Direct and indirect speech

 Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said.

1. Direct Speech

The exact words of the speaker are quoted.

Quotation marks (" ") are used.

Example:

She said, "I am happy."

He asked, "Where are you going?"

2. Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

* The speaker's words are reported without using quotation marks.

* The tense may change depending on the reporting verb.

* Pronouns and time expressions may also change.

Example:

She said that she was happy.

He asked where I was going.

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Rules for Changing Direct to Indirect Speech

Conversion

1 Remove Quotation Marks: Use "that" to introduce reported speech.

2 Reporting Verb: If the reporting verb is in the present/future (e.g., "says"), tenses in the reported speech do not change. If it's in the past (e.g., "said"), tenses change.

3 Pronoun Changes: Pronouns change based on the speaker and listener (e.g., "I" becomes "he/she", "we" becomes "they").

4 Time/Place Changes:

 Now - then, 

here -  there, 

today -  that day, 

tomorrow - the next day, 

yesterday - the day before

Rule 1. Change the tense (if the reporting verb is in the past):

* Present simple → Past simple

Direct: "I like coffee", She said 

 Indirect: She said she liked coffee.

* Present continuous → Past continuous

Direct: He said, "I am reading a  book." 

→ Indirect: He said he was reading a book.

* Present perfect - past perfect 

Direct: Rakesh said, "l have completed my homework"

Indirect: Rakesh said that he had completed his homework 

* Present perfect continuous tense-  past perfect continuous tense

Direct: 

Teacher said,"I have been living at Navapur since 19 97."

Indirect: 

Teacher said that she had been living at Navapur since 1997.

* Past simple → Past perfect

Direct: "I ate an apple." → Indirect: She said she had eaten an apple.

 Rule 2. Change pronouns (according to context):

Pronouns must be changed to match the perspective of the reporting speech.

Direct: "I will call you." 

Indirect: He said he would call me.

Direct: He said, "You are my best friend."

Indirect: He said that I was his best friend.

Rule 3. Change time and place words:

Now → Then

Today → That day

Tomorrow → The next day

Here → There

Example:

Direct: "I will go there tomorrow."

Indirect: She said she would 

go there the next day.

Truths/Habitual Facts: Tenses do not change even if the reporting verb is in the past (e.g., He said, "The sun rises in the east" 

 He said that the sun rises in the east).

Questions: Inverted word order changes to statement order, and "if" or "whether" is used for Yes/No questions (e.g., She asked, "Are you coming?" 

 She asked if I was coming).

Imperatives: Use "to" + verb (e.g., He said, "Sit down" 

 He told me to sit down). 

Rule 4: Changing Interrogative Sentences (Questions)

1. If the question starts with a helping verb (is, do, have, etc.), use "if" or "whether."

Direct: "Do you like ice cream?" she asked.

Indirect: She asked if I liked ice cream.

2. If the question starts with a WH-word (whalat, where, when, etc.), keep the WH-word in the indirect speech.

Direct: "Where do you live?" he asked.

Indirect: He asked where I lived.

Rule 5:  Changing Imperative Sentences (Commands and Requests)

1. For requests, use "requested" or "asked."

Direct: "Please help me," she said.

Indirect: She requested me to help her.

2. For commands, use "ordered" or "told."

Direct: "Sit down," the teacher said.

Indirect: The teacher told the students to sit down.

3. For advice, use "advised."

Direct: "You should study hard," he said.

Indirect: He advised me to study 

hard.

More examples: