
 He told the stranger that he did not recognize him.

Direct
 The teacher said to Romeo, “I have taught you and your sister.”

Indirect
 The teacher told Romeo that he had taught him and his sister.

Direct
 She said to me, “you are a lazy boy.”

Indirect
she told me that I was a lazy boy.

 

Infographics

Download Infographics PDF of direct and indirect speech pdf

 

Competition is getting harder day by day in every competitive exam like SSC, IBPS and other Government Exams.One should be having command on all sections to score more and ace the exam. There are certain topics which are common in almost every competitive exam.

Here, we have tried to cover Direct and Indirect Speech through this blog. We are providing rules, example and exercise to help you with this topic.

Reported Speech is also known as Direct and Indirect Speech or Narration. In Indirect Speech, we convey the speaker’s message in our own words. Thus, the message can be conveyed in 2 ways.

1. Direct Speech
2. Indirect Speech

Direct speech is known as repeating the exact words spoken and Indirect speech is known as reporting the words.

But the question occurs how to report or how to use Indirect speech? There are certain rules to make changes in a sentence from Direct to Indirect speech.  Read the complete blog to know more.

 

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

 

Below, we are sharing the rules to make changes from Direct to Indirect speech. The changes of Direct and Indirect speech depend on some factors like modals, reporting verb, place, time, tense, pronoun etc. You can check the complete information of changes in Direct and Indirect speech.

 

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Can

Could

May

Might

Must

Had to/ Would have to

Should

Should

Might

Might

Could

Could

Would

Would

Ought to

Ought to

 

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Modals:

 

Look to the Direct and Indirect Speech examples with answers using modals.

1. He said, “I can cook food.”

          He said that he could cook food.

2. They said, “We may go to Canada.”

           They said that they might go to Canada.

3. She said, “I must finish the work on time.”

           She said that she had to finish the work on time.

 

Modals that remain unchanged are: Should, might, could, would, ought to.

4. Kanika said, “I ought to avoid junk food.”

          Kanika said that she ought to avoid junk food.

 

 

Changes as per Reporting Verb

 

According to the reporting verb, changes are made in the direct sentence or the sentence in inverted commas.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the direct sentence is changed in its past tense.
The tense of direct speech remains unchanged when the reporting verb is in the present or future tense.
If the direct sentence contains the universal truth, then it remains unchanged in the Indirect Speech.

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Reporting Verb

 

Below, we are providing Direct and Indirect Speech examples using reporting verb changes.

 

1. Navin said, “He is young.”

          Navin said that he was young.

2. Isha says, “I am pretty.”

          Isha says that she is pretty.

3. Rohan will say, “I am tall.”

          Rohan will say that he is tall.

4. They said, “The sun rises in the east.”

           They said that the sun rises in the east.

 

 

Changes as per Tense

 

In the below table, we are sharing how tense changes into Indirect speech.

 

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

 

 

Direct and Indirect speech exercises for Tense

 

Check the Direct and Indirect speech examples for tense using the above table. Changes will always be made according to the given table only.

1. Heena said, “I walk.”

          Heena said that she walked.

2. Deepak said, “I am having tea.”

          Deepak said that he was having tea.

3. Ayesha said, “Honey has left for school.”

          Ayesha said that Honey had left for school.

4. Vidisha said, “Ananya took pasta.”

          Vidisha said that Ananya had taken pasta.

5.  They told, “We were living in Paris.”

           They told that they had been living in Paris.

6.  Ramesh said, “I will go to Sri Lanka.”

           Ramesh said that he would go to Sri Lanka.

7. Aishwarya Said, “They will be watering plants.”

          Aishwarya said that they would be watering plants.

 

 

Changes in Place and Time

 

Words are changed in an Indirect Speech to replace nearness from distance. In the table, we are sharing some words which are changed in Indirect speech.

 

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Now

Then

Here

There

Today

That day

Tomorrow

The next day

Last week

The previous week

This

That

Tonight

That night

Ago

Before

Thus

So

Hither

Thither

Come

Go

Hence

Thence

Next

Following

 

 

Changes of Interrogative Sentences

 

Here, we are sharing certain rules of Direct and Indirect speech for interrogative sentences conversions.

The reporting verb said/said to is changed in asked, demanded, ordered, enquired as per the nature of the sentence.
While a sentence starts with reporting verb then at the conversion time if /whether is used as the joining clause.
In case the sentence starts from “Wh” question word, then no extra conjunction is used.

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Interrogative Sentences

 

We are applying the above rules in the given exercise below to make changes in Direct and Indirect speech.

 

1. Ravi said, “What is Heena doing?”

          Ravi asked me what Heena was doing.

2. Esha said, “Will she come for lunch?”

          Esha asked if she would come for lunch.

3. The boy asked, “Where do you stay?”

          The boy inquired where I stayed

 

 

Changes of Pronouns

 

While making the changes from Direct and Indirect speech, one should be having knowledge of rules of changes in pronouns.

The first person in reported speech changes according to the subject of reporting speech.
In Reported Speech change of the second person depends on the object of reporting speech.
The third person remains unchanged.

You can check the table for the changes in pronoun.

 

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

I

He/she

You

He/she/they

We

They

They

They

He

He

She

She

It

It

Us

Them

Our

Their

His

His

Her

Her

Its

Its

 

 

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Changes in Pronoun

 

1. Vidya said, “I am a good girl.”

           Vidya said that she was a good girl.

2. I told them, “You have finished your work.”

          I told them that they had finished their work.

3. He said, “She is in Delhi.”

          He said that she was in Delhi.

 

So, aspirants in order not to leave any questions from this topic, you must go through all the information, rules and exercise given in this blog.

If you find the article useful, must share it with your friends who are preparing for competitive exams.

We try to provide you with the best information. So, stay connected for more updates regarding competitive exam preparations. Keep learning folks.