direct speech and indirect speech present continuous

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense

Learn how to convey a message what someone is saying, feeling or thinking in present continuous tense. Direct and indirect of present continuous tense rules and structures of affirmative, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentences along with examples.

For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules

Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone is saying in present continuous we go one tense back. Instead we use past continuous tense in reported speech.

Affirmatives

Direct speech: RP +, + S + be1 + V1ing + ROTS He said, “I am doing my homework.”
Indirect speech: RP + that + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS He told me that he was doing his homework.

Interrogatives

Direct speech: RP +, + be1 + S + V1ing + ROTS He asked, “Are you going to school?”
Indirect speech: RP + if + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS He asked me if I was coming/going to school.
Direct speech: RP +, + S + be1 not + V1ing + ROTS He said, “She is not listening to me.”
Indirect speech: RP + that + S + be2 not + V1ing + ROTS He said to me that she was not listening to him.

Negative interrogatives

Direct speech: RP +, + b2 not + S + V1ing + ROTS He asked, “Aren`t they staying with us for tonight?”
Indirect speech: RP + that + if + S + be2 not + V1ing + ROTS He asked if they weren`t staying with them for that night.

WH/Information questions

Direct speech: RP +, + WH + be1 + S + V1ing + ROTS She asked, “What are you buying tomorrow?”
Indirect speech: RP + that + WH + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS She wanted to know what I was buying the next day.

More sentences:

Affirmative

Direct speech: He said,” They are playing football.”
Indirect speech: He said that they were playing football.

Interrogative

Direct speech: He asked, “Are they playing football?”
Indirect speech: He asked me if they were playing football.
Direct speech: He said, “They are not playing football.”
Indirect speech: He said that they were not playing football.

Negative interrogative

Direct speech: He asked,” Aren’t they playing football?”
Indirect speech: He asked me if they weren’t playing football.

Wh/ Information question

Direct speech: He asked,” Where are they playing now?”
Indirect speech: He wanted to know where they are playing now.

Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense Examples

Direct speech means we repeat exactly what someone said. When we tell others what someone is saying right now using the present continuous tense, we can put quotation marks around those words. Indirect speech, which is also called reported speech, helps us share what someone said without repeating their words exactly.

Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech Exercises with PDF

Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech Exercise

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Narration Change in Present Tense

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Examples of narration change in present simple, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous are given below –

Table of Contents

Direct and Indirect Speech Simple Present Tense Examples

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Indefinite Tense to Past Indefinite Tense

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Continuous Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Continuous Tense to Past Continuous Tense .

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Perfect Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Perfect Tense to Past Perfect Tense .

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Perfect Continuous Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Perfect Continuous Tense to Past Perfect Continuous Tense .

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.

He Said, She Said: Mastering Reported Speech in English (Both Direct and Indirect)

“Reported speech” might sound fancy, but it isn’t that complicated.

It’s just how you talk about what someone said.

Luckily, it’s pretty simple to learn the basics in English, beginning with the two types of reported speech: direct (reporting the exact words someone said) and indirect (reporting what someone said without using their exact words ).

Read this post to learn how to report speech, with tips and tricks for each, plenty of examples and a resources section that tells you about real world resources you can use to practice reporting speech.

How to Report Direct Speech

How to report indirect speech, reporting questions in indirect speech, verb tenses in indirect reported speech, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous, authentic resources for practicing reported speech, novels and short stories, native english videos, celebrity profiles.

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Direct speech refers to the exact words that a person says. You can “report” direct speech in a few different ways.

To see how this works, let’s pretend that I (Elisabeth) told some people that I liked green onions.

Here are some different ways that those people could explain what I said:

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” Elisabeth said.

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” she told me. — In this sentence, we replace my name (Elisabeth) with the pronoun she.

In all of these examples, the part that was said is between quotation marks and is followed by a noun (“she” or “Elisabeth”) and a verb. Each of these verbs (“to say,” “to tell [someone],” “to explain”) are ways to describe someone talking. You can use any verb that refers to speech in this way.

You can also put the noun and verb before what was said.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like spaghetti.”

The example above would be much more likely to be said out loud than the first set of examples.

Here’s a conversation that might happen between two people:

1: Did you ask her if she liked coffee?

2: Yeah, I asked her.

1: What did she say?

2. She said, “Yeah, I like coffee.” ( Direct speech )

Usually, reporting of direct speech is something you see in writing. It doesn’t happen as often when people are talking to each other.

Direct reported speech often happens in the past. However, there are all kinds of stories, including journalism pieces, profiles and fiction, where you might see speech reported in the present as well.

This is sometimes done when the author of the piece wants you to feel that you’re experiencing events in the present moment.

For example, a profile of Kristen Stewart in Vanity Fair has a funny moment that describes how the actress isn’t a very good swimmer:

Direct speech: “I don’t want to enter the water, ever,” she says. “If everyone’s going in the ocean, I’m like, no.”

Here, the speech is reported as though it’s in the present tense (“she says”) instead of in the past (“she said”).

In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as it is above.

Here’s an example from Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ,” where the speech is even more split up:

Direct speech: “I won’t indeed!” said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. “Are you—are you fond—of—of dogs?” The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!”

Reporting indirect speech is what happens when you explain what someone said without using their exact words.

Let’s start with an example of direct reported speech like those used above.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like coffee.”

As indirect reported speech, it looks like this:

Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee.

You can see that the subject (“I”) has been changed to “she,” to show who is being spoken about. If I’m reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says “I,” I’d repeat their sentence exactly as they said it. If I’m reporting this person’s speech indirectly to someone else, however, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he” or “they.”

You may also notice that the tense changes here: If “I like coffee” is what she said, this can become “She liked coffee” in indirect speech.

However, you might just as often hear someone say something like, “She said she likes coffee.” Since people’s likes and preferences tend to change over time and not right away, it makes sense to keep them in the present tense.

Indirect speech often uses the word “that” before what was said:

Indirect speech: She said that she liked coffee.

There’s no real difference between “She said she liked coffee” and “She said that she liked coffee.” However, using “that” can help make the different parts of the sentence clearer.

Let’s look at a few other examples:

Indirect speech: I said I was going outside today.

Indirect speech: They told me that they wanted to order pizza.

Indirect speech: He mentioned it was raining.

Indirect speech: She said that her father was coming over for dinner.

You can see an example of reporting indirect speech in the funny video “ Cell Phone Crashing .” In this video, a traveler in an airport sits down next to another traveler talking on his cell phone. The first traveler pretends to be talking to someone on his phone, but he appears to be responding to the second traveler’s conversation, which leads to this exchange:

Woman: “Are you answering what I’m saying?”

Man “No, no… I’m on the phone with somebody, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” (Direct speech)

Woman: “What was that?”

Man: “I just said I was on the phone with somebody.” (Indirect speech)

When reporting questions in indirect speech, you can use words like “whether” or “if” with verbs that show questioning, such as “to ask” or “to wonder.”

Direct speech: She asked, “Is that a new restaurant?”

Indirect speech: She asked if that was a new restaurant.

In any case where you’re reporting a question, you can say that someone was “wondering” or “wanted to know” something. Notice that these verbs don’t directly show that someone asked a question. They don’t describe an action that happened at a single point in time. But you can usually assume that someone was wondering or wanted to know what they asked.

Indirect speech: She was wondering if that was a new restaurant.

Indirect speech: She wanted to know whether that was a new restaurant.

It can be tricky to know how to use tenses when reporting indirect speech. Let’s break it down, tense by tense.

Sometimes, indirect speech “ backshifts ,” or moves one tense further back into the past. We already saw this in the example from above:

Direct speech: She said, “I like coffee.”

Indirect speech: She said she liked coffee.

Also as mentioned above, backshifting doesn’t always happen. This might seem confusing, but it isn’t that difficult to understand once you start using reported speech regularly.

What tense you use in indirect reported speech often just depends on when what you’re reporting happened or was true.

Let’s look at some examples of how direct speech in certain tenses commonly changes (or doesn’t) when it’s reported as indirect speech.

To learn about all the English tenses (or for a quick review), check out this post .

Direct speech: I said, “I play video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I played video games (simple past) or I said that I play video games (simple present).

Backshifting into the past or staying in the present here can change the meaning slightly. If you use the first example, it’s unclear whether or not you still play video games; all we know is that you said you played them in the past.

If you use the second example, though, you probably still play video games (unless you were lying for some reason).

However, the difference in meaning is so small, you can use either one and you won’t have a problem.

Direct speech: I said, “I’m playing video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I was playing video games (past continuous) or I said that I’m playing video games (present continuous).

In this case, you’d likely use the first example if you were telling a story about something that happened in the past.

You could use the second example to repeat or stress what you just said. For example:

Hey, want to go for a walk?

Direct speech: No, I’m playing video games.

But it’s such a nice day!

Indirect speech: I said that I’m playing video games!

Direct speech: Marie said, “I have read that book.”

Indirect speech: Marie said that she had read that book (past perfect) or Marie said that she has read that book (present perfect).

The past perfect is used a lot in writing and other kinds of narration. This is because it helps point out an exact moment in time when something was true.

The past perfect isn’t quite as useful in conversation, where people are usually more interested in what’s true now. So, in a lot of cases, people would use the second example above when speaking.

Direct speech: She said, “I have been watching that show.”

Indirect speech: She said that she had been watching that show (past perfect continuous) or She said that she has been watching that show (present perfect continuous).

These examples are similar to the others above. You could use the first example whether or not this person was still watching the show, but if you used the second example, it’d probably seem like you either knew or guessed that she was still watching it.

Direct speech: You told me, “I charged my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had charged your phone (past perfect) or You told me that you charged your phone (simple past).

Here, most people would probably just use the second example, because it’s simpler, and gets across the same meaning.

Direct speech: You told me, “I was charging my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had been charging your phone (past perfect continuous) or You told me that you were charging your phone (past continuous).

Here, the difference is between whether you had been charging your phone before or were charging your phone at the time. However, a lot of people would still use the second example in either situation.

Direct speech: They explained, “We had bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Indirect speech: They explained that they had bathed the cat on Wednesday. (past perfect)

Once we start reporting the past perfect tenses, we don’t backshift because there are no tenses to backshift to.

So in this case, it’s simple. The tense stays exactly as is. However, many people might simplify even more and use the simple past, saying, “They explained that they bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Direct speech: They said, “The cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time!”

Indirect speech: They said that the cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time. (past perfect continuous)

Again, we don’t shift the tense back here; we leave it like it is. And again, a lot of people would report this speech as, “They said the cat was going outside and getting dirty for a long time.” It’s just a simpler way to say almost the same thing.

Direct speech: I told you, “I will be here no matter what.”

Indirect speech: I told you that I would be here no matter what. (present conditional)

At this point, we don’t just have to think about tenses, but grammatical mood, too. However, the idea is still pretty simple. We use the conditional (with “would”) to show that at the time the words were spoken, the future was uncertain.

In this case, you could also say, “I told you that I will be here no matter what,” but only if you “being here” is still something that you expect to happen in the future.

What matters here is what’s intended. Since this example shows a person reporting their own speech, it’s more likely that they’d want to stress the truth of their own intention, and so they might be more likely to use “will” than “would.”

But if you were reporting someone else’s words, you might be more likely to say something like, “She told me that she would be here no matter what.”

Direct speech: I said, “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Indirect speech: I said that I would be waiting for your call. (conditional continuous)

These are similar to the above examples, but apply to a continuous or ongoing action.

Direct speech: She said, “I will have learned a lot about myself.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would have learned a lot about herself (conditional perfect) or She said that she will have learned a lot about herself (future perfect).

In this case, using the conditional (as in the first example) suggests that maybe a certain event didn’t happen, or something didn’t turn out as expected.

However, that might not always be the case, especially if this was a sentence that was written in an article or a work of fiction. The second example, however, suggests that the future that’s being talked about still hasn’t happened yet.

Direct speech: She said, “By next Tuesday, I will have been staying inside every day for the past month.”

Indirect speech: She said that by next Tuesday, she would have been staying inside every day for the past month (perfect continuous conditional) or She said that by next Tuesday, she will have been staying inside every day for the past month (past perfect continuous).

Again, in this case, the first example might suggest that the event didn’t happen. Maybe the person didn’t stay inside until next Tuesday! However, this could also just be a way of explaining that at the time she said this in the past, it was uncertain whether she really would stay inside for as long as she thought.

The second example, on the other hand, would only be used if next Tuesday hadn’t happened yet.

Let’s take a look at where you can find resources for practicing reporting speech in the real world.

One of the most common uses for reported speech is in fiction. You’ll find plenty of reported speech in novels and short stories . Look for books that have long sections of text with dialogue marked by quotation marks (“…”). Once you understand the different kinds of reported speech, you can look for it in your reading and use it in your own writing.

Writing your own stories is a great way to get even better at understanding reported speech.

One of the best ways to practice any aspect of English is to watch native English videos. By watching English speakers use the language, you can understand how reported speech is used in real world situations.

If you struggle to understand English videos, you can use a program like FluentU to help you through subtitles and other learning tools.

Celebrity profiles, which you can find in print magazines and online, can help you find and practice reported speech, too. Celebrity profiles are stories that focus on a famous person. They often include some kind of interview. The writer will usually spend some time describing the person and then mention things that they say; this is when they use reported speech.

Because many of these profiles are written in the present tense, they can help you get used to the basics of reported speech without having to worry too much about different verb tenses.

While the above may seem really complicated, it isn’t that difficult to start using reported speech.

Mastering it may be a little difficult, but the truth is that many, many people who speak English as a first language struggle with it, too!

Reported speech is flexible, and even if you make mistakes, there’s a good chance that no one will notice.

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direct speech and indirect speech present continuous

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

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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B1-B2 grammar

Reported speech: statements

Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said. indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films. direct speech: 'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef. direct speech: 'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel. indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked ) than the tense originally used (e.g. work ). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.' Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job. 'The baby's sleeping!' He told me the baby was sleeping. 'I've hurt my leg.' She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.' She told me they'd lived in China for five years. 'It was raining all day.' He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.' He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.' Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her. 'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.' He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him! 'I've broken my arm!' She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob. Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden. 'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina. Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said. I told her that I was working on my thesis. 'We want our jobs back!' we said. We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.' He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.] He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.] 'We like it here.' She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.] She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.] 'I'm planning to do it today.' She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.] She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those , now changes to then , yesterday changes to the day before , tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before .

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 2

Language level

Thank you for the information. It states that If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. I wonder if it is still correct to change the tense in this example: 'London is in the UK', he said. to He said London was in the UK. Or it has to be the present tense.

Hello Wen1996,

Yes, your version of the sentence is also correct. In this case, the past tense refers to the time the speaker made this statement. But this doesn't mean the statement isn't also true now.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Good evening from Turkey.

Is the following example correct: Question: When did she watch the movie?

She asked me when she had watched the movie. or is it had she watched the movie.

Do Subjects come before the verbs? Thank you.

Hello muratt,

This is a reported question, not an actual question, as you can see from the fact that it has no question mark at the end. Therefore no inversion is needed and the normal subject-verb word order is maintained: ...she had watched... is correct.

You can read more about this here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/reported-speech-questions

The LearnEnglish Team

Thank you for your response.

Hello Sir, kindly help with the following sentence-

She said, "When I was a child I wasn't afraid of ghosts."

Please tell me how to write this sentence in reported/ indirect speech.

Hello! I was studying reported speech and I didn't really understand the difference between 'need' and 'need to' when we shift them. Could you please explain a little bit about the semi-modal need? I came across to this while I was studying: Backshift Changes need (no change) ‘You needn’t come till six o’clock,’ he said. He said we needn’t come till six o’clock. AND need to (becomes needed to) She said, 'I need to have a party.' She said she needed to have a party. Why do we change 'need to' but not 'need'? Could you also please give a positive indirect reported speech with the word 'need' and a negative indirect speech with the word 'need to'? Thanks in advance!

Hello Meldo,

'need' can be used -- and is most often used -- as an ordinary verb. In the text you copied above, this is the second entry ('need to'). Since it is an ordinary verb, in indirect speech, it backshifts in the way other ordinary verbs do. An example of a negative form here is 'They told me I didn't need to bring my passport'.

Particularly in British English (only very rarely in American English), 'need' can also be used as a modal verb. In this case, it behaves as a modal verb, i.e. no 's' is added to a third person singular form, infinitives after it are used without 'to' and 'do/does/did' is not used to form questions, negatives or past simple forms. This is also why '-ed' is not added for a backshift.

When 'need' is a modal, it's most commonly used in the negative. It is possible to use it in questions (e.g. 'Need I bring my passport?' or 'I asked if I need bring my passport'), but it's generally not used in the affirmative.

You might find this BBC page and this Cambridge Dictionary explanation helpful if you'd like to read more.

Hope this helps.

Do we change 'had better' in indirect reported speech? I think no, but I just wanted to make sure. Can you also give an example with 'had better' in an indirect speech? Thanks a lot! The best English grammar site ever!

Hello Melis_06,

'had better' is not generally changed in reported speech. Here's an example for you:

direct: 'You had better be on time!'
indirect: They told us we had better be on time.

Glad you find our site useful!

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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.

Direct Speech Definition and Examples
French Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech
Definition and Examples of Direct Quotations
How to Use Indirect Quotations in Writing for Complete Clarity
Indirect Question: Definition and Examples
Indirect Speech in the English Language
The Subjunctive Present in German
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Interior Monologues
How to Teach Reported Speech
Question Mark Definition and Examples
Guidelines for Using Quotation Marks Correctly
German Verbs: How to Recognize the German Subjunctive I, II
Italian Direct Object Pronouns With Passato Prossimo
Base Verbs in English Grammar
Example Sentences of the Verb 'To Buy'

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

Test your understanding of this English lesson

15 comments.

I will keep learning.

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

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

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

Thanks Gill ! I got 10 correct out of 10.

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

10/10 thanks

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

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

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

Thank you and God bless

I made 1 mistake in the quiz.

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

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

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

Good lesson thank you.

8 out of 10 hehehe

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

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

What is Speech (Narration):

If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.

Types of Speech

In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.

The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.

These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations.

Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.

Direct speech:

It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.

The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”

The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.

Indirect speech:

An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.

It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.

The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.

Reporting speech:

A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.

He says , “He cooks food”.

Reported speech:

Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.

It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.

He says, “He cooks food.”

Reporting verb:

The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.

Zoya said , “I want to go there.”

Reported verb:

The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.

Zoya said, “I want to go there.”

As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”

These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.

But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.

Examples of direct and indirect speech:

Indirect speech: John said that she was looking so beautiful.
Indirect : He said that he was not a culprit.
Indirect : He said that she was working on that project.
Indirect : The teacher asked if he completed his homework.
Indirect : She says that she is an artist.
Indirect : Sam told me that he was not coming with me.
Indirect : He says that she is working on that project.

Some basic rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech:

Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.

The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.

Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”

Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.

Rule 2: use of “that” conjunction

Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.

Example:

He said, “I have completed my assignment yesterday.”
He said that he had completed his assignment the previous day.

Rule 3: Change of tense

While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.

If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense , then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively.
Indirect : He says that he is going to school. (no change in tense)
Indirect : She says that she will not come with me. (no change in tense)
Indirect : He says that he wrote a letter. (no change in tense)

If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.

For the present tense:

Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..

Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.

Present continuous tense will change into past continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.

Present perfect tense will change into past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Present perfect continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

For the past tense:

Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.

Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”

Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”

For the future tense:

There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.

Direct: She said, “Can you come tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day

Direct: He said, “I will never forgive you.”

Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.

Rule 4: Changing the pronoun

The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.

The pronoun used for representing the first person in reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting speech in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the second person in reported speech changes based on the report’s object in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the third person remains the same in the reported speech.
Direct: He said, “ I am going to school.”
Indirect: He said that he is going to school.
Direct: She says, “ I will not come with you .”
Indirect: She says that she will not come with me .
Direct: They said, “ we are eating our tiffin box.”
Indirect: They said that they were eating their tiffin box.

Rule 5: Changing the time

The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like now becomes then, tomorrow becomes the next day, yesterday becomes the previous day, today becomes that day, later becomes soon.

Direct: He told, “He is coming from Tokyo today .”
Indirect: He told me that he was coming from Tokyo that day .
Direct: She asked, “Will the parcel reach by tomorrow or not?”
Indirect: She asked whether the parcel will reach by the next day or not.
Direct: “The teacher has given some assignments yesterday ”, he reminds me.
Indirect: He reminds me that the teacher had given some assignments on the previous day.

Conversion of statements from direct speech into Indirect speech:

Assertive sentences:.

Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.

If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.

Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.

Direct: He said to me, “she is working on this project.”

Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.

Direct: She said to me, “I’m going for a long drive.”

Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.

Imperative sentences:

Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.

It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.

Sit properly!
Stand by my side!
Come closer!

While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit properly!”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.

Direct: The Boss said to an office boy, “Bring one coffee for me.”

Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.

Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.

Direct: The bartender said to me, “try this drink.”

Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.

Interrogative sentences:

An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.

Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.

What is your name?
Can you do me a favor?
Why are you laughing in the classroom?

While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,

the reporting verb “said” in the direct speech is changed into “asked” in the indirect speech because it asks the question to another person.
If any reporting verb comes first in the reporting speech, then “If” is used despite “that.”
In a reporting speech, if any wh-type question words are present, then no other words will be used, and the sentence ends with a full stop sign instead of a question mark.
Indirect: He asked me what was my name.
Indirect: She asked if he could do her a favor.
Indirect: The teacher asked him why he was laughing in the classroom.

Exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!

Congratulations! You have a baby girl.
I am extremely sorry for your loss!
Most welcome!

If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.

The replacement of reporting verb “said” with exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)

Replace with very or very great , if words like how or what comes at the beginning of the reported speech.

Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that I had a baby girl.
Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she felt sorry for my loss.
Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that most welcome.

Future Continuous Tense: Definition, Examples, Formula & Rules

Use of ‘Will and Shall’

12th English Grammar | Class 12 English Grammar

past perfect tense structure and examples

Past Perfect Tense: Definition, Examples, Formula & Rules

Past Perfect Continuous Tense: Definition, Examples, Formula, Structure & Rules

Use of would and could with an example.

Types of Verbs
Types of Adjectives
Types of Noun
Participles
Phrases and Clauses
Parts of Speech
Parts of a Sentence
Determiners
Parallelism
Direct & Indirect Speech
Modal Verbs
Relative Clauses
Nominalisation
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Pronoun Reference
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Direct & Indirect Speech

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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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

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

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

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

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.

Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change of tense in indirect speech.

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

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

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

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

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

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

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

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

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

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

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

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

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

Changes in Time and Place

Cha nges in pronoun s

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

Reader Interactions

Direct To Indirect Speech: Complete Rules With Examples

Direct and indirect speech is often a confusing topic for English learners. The basic idea is this:

In direct speech, we quote a person’s exact words. For example, Meera said, “I can speak English fluently.”
In indirect speech, we do not quote the person’s exact words but provide a summary of what was said. For example, Meera said that she could speak English fluently.

The critical difference is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech summarizes what was said. While the definition is simple, the challenge for English language learners is using the proper tenses when converting a phrase from direct to indirect and vice versa.

Why Should You Learn Direct To Indirect Speech Rules?

There are several occasions – in your professional and personal – where you might need to describe an action or event to others. For example, you might have to repeat the team leader’s instructions to your teammates at the workplace. In this scenario, you convert your team leader’s direct to indirect speech.

Knowing conversion rules can help you present or describe the event correctly without making any grammatical errors or spoken English blunders.

In this post, we walk you through the rules of converting direct to indirect speech, helping you speak English fluently online and offline.

How To Use Direct Speech?

The rule is simple: Use direct speech when you want to repeat what someone says as it is, and ensure that the spoken text is sandwiched between quotation (speech) marks.

John said, “I want to learn to speak English fluently.”

It’s common to see the direct speech in newspaper articles and books. For example,

The District Collector announced, “The Chief Minister will inaugurate the city centre next week.”

As you can notice, in direct speech, we use the verb say (said in the past tense) to denote what was spoken. You can also use related verbs like ‘asked,’ ‘replied,’ ‘told,’ ‘informed,’ ‘shouted,’ etc.

How To Use Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech is also reported speech, as we use it to inform/repeat what someone else said. Using the two examples above, we can convert it into indirect speech as follows:

John said that he wanted to learn to speak English fluently.

The District Collector announced that the Chief Minister would inaugurate the city centre the week after.

Another example,

Direct Speech: “I feel cold.”

Indirect Speech: She says that she feels cold.

If you notice these examples carefully, you can see that the tense changes when converting from direct to indirect speech. To illustrate this point, in the following example, direct speech is in the present simple tense, while indirect speech is written in the simple past tense.

Direct Speech: “I live in the city centre.”

Indirect Speech: He said he lived in the city centre.

Tense Change Rules: Direct To Indirect Speech

Similarly, other tenses follow similar rules when changing from direct to indirect speech. Use the following table to help you better understand the tense change rules:

Modal Verbs: Direct To Indirect Speech

When converting direct to indirect speech, you must change modal verbs accordingly. Here are a few examples to help you understand better:

Changing Time Expressions: Direct To Indirect Speech

Sometimes it becomes necessary to change the time expressions when converting from direct to indirect speech. A few examples,

Direct speech: Sheila said, “I am meeting my brother tomorrow.”
Indirect speech: Sheila said that she was meeting her brother the following day.

Here are a few examples of other typical time expressions and how they change:

Changing Place Expressions: Direct To Indirect Speech

Like time expressions, you might also have to change words representing places when reporting indirect speech. For example,

Direct speech: “It’s raining here.”
Indirect speech: She said that it was raining there.

Here are a few examples of other common place expressions and how they change:

However, the place words only change when you report something from a different location.

Over To You

Now that you’ve seen the rules to convert direct to indirect speech, it’s time to put them into practice. The most efficient way to improve English speaking is to practice what you’ve learned. Join online English-speaking practice classes to gain confidence and mastery in your daily conversations.

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Home » Direct and Indirect Speech Rules and Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules and Examples

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

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

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

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

Direct and Indirect Speech

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

Direct Speech:

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

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

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

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech):

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

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

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

Rules of Direct Speech

Use quotation marks:.

