write direct and indirect speech

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.

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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: 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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Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.

Definition of Direct Speech

Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .

When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s)  / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.

Examples of Direct Speech:

• He said, "Don't take the car without asking me".
• John says, "I will help you with your work".
• "We are prepared to revise the law if we can", they said.
• The teacher said, "You must wear the proper uniform".

Definition of Indirect Speech

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .

Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said. 

Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:

• say(s)/said (that)
• told me (that)

That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.

Examples of Indirect Speech:

• He said (that) he would definitely buy it.
• Sheila told me (that) I had to come back in the afternoon.
• The council said (that) they will try and clear the rubbish.
• She told me (that) she was feeling unwell. 

So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words . 

Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said  correct.

But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.

View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>

Direct and Indirect Speech Conversion

With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:

• Changes in Tense
• Changes in Person and Pronouns
• Changes in Time Phrases

Changing Tenses

The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:

• "I am feeling tired" (=  Direct Speech )
• Present Continuous
• She said she is feeling tired (=  Indirect Speech )

However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.

Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:

Direct Speech

• "I want to meet you later".
• "You have to come back in the afternoon"
• "We like it a lot"
• "I have been mowing the lawn" 

Indirect Speech

• He said he wanted to meet me later.
• Sheila told me I had to come back in the afternoon.
• They said they liked it a lot. 
• He said he had been mowing the lawn. 

There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:

Learn more about changing tenses >>

Changing Pronouns

Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:

• " I want to meet you later".
• " You have to come back in the afternoon"
• " We like it a lot"
• " I have been walking with my wife" 
• He said he had been walking with his wife. 

Changing Time Phrases

You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech. 

With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.

• She said, "I saw her yesterday ".
• He said, "He will bring the book tomorrow ".
• She said, "I'm going to London today ".
• He said, "We need your assistance now ".
• She said that she had seen her the day before .
• He said that he would bring the book the next day .
• She said she was going to London that day . 
• He said they needed my assistance   then . 

Imperatives

Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:

Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech

Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.

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Transformation of Sentence: Direct & Indirect Speech

A direct speech can be transformed into an indirect speech and vice versa using a suitable reporting verb and a linker depending on the sentence. Let’s have an example first.

• Tina said to me, “Are you busy now?” [direct speech]
• Tina asked me whether I was busy then. [indirect speech]

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

• Look, if the reporting verb in direct speech (said) is in past tense, the reporting verb in indirect speech (asked) would also be in past tense. ‘Whether’ is the linker added here as it is a ‘yes-no’ type question (Refer to list 1 below).
• ‘Are’ changes to ‘was’. As the reporting verb was in past tense, the verb in the reported speech will also be in past. (Refer to list 2 below)
• ‘Now’ has become ‘then’. Time and place expressions change if the reporting verb is in past tense. (Refer to list 3 below)
• The question mark (?) has changed to a full stop(.).
• Another important thing, the format of question (v + s + o) has changed to the format of a statement (s + v + o). In indirect speech the pattern always comes to subject + verb + object.

List of Reporting verbs and linkers (list 1)

Verbs of Reported speech (if the reporting verb is in past tense) (list 2) Direct speech → Indirect speech Am / is / are →  was / were Was / were → had been Has / have → had Had → had had Shall / will → would Can → could May → might Must, should → must, should Verb1 → verb2 Verb2 → had + verb3

Change of time and place expressions in past tense (list 3) now → then ago → before today → that day yesterday → the previous day tomorrow → the next day last night → the previous night here → there this → that these → those

Narration change of Assertive sentence

• Robin said, “I went to Delhi yesterday.” – Robin said that he had gone to Delhi the previous day .
• She said to her husband, “I want to go with you.” – She told her husband that she wanted to go with him.

Narration change of Interrogative sentence

• He said to me, “Do you know English?” – He asked me whether I knew English.
• She said to me, “Did you go there?” – She wanted to know whether I had gone there.
• I said to him, “What are you doing?” – I asked him what he was doing.
• Rahul said to his mother, “How do you do all these things together?” – Rahul asked his mother how she did all those things together.

Narration change of Imperative sentence

• He said to me, “Go there right now.” – He ordered me to go there right then.
• My teacher said to me, “Obey your parents.” – My teacher asked me to obey my parents.
• She said to me, “Please don’t go there.” – She requested me not to go there.
• He said to her, “Let’s go home.” – He suggested her that they should go home.
• His mother said, “Let him eat whatever he likes.” – His mother suggested that he might be allowed to eat whatever he liked.

Narration change of Optative sentence

• He said to the boy, “May god bless you.” – He prayed that God might bless the boy.
• The girl said, “Had I the wings of a dove.” – The girl wished that she had the wings of a dove.

Narration change of Exclamatory sentence

• “How happy we are here!” said the children. – The children exclaimed in joy that they were very happy there.
• The children said, “How happy we were there!” – The children exclaimed in sorrow that they had been very happy there.
• He said to me, “Good bye!” – He bade me good bye.
• She said to me, “Good evening!”—She wished me good evening.

Narration change of Vocatives

• Teacher said, “ Robin , stand up.” – Teacher asked Robin to stand up.
• The Bishop said to the convict, “Always remember, my son , that the poor body is the temple of the living God.” – The Bishop addressed the convict as his son and advised him to always remember that the poor body is the temple of the living God.

Narration change of question tag

• He said to me, “You went to Kolkata, didn’t you?” – He asked me whether I had gone to Kolkata and assumed that I had.
• I said to him, “Tina didn’t tell a lie, did she?” – I asked him if Tina had told a lie and assumed that she had not.

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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.  

• Indirect Speech in the English Language
• Direct Speech Definition and Examples
• French Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech
• How to Teach Reported Speech
• Definition and Examples of Direct Quotations
• 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
• Using Reported Speech: ESL Lesson Plan
• Constructed Dialogue in Storytelling and Conversation
• The Subjunctive Present in German
• What Are Reporting Verbs in English Grammar?
• Preterit(e) Verbs
• Dialogue Guide Definition and Examples

Direct and Indirect speech, Rules, Chart and Exercises

Direct and Indirect speech are ways of narrating the speech of someone to some other person following certain rules. This article covers its types, rules, examples and some exercises on the same.

Table of Contents

Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

Direct and Indirect Speech

There are two types of reported speech in English grammar, they are Direct and Indirect speech. Both speech conveys the speech or statement which was told by some other person. To explain any event, action or scenario we generally convey the sentences quoted by someone in the form of direct and indirect speech. In order to clearly differentiate and make people understand easily, we have detailed the two types of reported speech with examples and exercises below.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is the mode of expression that directly presents the words spoken or quoted by a third person. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks (“”). The quotation is used to differentiate the speech of the third person that has happened in the past. Thus direct speech conveys statements or conversations of someone in the past tense but quoted inside the quotation marks in the present or future tense.

• Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• He asked,”Can I make this?”

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person. Instead of using quotation marks, the conjunction word, ‘that’ is used. Thus speaker’s words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech. Some examples of indirect speech are:

• Direct speech: Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• Indirect speech: Kiran said that she is doing her work.
• Direct speech: They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• Indirect speech: They said that they would go to the function.
• Direct speech: He asked, “Can I make this?”
• Indirect speech: He asked whether he can make that.

Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

There are certain rules and regulations followed while converting a simple direct speech into indirect speech. Certain factors such as Verbs, Tenses, Modals, time, place, and pronouns are also considered while changing. The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar.

Rule-1 : Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is also changed to past when changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech. Examples:

• Direct: He said,’ I am sad.’
• Indirect: He said that he was sad.

An exception is for cases like a universal truth, the tenses remain the same.

• Teena said” The sun rises in the east”.
• Teena said that the sun rises in the east.

If the reporting verb is in present/future tense, then the tense remains the same as in direct speech.

• Direct: She says/will say, ‘I am coming.’
• Indirect: She says/will say she is coming.

Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Tenses

If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech. The rule in the following table is applied while changing tenses from direct speech to reported speech.

Examples of change in Tenses

Rule 4: Direct to Indirect speech Conversion Interrogative sentences

If a sentence starts with a question word like what, when, and why in direct speech, the question word itself acts as the joining class.

• Direct speech: “Where do you live ?” Asked the boy.
• Indirect Speech: The boy enquired where I lived.

Rule 5: Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Change in Modals

Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might. While changing direct to indirect speech, the Modals change as below:

• Can become could
• May becomes Might
• Must becomes had to (or) would have to
• Direct: She said,” She can sing.”
• Indirect: She said that she could sing.
• Direct: She said,” I should cook the lunch”
• Indirect: She said that she should cook the lunch.

Rule 6: Direct to Indirect speech conversion – pronoun

The first person in Direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech

• Direct: He said, “I am in grade sixth.”
• Indirect: He said that he was in grade sixth.

The second person of Direct speech changes as per the object of the indirect speech.

• Direct: She says to them, “You have achieved your goal.”
• Indirect: She tells them that they have achieved their goal.

If the third person is mentioned in the Direct speech, it does not change in reported speech.

• Direct: He says, “She sings well.”
• Indirect: He says that she sings well.

Rule 7: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Request, Command, Wish and Exclamation.

The imperative words in direct speech change into Infinitives in indirect speech.

• Direct: She said to her ‘Please remove it’.
• Indirect: She requested her to remove that.

Exclamation

• Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone.
• Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

 Rule 8: Direct to indirect speech conversion – punctuations

In Direct speech, the words spoken must start with(“) and ends with(.) inside the double inverted commas. All symbols such as question marks, full stops or exclamatory marks should be placed inside the quotes.

• They said. “We are the best”
• She asked, “Can I come with You?”
• He uttered, “Keep Quiet!”

Rule 9: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Change of time

While converting direct speech to Indirect speech, there are certain words to be noted that cannot be used as such in indirect speech. These words get modified into new words which are enlisted below:

• Now becomes Then
• Ago becomes before
• Thus becomes So
• Today becomes That day
• Tomorrow becomes the next day
• Yesterday becomes the day before
• This becomes that
• These become those
• Come becomes go
• Hence becomes thence
• Next week or next month becomes the following week or month
• Direct: He says/will say, ‘My girlfriend came yesterday.’
• Indirect: He says/will say that his girlfriend had come the day before.

Rules for Converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech:

The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:

• Use the reporting verb such as (say, said to) in its correct
• Put a comma before the statement and the first letter of the statement should be in capital
• Insert question marks, quotation marks, exclamation marks and full stops, based on the mood of the
• Remove the conjunctions like (that, too, if or wh ether) wherever necessary .
• Where the reporting verb is in the past tense in indirect, change it to present tense in the direct
• Change the past perfect tense either into the present perfect tense or past tense, as necessary .

Direct and Indirect Speech – Some Exercises

The following are some exercises that students can practice while preparing for their revision tests or board exams.

Q.1.  Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.

She said,’ I have cooked this meal.’

• She said that she cooked this meal
• She said that she had cooked that meal.
• She said that I cooked that meal.
• She said that she had cooked this meal.

Answer (2) She said that she had cooked that meal.

Q.2.  Choose the correct sentence.

Sanjay said, ‘What a beautiful painting it is’.

• Sanjay exclaimed wonderfully that the painting was very beautiful.
• Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Answer (4) Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Q.3. The correct indirect speech for She asked, “What is the cost of these books?”

• She enquired what was the cost of those books.
• She inquired what was the cost of these books.
• She enquired what is the cost of those books.
• She questioned what was the cost of those books.

Answer (1) She enquired what was the cost of those books.

Q.4. The man said, ‘Oh God! I missed the train today.’

• The man cried that he missed the train that day.
• The man exclaimed in grief that he missed the train today.
• The man said that oh God! he missed that day.
• The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

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Direct and Indirect speech-FAQs

Q1. what are direct and indirect speech in english.

Ans. Direct speech is a speech that describes what a third person has conveyed or quoted in a direct manner. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks ("").Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person.

Q2. In which speech conjunctions are used and what is the purpose?

Ans. The conjunctions are used in Indirect speech. The speaker's words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech using conjuctions as connecting words.

Q3. What are modals and what is the significance of using modals?

Ans. Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. While converting direct to indirect speech Can becomes could, May becomes Might, Will becomes Would. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might.

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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
• Clause structure and verb patterns

Reported speech

Level: intermediate

Reporting and summarising

When we want to report what people say, we don't usually try to report their exact words. We usually give a  summary , for example:

Direct speech (exact words) :

Mary :  Oh dear. We've been walking for hours! I'm exhausted. I don't think I can go any further. I really need to stop for a rest. Peter :  Don't worry. I'm not surprised you're tired. I'm tired too. I'll tell you what, let's see if we can find a place to sit down, and then we can stop and have our picnic.

Reported speech (summary) :

When Mary complained that she was tired out after walking so far, Peter said they could stop for a picnic.

Reporting verbs

When we want to report what people say, we use reporting verbs . Different reporting verbs have different patterns, for example:

Mary complained (that) she was tired . (verb + that clause) She asked if they could stop for a rest . (verb + if clause) Peter told her not to worry . (verb + to -infinitive) He suggested stopping and having a picnic . (verb + - ing form) 

See reporting verbs with that , wh-  and if clauses , verbs followed by the infinitive , verbs followed by the -ing form .

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Tenses in reported speech

When reporting what people say or think in English, we need to remember that the rules for tense forms in reported speech are exactly the same as in the rest of the language.

This is a letter that Andrew wrote ten years ago:

If we wanted to report what Andrew said in his letter, we might say something like this: 

Andrew said that when he  was  22, he was an engineering student in his last month at university. He wanted  to travel abroad after he  had finished  his course at the university, but he would need to earn some money while he was abroad so he wanted  to learn to teach English as a foreign language. A friend  had recommended  a course but Andrew needed more information, so he wrote to the school and asked them when their courses started  and how much they were . He also wanted to know if there was  an examination at the end of the course.

We would naturally use past tense forms to talk about things which happened ten years ago. So, tenses in reports and summaries in English are the same as in the rest of the language.

Sometimes we can choose between a past tense form and a  present tense  form. If we're talking about the past but we mention something that's still true , we can use the present tense:

John said he'd stayed at the Shangri-la because it' s the best hotel in town. Mary said she enjoyed the film because Robert de Niro is her favourite actor. Helen said she  loves visiting New York.

or the past tense:

John said he'd stayed at the Shangri-la because it was the best hotel in town. Mary said she enjoyed the film because Robert de Niro was her favourite actor. Helen said she  loved visiting New York.

If we're talking about something that  everybody knows is true , we normally use the present tense :

Michael said he'd always wanted to climb Everest because it' s the highest mountain in the world. Mary said she loved visiting New York because it' s such an exciting city.

Hi! I found the following paragraph from a grammar site while I was studying the reported speech. Can you help me? It says; --> 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.’)

And my question is: How do we understand if it is a hypothetical event in the past or not? We normally don't change 'might' in reported speech. (e.g. ‘It might snow tonight,’ he warned. --> He warned that it might snow that night.) But why do we say 'He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters.' instead of 'He said that the noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ What's the difference between these two indirect reported speeches? Could you please explain the difference? And I also found this example which is about the same rule above: --> He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: a) ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or b) ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’) Can you also explain why we report this sentence like that. How can we both change a) and b) into the same indirect reported speech? Thank you very much!

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Hello Melis_06,

1. He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. 2. He said that the noise might be the postman delivering letters.

In sentence 1 it is clear that the noise has ended; it is a noise that 'he' could hear but it is not a noise that you can hear now. In sentence 2 the noise could have ended or it could be a noise that you can still hear now. For example, if the noise is one which is constant, such as a noise that comes from your car engine that you are still trying to identify, then you would use sentence 2. In other words, sentence 2 allows for a wider range of time possibilities - both past (ended) and present (still current).

Your second question is similar:

He said he would have helped us if we needed a volunteer - you no longer need a volunteer

He said he would help us if we needed a volunteer - this could still be relevant; you may still need a volunteer.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello my friend : what are you doing now? me : I'm eating an apple now and My friend repeated his question now

my question

Can I repeat the sentence in the past ( I was eating an apple) and mean( I'm eating an apple now) ?

You can but it is unusual. If you say  I was eating an apple  (past continuous), it means that it was in the past. You already finished eating the apple and you are not eating it now. But if your friend asked you just a moment ago, I guess you are still eating the apple when she/he asks the second question, so I would say  I'm eating an apple  (because you are still doing it).

Alternatively, you can use a past tense reporting verb e.g. I said I was eating an apple  (referring to the time of the first question), or  I said I 'm eating an apple  (to show that you are still eating it now, at the moment of speaking).

LearnEnglish team

Am I correct then? When someone wants us to repeat the sentence we have just said a moment ago we say 'I said I am doing...' if we are still doing that action. But if we are done with that action, then we say 'I said I was doing...' Did I get it right? Thanks!

Hello Meldo,

Yes, that's correct. Well done!

Hi. I wish to enquire if the verb tense used after a conjunction also changes in complex sentences as per tense transition rules, especially if it is already in simple past tense. In order to explain, could you please solve the following for me: 1. It has been quite a while since I last saw you. 2. Nevertheless, she has been quite desensitized to such perverse actions to the extent that it seldom ever seems obnoxious to her. 3. Let me keep this in my cupboard lest I misplace this. 4. I had arrived at the station before you even left your house. 5. I met my grandfather before he died.

Hi Aamna bluemoon,

The verb may or may not be backshifted, depending on whether the original speaker's point of view and the reporter's point of view are the same or not. For example:

• She said it had been quite a while since she last saw me . (it seems relatively recent, for both the original speaker and the reporter)
• She said it had been quite a while since she had last seen us . (a lot of time has passed between speaking and reporting this, or the situation has changed a lot since then e.g. they have met frequently since then)
• She said she had met her grandfather before he died . (seems quite recent)
• She said she had met her grandfather before he'd died . (a lot of time has passed between speaking and reporting this)

I hope that helps.

Hi, can you help me, please? How could I report this famous quotation: 'There's no such things as good news in America'.

Hi bri.q630,

First of all, the sentence is not grammatically correct. The phrase is 'no such thing' (singular), not 'things'.

How you report it depends. Using 'said' as the reporting verb we have two possibilities:

1. They said (that) there's no such thing as good news in America. 2. They said (that) there was no such thing as good news in America.

Sentence 2 tells that only about the time when 'they' said it. It does not tell us if it is still true or not.

Sentence 1 tells us that what 'they' said is still relevant today. In other words there was no good news (in their opinion) when they spoke, and there is still no good news now.

Thank you Peter,

All things are getting clear to me.

So, you mean, I can use both sentences depending on what I want to indicate, can't I?

then the possible indications are bellow, are those correct?

1-a I remembered the World War 2 ended in 1945. (This would be indicated the statement is still ture.)

1-b I remembered the World War 2 had ended in 1945. (This would be indicated I might missunderstand.)

2-a I felt time is money. (This would be indicated the statement is still ture.)

2-b I felf time was money. (This would be indicated I might not feel any more.)

3-a I knew the sun rises in the east. (This would be indicated the statement is still true.)

3-b I knew the sun rase in the east. (This would be indicated I might misunderstand or forget.)

4-a I guessed* that Darth Vader is Luke's father. (This would be indicated I still believe he is.*sorry for the typo)

4-2 I guessed that Darth Vader was Luke's father. (This would be indicated I might know he is not.)

Thank you in advance.

Hello again Nobori,

1-a I remembered the World War 2 ended in 1945. (This would be indicated the statement is still ture.) 1-b I remembered the World War 2 had ended in 1945. (This would be indicated I might missunderstand.)

Both forms are possible here. The 'ending' is a moment in the past; after this there is no war. By the way, we treat 'World War 2' as a name so there is no article before it.

2-a I felt time is money. (This would be indicated the statement is still ture.) 2-b I felf time was money. (This would be indicated I might not feel any more.)

That's correct. Remember that backshifting the verb does not mean something is no longer true; it simply does not tell us anything about the present. Here, it tells the reader how you felt at a given moment in time; you may 

3-a I knew the sun rises in the east. (This would be indicated the statement is still true.) 3-b I knew the sun rase in the east. (This would be indicated I might misunderstand or forget.)

That's also correct. Again, remember that backshifting the verb does not mean something is no longer true; it simply does not tell us anything about the present.

4-a I guessed* that Darth Vader is Luke's father. (This would be indicated I still believe he is.*sorry for the typo) 4-2 I guessed that Darth Vader was Luke's father. (This would be indicated I might know he is not.)

Again, correct. In the second example it might still be true that he is Luke's father, or it might have turned out to be not true. The sentence does not tell us.

Hi Peter, Thank you for your thoughtful answer. Allthing is now very clear to me. Best

Hi, I am translating a fiction novel into English and need your help regarding the reporting speech as for few things I am not getting any clear understanding over the internet. As you know in fiction, we need to write in non-ordinary way to create unique impressions of the word and academic writing is different than speaking. Will be grateful if you could give your insight below, especially considering in the context of fiction/academic writing.

1) Let’s say If someone is giving a speech or presentation, I want to mix their speech, indirect-direct and past tense- present tense. Below are three examples:

-He said, their company makes excellent profit every year OR their company made excellent profit every year ( can both be correct? As the sentence)

- Roger had given his speech yesterday. He said, their company makes excellent profit every year and your company will sustain for next hundred years.(Can YOUR be used in the sentence)

- Roger said people wants to feel important OR Roger said people wanted to feel important (which will be correct as this is a trait which is true in past and present)

2) He thought why he is talking to her OR He thought why he was talking to her (are both write? As usually I see in novels the second example with WAS)

3) Gia was sitting with Jake and she told him she had met with her last year. Her mother had taken her to the dinner. Her mother had told her about her future plans. Her mother also had paid the bill for the dinner. (Do I need to use every time past perfect in this example though it doesn’t feel natural? As a rule of thumb I think past perfect needs to be used when we talk about another past event in the past )

Hello Alamgir3,

We're happy to help with a few specific grammar questions, but I'm afraid we can't help you with your translation -- I'd suggest you find an editor for that.

1) In the second clause, you can use present or past. We often use the present when it's still true now, but the past is not wrong. FYI we don't normally use a comma after 'said' in reported speech.

2) 'Why was he talking to her?' he thought.

3) This is really more of a question of style than grammar. Here I would suggest doing something like combining the four sentences into two and then leaving out 'had' in the second verb in each sentence. Even if it isn't written, it's understood to be past perfect.

All the best, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hello teachers, I'm sorry, I could not find where to new post. Could you tell me about the back-sifting of thoughts bellow? Which forms are correct?

1-a I remembered the World War 2 ended in 1945. 1-b I remembered the World War 2 had ended in 1945.

2-a I felt time is money. 2-b I felf time was money.

3-a I knew the sun rises in the east. 3-b I knew the sun rase in the east.

4-a I guess that Darth Vader is Luke's father. 4-2 I guessed that Darth Vader was Luke's father.

Do those questions have the same conclusion as indirect speech, such as say and tell?

Hello Nobori,

The verb form remains the same when we want to make it clear that the situation described by the verb is still true, and this works in the same way as indirect speech. For example:

She said she loves me. [she loved me then and she loves me still] She said she loved me. [she loved me then; no information on how she feels now]

Other than this rule, the choice is really contextual and stylistic (up to the speaker). Sometimes a choice implies something. For example, the saying 'time is money' is a general statement, so if you choose to backshift here the listener will know it is an intentional choice and suspect that something has changed (you no longer believe it).

Hi teachers, I've read almost the section of comments below and my summarize is the present tense only can be used if the statement is still true now and past simple only tells the statement was true in the past and doesn't tell the statement is true or not now. Just to make sure, I wanna ask, If I'm not sure whether the statement is still true or not now, can I choose backshift instead (this is still apply to past tense become past perfect)? Thank you

Hello rahmanagustiansyah,

It sounds to me as if you've got the right general idea. Could you please give a couple of example sentences that illustrate your question?

Thanks in advance, Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

For example, Steve said "Anna hates you." Then I wanna tell about that to my friend, but I'm not sure whether Anna still hates me or not now. What should I choose between these two options. Answer 1:Steve said Anna hates me or Answer 2 : Steve said Anna hated me. Thank you

Hi rahmanagustiansyah,

In that case, I would choose answer 2. I might even add "... but I don't know if she still does" to the sentence to clarify, if that is the key point you want to communicate.

Jonathan The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Natasa Tanasa,

Both sentences are grammatically possible.

The first sentence is only possible if when the person asks the original question the woman is no longer there (she has already gone). The second sentence can be used in this situation too, or in a situation in which the woman was still there when the original question was asked. As the past tense is used in the original question ( Who was... ), both sentences are possible.

Hello Ahmed Imam,

When the situation is still true at the time of reporting, we can leave the verb form unchanged. For example:

1. She told me she loved me.

2. She told me she loves me.

In sentence 1 we know she loved me when she told me but we don't know whether or not she loves me now. In sentence 2, we know she loved me when she told me and we know that she loves me now.

In your example, if the supermarket is still in the same place then we can use either form. If the supermarket has been closed down or moved to another location then we need to use was .

As for which is 'safer', you'll need to make your own mind up! Keeping the verb in the same form carries more specific information and that may be appropriate or even important.

Hello eugelatina87,

I'll give you a hint: a verb is missing from the question.

Does that help you complete it?

All the best,

The first two sentences are possible and they can both mean that he is still Mary's boyfriend now. The first one makes this more clear, but the second one doesn't only refer to the past.

Hello magnuslin

Regarding your first question, the most common way of saying it is the second one. In some very specific situation, perhaps the first option would be possible.

This also answers your second question. It is not necessary to always backshift using the tenses you mention.

As for your third question, no, it is not necessary. In fact, it is probably more common to use the past simple in the reported speech as well. 

All the best

Hello manu,

Both forms are possible. If you use  had been  then we understand that he was there earlier but not when he said it - in other words, when he said it he had already left. If you use was then he may have left at the time of speaking, or he may have still been there.

Hello _princess_

I would recommend using answer a) because this is the general pattern used in reported speech. Sometimes the verb in the reported clause can be in the present tense when we are speaking about a situation that is still true, but the reported verb in the past tense can also have the same meaning. Since here the time referred to could be either past or present, I'd recommend using the past form.

Hello mwright,

This is an example of an indirect question. An indirect question reports a question, but is not a question itself, which is why we do not use a question mark at the end. Since it is not a question, we use the normal word order without inversion or auxiliary verbs. For example:

Indicative: He lives in Rome. Interrogative: Does he live in Rome? (Where does he live?) Reported: She asked if he lives in Rome. (She asked where he lives.)  

Hello ahlinthit

There are different styles of punctuating direct speech -- in other words, you might find other sources that will disagree with me -- but what I would use here is something different: "The boss is dead!" said the doctor.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes

Hello Timmosky,

The form that comes after the auxiliary verb 'do' (or 'does' or 'did') is not the plural present simple verb, but rather the bare infinitive (also known as 'base form' or 'first form') of the verb. Does that make sense?

All the best, Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

Hello sky-high,

This is very formal language. The phrase 'to the effect that' means 'with the meaning that'. In this context it can be understood to mean 'with the result that'.

Best wishes,

The difference is quite logical. If we use 'said' then we are talking about a claim by Peter in the past which he may or may not still maintain. If we use 'says' then we are talking about an opinion expressed by Peter which he still holds.

The reported information (whether or not Rooney is in good shape) can refer to only the past or to the present as well and the statement (what Peter thinks) can separately refer to only the past or the present as well. Of course, all of this is from the point of view of the person reporting Peter's opinion, and whether or not they think that Peter still thinks now what he thought then.

Both are possible. If you use the present tense then it is clear that the statement is still true (i.e. the business was not growing when Mary spoke and is still not growing now). If you use the past tense then no information is given regarding the present (i.e. the business was growing when Mary spoke and may or may not be growing now).

Hello aseel aftab,

It should be 'if they had'. This is not from this page, is it? I don't see it anywhere here, but if I've missed it please let me know.

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40 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Sentences

Table of Contents

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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Direct and Indirect Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, using quotation marks, while indirect speech paraphrases the spoken words without quotes, often changing tenses and pronouns. Both forms are essential for effective communication, emphasizing clarity and context in reporting speech.

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by someone, presented within quotation marks and often accompanied by a speech tag that attributes the statement to the speaker. This method of reporting speech is used to convey the original words and the tone in which they were spoken, preserving the personal touch and specific expressions of the speaker.

For example , if John says, “I am going to the store,” the direct speech presentation would be:

John said, “I am going to the store.”

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a method of conveying what someone said without quoting their exact words. Instead of using direct quotations, indirect speech summarizes or paraphrases the original statement. It often involves changes in verbs tenses, pronouns, and other elements to fit the grammatical context of the reporting sentence.

For example , consider the direct speech statement:

Tom said, “I am going to the gym now.” When converted into indirect speech, it becomes:

Tom said that he was going to the gym then.

Indirect speech does not use quotation marks and typically introduces the reported clause with conjunctions like “that,” although “that” can be omitted in informal contexts.

Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Rules for converting direct into indirect speech.

• Example : Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
• Indirect: He said that he was tired.
• Example : Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.”
• Indirect: She says that she is reading a book. (Note: When reporting in the present tense, as with ‘says’, the tense may not always change.)
• Example : Direct: “I will go there tomorrow,” John said.
• Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
• Example : Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
• Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
• Example : Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
• Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
• Example : Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
• Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
• Example : Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”
• Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.

Rules for converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech

• Example : Indirect: He said that he was tired.
• Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
• Example : Indirect: She says that she is reading a book.
• Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.” (Note: Sometimes the tense doesn’t need to change if the reporting verb is in the present tense.)
• Example : Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
• Direct: John said, “I will go there tomorrow.”
• Example : Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
• Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
• Example : Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
• Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
• Example : Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
• Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
• Example : Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”

Difference Between Direct and Indirect Speech

This table should help you clearly see how the format, verbs, pronouns, and other elements differ between direct and indirect speech.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

1. Direct : “I love reading books,” Jane said. Indirect : Jane said that she loved reading books. 2. Direct : “We will go to the park,” they announced. Indirect : They announced that they would go to the park. 3. Direct : “I have finished my homework,” he told his mother. Indirect: He told his mother that he had finished his homework. 4. Direct : “Can you help me with this?” she asked. Indirect: She asked if I could help her with that. 5. Direct : “I am feeling sick today,” he whispered. Indirect: He whispered that he was feeling sick that day. 6. Direct : “I won’t be able to attend the meeting,” Laura said. Indirect: Laura said that she would not be able to attend the meeting. 7. Direct : “Please open the window,” she requested. Indirect: She requested him to open the window. 8. Direct : “Do not touch my phone,” he warned. Indirect: He warned not to touch his phone. 9. Direct : “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised. Indirect: She promised that she would call me the next day. 10. Direct : “What time does the concert start?” he asked. Indirect: He asked what time the concert started.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

Direct to indirect speech exercises.

Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech:

Exercise 1 : “I am learning to play the piano,” she said. Answer 1 : How did she say she was learning to play the piano?

Exercise 2 : “Will you be attending the meeting?” he asked me. Answer 2 : How did he ask if I would be attending the meeting?

Exercise 3 : “I have seen that movie three times,” Alex told her. Answer 3 : How did Alex tell her that he had seen that movie three times?

Exercise 4 : “You should try the new Italian restaurant,” he recommended. Answer 4 : How did he recommend trying the new Italian restaurant?

Exercise 5 : “Please pass the salt,” she requested. Answer 5 : How did she request to pass the salt?

Exercise 6 : “I cannot come to your party,” Jane apologized. Answer 6 : How did Jane apologize that she could not come to the party?

Exercise 7 “Let’s meet at the mall,” they suggested. Answer 7 : How did they suggest meeting at the mall?

Exercise 8 : “Do you know where the station is?” he inquired. Answer 8 : How did he inquire if I knew where the station was?

Exercise 9 : “I must finish this book tonight,” she declared. Answer 9 : How did she declare that she must finish the book that night?

Exercise 10 : “I didn’t take your notebook,” he denied. Answer 10 : How did he deny taking my notebook?

Indirect to Direct Speech Exercises

Convert the following sentences from indirect to direct speech:

Exercise 11 : She said that she was learning to play the piano. Answer 11 : What did she say about learning to play the piano in direct speech?

Exercise 12 : He asked if I would be attending the meeting. Answer 12 : How did he ask about my attendance at the meeting in direct speech?

Exercise 13 : Alex told her that he had seen that movie three times. Answer 13 : What did Alex tell her about how many times he had seen the movie in direct speech?

Exercise 14 : He recommended trying the new Italian restaurant. Answer 14 : What did he say about trying the new Italian restaurant in direct speech?

Exercise 15 : She requested to pass the salt. Answer 15 : What did she request about the salt in direct speech?

Exercise 16 : Jane apologized that she could not come to the party. Answer 16 : What did Jane say when she apologized for not coming to the party in direct speech?

Exercise 17 : They suggested meeting at the mall. Answer 17 : What did they suggest about meeting in direct speech?

Exercise 18 : He inquired if I knew where the station was. Answer 18 : How did he inquire about the location of the station in direct speech?

Exercise 19 : She declared that she must finish the book that night. Answer 19 : What did she declare about finishing the book in direct speech?

Exercise 20 : He denied taking my notebook. Answer 20 : What did he say when he denied taking the notebook in direct speech?

FAQ’s

How do tenses change in indirect speech.

Tenses in indirect speech usually shift back (e.g., present to past) to reflect that the speaking occurred in the past.

Do pronouns always change in indirect speech?

Pronouns change in indirect speech to match the perspective of the speaker reporting the speech, ensuring clarity and coherence.

How do you convert a question from direct to indirect speech?

Questions in direct speech are converted by introducing a clause with ‘if’ or ‘whether’, and rearranging the syntax to statement form.

What happens to modal verbs in indirect speech?

Modal verbs often change in indirect speech, with ‘will’ becoming ‘would’ and ‘can’ changing to ‘could’, for example.

Can the verb tense remain the same in indirect speech?

Yes, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense within the reported clause might not change.

What are the typical introductory verbs used in indirect speech?

Common verbs include ‘said’, ‘told’, ‘asked’, ‘replied’, ‘exclaimed’, and ‘advised’, depending on the nature of the speech.

How do you handle imperatives in indirect speech?

Imperatives are converted into infinitive structures, such as changing “Close the door” to “He asked her to close the door.”

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200+Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers (2024)

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers (2024) help learners understand the transformation between direct statements and reported speech, enhancing their comprehension and expression abilities.

We frequently employ direct and indirect speech in our everyday interactions to accurately convey what was said and summarize information efficiently.

Enhance your understanding of Direct and Indirect Speech with our extensive collection of over 200 exercises and corresponding answers.

Through practice in transforming quotations into reported speech, grasp the principles and methods involved, and refine your differentiation between direct and indirect speech.

Elevate your language proficiency and deepen your comprehension of English with our comprehensive set of over 200 Direct and Indirect Speech exercises and answers.

Understanding Direct Speech

Direct speech is when the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. It provides a direct representation of what was said, maintaining the original wording and tone. Direct speech adds authenticity and immediacy to the narrative.

For example,

• My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’
• Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’

Explore Indirect Speech

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, conveys someone else’s words without quoting them directly. Indirect speech offers a concise summary, enabling effective communication and storytelling.

• My aunt said that every mother loves her child.
• Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

Before delving into the direct and indirect speech exercises, consider how Tense , Pronouns , Time , and Place change when transitioning from direct to indirect speech and vice versa.

Exercises and Answers for Direct and Indirect Speech (2024)

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and answers, along with examples are given in the following for practice. It’s important for students as well as for competitive Exams. For practice and easy comprehension, Direct and indirect speech Exercises and answers have been arranged according to different rules in the following.

Exercises and Answers with Tense Alterations

Exercises and answers with tense alterations facilitate practice and comprehension of verb tense transformations.

Exercise 1:

Change the mode of narration from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) He said , ‘I need some money.’ Ans: He said that he needed some money.

(2) She said, ‘I am waiting for him.’ Ans: She said that she was waiting for him.

(3) The boy said , ‘I have done my homework.’ Ans: The boy said that he had done his homework.

(4) You said, ‘The baby has been sleeping .” Ans: You said that the baby had been sleeping .

(5) You say, ‘I am always busy.’ Ans: You say that you are always busy.

(6) The child will say , ‘Mum knows everything.’ Ans: The child will say that Mum knows everything.

(7) He said , ‘I did it.’ Ans: He said that he had done it.

(8) She said, ‘He was talking .’ Ans: She said that he had been talking .

(9) The monk said , ‘Man will die .’ Ans: The monk said that man will die.

(10) He said , ‘The sun gives us light.’ Ans: He said that the sun gives us light.

Exercise 2:

Switch the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “I can’t recall your name.” Ans: He told me that he could not recall my name.

(2) Poulami says , “I am fine.” Ans: Poulomi says that she is fine.

(3) He said, “I did it.” Ans: He said that he had done it.

(4) “I know her address,” said Gopi. Ans: Gopi said that he knew her address.

(5) Ram said, “The earth is round.” Ans: Ram said that the Earth is round.

(6) “We planted it ourselves,” said the grandfather. Ans: The Gran Father said that they had planted it themselves.

(7) Debu said, “I have been playing rugby.” Ans: Debu said that he had been playing rugby.

(8) Purbasha said to me,” I am afraid of ghosts.” Ans: Purbasha told me that she was afraid of ghosts.

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Exercise 3:

Turn the following sentences from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) The boys said , “It has been raining since morning. We cannot play today.” Ans: The boys said that it had been raining since morning so they could not play that day.

(2) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.” Ans: Anjan’s mother said that my father had left for Mumbai.

(3) My teacher said , “Practice makes a man perfect.” Ans: My teacher said that practice makes a man perfect.

(4) He says, “I go to the temple every morning.” Ans: He says that he goes to the temple every morning.

(5) He said to me, “I will not get down from the bus.” Ans: He told me that he would not get off the bus.

(6) Rita says to Mita, “I will go with you.” Ans: Rita tells Mita that she w ill go with her.

(7) The boy said to his friend, “I went to school yesterday.” Ans: The boy told his friend that he had gone to school the previous day.

(8) You said, “I was right.” Ans: You said that you had been right.

(9) “I ‘ll go to the top,” said the young lady. Ans: The young lady said that she would go to the top.

(10) I ‘ ve got my rules,” the conductor said to me. Ans: The conductor told me that he had got his rules.

Pronouns in Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers incorporating pronouns in direct and indirect speech facilitate learners’ understanding and application of pronoun changes in reported speech structures.

Exercise 4:

(1) You said, ‘ I never smoked.” Ans: You said that you never smoked.

(2) I said, ‘ I am always busy.” Ans: I said that I was alway busy

(3) I said to you , ‘ You look tired.” Ans: I said to you that you looked tired.

(4) You said to me , ‘ You are dependable.” Ans: You said to me that I was dependable.

(5) You said, “ He is right.” Ans: You said that he was right.

(6) I said, “ They will be late. Ans: I said that they w ould be late.

(7) He said to (Deep) , ‘ You told it so.” Ans: He said to Deep that he (Deep) had told it so.

(8) Mon said to Moon , “ You are naughty.” Ans: Mon said to Moon that she (Moon) was naughty.

Exercise 5:

Alter the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “ I have done the job.” Ans: He told me that he had done the job.

(2) Rohit said, “ I was absent yesterday.” Ans: Rohit said that he (Rohit) had been absent the previous day.

(3) The boy said, “ My father died two years ago.” Ans: The boy said that his father had died two years before.

(4) He said, “ My goal is to climb Mt Everest. “ Ans: He said that his goal was to climb Mount Everest.

(5) “ I shall certainly do nothing of this kind”, the woman. Ans: The woman said that she would certainly do nothing of that kind.

(6) The man said, “ I am exhausted.” Ans: The man said that he was exhausted.

(7) He said, “ I am washing my hands.” Ans: He said that he was washing his hands.

(8) Mother bird said to her little ones, “Today I will teach you how to fly.” Ans: Mother bird told her little ones that that day, she would teach them how to fly.

(9) Rita’s father says. “ I have done this for you. Ans: Rita’s father says that he had done that for her.

(10) Sumana said to her sister, “ I want to play with you.” Ans: Sumana told her sister that she wanted to play with her.

Time and Place Expression Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers on time and place expressions in direct and indirect speech aid learners in accurately conveying temporal and spatial information while mastering reported speech conventions.

Exercise 6:

Turn the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) I said to you, “I wish to start business next year. “ Ans: I said to you that I wished to start business the following years.

(2) You said to them, “ Now I shall tell you a nice story.” Ans: You told them that then you would tell them a nice story.

(3) She said to him, “I bought the book yesterday. “ Ans: She told him that she had bought the book the previous day .

(4) He said to me, “I saw your sister two years ago . Ans: He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.

(5) He said to his son, “You may come with me tomorrow. Ans: He told his son that he (his son) might go with him the next day.

(6) He said to her, I’m talking to you now for your good.” Ans: He told her that he was talking to her then for her good.

(7) The girl said to me, My father died two years ago. “ Ans: The girl told me that her father died two years before.

Exception: But if ‘ now ‘, ‘ here ‘, ‘ this ‘ refer to things present before the speaker at the time of reporting, no change is needed.

(8) He said to me, ‘I have no friend here. ‘ Ans: He told me that he had no friend here.

(9) I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world.’ Ans: I said that we cannot be happy in this world.

(10) She said, “ This is the house where I was born.” Ans: She said that this was the house where she was born.

Exercise 7:

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

(1) The boy said to his father, “I had my tiffin in school yesterday. “ Ans: The boy told his father that he had had his tiffin in school the previous day .

(2) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last year. “ Ans: The captain informed us that the tournament was postponed the previous year .

(3) She said, “We have been living here for two years.” Ans: She said that they had been living there for two years.

(4) Arnab said to Ajit,” I am happy today .” Ans: Arna told Ajit that he was happy that day.

(5) My friend said to me, “We went to the zoo yesterday. “ Ans: My friend told me that they had gone to the zoo the previous day.

(6) The clerk said, “I’ll do the work now. “ Ans: Clark said that he would do the work then.

(7) Hiten said to Mihir, “I received this letter yesterday. “ Ans: Hiten told me that he had received that letter the previous day.

(8) Rajib said to me. “I shall go to the picture today. “ Ans: Rajiv told me that he would go to the picture that day.

(9) He said, “We are very happy here. “ Ans: He said that they were very happy there.

(10) The farmer said, “I’ll sow the seeds now. “ Ans: The farmer said that he will show the seats then.

(12) The man said to me, “I received your gift yesterday. “ Ans: The man told me that he had received my gift the previous day.

(15) I said to my friend, “You were present in the class yesterday. “ Ans: I told my friend that he had been present in the class the previous day.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Assertive Sentences

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers focusing on assertive sentences enable learners to grasp the nuances of reporting statements confidently and accurately.

Exercise 8:

Transform the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’ Ans: My aunt said that every mother loves her child.

(2) Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’ Ans: Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

(3) He said to his father, ‘I shall always carry out your order.’ Ans: He told his father that he would always carry out his order.

(4) She said, ‘I sang a song at today’s function.’ Ans: She said that she had sung a song at today’s function.

(5) He said to me, ‘You are wicked, so I shall not mix with you.’ Ans: He told me that I was wicked, so he would not mix with me.

Exercise 9:

Change the following sentences converting the direct speeches into indirect speeches.

(1) The teacher said to the boy, “You have forgotten the lesson.” Ans: The teacher told the boy that he had forgotten the lesson.

(2) The boy said, “I shall go out and play.” Ans: The boy said that he would go out and play.

(3) He said, “I am happy to be here today.” Ans: He said that he was happy to be there that day.

(4) They said, “We shall play the game again tomorrow.” Ans: They said that they would play the game again the next day.

(5) The boy said, “Two and two make four.” Ans: The boy said that two and two make four.

Exercise 10:

Change the form of narration from indirect speech into direct speech.

(1) She told them that she had lost her books and theirs too. Ans : “I have lost my books and yours too”, she told them.

(2) The princess says that she has lost her way. Ans: The princess says, “I have lost my way.”

(3) They say that they must keep their locality clean. Ans: They say, “We must keep our locality clean.”

(4) The girl says that those books are theirs, but that one is hers. Ans: The girl says, “These books are theirs, but this one is mine.”

(5) The Happy prince said that he had led the dance in the Great Hall. Ans: The Happy Prince said, “I led the dance in the great hall.”

Interrogative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Engage with interrogative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers to sharpen your ability to convey questions effectively within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 11:

(1) Mother said to her, ‘Are you feeling feverish?’ Ans: Mother inquired of her if she was feeling feverish.

(2) ‘Was it not a piece of luck?’ said Slavator. Ans: Salvtor wanted to know if that was not a piece of luck.

(3) The host said to me, ‘Have all the guests arrived?’ Ans: The host asked me whether all the guests had arrived.

(4) I said, ‘Do you know who will preside over the meeting?’ Ans: I asked whether he knew who would be presiding over the meeting.

(5) I said to the boy, ‘Did you pass the examination?’ Ans: I asked the boy if had passed the examination.

(6) She said to him, ‘Which of the books do you want to buy? Ans: She asked him which of the books he wanted to buy.

(7) The king said, ‘Who is not ready to due for his land, my countryman?’ Ans: The king asked his countrymen who was not ready to due for his land.

(8) He said to her, ‘Whose type writer are you using? Ans: He inquired of her whose type- writer she was using.

(9) The girl said to the strang ‘Whom do you want to see? Ans: The girl asked the stranger whom he wanted to see.

(10) The teacher said to the student, ‘Why are you late regularly? Ans: The teacher asked the student why he was late regularly.

Exercise 12:

Turn the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) Bulbuli said to her friend, “Will you come tomorrow?” Ans: Bulbuli asked her friend if she would on the next day.

(2) The policeman said to the stranger, “What are you looking for?” Ans: The police asked the stranger what he was looking for.

(3) Nikhil said to me, “Why do you look sad? Ans: Nikhil asked me why I looked sad.

(4) I said to her, “Did you take tea ?” Ans: I asked her if she had taken tea.

(5) The girl said to her mother, “Will you give me your bangles ?” Ans: The girl asked her mother if she would give her her bangles.

(6) Father said to me, “Why are you so upset?” Ans: Father asked me why I was so upset.

Exercise 13:

Change the following indirect speech into Direct speech.

(1) She asked me if I had called her. Ans: She said to me, “Did you call me ?”

(2) He asked me if I was writing a letter. Ans: He asked me, “Are you writing a letter ?”

(3) The man asked the child how he had got there. Ans: “How did you get here, child ?”, the man said.

(4) The police asked me if I could show my identity card. Ans: The police said to me, “Can you show your identity card ?”

(5) He asked us if we were attending the meeting that day. Ans: He said to us, “Are you attending the meeting today?”

(6) I asked her if she had taken medicine. Ans: I said to her, “Did you take medicine ?”

(7) Raja asked Dipu if he would go to school that day. Ans: Raja said to Dipu, “Will you go to school today?

Imperative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Master imperative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers, refining your skill in conveying commands and requests within diverse linguistic contexts.

Exercise 14:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) The teacher said, ‘Boys, go to your classes.’ Ans: The teacher ordered the boys to go to their classes.

(2) She said to him, ‘Please lend me your pen.’ Ans: She requested him to lend her his pen.

(3) The mother said to her son, ‘Wait here for me.’ Ans: The mother told her son to wait there for her.

(4) He said to me, ‘Go home at once.’ Ans: He advised me to go home at once.

(5) I said to my teacher, ‘Please explain the passage. Ans: I requested my teacher to explain the passage.

(6) The student said to the teacher, “Excuse me, sir.’ Ans: The student begged the teacher to excuse him.

(7) He said, ‘Friends, lend me your ears. Ans: Addressing them as friends, he requested them to lend him their ears.

Exercise 15:

(1) The teacher said to the students, “Keep quiet.” Ans: The teachers ordered the students to keep quiet.

(2) My teacher said to me. “Do not neglect your studies.” Ans: My teacher advised me not to neglect my studies.

(3) The man said to his son, “Always try to be honest.” Ans: The man advised it’s on to always try to be honest.

(4) Mother said to Raju, “Do not run in the sun.” Ans: Mother ordered Raju not to run in the sun.

(5) The man said to me, “Brother, please help me.” Ans: Addressing as a brother, the man requested me to help him.

(6) The students said, “Please allow us to play in the field.” Ans: The students requested to allow them to play on the field.

(7) He said to me, “Please give me some money.” Ans: He requested me to give him some money.

Exercise 16:

Change the following sentences from Indirect speech to Direct Speech of narration.

(1) He advised me not to waste my valuable time. Ans: He said to me, “Don’t waste your valuable time.”

(2) The grandson advised the children not to pluck flowers. Ans: The gardener said to the children, “Do not pluck flowers.”

(3) Tom forbade Sid to shake him. Ans: Tom said to Sid, “Don’t shake me.”

(4) The master ordered the servant to sort the door. Ans: The master said to the servant, “Shut the door.”

(5) The commander ordered the soldiers to stand at ease. Ans: The commander said to the soldiers, “Stand at ease.”

(6) Addressing as sethji, the vendor told him not to rob the poor. Ans: “Sethji, don’t rob the poor”, said the vendor.

(7) The doctor advised the patient to take proper vitamins to stay healthy. Ans: The doctor said to the patient, “Take proper vitamins to stay healthy.”

(8) The teacher ordered the students to do it then. Ans: The teacher said to the students, “Do it now.”

Direct and indirect speech Exercises and Answers with “Let”

Enhance your understanding of direct and indirect speech through exercises and answers featuring the usage of “let,” allowing you to effectively report permissions, suggestions, or proposals in various contexts

Exercise 17:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech mode of narration.

(1) He said to her, ‘Let us go out for a walk,’ Ans: He proposed to her that they should go out for a walk.

(2) Mon said to Mohan, ‘Let us dis- cuss the matter,’ Ans: Mon suggested to Mohan that they should discuss the matter.

(3) The chairman said, ‘Let us put the motion to vote. Ans: The chairman proposed that they should put the motion to vote.

(4) I said to her, ‘Let us have some music,’ Ans: I proposed to her that we should have some music.

(5) ‘Let us hurry or we may miss the bus,’ said he, Ans: He urged all to hurry or they might miss the bus.

(6) She said, ‘Let me come in.’ Ans: She requested that she might be allowed to come in.

(7) He said, ‘Let her say whatever she likes.’ Ans: He said that she might say whatever she liked.

(8) He said, ‘Let me have a cup of coffee.’ Ans: He wished that he might have a cup of coffee.

(9) The player said to the captain, ‘Let me have a chance, please.’ Ans: The player requested the captain to let him have a chance.

(10) I said, ‘Let him work ever so hard, he cannot win the prize.’ Ans: He said that the visitor might be allowed to wait outside.

Exercise 18:

(1) Rahim said, “Let us decide the matter together.” Ans: Rahim suggested that they should decide the matter together.

(2) The boy said to me, “Let us play cricket.” Ans: The boy proposed that they should play cricket.

(3) He said, “Let me go home.” Ans: He wished that he might go home.

(4) He said to me, “Let him say whatever he likes.” Ans: He wished me that he might say whatever he liked.

(5) He shouted, “Let me go out. Ans: He shouted at me to go out.

Exercise 19:

Change the following sentences from indirect speech to direct speech mode of narration.

(1) She proposed that they should go to the cinema. Ans: She said, “Let us go to the cinema.”

(2) He suggested that they should drop the matter. Ans: He said, “Let us drop the matter”

(3) They suggested that they should make him give them their fears back. Ans: “Let’s make him give us our fares back,” they said.

(4) Shabnam proposed Chandni that they should go for a walk. Ans: “Let us go for a walk.” said Shabnam to Chandni.

(5) The leader suggested that they should hold a meeting the next day. Ans: The leader said, “Let’s hold a meeting tomorrow.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Optative Sentences

Practice direct and indirect speech with exercises and answers focusing on optative sentences, enabling you to accurately report wishes, prayers, or blessings while honing your linguistic proficiency.

Exercise 20:

Change the following from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

(1) Mother said, ‘May you be happy.’ Ans: Mother wished that I might be happy.

(2) He said to you, ‘May God bless you.’ Ans: He prayed that God might bless you.

(3) She said, ‘Had I been there!’ Ans: She wished that she had been there.

(4) He said to me, ‘May you succeed.’ Ans: He wished that I might succeed.

(5) They said, ‘Long live the leader.’ Ans: They prayed that the leader might live long.

(6) He said to me, ‘May your mother recover soon. Ans: He wished that my mother might recover soon.

(7) The monk said, ‘May peace prevail.’ Ans: The monk hoped that peace would prevail.

(8) The boy siad, ‘Had I the wings of a bird.’ Ans: The boy wished that he could have the wings of a bird.

Exercise 21:

(1) I said to him, “May you be happy.” Ans: I wished that he might be happy.

(2) Mother said to me, “May God bless you.” Ans: Mother prayed that God might bless me.

(3) He said, “May his soul rest in peace.” Ans: He prayed that his soul might rest in peace.

(4) The girl said, “Oh, had I the wings of a dove.” Ans: The girl wished that she could have the wings of a dove.

(5) I said to him, “May you live long.” Ans: I wished him that he might live long.

Exercise 22:

Change the following from Indirect Speech to Direct Speech.

(1) Nilima wished me that I might recover soon. Ans: Nilima said to me, “May you recover soon.”

(2) Mother wished him that God might grant him a long life. Ans : Mother said to him, “May God grant you a long life.”

(3) The holy man wished that peace might prevail. Ans: The holy man said, “May peace prevail.”

(4) She wished that Mother Teresa might recover from illness soon. Ans: She said, “May Mother Teresa recover from illness soon.”

(5) He wished that he could bring his departed friend back to life. Ans: He said, “Oh, if I could bring my departed friend back to life.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises of Exclamatory Sentences

Engage in direct and indirect speech exercises focusing on exclamatory sentences to refine your ability in reporting strong emotions or exclamations accurately within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 23:

(1) The supporters said, ‘Hurrah! we have won?’ Ans: The supporter exclaimed in joy that they had won.

(2) The girl said, ‘How wonderful love is!’ Ans: The girl exclaimed in joy that love is wonderful.

(3) The teacher said, ‘Bravo! Well done!’ Ans: The teacher applauded his students by saying that they had done well.

(4) ‘Alas! I am undone’, said the women. Ans: They women cried out in sorrow that she was undone.

(5) He said, ‘Good bye, my friends !’ Ans: He bade his friends good bye.

(6) The old man said to the youth, ‘Fie! You are such a coward.’ Ans: The old man exclaimed that it was shameful for the youth to be such a coward.

(7) ‘How dirty the house is!’ he observed. Ans: He exclaimed in irritation that the house was very dirty.

(8) ‘Good God! I am saved’, said he. Ans: He exclaimed in the name of merciful God that he was saved.

Exercise 24:

(1) The boys triumphantly said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” Ans: The boys exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.

(2) The old man said to the girl, “May you be happy !” Ans: The old man wished the girl that she might be happy.

(3) He said, “What good news!” Ans: He exclaimed in joy that it was very good news.

(4) The children said, “How happy we were there!” Ans: The children gloomily said that they had been very happy there.

(5) He said to you. “May God bless you.” Ans: He wished you that God might bless you.

(6) My friend said to me. “What a fool you are!” Ans: My friend exclaimed in despair that she was a big fool.

Exercise 25:

(1) Piyali exclaimed in sorrow that she had lost her phone. Ans: “Alas! I have lost my phone”, said Piyali.

(2) Mother wished Roy that his dreams might come true. Ans: Mother said to Roy, “May your dreams come true.”

(3) The girl exclaimed that she had been very sensible. Ans: How insensible I have been!”, said the girl.

(4) The girl exclaimed in sorrow that she had torn her frock. Ans: The girl said, “Oh dear! I have torn my frock.”

(5) She exclaimed in sorrow that she was undone. Ans: She said, “Alas! I am undone.”

(6) They wished me happy birthday. Ans: They said to me. “Happy birthday!”

(7) The students bade their teacher good morning. Ans: “Good morning, Madam!”, said the students to the teacher.

Practice Worksheet for Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

A . Change the following into reported speech .

1. Rita says, “Kishore sang a song”.

2. The saint said, “Man is mortal”

3. You said, “we are learning our lesson’.

4. He said to me, “My father went to Mumbai last week.

5. I said to her, “Are you leaving tonight?”

6. He said to her, “Can you lend me your umbrella?”

7. She said, “I saw a tiger here’.

8. The principal said, “well done! my boys”.

9. She said, “Let them play.”

10. I said to Harsh, “Please help me.”

B. Change the direct speech into Indirect Speech

1. He asked me, “Where has he gone?”

2. The Prime Minister said, “National Integrity will be preserved at all costs.

3. She said, “My uncle came yesterday.”

4. Sheela said to us, “You must work hard.”

5. They said, “We trust in God.”

6. The officer said to him. “You will be dismissed if you do not attend the office in time.'”

7. He said to me “I am reading a book.”

8. He said, “Thanks for reminding me.’

9. She said,” Keep this room open.’

10. I said to him, “I went there on Tuesday.”

C. Choose the correct option .

1. I advised him ____________ it.

(a) to not do

(b) not to do

2. She told me ____________ careful.

(c) that be

3. She asked me if I ____________ my lunch.

(b) have eaten

(c) had eaten

4. She asked me ____________ going to the movies

(a) that I was

(b) if was I

(c) if I was

5. The dentist suggested ____________  get a new toothbrush.

(b) that I should

(c) me that I should

6. She said that no one ____________ me

(c) had called

7. He asked me ____________  to deserve such a cruel punishment.

(a) what had he done

(b) what he had done

(c) that he had done

8. He promised he ____________  do it by the end of the week.

9. She said that ____________  me before.

(a) she hadn’t met

(b) she did not meet

(c) she will not meet

10. I requested her____________  me.

(b) to help

(c) that help

D. Complete the sentences in the reported speech.

1. The girl said that it ___________ to be there that evening.

(a) gave her great pleasure

(b) gives her great pleasure

(c) gives her great pleasure

2. The man said that he ___________ as soon as possible.

(a) must go

(b) had gone

(c) should be gone

3. She said that she ___________ to se any of them.

(a) does not want

(b) did not want

(c) had not wanted

4. The teacher says that if you work hard you ___________

(a) would pass

(b) will pass

5. He said that he  ___________

(b) has won

(c) had won

6. He proposed that they ___________ for her return.

(a) shall wait

(b) will wait

(c) should wait

7. Alice exclaimed how clever ___________

(a) she was

(b) was she

(c) she has been

8. The young man asked which way she ___________

(a) has gone

(c) would go.

9. He asked me where ___________ going.

10. She requested them to wait there till she ___________

(a) returns

(b) returned

(c) will return

E. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. Ravi said, “I love this place”.

Ravi said _______________ 

2. “Do you like football?” He asked me.

He asked me_______________ 

3. “I can’t drive a lorry”, he said.

He said _______________ 

4. “Be nice to your brother”, he said

He asked me _______________ 

5. “Don’t be nasty, “he said

He urged me _______________ 

6. “Don’t waste your money “she said,

She told the boys _______________ 

7. “What have you decided to do? “she asked

him. She asked him _______________ 

8. “I always wake up early”. he said,

He said_______________ 

9. “You should revise your lessons’, he said,

He advised the students _______________ 

10. “Where have you been? “he asked me

He wanted to know _______________ 

F. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. She said, “I went to cinema yesterday,”

She said _______________ 

2. You said, “I will do this for him.”

You said _______________ 

3. He said, “I am writing a test tomorrow,

4. She said, “I am not hungry now”,

5. They said, “We have never been here before.”

They said _______________ 

6. They said, “We were in London last week.”

7. He said, “They won’t sleep.”

8. “Have you been shopping?” he asked us.

9. She said, “It is very quiet here.

10. “I don’t speak Italian”, she said.

She said_______________ 

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage.

Susan: Why have you not brought my party dress? Jenny: I haven’t brought it because I had gone to my uncle’s house with my parents, so I forgot to keep it. Susan: Don’t give me silly excuses. I want to know the truth. Jenny: I am sorry Susan. I was chatting with my friends till late. I forgot that you needed it urgently today.

Susan asked Jenny (a) …………… Jenny said that she (b) …………… . Susan (c) …………… . Jenny said that she was sorry and further added that she was chatting with her friends till late and she had forgotten that Jenny needed it urgently that day.

H. Read the following conversation and complete the passage that follows.

Dilip: I’ve been watching the sea and there hasn’t been any trace of a ship. Ralph: I told you yesterday too that we’ll be rescued, so have patience. Dilip: Why do you ask me to keep quiet whenever I say something? Ralph: Have you ever said anything sensible?

Dilip said (a) ………… . Ralph replied (b) ………… and so asked him to have patience. Dilip angrily asked Ralph (c) ………… to which Ralph wanted to know (d) …………

Direct and Indirect Speech Answers Key

1. Rita says that Kishore sang a song.

2. The saint said that the man is mortal.

3. You said that you were learning your lesson.

4. He hold me that his father had gone to Mumbai the previous week.

5. I asked her if she was leaving that night.

6. He asked her if she could lend him her umbrella.

7. She said that she had seen a tiger there.

8. The principal exclaimed with applause that the boys had done well.

9. She suggested that they should be allowed to play.

10. I requested Harsh to help me.

1. He asked me where he had gone.

2. The Prime Minister declared that the National Integrity would be preserved at all costs.

3. She said that her uncle had come the previous day.

4. Sheela told us that we must work hard.

5. They said that they trusted in God.

6. The officer warned him that he would be dismissed

if he did not attend the office in time.

7. He told me that he was reading a book.

8. He thanked me for reminding him.

9. She ordered to keep that room open.

10. I told him that I had gone there on Tuesday.

1. (b) not to do

2. (b) to be

3. (c) had eaten

4. (c) if I was

5. (b) that I should

6. (c) had called

7. (b) what he had done

8. (b) would

9. (a) she hadn’t met

10. (b) to help

D. Complete the sentences in reported speech.

1. (a) gave her great pleasure.

2. (a) must go

3. (b) did not want

4. (b) will pass

5. (c) had won

6. (c) should wait

7. (a) she was

8. (b) had gone

9. (a) I was

10. (b) returned

E. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that he loved that place

2. whether I liked football

3. that he couldn’t drive a lorry

4. to be nice to my brother

5. not to be nasty

6. not to waste their money

7. what he had decided to do

8. that he always wake up early

9. to revise their lessons

10. where I had been

F. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that she had gone to cinema the previous day.

2. that you would do that for him.

3. that he will be writing a test the next day.

4. that she was not hungry then.

5. that they had never been there before.

6. that they had been in London the previous week.

7. that they wouldn’t sleep.

8. whether we had been shopping.

9. that it was very quiet there.

10. that she didn’t speak Italian.

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage

(a) why she had not brought her party dress

(b) hadn’t brought it as she had gone to her uncle’s house with her parents; so she had forgotten to keep it

(c) told her not to give silly excuses and further said that she wanted to know the truth.

(a) that he had been watching the sea and that there had not been any trace of a ship

(b) that he had told him the day before that they would be rescued

(c) why he asked him to keep quiet whenever he said something

(d) if he had ever said anything sensible

FAQs on Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Q: what’s the purpose of the indirect speech.

A: Indirect speech allows us to convey someone else’s words without quoting them verbatim. It’s useful for summarizing and paraphrasing.

Q: Are tense changes mandatory in indirect speech?

A: Yes, tense changes are often necessary to accurately reflect the timing of the original statement.

Q: Can reporting verbs be used interchangeably?

A: While reporting verbs can be interchangeable to some extent, their nuances can impact the meaning of the reported speech.

Q: Is it possible to transform any direct speech into indirect speech?

A: Yes, most direct speech can be converted into indirect speech, although some cases may require adjustments.

Q: How can I identify indirect speech in a sentence?

A: Look for keywords like “said,” “asked,” or other reporting verbs, as well as changes in pronouns, tenses, and time expressions.

Q: Why is mastering direct and indirect speech important?

A: Mastering these skills enhances communication clarity, adds variety to language use, and fosters effective expression.

Conclusion:

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers are invaluable tools for effective communication. By honing this skill, you’ll not only convey information accurately but also showcase your language expertise. Remember that practice makes perfect, and the more you engage in these exercises, the more naturally you’ll incorporate them into your everyday language use.

Related Posts:

• Government Exam Articles

Rules For Direct And Indirect Speech For English Language

In this article, we will cover important rules of direct and indirect speech, relevant for the English Language section of various competitive exams. 

Aspirants of various Government exams such as SSC, RRB, IBPS, Insurance, etc. must go through the concept and rules of direct – indirect speech carefully, as the English language is a part of the syllabus for most of these exams.  

What is Direct & Indirect Speech?

Direct speech – reporting the message of the speaker in the exact words as spoken by him.

Direct speech example : Maya said ‘I am busy now’.

Indirect speech : reporting the message of the speaker in our own words 

Indirect speech example:  Maya said that she was busy then.

Let us understand the direct and indirect rules with examples and for all tenses so that you can apply them correctly, without making any mistakes in the exams.

Direct And Indirect Speech Rules PDF:- Download PDF Here

Direct And Indirect Speech Rules

Rules for converting Direct into Indirect speech

To change a sentence of direct speech into indirect speech there are various factors that are considered, such as reporting verbs, modals, time, place, pronouns, tenses, etc. We will discuss each of these factors one by one.

Rule 1 – Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

• When the reporting verb of direct speech is in past tense then all the present tenses are changed to the corresponding past tense in indirect speech. 

Direct to indirect speech example: 

Direct: She said , ‘I am happy’.

Indirect: She said (that) she was happy.

• In indirect speech, tenses do not change if the words used within the quotes (‘’) talk of a habitual action or universal truth.

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: He said, ‘We cannot live without air’.

Indirect: He said that we cannot live without air. 

• The tenses of direct speech do not change if the reporting verb is in the  future tense or present tense . 

Direct: She says/will say, ‘I am going’

Indirect: She says/will say she is going.

Rule 2 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech conversion – Present Tense  

• Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect.

Direct: “I have been to Boston”, she told me.

Indirect: She told me that she had been to Boston.

• Present Continuous Changes to Past Continuous

Direct: “I am playing the guitar”, she explained.

Indirect: She explained that she was playing the guitar.

• Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect

Direct: He said, “She has finished her homework“.

Indirect: He said that she had finished her homework.

• Simple Present Changes to Simple Past

Direct: “I am unwell”, she said.

Indirect: She said that she was unwell.

Rule 3 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech conversion – Past Tense & Future Tense

• Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect

Direct: She said, “Irvin arrived on Sunday.”

Indirect: She said that Irvin had arrived on Sunday.

• Past Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous

Direct to indirect speech example

Direct: “We were playing basketball”, they told me.

Indirect: They told me that they had been playing basketball.

• Future Changes to Present Conditional

Direct: She said, “I will be in Scotland tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that she would be in Scotland the next day.

• Future Continuous Changes to Conditional Continuous

Direct: He said, “ I’ll be disposing of the old computer next Tuesday.”

Indirect: He said that he would be disposing of the old computer the following Tuesday.

To ace the verbal ability section, it is important to have a clear conceptual knowledge of Direct and Indirect Speech, their usage and applications in English language. Therefore, candidates can go through the video on Direct and Indirect Speech rules in English Language, given below for better understanding-

For the preparation of the English language section in a better way, it is important that you go through the following topics thoroughly.

• Tenses rules
• Conjunctions rules
• Prepositions Rules
• List of Prefix and Suffix With Examples
• Active And Passive Voice Rules
• List of Homophones/Homonyms
• List of Synonyms and Antonyms

Candidates are advised to check the General English for Competitive Exams page for more articles on rules for English grammar, list of idioms and phrases, synonyms & antonyms, etc.

Rule 4 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Interrogative Sentences

• No conjunction is used, if a sentence in direct speech begins with a question (what/where/when) as the “question-word” itself acts as a joining clause.

Direct: “ Where do you live?” asked the boy.

Indirect: The boy enquired where I lived.

• If a direct speech sentence begins with an auxiliary verb/helping verb, the joining clause should be if or whether.

Direct: She said, ‘W ill you come for the party’?

Indirect: She asked whether we would come for the party.

• Reporting verbs such as ‘said/ said to’ changes to enquired, asked, or demanded.

Direct: He said to me, ‘What are you wearing’?

Indirect: He asked me what I was wearing.

Candidates can also check the links given below to understand the concept of word formation in English and to learn the common words in English Language that appear in most of the competitive exams-

• English Root Words
• Most asked English Vocabulary Words

Rule 5 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Changes in Modals

While changing direct speech to indirect speech, the modals used in the sentences change like:

• Can becomes could
• May becomes might
• Must becomes had to /would have to 

Check the examples:

• Direct : She said, ‘She can dance’.
• Indirect: She said that she could dance. 
• Direct: She said, ‘I may buy a dress’.
• Indirect: She said that she might buy a dress.
• Direct: Rama said, ‘I must complete the assignment’.
• Indirect: Rama said that he had to complete the assignment.

There are modals that do not change –  Could, Would, Should, Might, Ought to

• Direct: She said, ‘I should clean the house’
• Indirect: She said that she should clean the house.

Rule 6 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Pronoun

• The first person in direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech.

Direct speech to indirect speech examples-

Direct: He said, “I am in class Twelfth.”

Indirect: He says that he was in class Twelfth.

• The second person of direct speech changes as per the object of reporting speech.

Direct speech to indirect speech examples –

Direct: She says to them, “You have done your work.”

Indirect: She tells them that they have done their work.

• The third person of direct speech doesn’t change .

Direct: He says, “She dances well.”

Indirect: He says that she dances well.

Rule 7 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Request, Command, Wish, Exclamation

• Indirect Speech is supported by some verbs like requested, ordered, suggested and advised. Forbid-forbade is used for negative sentences. Therefore, the imperative mood in the direct speech changes into the Infinitive in indirect speech.

Direct: She said to her ‘Please complete it’.

Indirect: She requested her to complete it.

Direct: Hamid said to Ramid, ‘Sit down’.

Indirect: Hamid ordered Ramid to sit down.

• In Exclamatory sentences that express grief, sorrow, happiness, applaud,  Interjections are removed and the sentence is changed to an assertive sentence .

Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone’.

Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

Aspirants are well aware that English is an important component of the syllabus of various competitive exams and it is important to be clear with the basic concepts. Therefore, given below are a few articles to clarify the confusion between usage of common but confusing words in the English Language.

More such concept-wise, subject-wise differences can be found on the 100 Difference between Articles page linked here.

Rule 8 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Punctuations

• In direct speech, the words actually spoken should be in (‘’) quotes and always begin with a capital letter.

Example: She said, “I am the best.”

• Full stop, comma, exclamation or question mark, are placed inside the closing inverted commas.

Example: They asked, “Can we sing with you?”

• If direct speech comes after the information about who is speaking, a comma is used to introduce the speech, placed before the first inverted comma.

Direct speech example : He shouted, “Shut up!”

Direct speech example: “Thinking back,” he said, “she didn’t expect to win.” (Comma is used to separate the two direct speeches and no capital letter to begin the second sentence).

Rule 9 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Change of Time

• In direct speeches, the words that express nearness in time or place are changed to words that express distance in indirect speech. Such as :
• Now becomes then                  
• Here becomes there
• Ago becomes before                
• Thus becomes so
• Today becomes that day         
• Tomorrow becomes the next day
• This becomes that                 
• Yesterday becomes the day before
• These become those              
• Hither becomes thither
• Come becomes go                     
• Hence becomes thence
• Next week or month becomes following week/month

Direct: He said, ‘His girlfriend came yesterday.’

Indirect: He said that his girlfriend had come the day before.

• The time expression does not change if the reporting verb is in the present tense or future tense .

Direct: He says/will say, ‘My girlfriend came yesterday.’

Indirect:  He says/will say that his girlfriend had come the day before.

Video – Direct & Indirect Speech in English Grammar

Rules of converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech

The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:

• Use the reporting verb such as (say, said to) in its correct tense.
• Put a comma before the statement and the first letter of the statement should be in capital letter.
• Insert question mark, quotation marks, exclamation mark and full stop, based on the mood of the sentence.
• Remove the conjunctions like (that, to, if or whether) wherever necessary.
• Where the reporting verb is in past tense in indirect, change it to present tense in the direct speech.
• Change the past perfect tense either into present perfect tense or past tense, as necessary.
• Indirect: She asked whether she was coming to the prom night.
• Direct: She said to her, “Are you coming to the prom night?”
• Indirect: The girl said that she was happy with her result.
• Direct: The girl said. “I am happy with my result.”

Direct-Indirect Speech – Sample Questions For the English Language

The significance of knowing the rules of direct and indirect speech for the English language section of various competitive exams can only be understood by knowing the type of questions asked in the examination, based on the same.

Given below are samples of direct and indirect speech questions asked in the English language section of various government examinations:

Q.1. Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.

She said,’ I have baked a cake’

• She said that she baked a cake
• She said that she had baked a cake.
• She said that I baked a cake.
• She said that she had bake a cake.

Answer (2) She said that she had baked a cake.

Q.2. Choose the correct sentence. 

Aviral said, ‘What a beautiful rainbow it is’.

• Aviral exclaimed wonderfully that the scenery was very beautiful.
• Aviral said with wonder that the scenery was very beautiful.
• Aviral exclaimed with wonder that the scenery is very beautiful.
• Aviral exclaimed with wonder that the scenery was very beautiful.

Answer (4) Aviral exclaimed with wonder that the scenery was very beautiful.

Q.3. The correct indirect speech for ‘This world’, she said, ‘is full of sorrow. Wish that I were dead’. is?

• She observed that the world is full of sorrow. She wished to be dead.
• She said that the world was full of sorrow. She wished to be dead.
• She observed that the world was full of sorrow. She wished to be dead.
• She observed that the world was full of sorrow. She wished to die.

Answer (1) She observed that the world is full of sorrow. She wished to be dead

Q.4. The policeman said, ‘Where are the weapons?’

• The policeman inquired where was the weapons.
• The policeman enquired where are the weapons.
• The policeman enquired where were the weapons.
• The policeman questioned where were the weapon.

Answer (3) The policeman enquired where were the weapons.

Q.5. The man said, ‘Ah! I am ruined.’

• The man cried that he was in ruined.
• The man exclaimed in grief that he was ruin.
• The man said that Ah, he is ruined.
• The man exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

To prepare well for the English section, it is essential to practise and revise regularly for conceptual clarity. Hence, go through the exercise on Direct and Indirect Speech Questions and Answers in the given link.

For more variety and scope of direct and indirect speech questions asked in the English section of various competitive exams, go through Previous Year Question Papers PDF with Solutions . 

Candidates can also check the variations and scope of questions asked in the competitive exams on the other relevant topics of English language below:

• One Word Substitution Questions & Answers
• Tenses Questions And Answers
• Idioms and Phrases Questions and Answers
• Synonyms Questions And Answers

Check the Verbal Ability page to get more Question and Answer articles based on different general English topics.

Candidates who are preparing for the upcoming government exams must carefully go through the concept of Direct and Indirect speech rules, as candidates tend to score the least in the English Language section of these exams.

Aspirants of various government exams can refer to the detailed exam syllabus in the links given below:

For further questions or information regarding competitive exams, study material or best books for preparation, candidates can turn to BYJU’S.

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.

1.    John said, ‘I am very busy now.’ 2.    He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’ 3.    ‘I know her name and address,’ said John. 4.    ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said. 5.    He said, ‘I am writing letters.’ 6.    ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said. 7.    He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’ 8.    He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’ 9.    He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’ 10.    ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger. 11.    He said, ‘Will you listen to me?’ 12.    John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ 13.    She said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ 14.    ‘Call the witness,’ said the judge. 15.    The speaker said, ‘Be quiet and listen to my words.’

1.    John said that he was very busy then. 2.    He said that the horse had been fed. 3.    John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.) 4.    She said that German is/was easy to learn. 5.    He said that he was writing letters. 6.    Alice said that it was too late to go out. 7.    He told me that he didn’t believe me. OR He said he didn’t believe me. 8.    He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9.    He asked me what I was doing. 10.    The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11.    He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.    John ordered Peter to go away. 13.    She asked me to wait there till she returned. 14.    The judge commanded them to call the first witness. 15.    He urged them to be quiet and listen to them.

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How do you write direct speech in English? - Easy Learning Grammar

• The comma comes inside the quotation marks, unless the reporting verb is positioned inside a reported sentence that itself does not require a comma.
• Typical reporting verbs are: agree, answer, ask, inquire, explain, say, tell, and wonder.
• The words spoken are enclosed in inverted commas (single or double quotation marks).
• Single quotation marks are often used to draw attention to a word that is being mentioned for a particular purpose. 

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Direct and indirect speech

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When using indirect or reported speech, the form changes. Usually indirect speech is introduced by the verb said , as in I said , Bill said , or they said . Using the verb say in this tense, indicates that something was said in the past. In these cases, the main verb in the reported sentence is put in the past. If the main verb is already in a past tense, then the tense changes to another past tense; it can almost be seen as moving even further into the past.

Verb tense changes also characterize other situations using indirect speech. Note the changes shown in the chart and see the table below for examples. With indirect speech, the use of that is optional.

The situation changes if instead of the common said another part of the very to say is used. In that case the verb tenses usually remain the same. Some examples of this situation are given below.

Another situation is the one in which modal constructions are used. If the verb said is used, then the form of the modal, or another modal that has a past meaning is used.

While not all of the possibilities have been listed here, there are enough to provide examples of the main rules governing the use of indirect or reported speech. For other situations, try to extrapolate from the examples here, or better still, refer to a good grammar text or reference book.

Some other verbs that can be used to introduce direct speech are: ask, report, tell, announce, suggest, and inquire. They are not used interchangeably; check a grammar or usage book for further information.

Updated June 14, 2022 by Student Journey Squad ( [email protected] )

Free indirect discourse is a narrative technique in which writers employ the third person POV with the intimacy of 1st person perspective. While this technique became popularized in the 20th century, it has been used for generations of storytellers, as writers have experimented with exploring their characters’ interiorities.

Also known as free indirect speech or free indirect style, this narrative technique is essential for writers who want to excavate their characters’ innermost thoughts, even if those characters are written in the third person. This article dives deep into the topic, with free indirect discourse examples from literature and an exploration of its effects on the reader.

But first, let’s better define this useful storytelling technique. What is free indirect discourse?

What is Free Indirect Discourse: Contents

Free Indirect Speech vs Direct or Indirect Speech

Free indirect discourse vs. stream of consciousness, free indirect discourse examples, free indirect discourse effect, what is free indirect discourse.

Free indirect discourse is a narrative technique that only applies to the third person point-of-view . It is when the narrator writes from the third person perspective with the intimacy of the first person, providing the reader with that character’s interior thoughts, feelings, and conflicts , even though the story is not narrated by that character.

To put it another way, free indirect discourse is 3rd person writing from a 1st person perspective.

Free indirect discourse is 3rd person writing with the intimacy of 1st person narration.

This narrative technique is also known as free indirect speech or free indirect style.

This is easier identified than discussed in the abstract. Here’s an excerpt from “ The Dead ” by James Joyce, who often employed free indirect discourse in his work:

He waited outside the drawing-room door until the waltz should finish, listening to the skirts that swept against it and to the shuffling of feet. He was still discomposed by the girl’s bitter and sudden retort. It had cast a gloom over him which he tried to dispel by arranging his cuffs and the bows of his tie. He then took from his waistcoat pocket a little paper and glanced at the headings he had made for his speech. He was undecided about the lines from Robert Browning for he feared they would be above the heads of his hearers. Some quotation that they would recognise from Shakespeare or from the Melodies would be better. The indelicate clacking of the men’s heels and the shuffling of their soles reminded him that their grade of culture differed from his. He would only make himself ridiculous by quoting poetry to them which they could not understand. They would think that he was airing his superior education. He would fail with them just as he had failed with the girl in the pantry. He had taken up a wrong tone. His whole speech was a mistake from first to last, an utter failure.

In bold are instances where the reader is given access to Gabriel’s (the character’s) 1st person perspective. The writing is still in the 3rd person, but our access to Gabriel is more intimate. We can see his feelings, opinions, and reactions happening in real time as he reacts to the party around him and the speech he’s soon to give.

Free indirect discourse (or speech, or style…) is also easier to identify against other forms of narrative description. When we’re talking about narrative that explores a character’s point of view, a fiction writer’s prose can be characterized as either direct, indirect, or free indirect speech.

• Direct speech: this is speech coming directly from the narrator’s voice. It is either first person narrative, or else dialogue from the character.
• Indirect speech: this is writing that refers to something a character said or thought, but not in quotation. We are still in the realm of words as used by the characters themselves.
• Free indirect speech: What we’ve discussed above—third person narrative with the intimacy of the first person POV.

Here’s a made up example:

• Direct speech: “I would go to Trader Joe’s with you, except I keep running into my exes there,” she said.
• Indirect speech: She remembered running into her exes the last three times she went to Trader Joe’s, and wondered aloud whether it was worth risking a fourth time.
• Free indirect speech: She remembered running into her exes the last three times she went to Trader Joe’s. Why risk, for a fourth time, revisiting the hurt and embarrassment that made her end yet another relationship?

Here, you can see more clearly how free indirect discourse is a specific style of intimate narration. The character’s interiority is integrated into the story’s narrative flow.

Free indirect discourse makes thoughts and feelings more intimately felt in the reader’s own mind and body.

This can have the effect of making thoughts and feelings more intimately felt in the reader’s own mind and body. Rather than making those thoughts and feelings stand out as overtly transcribed from the character’s voice (using quotation marks or dialogue tags), they are experienced suddenly and seamlessly as part of the narrative.

Free indirect discourse sometimes gets mistaken for stream of consciousness. The two share similarities, and 20th century writers in particular often employ both techniques in the same stories.

Stream of consciousness is a narrative technique in which the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and perceptions of a character get transcribed for the reader as they actually occur . It is experience unfurling in real time.

This type of writing is notoriously dense and difficult to understand, because it is the human mind unfiltered and untranslated. Our own thoughts are replete with interruptions, distractions, rabbit holes, etc. We think by association, so random stimuli will prompt random memories, and we tend to think in a language of our own, with fragments of thought that only we will understand. Stream of consciousness seeks to transcribe all of this .

Free indirect style does offer us access to a character’s interior, but that transcription of the character’s thoughts and feelings have been edited and stylized.

Free indirect style does offer us access to a character’s interior, but that transcription of the character’s thoughts and feelings have been edited and stylized. In other words, they go through a filter: we don’t have to wade through the mind’s many interruptions in order to grasp the character’s core experiences.

Free indirect speech has been utilized for centuries, but its popularity as a narrative technique rose dramatically in the 20th century. The following free indirect discourse examples all come from authors who wielded this device to great effect.

Excerpt from Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Retrieved from Gutenberg .

Elinor’s happiness was not so great. Her heart was not so much at ease, nor her satisfaction in their amusements so pure. They afforded her no companion that could make amends for what she had left behind, nor that could teach her to think of Norland with less regret than ever. Neither Lady Middleton nor Mrs. Jennings could supply to her the conversation she missed; although the latter was an everlasting talker, and from the first had regarded her with a kindness which ensured her a large share of her discourse . She had already repeated her own history to Elinor three or four times; and had Elinor’s memory been equal to her means of improvement, she might have known very early in their acquaintance all the particulars of Mr. Jennings’s last illness, and what he said to his wife a few minutes before he died. Lady Middleton was more agreeable than her mother only in being more silent. Elinor needed little observation to perceive that her reserve was a mere calmness of manner with which sense had nothing to do. Towards her husband and mother she was the same as to them; and intimacy was therefore neither to be looked for nor desired . She had nothing to say one day that she had not said the day before. Her insipidity was invariable, for even her spirits were always the same ; and though she did not oppose the parties arranged by her husband, provided every thing were conducted in style and her two eldest children attended her, she never appeared to receive more enjoyment from them than she might have experienced in sitting at home ;—and so little did her presence add to the pleasure of the others, by any share in their conversation, that they were sometimes only reminded of her being amongst them by her solicitude about her troublesome boys.

A 19th century author and frequent practitioner of free indirect discourse, Jane Austen’s writing helped popularize this narrative technique. In this excerpt, Elinor laments her loneliness in her new living situation and the new women she’s surrounded by. The bolded lines are instances where Elinor’s thoughts and feelings are integrated into the narration.

One easy way to identify free indirect discourse is to look for “feeling” words, particularly when they haven’t been “called out” as such. It isn’t the narrator’s belief that Mrs. Jennings is an everlasting talker—that word choice suggests we are seeing how Elinor feels about her.

Excerpt from The Metamorphosis by Kafka

And he looked over at the alarm clock, ticking on the chest of drawers. “God in Heaven!” he thought. It was half past six and the hands were quietly moving forwards, it was even later than half past, more like quarter to seven. Had the alarm clock not rung? He could see from the bed that it had been set for four o’clock as it should have been; it certainly must have rung. Yes, but was it possible to quietly sleep through that furniture-rattling noise? True, he had not slept peacefully, but probably all the more deeply because of that. What should he do now? The next train went at seven; if he were to catch that he would have to rush like mad and the collection of samples was still not packed, and he did not at all feel particularly fresh and lively. And even if he did catch the train he would not avoid his boss’s anger as the office assistant would have been there to see the five o’clock train go, he would have put in his report about Gregor’s not being there a long time ago. The office assistant was the boss’s man, spineless, and with no understanding. What about if he reported sick? But that would be extremely strained and suspicious as in five years of service Gregor had never once yet been ill. His boss would certainly come round with the doctor from the medical insurance company, accuse his parents of having a lazy son, and accept the doctor’s recommendation not to make any claim as the doctor believed that no-one was ever ill but that many were workshy. And what’s more, would he have been entirely wrong in this case? Gregor did in fact, apart from excessive sleepiness after sleeping for so long, feel completely well and even felt much hungrier than usual.

Kafka’s masterful use of free indirect course helps the reader inhabit Gregor Samsa’s mind and body, freshly transformed into that of a cockroach. We get to participate in Samsa’s alienation from the world, living inside the surrealness of The Metamorphosis .

This paragraph, from the novel’s opening, exhibits the different functions of free indirect style. Samsa thinks, feels, considers hypotheticals; his mind roams and we roam with it, feeling within our own bodies the anxiety and strangeness that Samsa must have felt after being trapped inside the body of an insect.

Excerpt from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Retrieved here.

There are years that ask questions and years that answer. Janie had had no chance to know things, so she had to ask. Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?

In the few days to live before she went to Logan Killicks and his often-mentioned sixty acres, Janie asked inside of herself and out. She was back and forth to the pear tree continuously wondering and thinking. Finally out of Nanny’s talk and her own conjectures she made a sort of comfort for herself. Yes, she would love Logan after they were married. She could see no way for it to come about, but Nanny and the old folks had said it, so it must be so. Husbands and wives always loved each other, and that was what marriage meant. It was just so. Janie felt glad of the thought, for then it wouldn’t seem so destructive and mouldy. She wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

The theme of questions introduced here makes Hurston’s use of free indirect discourse that much more powerful. We know these are the questions Janie is asking herself, yet we read them as though they’re planted in our own minds, and the careful reader might stop and consider them before moving on in the story. Hurston invites us to consider the very real dilemma Janie is going through—what it means to marry a man she doesn’t love—and feel that dilemma as though it were our own lived experience.

Excerpt from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

For he was not going to talk the sort of rot these people wanted him to talk. He was not going to be condescended to by these silly women. He had been reading in his room, and now he came down and it all seemed to him silly, superficial, flimsy. Why did they dress? He had come down in his ordinary clothes. He had not got any dress clothes. ‘One never gets anything worth having by post’—that was the sort of thing they were always saying. They made men say that sort of thing. Yes, it was pretty well true, he thought. They never got anything worth having from one year’s end to another. They did nothing but talk, talk, talk, eat, eat, eat. It was the women’s fault. Women made civilization impossible with all their ‘charm,’ all their silliness.

Charles Tansley seems like such a charming fellow, no? Mind-numbing sexism aside, this passage reveals Tansley’s biases seamlessly, as the use of free indirect speech embeds his feelings into the prose. Now, most readers (hopefully) won’t read and agree with Tansley; Woolf wasn’t trying to unconsciously make her readers misogynists. Rather, the use of this device magnifies the absurdity of Tansley’s thoughts: we read them as though they were natural thoughts, recognize that they’re not, and react against them much more strongly.

Other Free Indirect Discourse Examples

You can find other noteworthy free indirect discourse examples in the following works of fiction:

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
• A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
• Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence

Why write with free indirect discourse? Writers, theorists, and philologists have analyzed the use of this literary technique for the ways it subtly influences the reader’s experience of the text. The budding prose stylist may consider employing free indirect speech for the following reasons:

• To create intimacy with characters. Free indirect style offers an intimate window into a character’s thoughts and feelings.
• To create embodied experiences. When a character’s thoughts and feelings are embedded in the narrative, we read them as though they were our own experiences.
• To blur the line between narrator and character. Some storytellers have used this technique to bolster the unreliability of their narrators. Who’s speaking or believing this? How does that question alter the reader’s understanding of the text?
• To highlight the character’s ways of thinking. The effective prose stylist will change their word choice when slipping into the voice of the character. This juxtaposition can underscore how that character thinks and speaks and uses words.
• To get the best of both 1st and 3rd person narration. Why not just write in the first person point of view? The 1st person is limited to the protagonist’s viewpoint, which can be limiting and inflexible for the author. Free indirect discourse gives writers the freedom of the 3rd person POV with the power of 1st person POV.

Practice Free Indirect Discourse at Writers.com

Want to try your hand at this literary technique? The classes at Writers.com can give you feedback on what’s working in your stories. Check out our upcoming fiction writing classes , or take a look at our expert fiction writing coaches .

Sean Glatch

I really enjoyed this article. Quite candidly, I’d not thought of the differences in free indirect, stream of consciousness, free direct, etc. Third person was third person, and that was that. To my embarassment, I see now things are not so simple here. As Mary gulped down the grape slurpee, she wondered if anyone she knew was learning her secret –that she’d rather be her usual sloppy and ravenous country bumpkin in Holley dungarees than sit stiffly in a ruffled pinafore with Mrs. Wednesday and Beth Saturday and sip that slurpee with a silver spoon in her mouth for an hour.

I’m glad you enjoyed this! And that’s nothing to be embarrassed about—I didn’t learn about F.I.D. until my final year of undergrad, and it’s definitely a term that gets thrown around primarily in MFA programs. I hope the techniques here will be useful for your fiction writing!

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Office of the President

April 26, 2024

Apr. 26, 2024: Encampment Update

Dear MSU leaders,

I am writing to provide you with an update about the protest that began early yesterday at People's Park on our campus.

Thursday morning, the university learned that a group of protesters had established an encampment, calling for MSU to divest from Israel. MSU Department of Police and Public Safety engaged in peaceful discussions with the leaders of the group, informing them that the setting up of tents violates MSU Ordinance 13, which prohibits camping on university property. The group was reminded that they were free to continue their protest without the tents and were made aware that they could apply for a permit to allow the tents.

Shortly thereafter, I visited the site and spoke with the individuals at the encampment, as did SVP Vennie Gore, VP Laura Rugless and other members of the SLE team, underscoring our commitment to dialogue and understanding among all community members. Outreach also has been made to our Jewish leaders and organizations on campus who we know are impacted by the presence of the protest.

After consultation with members of my leadership team and Board of Trustees Chair Dan Kelly, the permit request to allow tents was granted through Sunday.

Those gathered at People’s Park have remained peaceful, and MSU police will continue to act in ways that protect all members of the campus community. There have been no altercations and no arrests have been made.

The university respects and upholds the right to protest and freedom of speech. At the same time, certain regulations must be adhered to ensure the safety and proper functioning of our campus. Our police department was instrumental in ensuring a safe environment for the protest and for our greater campus, and I’m grateful for their professionalism and commitment to our Spartan community.

As we have discussed with various groups over the past several months, and I expressed to the protesters today, MSU has been steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the university’s investment portfolio from political influence. We have no direct investments in gun manufacturers, and we do not have direct or indirect investments in the three publicly traded civilian firearms manufacturers. Further, the university does not own an Israeli-issued security bond. Given this context, and as the Board has previously indicated, the university will not be making any divestment changes. Our investment decisions will continue to focus on strong financial stewardship that allows us to advance our educational and outreach mission.

Commencement

At this time, we do not believe student protestors will move their location to the site of commencement. MSU DPPS is working alongside university officials to help ensure the safety of our commencement ceremonies.

• The Provost Office has created safety plans for the events at Breslin Center and individual college ceremonies, working in conjunction with MSU DPPS.
• MSU police will be prepared for protests and work with other campus partners on outreach, as appropriate.
• To facilitate any protests that do take place, MSU DPPS will have a designated visible protest area outside of the Breslin Center and Wharton Center this weekend.
• For college-specific ceremonies, event organizers are encouraged to work directly with DPPS should there be a need for designated protest space and/or additional police staffing.

Safe and Inclusive Community

The safety of our community remains our top priority. We will continue to engage with protestors to ensure their voices can be heard in a way that does not compromise others' safety or well-being. We are also engaging with other concerned parties to reaffirm our commitment to students and community members of all backgrounds and experiences. I would like to thank Senate Faculty Chair Jack Lipton and Senate Faculty leadership for engaging with student leaders yesterday on this event and supporting the importance of civil discourse, commitment to free speech principles and our collective ability to respect all voices and opinions.

I look forward to seeing many of you throughout today and this weekend as we honor the Class of 2024. Graduation is a time of celebration, and I’m honored to share these ceremonies with our 9,500 graduates, our faculty, staff and university leadership. This ritual represents the culmination of so much hard work and determination and is a joyous time to be on campus. If you haven’t watched or shared the video created by University Communications, I encourage you to start the day on this positive note: Congratulations, MSU Class of 2024!

Please feel free to share this information with your units, departments and teams, as you deem appropriate. Should you have any concerns or wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Kevin M. Guskiewicz 

Professor, Department of Kinesiology