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

Punctuation:

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

Capitalization:

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

Reporting Verb:

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

Maintain the Speaker’s Words:

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

Use Ellipsis (…) When Omitting Words:

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

Avoid Changing the Speaker’s Words:

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

Maintain Verb Tenses:

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

Maintain Pronouns:

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

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

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

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

Rules of Indirect Speech ( Reported Speech )

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

Change of Pronouns:

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

Tense Changes:

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

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

Reporting Time and Place:

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

Modal Verbs:

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

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

Reporting Questions:

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

Imperative Sentences:

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

Direct Speech in Quotes:

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

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

No Change in Modifiers:

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

Tense Changes Rules in Reported Speech:

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

Present Simple in Reported Speech:

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

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

Past Simple in Reported Speech:

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

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

Present Continuous in Reported Speech:

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

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

Past Continuous in Reported Speech:

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

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

Present Perfect in Reported Speech:

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

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

Past Perfect in Reported Speech:

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

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

Future Tenses in Reported Speech:

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

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

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

Tense Changes in reported Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

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

Indirect Speech: She said that she was happy.

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

Indirect Speech: He asked her how old she was.

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect Speech: They shouted to go to the park.

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

Indirect Speech: Sarah whispered that she needed help.

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

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

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

Indirect Speech: The teacher said to read the book.

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

Indirect Speech: Tom yelled to stop the car.

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

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

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

Indirect Speech: He requested to please pass the salt.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect Speech: The coach commanded to run faster.

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

Indirect Speech: David asked where the library was.

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

Indirect Speech: She mentioned that she had a cat.

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect Speech: Sarah begged them not to leave her.

Direct and Indirect Speech Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect: She said she was going to the store.

Indirect: He asked if I liked ice cream.

Indirect: They exclaimed what a beautiful sunset.

Indirect: She said she would call me later.

Indirect: He asked if I had finished my homework.

Indirect: Mary said she could swim.

Indirect: Tom asked if I had watched the movie.

Indirect: She asked to close the door.

Indirect: He exclaimed that what a lovely day.

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

Indirect: She asked if I was coming with them.

Indirect: They said they had a dog.

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

Indirect: She asked if I liked chocolate.

Indirect: They said they were going to the zoo.

Indirect: He said he could play the guitar.

Indirect: She asked if I had finished my lunch.

Indirect: They said they would come to my party.

Indirect: He asked if I had watched the game.

Indirect: She said she was cooking dinner.

Indirect: Tom said he had a red ball.

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

Indirect: They said they knew the answer.

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

Indirect: She asked if I had bought the book.

Indirect: They said they could swim in the pool.

Indirect: He said he was playing with his toys.

Indirect: She asked if I had called the teacher.

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

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

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Direct Speech and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

August 30, 2023

Direct speech is when you repeat someone’s exact words, like “I’m going to the store.”

Indirect speech is when you say what someone said in your own words, like “She said she’s going to the store.”

So, direct speech uses the exact words, while indirect speech rephrases what was said. Remember, in indirect speech, things like tenses, pronouns, and time expressions might change to fit the new sentence.

A. Changes in Tenses and Passive Voice in Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, requires us to convey the words spoken by someone else while adapting them to a new context. This often involves changes in tenses and passive voice to accurately represent the original message. Let’s explore how different tenses and passive voice transform in reported speech, along with examples for each:

Direct Speech: “I eat an apple.”
Reported Speech: He said that he ate an apple.
Direct Speech: “She is reading a book.”
Reported Speech: She said that she was reading a book.
Direct Speech: “They visited the museum.”
Reported Speech: They said that they visited the museum.
Direct Speech: “I was playing tennis.”
Reported Speech: He said that he had been playing tennis.
Direct Speech: “She had finished her work.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had finished her work.
Direct Speech: “They had been studying for hours.”
Reported Speech: They said that they had been studying for hours.
Direct Speech: “I have seen that movie.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had seen that movie.
Direct Speech: “He has been working all day.”
Reported Speech: He said that he had been working all day.
Direct Speech: “I will come tomorrow.”
Reported Speech: She said that she would come the next day.
Direct Speech: “They will have finished by then.”
Reported Speech: They said that they would have finished by then.
Direct Speech: “The book is read by her.”
Reported Speech: She said that the book was read by her.
Direct Speech: “The cake is being baked.”
Reported Speech: They said that the cake was being baked.

Remember that when transforming tenses and passive voice in reported speech, the changes depend on the context and the tense of the original statement. Adapting these changes correctly ensures that the essence of the original message is conveyed accurately in the reported speech.

B. Changes in Pronouns in Reported Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, involves relaying someone else’s words while adapting them to a new context. Pronouns play a crucial role in this transformation, as they need adjustments to match the perspective of the reporting speaker. Here’s a brief overview of how pronouns change in reported speech:

Changing Pronouns:

Pronouns in reported speech often change to reflect the perspective of the reporting speaker or the listener.

Direct Speech: “I am reading a book.”
Reported Speech: She said that she is reading a book.

First Person to Third Person:

Pronouns shift from the first person to the third person in reported speech.

Reported Speech: He said that he would come the next day.

Second Person to Third Person:

Pronouns shift from the second person to the third person in reported speech.

Direct Speech: “You should call your parents.”
Reported Speech: He said that I should call my parents.

Third Person to Third Person:

When the original and reported speeches are both in the third person, there’s often no change in pronouns.

Direct Speech: “She mentioned visiting the museum.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned visiting the museum.

Possessive Pronouns:

Possessive pronouns also shift according to the reporting speaker’s perspective.

Direct Speech: “This is my book.”
Reported Speech: He said that it was his book.

Maintaining Consistency:

Pronouns maintain consistency throughout the reported speech.

Direct Speech: “He called and said, ‘I will be there.'”
Reported Speech: He called and said that he would be there.

Adapting Demonstrative Pronouns:

Demonstrative pronouns may change based on the context of the reported speech.

Direct Speech: “Take this one.”
Reported Speech: She told me to take that one.

Changing Reflexive Pronouns:

Reflexive pronouns shift as needed to align with the new subject.

Direct Speech: “She washed herself.”
Reported Speech: He said that she washed herself.

Adjusting Indirect Object Pronouns:

Indirect object pronouns may require changes based on the reporting context.

Direct Speech: “He gave me a gift.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned that he had given her a gift.

C. Changes in Modals in Reported Speech

In reported speech, ‘can’ generally changes to ‘could.’
Direct Speech: “I can swim.”
Reported Speech: She said that she could swim.
The modal ‘may’ typically changes to ‘might’ in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “I may go to the party.”
Reported Speech: He said that he might go to the party.
‘Must’ remains ‘must’ in reported speech, but the context of necessity may change.
Direct Speech: “I must finish the assignment.”
Reported Speech: She said that she must finish the assignment.
‘Should’ can either remain ‘should’ or change to ‘ought to’ in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “You should exercise regularly.”
Reported Speech: He said that I should/ought to exercise regularly.
‘Will’ often changes to ‘would’ in reported speech to indicate future possibilities.
Direct Speech: “I will help you.”
Reported Speech: She said that she would help me.
‘Shall’ can change to ‘should’ or ‘would’ in reported speech, depending on the context.
Direct Speech: “Shall I open the window?”
Reported Speech: She asked if she should open the window.
In reported speech, ‘can’ changes to ‘could’ to maintain politeness.
Direct Speech: “Can you please pass the salt?”
Reported Speech: He asked if I could pass the salt.
‘Must’ can change to ‘had to’ in reported speech to reflect necessity.
Direct Speech: “You must attend the meeting.”
Reported Speech: She said that I had to attend the meeting.
‘Will’ can change to ‘was/were going to’ in reported speech for planned actions.
Direct Speech: “I will visit the museum.”
Reported Speech: He said that he was going to visit the museum.
‘Can’t’ changes to ‘couldn’t’ in reported speech to reflect inability.
Direct Speech: “I can’t solve this puzzle.”
Reported Speech: She said that she couldn’t solve the puzzle.
‘Should’ can change to ‘ought to’ in reported speech to maintain formality.
Reported Speech: He said that I ought to call my parents.
‘May’ can change to ‘might’ in reported speech for polite requests.
Direct Speech: “May I borrow your pen, please?”
Reported Speech: She asked if she might borrow my pen.

In reported speech, modals often undergo changes to suit the indirect context while retaining the original meaning. The transformation of modals contributes to accurate and effective communication when conveying someone else’s words and intentions.

D. Changes in Place References in Reported Speech

Place references are an important aspect of reported speech, requiring adjustments to accurately convey the speaker’s intended location. Let’s explore how place references change in reported speech, along with examples for each scenario:

Direct Speech: “I live here.”
Reported Speech: She said that she lived there.
Direct Speech: “Take this book.”
Reported Speech: He told me to take that book.
Direct Speech: “She mentioned visiting the Eiffel Tower.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned visiting the Eiffel Tower.
Direct Speech: “Pass me that book.”
Reported Speech: He asked me to pass him that book.
Direct Speech: “Where is the nearest café?”
Reported Speech: She asked where the nearest café was.
Direct Speech: “He said, ‘Come here.'”
Reported Speech: He told me to go there.
Direct Speech: “I found the key under the mat.”
Reported Speech: She said she had found the key under the mat.
Direct Speech: “He lives near the park.”
Reported Speech: He said he lived near the park.
Direct Speech: “She lives in New York.”
Reported Speech: He mentioned that she lived in New York.
Direct Speech: “Give me this one.”
Reported Speech: He asked for that one.

Adapting place references accurately ensures that the location and context of the original conversation are effectively maintained, even when narrated indirectly.

E. Changes in Questions in Reported Speech

Questions, both “Yes/No questions” and “Wh-questions,” undergo specific changes when reported. These changes ensure that the reported speech accurately captures the essence of the original question. Here’s an exploration of how different types of questions change in reported speech, accompanied by examples:

Direct Speech: “Did you finish your homework?”
Reported Speech: She asked if I had finished my homework.
Direct Speech: “Yes, I did finish my homework,” he said.
Reported Speech: He said that he had finished his homework.
Direct Speech: “Where are you going?”
Reported Speech: He asked where I was going.
Direct Speech: “I am going to the park,” she replied.
Reported Speech: She replied that she was going to the park.
Direct Speech: “What time does the train arrive?”
Reported Speech: He wanted to know what time the train arrived.
Direct Speech: “Is she coming to the party?”
Reported Speech: He asked if she was coming to the party.
Direct Speech: “When will the meeting start?”
Reported Speech: She wondered when the meeting would start.
Direct Speech: “Could you please pass me the salt?”
Reported Speech: She asked if I could pass her the salt.
Direct Speech: “Can you help me?”
Reported Speech: He asked if I could help him.
Direct Speech: “Why did you do that?”
Reported Speech: She demanded to know why I had done that.

Mastering the changes in reported speech for both yes/no and wh-questions is essential for accurately conveying conversations while adapting them to different linguistic contexts. These transformations ensure that the nuances of questions are maintained even when relayed indirectly.

F. Converting Time References in Reported Speech

Adapting time references is crucial in reported speech to ensure accurate conveyance of the original message. Time expressions such as “today,” “tomorrow,” “now,” “last week,” “last night,” “yesterday,” “days ago,” and “ago” require specific changes in reported speech to reflect the shift in time. Here’s a guide on how to convert sentences with time references to reported speech:

Direct Speech: “I am busy today.”
Reported Speech: She said that she was busy that day.
Direct Speech: “I am studying now.”
Reported Speech: He said that he was studying then.
Direct Speech: “I went to the market yesterday.”
Reported Speech: She said that she had gone to the market the previous day.
Direct Speech: “He visited last week, a few days ago.”
Reported Speech: They mentioned that he had visited the previous week, a few days before.
Direct Speech: “She called me last week.”
Reported Speech: He said that she had called him the previous week.
Direct Speech: “We had dinner together last night.”
Reported Speech: They mentioned that they had dinner together the previous night.
Direct Speech: “I am the current manager.”
Reported Speech: She said that she is the current manager.
Direct Speech: “I will meet you tomorrow.”
Reported Speech: He said that he would meet me the next day.
Direct Speech: “They plan to travel next week.”
Reported Speech: She mentioned that they planned to travel the following week.

Adapting time references in reported speech is essential to ensure that the context and timing of the original message are accurately conveyed, even when the conversation is relayed indirectly.

G. Changes in Commands in Reported Speech

Reporting commands requires particular adjustments to accurately represent the original instruction. Here’s a concise guide on how commands change in reported speech:

In direct commands, the verb is typically in the imperative form.
Direct Speech: “Open the window.”
Reported Speech: He told me to open the window.
In reported speech, the command changes to a verb of reporting, followed by an infinitive form.
Direct Speech: “Clean your room.”
Reported Speech: She asked me to clean my room.
Pronouns in commands may need to be adjusted to match the new context.
Direct Speech: “Take your umbrella.”
Reported Speech: He told me to take my umbrella.
Modals can be used to soften the command’s tone in reported speech.
Direct Speech: “Give me the book.”
Reported Speech: She requested me to give her the book.
Reporting verbs like “tell,” “ask,” “request,” “command,” or “order” are used to introduce the reported command.
Direct Speech: “Do your homework.”
Reported Speech: He ordered me to do my homework.
Time references may need to be adapted in reported commands.
Direct Speech: “Call me later.”
Reported Speech: She asked me to call her later.
Polite commands remain polite in reported speech.
A direct command changes to an indirect request.
Direct Speech: “Shut the door.”
Reported Speech: He asked me to shut the door.

Mastering the changes in reported speech for commands is essential for accurately conveying instructions while adapting them to different linguistic contexts. These transformations ensure that the nuances of commands are maintained even when relayed indirectly.

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Verbs – Introduction

Subject-Verb Agreement

Transitive Verbs

EnglishPost.org

Reported Speech: Structures and Examples

Reported speech (Indirect Speech) is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say.

Reported Speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words

The structure of the independent clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question, or a command.

Table of Contents

Reported Speech Rules and Examples

Present tenses and reported speech, past tenses and reported speech, reported speech examples, reported speech and the simple present, reported speech and present continuous, reported speech and the simple past, reported speech and the past continuous, reported speech and the present perfect, reported speech and the past perfect, reported speech and ‘ can ’ and ‘can’t’, reported speech and ‘ will ’ and ‘ won’t ’, reported speech and could and couldn’t, reported speech and the future continuous, reported questions exercises online.

To turn sentences into Indirect Speech, you have to follow a set of rules and this is what makes reported speech difficult for some.

To make reported speech sentences, you need to manage English tenses well.

Present Simple Tense changes into Past Simple Tense
Present Progressive Tense changes into Past Progressive Tense
Present Perfect Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Progressive Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Past Simple Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Past Progressive Tense changes into Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense doesn’t change
Past Perfect Progressive Tense doesn’t change
Future Simple Tense changes into would
Future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”
Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have·
Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”

These are some examples of sentences using indirect speech

The present simple tense usually changes to the past simple

The present continuous tense usually changes to the past continuous.

The past simple tense usually changes to the past perfect

The past continuous tense usually changes to the past perfect continuous.

The present perfect tense usually changes to the past perfect tense

The past perfect tense does not change

‘ Can ’ and ‘can’t’ in direct speech change to ‘ could ’ and ‘ couldn’t ’

‘ Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

Could and couldn’t doesn’t change

Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

These are some online exercises to learn more about reported questions

Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise
Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise
Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise
Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise
Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

5 Modals of Deduction in English: Guide and Examples

Modals of Ability in English: Can, Could and Be able to

Third Person Singular: Guide & Examples

Tense Change in Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

To effectively communicate, it is imperative to meticulously contemplate the transition from direct to indirect speech and adhere to the regulations that govern this alteration.

We will delve into the intricacies of tense change in direct and indirect speech, covering the rules and conventions that govern this transformation.

What is Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct speech involves quoting the exact words spoken by an individual. For instance:

Kinza said, “I am going to the market.”

In contrast, indirect speech conveys the speaker’s words indirectly, usually in a reporting format:

Kinza said that she was going to the market.

Indirect speech is useful for summarizing, paraphrasing, or reporting without altering meaning, adding new information, or changing formality.

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, it’s crucial to give careful consideration to tense changes. You must maintain the original meaning of the text without adding new information, sentences , or paragraphs or removing important details. Additionally, maintain the same formality style as the original text when rewriting it. Each tense undergoes specific modifications to align with the new context. Let’s explore the changes for different tenses :

Simple Present Tense :

Direct: He says, “I play football.”

Indirect: He says that he plays football.

Present Continuous Tense :

Direct: She says, “I am studying.”

Indirect: She says that she is studying.

Simple Past Tense :

Direct: They said, “We visited the museum.”

Indirect: They said that they had visited the museum.

Past Continuous Tense :

Direct: He said, “I was working.”

Indirect: He said that he had been working.

Present Perfect Tense :

Direct: Jane says, “I have finished my project.”

Indirect: Jane says that she has finished her project.

Past Perfect Tense :

Direct: Mark said, “We had already eaten.”

Indirect: Mark said that they had already eaten.

Future Tense :

Direct: She says, “I will call you.”

Indirect: She says that she will call you.

Direct: He said, “We will be there.”

Indirect: He said that they would be there.

Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Tense transformation :.

The most significant change is often in the tense of the reported speech. Please pay attention to verb forms and adapt them according to the context.

Pronoun Changes :

Pronouns may change based on the subject of the reporting clause. For instance, “I” might become “he” or “she” when shifting from direct to indirect speech.

Time Expressions :

Temporal expressions usually shift from present to past or from future to conditional, maintaining the temporal relationship between events.

Reporting Verbs :

The choice of reporting verbs influences the structure of indirect speech. Some Common reporting verbs include said, told, asked, explained, and more.

Other Modifiers :

Modifiers like demonstratives “this, these) and adverbs of time and place might require adjustments.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

For more in-depth insights into narration change, you can explore the comprehensive guide on Narration Change .

Practice is key to mastering the rules of tense change in direct and indirect speech. With time, you’ll become more comfortable navigating these transformations.

Understanding the intricacies of tense change in direct and indirect speech is an essential skill for effective communication .

English With Ashish

Direct and Indirect speech with examples and explanations

Welcome back, smart brains! This article will help you understand how direct speech and indirect speech (narration) work in the English language. What is a direct speech? What is an indirect speech? Why and how do we use direct and indirect speech? How to change direct speech to indirect speech? Going forward, we will know the answers to all these questions.

Whenever someone tells you something or shares something with you, there are two ways to narrate what the person said:

Direct speech
Indirect Speech

Let’s suppose you go to a mobile shop to buy a specific mobile phone. On reaching, one of the executives says, “We don’t have this phone.” You go back home. Your elder brother wants to know what happened. There are two ways to convey what the executive said to you.

Direct speech: One of the executives said, “We don’t have this phone.” (Quoting the exact words of the executive)

Indirect speech: One of the executives said that they did not have that phone. (Narrating the executive’s message in your own words)

What is direct speech?

Direct speech definition: It is a way to narrate what someone said using the speaker’s exact words. The reported speech (the speaker’s words) is placed within quotation marks, and it is offset using a comma.

What is indirect speech?

Indirect speech definition: In indirect speech, the original words of the speaker get changed. The pronoun/s, the tense, and the adverbs of time and place in the reported speech (the words of the speaker) get changed. These things, not always but often, are changed as the original message was delivered at some point in time in the past, but we narrate it after some time. That creates a time difference in receiving the message and narrating it to someone. Because of which we have to go back in the past to refer to the right time.

Direct speech: Sandhya said to me, “I love talking to you.” Indirect speech: Sandhya told me that she loved talking to me.

Note: The conjunction ‘ That ’ in the indirect speech can be eliminated too. The sentence is still correct without it.

Indirect speech: Sandhya told me she loved talking to me.

Note: Changing the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech is called back-shifting.

In the above example, when we are reporting the speaker’s words in indirect speech, we are backshifting the time(tense) of the action to further back. We backshift the tense as the speaker’s words might not fall true or be relevant at the time of narrating it to someone.

She loved talking to me at the time of delivering the message, but now, at the time of narrating to someone, this might not fall true. She might not love talking to me now. That is exactly why the tense is backshifted further back in the past to show the accurate time and action.

But when you are narrating the speaker’s message right after it is being said, you don’t need to backshift the tense as there is almost no difference between the time of receiving the speaker’s message and narrating it to someone.

Let’s suppose we were at a party. Sandhya and I were exchanging words. You were right there too. She said, “I love talking to you.” You didn’t hear it. You come to me and ask, “What did she say to you?”

I tell you that she said that she loves talking to me. It is fairly unlikely for her to change her mind in just a few seconds. 😉

Examples of direct and indirect speech

Direct speech: She said to me, “It is raining outside.”
Indirect speech: She told me that it was raining outside.
Direct speech: “I bought my favorite phone yesterday,” he told me with excitement.
Indirect speech: He told me with excitement that he had bought his favorite car the previous day.
Direct speech: Max said, “This is my school.”
Indirect speech: Max said that that was his house. (You are not there in front of the school.)
Indirect speech: Max said that this was his house . (You are still there in front of the school.)

How to change direct speech to indirect speech?

Here are the changes you need to make in order to change a direct speech to indirect speech:

1. Remove quotation marks and the comma from the direct speech.

2. use the conjunction that before the reported speech. its use is optional though..

Direct speech: Sandhya said to me, “I love talking to you.”
Indirect speech: Sandhya told me that she loved talking to me.

3. Change the pronoun/s of the reported speech.

The subject (pronoun) of the reported speech (indirect speech) is changed according to the subject or the object of the introductory clause, and its object is changed according to the object of the introductory clause.

According to the subject

According to the object

Direct speech: The students said to me, “You were teaching amazingly well.”
Indirect speech: The students said that I had been teaching amazingly well.

These are some direct and indirect speech rules we need to master!

3.1 Backshift the tense

3.2 change the adverb of time and place, how to change direct speech to indirect speech in different tenses , 1. present simple to past simple tense.

When the direct speech is in the Present Simple tense , it is changed to the Past Simple tense in the indirect speech.

Direct indirect speech examples:

Direct speech: “I work with the top CEOs of the world,” he boasted.
Indirect speech: He boasted that he worked with the top CEOs of the world.
Direct speech: Sandhya told me, “You look amazing in this dress.”
Indirect speech: Sandhya told me that I looked amazing in that dress.
Direct speech: “The sun rises in the east,” my father informed us.
Indirect speech: My father informed us that the sun rises in the east.

NOTE : When what’s being said is still valid or related or universal, we don’t backshift the tense. In the third example, we have not changed the tense.

2. Present continuous to past continuous tense

When the direct speech is in the Present Continuous tense , it is changed to the Past Continuous tense in the indirect speech.

Direct speech: “You are making a lot of noise,” the teacher said angrily.
Indirect speech: The teacher said angrily that we were making a lot of noise.
Direct speech: She said, “I am getting married next month.”
Indirect speech: She said that I am getting married next month.

NOTE : The next month has not come yet. She narrated the message before the message gets irrelevant.

3. Present perfect tense to past perfect tense

When the direct speech is in the Present Perfect tense , it is changed to the Past Perfect tense in the indirect speech.

Direct speech: “I have finished the work,” Max said to me.
Indirect speech: Max told me that he had finished the work.
Direct speech: She said, “You have not helped me now.”
Indirect speech: She said that I had not helped her then.

4. Simple past tense to past perfect tense

When the direct speech is in the Simple Past tense, it is changed to the Past perfect tense in the indirect speech.

Direct and indirect speech examples:

Direct speech: “We finished the task on time,” he said to me.
Indirect speech: He told me that they had finished the task on time.
Direct speech: Rahul said to me, “I enjoyed working with you.”
Indirect speech: Rahul told me that he had enjoyed working with me.

5. Past continuous tense to past perfect continuous tense

When the direct speech is in the Past Continuous tense, it is changed to the Past Perfect Continuous tense in the indirect speech.

Direct speech: “He was sleeping here,” the lady told me.
Indirect speech: The lady told me that he had been sleeping here.

Modal auxiliary verbs in direct and indirect speech

Direct speech: “ You can’t beat me in a street fight,” He said to me.
Indirect speech: He told me that I could not beat him in a street fight.
Direct speech: “We will screw your career,” the company said.
Indirect speech: The company said that it would screw my career.
Direct speech: “We might visit you tomorrow, “my friends said to him.
Indirect speech: My friends said to him that they might visit him the next day.
Direct speech: “You may get the Job,” Ronny said to me.
Indirect speech: Ronny told me that I might get the job.
Direct speech: “I should start working on my communication skills,” He said in frustration.
Indirect speech: He said in frustration that he should start working on his communication skills.

Important points:

SAY can’t be followed by an indirect object without the preposition TO . TELL is followed by an indirect object.
He said me that I teach amazingly well. (Incorrect)
He said to me that I teach amazingly well. (Correct)
He told me that I teach amazingly well. (Correct)
Don’t backshift the tense of the reported speech if what’s been said is universally true or is still relevant at the time of narrating it to someone.
Direct speech: “He is my father,” Jon informed me.
Indirect speech: Jon informed me that he is his father.
Direct speech: “We are going to London in 2022,” She said.
Indirect speech: She said that they are going to London in 2020. (You are saying it in 2021).
Direct speech: Rahul said, “India is a democratic country.”
Indirect speech: Rahul said that India is a democratic country.

Now, we know what a direct and an indirect speech is in English. Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.

For one-on-one classes, contact me at [email protected] .

Here’s my video lesson on the narration!

Click here to learn how to change interrogative sentences into assertive sentences in reported speech!

Ashish Sharma

Ashish found his first love—the English language—a few years back. Since then, he has been immersed in the language, breaking down the language and teaching it to passionate English learners. He has a flair for listening to the English language (podcasts, sitcoms, stories), observing the nuances, and making it easy for English learners. He is known for breaking down complex English topics and making them easy to be understood.

2 thoughts on “Direct and Indirect speech with examples and explanations”

Direct speech: Max said, “This is my school.” Indirect speech: Max said that that was my house. (You are not there in front of the school.) Indirect speech: Max said that this is my house. (You are still there in front of the school.) please check! I think there is an error in indirect sentence as my must be change into his what I believe?!!!!!!\

Hello Imran, Thank you for pointing out the mistake. The verb tense ‘is’ was also needed to be backshifted in the past. It has been taken care of.

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Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense

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Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

Change of Pronouns

Change of Tenses

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Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

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Indirect Speech Examples

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting wh -questions

Who , whom and what

When , where , why and how

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

Newspaper headlines

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

Modal verbs

No backshift

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

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Reported speech: statements

Grammar explanation

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

Past simple and past continuous

Past perfect

No backshift

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Language level

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Indirect Speech Definition and Examples

Direct vs. Indirect Speech

How to Convert

Future Tense

Other Changes

Free Indirect Speech

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

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Direct and Indirect Speech

What is Speech (Narration):

Types of Speech

Direct speech:

Indirect speech:

Reporting speech:

Reported speech:

Reporting verb:

Reported verb: