direct to indirect speech interrogative sentences

Narration Change of Interrogative Sentences

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Interrogative sentence poses question. This type of sentence is very much different from assertive sentence which makes a statement. In interrogative sentence predicate (verb) comes first, then comes the subject. In some cases the helping verb comes before the subject and the main verb remains behind to form question. The entire verb can also be placed before subject in some instances. 

Interrogative sentence are two types –

English Saga

Interrogative Sentences-Direct & Indirect speech

An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence that asks a question. It may either be started with some Interrogative Word (who, when, why, where, how, whom, etc.) or may have a helping verb (is, are, am, do, does, etc.)

Changes in the pronouns, other words, and tenses can be made by following the following rules:

• Pronouns Changing Rules
• Other Words Changing Rules
• Rule # 1, Rule # 2, and Rule # 3 of Changes in the Tenses

However, some extra rules must be followed while converting an Interrogative Sentence from Direct Narration to Indirect Narration.

General Rules for Converting Interrogative Sentences from Direct Narration to Indirect Narration

When there is an Interrogative Sentence in the Reported Speech, the following rules must be followed:

• “said to” of the Reporting Speech must be converted to the word, “asked” or “inquired of”, because someone asks a question.
• Make the word arrangement as it must take the form of simple Assertive Sentence, i.e; Subject + Verb+ Object.
• If the Interrogative Sentence is started with an Interrogative Word, then there is no need to add any word.
• But if Interrogative Sentence is started with a helping verb, then add the word “if” or “whether” to connect Reporting and Reported Speech.
• Replace the Mark of Interrogation (?) with a full stop (.) mark, so that it must represent the Simple Assertive Sentence.    

Examples of the Interrogative Sentences with Interrogative Words

• I asked him when he got up.
• She asked me where I was going then.
• I inquired of him what he had eaten the previous day.
• She inquired of him why he had been weeping the previous day.
• We asked them who would be visiting their factory the next day.
• He asked her which books she had bought from that shop.
• He asked me what I was doing there.
• She asked him why he had not gone to the doctor that day.
• I asked them where they were going then.
• I asked them where they were going the previous day.
• The policeman asked the taxi driver why he had refused to take those ladies to the railway station.
• He asked me why I had been beating his servant the previous day.
• He asked me who my father was.
• She asked me how many sisters I had.
• You asked him when he had bought that house.
• She asked us where we had been going the previous day with that man
• He inquired of me how far Mecca was from Madina.
• The policeman asked him why he had beaten that old man the previous day.
• The goldsmith asked the thief how he had broken the lock of that safe.
• The doctor asked me why I had not taken that medicine the previous day.
• The old man asked his son where he was coming from then.
• She asked me what my name was.
• I asked him where he lived in that city.
• I asked the boy why he was weeping.
• She asked him when he was going for the Hajj.
• They asked him how he managed to escape from that place.
• She asked her brother where he was going with those boys then.
• He asked us why we were making noise over there.
• The passenger asked the guard why the train had stopped near that bridge.
• She asked me when I would return her camera.
• He asked us what we would do with that money there.
• We asked him when he had returned from London.
• Father asked me how I was feeling then.
• I asked the teacher respectfully why he had expelled my brother from his class.
• I asked her why her baby had been weeping the previous day.
• He asked me where my mother was going.
• You asked him what Faisal had said there in his ear.
• I asked my servant where he was going then.
• The policeman asked him why he observed the traffic rules.
• She asked her teacher respectfully why he was angry with her.
• Father asked him why he had beaten the servant then.
• We asked our neighbor why our house had been locked.
• She asked her what her sister had been saying to her the previous day.
• I asked the carpenter why he had not completed my work the previous day.
• Salman’s sister asked Salman why he was sitting there.
• The father asked his son, Nadeem, what he was doing there.
• The wolf asked the lamb why he had called him names the previous year.
• The shopkeeper asked her respectfully how he could give her a short measure.
• You asked him where he was coming from.
• She asked him why he had been knocking at her door just then.
• He asked her respectfully at what time he could see her the next day.
• She inquired of Nadeem what he had been doing the previous day.
• David said to John where he was going.
• He asked me why I had stolen his pen from that box.
• She asked them where they had left their servant the previous day.
• The passenger asked the guard when that train would reach Peshawar.
• She asked the stranger what his name was.
• The constable asked the two young men where they were coming from in the dead of night.
• A little girl asked the barber what he would charge her for dressing her hair.
• He asked the doctor when he should come to him for getting his eyes tested.
• He asked me where I had been all those days.

Examples of Interrogative Sentences that Start with a Verb

• She asked the principal respectfully if she might come in.
• He inquired of me if I was going to school then.
• You asked him if he had broken your jug that day.
• We inquired of her if she had beaten our servant the previous day.
• He asked you whether you would go to the pictures that night.
• She asked him if he had lost his pen there.
• He asked you whether you would go to Peshawar the next day.
• I inquired of the postman if there was any letter for me that day.
• She asked him if he had ironed her shirt the previous day.
• He inquired of me if it had been raining there since morning.
• You asked her if she had bought those cups and saucers the previous day.
• He inquired of the stranger if he was in his senses then.
• She asked her brother if he had been feeling any pain in his chest the previous day.
• He inquired of them if they would be going to Karachi by the morning train the next day.
• The old man asked the beggar if he had been knocking at his door just then.
• The shopkeeper asked me if I had given him a ten-rupee note for those cakes of soap.
• I asked her whether she had consulted any doctor that day.
• She asked him if he would lend her his pen for that day.
• I inquired of them if they would build a hospital over there.
• They asked us whether we had been sleeping in that room the previous day.
• Mother asked my friend if he had paid the fine that day.
• I asked the beggar if he was suffering from fever then.
• She asked us if he had been trying to fire at us.
• She asked him if he had seen the snake in the compound of that house.
• The guest asked us whether it had been raining very heavily over there at night.
• He asked them if they would take the examination that year.
• They asked us if we had broken that flower pot.
• He asked her respectfully if she was going to Karachi by the Tez Gam the next day.
• They asked him if he had been working in that office since 1975.
• The doctor asked her if she had taken that medicine the previous day.
• He asked me if I was in my senses.
• We asked him if that train was running on time then.
• He asked his mother if she would go with him to Murree the next day.
• The teacher asked the boys if they were fully prepared to take the test that day.
• She asked her teacher respectfully if she might go out to see her mother.
• They asked the gardener if they might pluck a few flowers from those plots.
• He asked us whether we were learning that poem by heart.
• She asked her brother if she had posted those letters the previous day.
• The policeman asked him if he had his driving license with him.
• He asked us if we had solved those sums.
• I asked the postman if there was any letter for me that day.
• I inquired of the servant if he had told me the truth about that accident.
• You asked him if it had rained there the previous day.
• You asked him if he had returned your book to you.
• She asked him whether he would lend her his camera for that day.
• He asked me if I was ready to go with him then.
• He asked me if I could spare some money.
• He asked me whether the man is the maker of his fate.
• Kashif asked his boss if he might tell him something in that connection.
• The king enquired of the robber if he was the robber of whom he had heard so much.
• She asked me if I had gone out for a walk just then.
• He asked me if I did not know that he was my next-door neighbor.
• The young man asked her mother if she had milked all those cows.
• He asked his brother if that was the way to talk to a stranger.
• He asked me if I had been a student of the Government College. 
• He asked the postman if he had bought any letter for him.
• The student asked the Headmaster respectfully if he might come in.

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English With Ashish

Interrogative sentences in reported speech: rules and examples

Hey learners! In this post, we will master how to change direct speech to indirect speech when the reported speech in the direct speech is an interrogative sentence. Before we do that, we must know what direct and indirect speech is.

What is a direct speech?

• Important things to understand:

Process/steps of changing Interrogative sentences (reported speech) into indirect 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 in quotation marks and is offset using a comma.

What is an indirect speech?

Indirect speech definition: it is a way to narrate what someone said but not using the speaker’s exact words. Unlike a direct speech, it is not placed in quotation marks and separated by a comma.

Direct speech: She said to me, “Do you love me?” Indirect speech: She told me if I loved her.

Important things to understand :

1. Directing speech: It is the part (clause) that you (the person who narrates the speaker’s original words) say. In the above examples, “She said to me” and “She told me” are reporting speeches. These are the parts the narrator of the reported speech says.

2. Directed speech: it is the part that comes from the original speaker. In the above examples, “ Do you love me? “ and “ if I loved her “ are reported speeches.

Interrogative sentences in the reported speech

Interrogative sentence definition: Sentences that are used to ask questions are called interrogative sentences. They end with a question mark.

There are two types of interrogative sentences:

• Ones that can be answered in YES or NO .
• Ones that can not be answered in YES or NO . They need to be explained.
• Direct speech : My uncle said to me, “What are you studying?”
• Direct speech : She asked me, “Do you still love me?”
• Indirect speech: My uncle asked me what I was studying.
• Indirect speech: She asked me if I still loved her .

NOTE : Interrogative sentences in direct speech are changed into assertive sentences.

• Remove the quotation marks and the comma from the reported speech.
• Put the question word (WH family word) at the beginning of the reported speech when the question can’t be answered in YES or NO. If the question can be answered in YES/NO, replace the helping verb (auxiliary) with IF or WHETHER.
• Put the subject of the reported speech after it.
• Put the verb after the subject.
• Replace the question mark with a period/full stop.
• The reporting verb SAY in the direct speech is changed into ASK/INQUIRE.

NOTE : Interrogative sentences that can be answered in YES/NO start with auxiliary verbs (is/am/are/do/does/has/have/will/shall/can/could/may/might/should/would…). And interrogative sentences that can’t be answered in simple YES/NO start with WH family words (what/why/where/when/how/who/whom).

Direct speech structure : Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + subject complement? Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + object/modifier?

Indirect speech structure : If/whether + subject + main verb + subject complement. If/whether + subject + main verb + object/modifier.

• Direct speech: I asked her, “Will you go out with me?” Indirect speech: I asked her if/whether she would go out with me.
• Direct speech: The guy on the street said to me, ” Do you know whom you are messing with?” Indirect speech: The guy on the street asked me if I knew whom I was messing with.
• Direct speech: On the very first date, she asked me, “Have you kissed a girl?” Indirect speech: On the very first date, she asked me if I had kissed a girl.
• Direct speech: The other night, Jon asked me, “Are you taking drugs?” Indirect speech: The other night, Jon asked me if I was taking drugs.
• Direct speech: She said, “Can you kiss me right now?” Indirect speech: She asked if I could kiss her right then.

In the indirect speech of the reported part, we replace the auxiliary verb with IF or WHETHER . The subject is put before the verb so that the interrogative sentence changes into an assertive sentence.

All these questions can be answered in YES/NO. If the questions can’t be answered in YES/NO, don’t use if/whether . Let’s look at the following examples:

Direct speech structure : WH family word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + object/modifier (optional)?

Indirect speech structure : WH family word + subject + main verb + object/modifier.

• Direct speech: The police asked, “What were you doing when the incident happened?” Indirect speech: The police asked what I had been doing when the incident had happened .
• Direct speech: He said, “What can I do for you?” Indirect speech: He asked what he could do for me.
• Direct speech: Ron asked my father, “What do you do?” Indirect speech: Ron asked my father what he did.
• Direct speech: She said to us, “What do you think of yourselves?” Indirect speech: She asked us what we thought of ourselves.
• Direct speech: My brother asked, “Who is that girl?” Indirect speech: My brother asked who that girl was.

Now, we know how to change an interrogative sentence into a reported speech. 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] .

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.

15 thoughts on “Interrogative sentences in reported speech: rules and examples”

Sir in the Wh-question u make wrong indirect speech . Ex.1 The police asked, “what were you doing when the incident happened..? ” Ans-The police asked what I had been doing when the incident had happened.. Plz check this ex if I will wrong then plz tell me where I was wrong…

Hello, Ritesh! Yes, I had forgotten to change the subject of the clause from YOU to I. Thank you for pointing out the mistake!

Sunil said to Sunita, “What was the theme of the story?”

Sunil asked Sunita what the theme of the story was.

Sunita asked sunil that what was the theme of the story. Is it correct or not

It’s not. Correction: Sunita asked Sunil what the theme of the story was. 1) We don’t use two conjunctions together. We can’t. 2) A noun clause does not take a question structure (use inversion in it).

Can it not be, Sunil asked Sunita what had been the theme of the story.

That’s grammatical incorrect. A verb or a verb phrase can’t come before the subject in a dependent clause. Also, the right verb tense of the reported speech is the Simple Past tense.

“Be not so amazed, daughter Miranda”,said Prospero. change this.

That’s not a question.

Calling Miranda as his daughter Prospero forbade/advised her not to be amazed.

the gate keeper said,” who made this mess?”

The gatekeeper asked whom that mess had been made by.

He said to me,” do you know him kiran”.

He asked if me I knew him/kiran.

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Reported Speech: Practice Exercises in Interrogative Sentences

• Post last modified: 1 March 2023
• Post category: Grammar Exercises / School Grammar

Do practice converting Direct Speech Interrogative sentences into Indirect Speech. The exercises are based on both types of Questions – Starting with an Auxiliary Verb and the other type starting with a Q Word. Try to first attempt yourself then see the answers given in the last of every set of questions.

More exercises are added from time to time, so keep coming here 😊

Click here more English Grammar study materials

I – Interrogative Sentences – Yes/No Type (Questions starts with an auxiliary verb)

See some examples before attempting practice exercises.

Direct speech: “Are you the one who stole the money?”

Indirect speech: He asked if I was the one who had stolen the money.

Direct speech: “What are you doing here at this time?”

Indirect speech: She asked what I was doing there at that time.

Direct speech: “Have you ever been to Europe before?”

Indirect speech: He asked if I had ever been to Europe before.

Direct speech: “Who taught you how to play the guitar so well?”

Indirect speech: She asked me who had taught me how to play the guitar so well.

Direct speech: “Why did you leave your previous job?”

Indirect speech: He asked me why I had left my previous job.

Q. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech.  

1. “Are there any more files?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” said the peon.  

2. The teacher said to Rena, “Did you break the window pane?” “No, sir,” said Reena, “I did not.” 

3. “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees?” said the astrologer. “No,” replied the customer.  

4. I said to him, “Do you want to go to Delhi?” He said, “No, sir.”  

5. Rahul said to me, “Does Mohit still play?” I said, “Yes, sir.”  

6. Malik said to her, “Has Sara invited you to dinner?”  

7. I said to her, “Did you enjoy the film?” She said, “No, sir.”  

8. Sachin said, “Sonam, do you see what I see?” Sonam said, “Yes.”  

9. He said, “Do you not like it?” She said, “Yes.”  

10. She said to me, “Shall we ever see each other again?” I said, “Perhaps, never.” 

1. He asked the peon if there were any more files. The peon replied respectfully in the affirmative.  

2. The teacher asked Reena if she had broken the window pane. Reena replied respectfully that she had not done it.  

3. The astrologer asked the customer if he would give him five rupees if he found his answers satisfactory. The customer replied in negative.  

4. I asked him if he wanted to go to Delhi and he replied respectfully in negative.  

5. Rahul asked me if Mohit still played and I replied respectfully in positive.  

6. Malik asked her if Sara had invited her to dinner.  

7. I asked her if she had enjoyed the film. She replied respectfully in negative.  

8. Sachin asked Sonam if she saw what he saw. She replied in affirmative.  

9. He asked if she did not like that and she replied in affirmative.  

10. She asked me if we would ever see each other again but I replied that we would perhaps never. 

II – Interrogative Sentences – Q. Word Type (Question begins with a Q. Word)

Q. change the following sentences into indirect speech.  .

1. He said to me, “Whom does she want to contact?”  

2. They said to her, “Whose house are you purchasing?”  

3. You said to him “Why are you making mischief?”  

4. They said to us, “How have you solved this sum?”  

5. We said to them, “Who has misguided you?”  

6. They said to him, “Where have you been wandering since yesterday?”  

7. She said to me, “Why were you hiding today?”  

8. Raja said to us, “When do you expect to see me again?”  

9. He said to her, “What shall I be offering you with tea?”  

10. We said to them, “When shall we have paid you a visit?” 

1. He asked me whom she wanted to contact.  

2. They asked her whose house she was purchasing.  

3. You asked him why he was making mischief.  

4. They asked us how we had solved that sum.  

5. We asked them who had misguided them.  

6. They asked him where he had been wandering since the previous day.  

7. She asked me why I had been hiding that day.  

8. Raja asked us when we expected to see him again.  

9. He asked her what he would be offering her with tea.

10. We asked them when we would have paid them a visit. 

Miscellaneous Exercises on Interrogative Sentences

I. change the following sentences into indirect speech..

• “What is your name?” asked the teacher. Indirect speech:
• “Where did you go yesterday?” she asked me. Indirect speech:
• “Are you feeling better now?” he asked her. Indirect speech: .
• “Will you come with me?” he asked her. Indirect speech: .
• “Why did you break the vase?” he asked his son. Indirect speech:
• “What are you doing here?” asked John.
• “Have you finished your homework?” the teacher asked.
• “Why did you leave the party so early?” she asked
• “Are you going to the concert tonight?” Tom asked.
• “Where did you put my phone?” asked Sarah.
• The teacher asked me what my name was.
• She asked me where I had gone the previous day.
• He asked her if she was feeling better then
• He asked her if she would go with him
• He asked his son why he had broken the vase.
• John asked what I was doing there.
• The teacher asked if I had finished my homework.
• She asked why I had left the party so early.
• Tom asked if I was going to the concert that night.
• Sarah asked where I had put her phone.

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Case based (factual) unseen passages: practice english grammar for school classes, unseen comprehension passages practice cbse questions: grammar for schools, subject verb concord – english grammar for cbse & icse schools, analytical paragraph writing english grammar cbse class 9 & 10, this post has 5 comments.

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Cool…!!

Hi Safa, we have added a few more questions. You can also see and attempt them.

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Indirect Question

What is an indirect question.

• Do you like cheese?

Indirect question in a statement:

• She asked if I liked cheese .

Indirect question in an order:

• Please ask me if I like cheese .

Indirect question in a question:

• Did she ask if I liked cheese ?

Table of Contents

Easy Examples of Indirect Questions

Real-life examples of indirect questions, word order of an indirect question, indirect questions are noun clauses, why indirect questions are important.

• I wonder whether Anne is happy .
• Do you know if anyone was listening ?
• Please find out what time the train is due .
• I wonder whether other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult . (Comedian Rita Rudner)
• Does anyone know if Lamborghini makes wheelchair vehicles? (American footballer Steve Gleason, who is battling Lou Gehrig's disease)
• In order to know what he is , a man must first know what the sum of this mysterious humanity is , a humanity made up of people who, like himself, do not understand what they are . (Russian author Leo Tolstoy)
• I'm asking what the time is .
• I'm asking where you are going .
• I don't know who my grandfather was ; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be . (American president Abraham Lincoln)

(Issue 1) Don't use a question mark with a non-question.

(Issue 2) Use "whether" unless you're presenting a condition.

• I'm asking if you are cold .
• I'm asking whether you are cold .
• Tell the staff if you need a seat .
• Tell the staff whether you need a seat .

(Issue 3) Get the word order right.

• Where are you?
• You are there.
• An indirect question does not warrant a question mark. Only a direct question does.
• Bear in mind that "if" and "whether" are not always interchangeable. "If" heads a condition. "Whether" doesn't.
• The word order of an indirect question is the same word order as a statement ( subject-verb ) not a question ( verb-subject ).

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Indirect Questions

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• 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?

Word of the Day

make ends meet

to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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Transformation of Sentence: Direct & Indirect Speech

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

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

List of Reporting verbs and linkers (list 1)

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

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

Narration change of Assertive sentence

Narration change of interrogative sentence, narration change of imperative sentence, narration change of optative sentence, narration change of exclamatory sentence, narration change of vocatives, narration change of question tag.

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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.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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Indirect Speech: Formula and Rules

• July 3, 2021

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

Remember to read How to learn English with audiobooks for FREE

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

What are Direct and Indirect speech?

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

• Direct Speech
• Indirect (Reported) Speech

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

Indirect Speech = Reported Speech

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

John says: I’m a good boy.

To tell what John said, we will say:

We say: John said, “I’m a good boy.”

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

We say: John said he was a good boy.

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

I am a good boy.

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

John said he was a good boy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quotation marks and comma

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

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

Jessica says , “I’m from the future.”

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

Personal and possessive pronouns

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

Direct Speech : He says, “ I couldn’t stay” Indirect Speech : He said that he couldn’t stay. Direct Speech : Tom says, “ I am deeply disturbed” Indirect Speech : Tom said that he was deeply disturbed.

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

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

Adverbs in direct speech

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

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

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

Take a look at an example:

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

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

Now look at another example:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said he found it on the island. He thought he was better than me. He knew he could call you anytime.

Prepositional object

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

Incorrect : to tell Correct : tell

This means:

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

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

Modal verbs

For modals, we use several important rules.

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

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

Let’s talk about modals in more detail.

Modal verb must

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

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

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

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

The past form of Modal verbs in indirect speech

Can and could..

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

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

May and might.

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

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

Must and had to.

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

Modal verbs that do not change in indirect speech

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

• must (if the verb must means an obligation or command)

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

Let’s take a closer look at these verbs:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exceptions to the rules

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

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

He said ( that ) he thought you seemed depressed. He said ( that ) there was no need. He said ( that ) he had many friends.

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

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

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

• If in direct speech we use verbs such as:

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

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

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

• If indirect speech begins with the verb say or tell which is used in the form:
• Present Simple
• Present Perfect
• Future Simple

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

She says, “I cook deliciously.” She says that she cooks deliciously. He says, “I have a new smartphone.” He says that he has a new smartphone. She will say, “I didn’t know it.” He will say (that) he didn’t know it.

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

He says, “After winter comes spring.” He said that after winter comes spring. She says, “Lions don’t hunt camels.” She said that lions don’t hunt camels.

• If in direct speech we use tenses:
• Past Continuous
• Past Perfect
• Past Perfect Continuous

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

He says, “I had fixed my car.” He said he had fixed his car. He says, “I was skiing .” He said he was skiing . He says, “I had been all alone for a very long time”. He said that he had been all alone for a very long time.

Interrogative (question) sentences in indirect speech

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special questions in indirect speech

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

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

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

In the question part, we use direct word order.

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

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

Imperative sentences in indirect speech

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

• Orders in indirect speech look like this:

He said, “ Go now!” He said to go then. She says, “ Carry my bag” She asked to carry her bag.

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

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

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

let’s (let us)

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

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

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

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

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

• We can strengthen the request or order in indirect speech if we add verbs such as:
• to recommend
• to urge etc.

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

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

not + infinitive

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

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

For this, we use a noun or a pronoun.

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

Present and future tense in indirect speech

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

He says, “I have two brothers” He says that he had two brothers She says, “I do this every time” She says that he did that every day. He says, “I write books” He says that he wrote books. She says, “I am reading” She said that she was reading. He says, “I can swim” He said that he could swim. He says, “I will help you” He said that he would help me.

Past tense in indirect speech

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

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

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

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

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

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Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules

We often convey a message or give information about what someone said, thought or felt to somebody else. In order to do this you can use the grammar structure named direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech. Indeed this structure can be a source of confusion for ESL learners because they mix it with active and passive voice . Read the whole article to know about direct and indirect speech rules.

To learn more about direct and indirect speech click here.

Initially we will look at direct and indirect speech, then look at how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

Direct Speech / Quoted Speech Saying or quoting exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech) Here what a person says appears within quotation marks (“…”) a nd should be word for word.

• She said, “Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.” or
• “Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.”, she said.

Indirect Speech / Reported Speech Saying or reporting what someone said without quoting his exact words is called indirect speech. Here we don’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and does not have to be word for word.

• He said that yesterday’s lesson was about direct and indirect speech.

Reporting Verb The verb in the first part of sentence (i.e. say, said, tell, admit, complain, explain remind, reply think, hope, offer, refuse etc.) before the statement of a person in sentence is called reporting verb.

How to Change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech?

Rule 1. (Adverbs of Time and Place)

If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting, and adverb of nearness should be put into those of distance.

• Today   =>  y esterday/ that day
• This evening   =>  t hat evening
• These (days)   =>   those (days)
• Now   =>   then
• (A week) ago   => (a week) before
• Last weekend   => the previous weekend
• Here   =>   there
• Here after   =>  there after
• Next (week)   => the following (week)/ a week after
• Tomorrow   => the next/following day
• Thus   => so
• Last night   => the previous night
• Yesterday   => the day before / the previous day
• Hither   => thither
• Hence   => thence

Note: If something is said and reported at the same time, then the time expression can remain the  same.

• He told me today, “ I will go to Karachi tomorrow.”
• He told me today he would go to Karachi tomorrow.
• She told me this week, “ we gave our exam last week.”
• She told me this week, they had given their exam last wee.

Rule 2. Tenses

A) If the reporting verb is in present or future (i.e say, says or will say) then don’t change the tense that you can find within the quotation marks.

• He says,”I was a fool then.”
• He says that he was a fool then.
• I will say, “ He loves his mom.”
• I will say that he loves his mom.

B) If reporting verb is in the past tense. the tense of the verbs in the reported speech or indirect speech must be generally changed. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

• He said,”I am going to the cinema.”
• He said he was going to the cinema.

Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense. Present Simple  › Past simple

• She said, ”it is cold,”   
• She said it was cold.

Present continuous › Past continuous 

• She said, “I’m teaching Math online.”
• She said she was teaching Math online.

Present perfect › Past perfect 

• She said, “I’ve lived in Pakistan since 1999.” 
• She said she had lived in Pakistan since 1999.

Present perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous 

• She said, “I’ve been teaching English for seven years.” 
• She said she had been teaching English for seven years.

Past simple › Past perfect 

• She said, “I taught active and passive yesterday.”
• She said she had taught active and passive yesterday.

Past continuous › Past perfect continuous

• She said, “I was teaching the lesson.”  
• She said she had been teaching the lesson.

Past perfect › Past perfect 

• She said, “The lesson had already started when he arrived.”
• NO CHANGE – She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.

Past perfect continuous  › Past perfect continuous 

• She said, “I’d already been teaching for five minutes.”
• NO CHANGE – She said she’d already been teaching for five minutes.

Modal verb forms also sometimes change: Will › would 

• She said, “I’ll teach English online tomorrow.”
• She said she would teach English online tomorrow.

Can › could 

• She said, “I can teach English online.” 
• She said she could teach English online.

Must ›  had to 

• She said, “I must have a computer to teach English online.”
• She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.

Shall › › should/ would

• She said, “What shall we learn today?” 
• She asked what we should learn today.
• He said, ”I shall appreciate it.”
• He said he would appreciate it.

May › might 

• She said, “May I open a new browser?” 
• She asked if she might open a new browser.

Note – There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.

• “I might go to the cinema”, he said.
• He said he might go to the cinema.

Rule 3. (After wish, would rather, had better , it is time)

• Ali said, ”I wish they were in Pakistan.”
• Ali said he wished they were in Pakistan.
• Hussain said, “ I would rather fly.”
• Hussain said he would rather fly.
• Zahra said, ” they had better go.”
• Zahra said they had better go.
• Ahmed said, “It is time I got up.”
• Ahmed said it was time he got up.

If indirect speech the words within quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action or when a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true then the tense inside the quotation marks is not changed at all.

• He said,”My name is Ali.”
• He said his name was Ali Or He said his name is Ali.
• The teacher said,” the sun rises in the east.”
• The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
• Shazia said, “ I am thirsty.” 
• Shazia said she is thirsty.

You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.

• She said,”next week’s lesson is on reported speech.”
• She said next week’s lesson will be on reported speech.

Rule 6. (Pronouns)

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence.

• Ali said, “ We are the best players.”
• Ali said they were the best players.

Note: Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing consider the examples below:

• Mohammad said, “He killed them.”
• Mohammad said that the man had killed them.

(If we only make mechanical changes, then the new sentence can have different meaning)

• Mohammad said he had killed them. (Mohammad himself killed them)

Rule 7. Reported Speech In If-Clauses.

• Hussain: “If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy.”
• Hussain said that if he tidied his room, his dad would be happy.
• Teacher: “If you concentrate, you will learn about direct and indirect speech.”
• Teacher said if we concentrate we would learn about direct and indirect speech.

Rule 8. Reported Speech of Time-Clauses.

• Ali: “When I was staying in Quetta I met my best friend.” –
• He said that when he was staying in Quetta he met his best friend.

Rule 9. Reported Speech of Interrogative Sentences  1.  Remove the quotation marks and question mark in the interrogative sentence. 2.  Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ if the sentence inside the quotation marks begins with a helping verb (Auxiliary verb). 3.  Use the given interrogative word (what, when, where, why, who, whom, whose, which, now etc.) if it does not begin with the helping verb. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Changing the reporting verb (say, said) into ‘ask, want to know wonder or inquire’ in its correct tense. 6. Omit helping verb like ‘do, does, did’. But don’t omit them when they are with ‘not’.

• Said I to my teacher,” won’t you help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules?”
• I asked my teacher if he would not help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules.
• “ How often do you go to the cinema?” Ali said to Ahmed,
• Ali asked Ahmed how often he went to the cinema.
• “Where have you been?” he said. 
• He asked me where I had been.
• “What time did it start?” he said. 
• He wanted to know what time it had started.
• “Why won’t he do it?” she said.
• She wondered why he wouldn’t do it.

Rule 10. Reported Speech of Yes/ No Questions

In yes/no questions we use if or whether in questions. If is more common and whether is more formal.

• “Will you go?” she asked me.
• She asked me if/whether I would go.
• “Did he buy a car?” she said.
•  She wondered if/whether he had bought a car.

Rule 11. Reported Speech of Commands and Requests 

1. Remove the quotation mark in an Imperative sentence. 2. Use ‘to’ if it is an affirmative sentence. (without don‘t) 3. Use ‘not to’ if the sentence begins without Don‘t. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Omit the word ‘please’. Use the word ‘request’ instead of ‘say’. 6. If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. in its correct tense. 7. The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object + infinitive (advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc.).

• “Get up!” he said.
•   He warned me to get up.
• “Please, revise for the test,” he said.
•  He  requested me to revise for the test.
• “Bring me a cup of tea” said Zahra to Sara.
• Zahrs asked Sara to bring her a cup of tea.

Negative: + object + not + infinitive.

• “Don’t hesitate,” he said.
• He persuaded me not to hesitate.
• “Don’t smoke,” the doctor warned my father.
• The doctor warned my father not to smoke.

Rule 12. Reported Speech of Advice If it contains advice the reporting verb changes into advised.

• “Put on your coat,” I said.
• I advised him to put on his coat.

Rule 13. Reported Speech of Exclamatory Sentences

1. Change the exclamatory sentence into statement or assertive 2. Remove the quotation marks and exclamatory mark. 3. Use the conjunction ‘that’ 4. Omit the interjections such as Oh, O, Alas, how, what, hurrah. 5. Add the word ‘very’ to the adjective or adverb if necessary. 6. If the verb is not given, use ‘Be’ form verb (is, was, are, were, am) in its correct tense according to the subject. 7. Change the reporting verb (say, said) to ‘exclaim joyfully’ 8. Use ‘exclaim’ sorrowfully for sorrowful incidents.

• She said ,” Wow, What a beautiful car that is!”
• She exclaimed joyfully that was a verb beautiful car.
• He said,” Alas! I have missed the paper.”
• He exclaimed sorrowfully that he had missed the paper.

Rule 14. Use of ‘That’ in Reported Speech

In reported speech, the word that is often used, however it is optional. We recommend you no to use it because in some cases we don’t use ‘That’ in reported speech like: question, command request and order, so its better not to use it.

• He told me that he lived in Hazara Town.
• He told me he lived in Hazara Town.

Rule 15. Punctuation in Direct Speech

In direct speech, various punctuation conventions are used to separate the quoted words from the rest of the text: this allows a reader to follow what’s going on. Here are the basic rules: A) We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (“) are preferred in American English, while single quotes (‘) are more common in British English:

• “I’m coming home late tonight,” she said. (American English)
• ‘I’m coming home late tonight,’ she said. (British English)

B) Every time a new speakers says something, you should start a new paragraph:

• “They think it’s a more respectable job,” said Ali.
• “I don’t agree,” I replied.

C) There should be a comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of a piece of speech. This is placed inside the closing inverted comma or commas.

• He asked, “ Can I go outside?”
• She shouted, “ Sit down!”
• We said, “ They are wrong.”

D) If the direct speech is broken up by information about who is speaking, you need a comma (or a question mark or exclamation mark) to end the first piece of speech and a full stop or another comma before the second piece (before the inverted comma or commas):

• “You’re right,” he said. “It feels strange.”
• “Thinking back,” she said, “he didn’t expect to win.”
• “No!” he cried. “You can’t leave now!”

Conclusion: I hope that the points that I have mentioned above about direct and indirect speech may prove beneficial for people learning English. All you need to do is to understand the crucial rules of direct and indirect speech, and don’t mix it with passive and active voice. 

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.

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The use of so, too, either, and neither, the most advanced use of gerund and infinitive, past gerund, 20 comments.

hello! I’m Abdullah and I want to ask a question related to indirect and direct speech.what would be the indirect sentence of this this speech: “I fell fed up” says trevor

Hello dear Abdullah. When the reporting verb (He says)is in simple present tense, then we don’t go one tense back,so the statement won’t be changed in this case and remains the same in reported speech.

Helo ,,pls let me know about one thing…if there is no object in reporting speech and “you” is used in reporting speech ,,in which pronoun v have to change “you”,,???

Tashakkur, bisyar malumati bud 🙂

You are welcome dear Raza.

This article is beneficial…thnkxx

You are welcome.

Very helpful thank you soooo muchhhh

I want a clarification for the following sentence. “Would you post this letter when you go out?”she said. She asked if I would post that letter when I go out . OR She asked if I would post that letter when I went out.

Change the narration. 1.’I must leave at once’ I said,’because i must not be late’ 2 .Tariq said the police could not prove that the man had been murdered .

very helpful understanding direct and indirect speech thank you very soooooo muuuuccccchhhh

You are welcome Mr. Moueez

Thank you . It’s really helpful

Welcome dear.

Useful article thank you.

Hope it is useful and informative.

Tomorrow is my English exam and this page is very helpful

Thank you Rahema. We always try to help people enhance their skills in four models: Listening, Speaking, Reading and writing.

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Rules For Direct And Indirect Speech With Examples And Exercises

English grammar has always remained trickier yet interesting to be learned. It is expected that to learn the English language, one must be able to form sentences or learn the other parts of its speech. In the IELTS examination, even 25% of marks are allotted for GRA (Grammatical Range and Accuracy) . So here we come up with another topic of grammar by adding into the collection of some previous grammar topics.

In today’s article, the topic of direct and indirect speech will be discussed in an elaborative way and its rules, examples, along with some exercises will be given.

What is Direct and Indirect Speech?

▶️ direct speech.

The kind of speech where the message of the sender is reported in the exact same words by the receiver of the message. It is also quoted in the quotation marks.

For example:- He said, “I can cook food.”

▶️ Indirect Speech

A kind of speech where the message of the reporter is reported in some other words but of the same meaning. Here, the message is not quoted in speech marks.

For example:- He said that he could cook food.

I. Rules as per Modal Verb Change

• They said, “ We may go to Canada.”

They said that they might go to Canada.

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

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

• Michael said, “I ought to avoid junk food.”

Michael said that he ought to avoid junk food.

II. Rules as per Tense Change

• Direct- John said,” I walk.” (simple present)

Indirect- John said that he walked. (Simple past)

• Direct- Mr. Brown said, “My daughter has left for school.” (present perfect)

Indirect- Mr. Brown said that his daughter had left for school. (Past perfect)

• Direct- They told, “we were living in Paris.” (past continuous)

Indirect- They told that they had been living in Paris. (Past perfect continuous tense)

• Direct- Michael told, “he will be watering the plants .” (Future continuous)

Indirect- Michael told that he would be watering the plants. (Conditional continuous)

III. Rules as per Place & Time Change

• She said, “ I saw him today.”

She said that she had seen him that day.

• He said, “I will see him tomorrow.”

He said that he would see him the next day.

IV. Rules as per Pronouns Change

• He said, “I like your new car.”

He told her that he liked her new car.

• He said, “I write a letter.”

He said that he wrote a letter.

V. Direct and Indirect Speech for Interrogative Sentences

1. The conjunction ‘that' is not used in the indirect speech of interrogation sentences.

2. In Indirect sentence of interrogation, the answer is written in positive or assertive form, rather than the question form, and hence, the sentence ends with..

3. Inverted commas are removed in indirect speech.

4. Use verbs such as, ‘ask', ‘inquire' instead of say or tell.

Examples :-

• Jackson said, “ what is John doing?”

Jackson asked that what John was doing.

• Esha said, “ will she come for lunch?”

Esha asked if she would come for lunch.

• He said to me, “do you like coffee?”

He asked me if I liked coffee.

• They said to me, “how is the weather?”

They asked me how the weather was.

VI. Indirect Speech for Exclamatory Sentences

An Exclamatory sentence is a type of sentence that expresses some joy, sorrow, excitement, or any other kind of emotion. Here are some rules for the indirect speech of exclamatory sentences.

· The imperative sentences expresses advice, request or order. So in order to convert it in indirect, some words need to be added like Requested, advised, suggested, ordered, forbade etc.

• The old man said to him, “always speak the truth.”

The old man advised him to always speak the truth.

• He said to me, “please make some tea for me.”

He requested me to make some tea for him.

• There are exclamatory sentences that express joy or wonder so some words like exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with wonder, exclaimed with sorrow will be added.
• She said, “hurrah! I passed the exam.”
• She exclaimed with joy that she had passed the exam.
• She said, oh! I lost my purse.”
• She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her purse.

Take care of the small details of grammar and you will surely be perfect within some time with lots of practice. Hoping that above rules and examples of direct and indirect speech would work well for your practice. Keep working hard.

Best of luck!

Exercises for Competitive Exams

A. direct to indirect speech.

1. Ram said to me, “I am going to Jaipur.”

2. Mohan said to her, “you have completed your work.”

3. Maya said to him, “you can do this work.”

4. “If you don’t keep quiet, I shall shoot you”, she said to him in a calm voice.

5. He said to his father, “please increase my pocket-money.”

6. The boy said, “who dare call you a thief?”

7. She said to him, “why don’t you go today?”

8. Kanwal said, “what a beautiful rainbow it is.”

1. Ram told me that he was going to Jaipur.

2. Mohan told her that she had completed her work.

3. Maya told him that he could do this work.

4. She warned her calmly that she would shoot him if he didn’t keep quiet.

5. He requested his father to increase his pocket money.

6. The boy enquired who dared call him a thief.

7. She asked him why he didn’t go that day.

8. Kanwal exclaimed with wonder that the rainbow was very beautiful.

B. Indirect Speech to Direct Speech

1. She said that her brother was getting married.

2. She exclaimed with sorrow that was a very miserable plight.

3. Dhruv said that he was sick and tired of working in this company.

4. She exclaimed with joy that India had won the Sahara cup.

5. Nita ordered her servant to bring her a cup of tea.

6. She begged me not to go away.

7. She told her that she knew where was everyone.

8. John told me that when he went there, it was raining.

1. She said, “my brother is getting married.”

2. She said, “what a miserable plight it is.”

3. Dhruv said, “I am sick and tired of working in this company.”

4. She said, “hurrah! India has won the Sahara cup.”

5. Nita said to her servant, “Bring me a cup of tea.”

6. “Please don’t go away" , she said.

7. She said to her, “ I know where is everyone.”

8. John said to me, “when you came here, it was raining.”

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Changing an Interrogative Sentence into the Indirect Speech

There are two main kinds of interrogative sentences. Those which start with an auxiliary verb and those which start with a question word such as what, why, when, where, how etc.

The following changes occur when an interrogative sentence in the direct speech is changed to the indirect speech.

Interrogative sentences beginning with an auxiliary verb are changed into the indirect speech by using the connective if or whether.

The reporting verb said (or any other word used as the reporting verb) changes to asked, queried, questioned, demanded of or enquired of in the indirect speech. Note that of is used after enquired and demanded only when the reporting verb has an object.

The most common reporting verbs used to report a question are asked and enquired of . The reporting verb queried is somewhat investigative. Demanded of is the strongest of all reporting verbs mentioned above. It is used when an explanation is desired.

Note that the indirect narration is always in the assertive form. In other words, the interrogative sentences in the direct speech will change into assertive sentences in the indirect speech.

Study the following examples carefully to understand the rules mentioned above.

Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you coming with us?’ Indirect: She asked me if I was going with them. OR She asked them if I was coming with them. Direct: She said to me, ‘Are you unwell?’ Indirect: She asked me if I was unwell. Direct: She said to him, ‘ Am I to wait for you till eternity?’ Indirect: She enquired of him if she was to wait for him till eternity. Direct: I said to him, ‘Were you present at the meeting yesterday?’ Indirect: I asked him whether he had been present at the meeting the day before (or the previous day). Direct: The woman asked the stranger, ‘Should I help you?’ Indirect: The woman asked the stranger whether she should help him.

Note that the auxiliary verbs should, could, would, ought to and might do not change in the indirect speech.

Direct: I said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Indirect: I asked him who he was. Direct: The mother said to the daughter, ‘Do you know where John is?’ Indirect: The mother asked the daughter whether she knew where John was. Direct: ‘Have you anything to say on behalf of the accused?,’ said the judge to the lawyer. Indirect: The judge enquired of the lawyer if he had anything to say on behalf of the accused.

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19 Direct and Indirect Speech Rules Examples (Updated 2025)

Have you ever struggled with the rules of direct and indirect speech? You’re not alone. These forms of speech can be challenging, but mastering them is crucial for clear and effective communication, especially for school students, ESL learners, and those preparing for competitive exams.

Understanding direct and indirect speech conversion rules is crucial for clear and accurate communication and the conversion between direct and indirect speech will significantly enhance your language skills.

This informative article will explore these Direct and Indirect Speech Rules for Conversion with detailed examples.

Understanding Direct Speech

Direct speech is a form of reporting that presents someone’s exact words without any alterations. It is commonly enclosed in quotation marks, allowing readers to see the speaker’s statements precisely as they were uttered.

1. Key Elements of Direct Speech

a . Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are your best friends here. They compress the exact words spoken by a person.

b. Punctuation Placement

Punctuation is crucial. Commas , periods , question marks , and exclamation points all have their specific places within the quotation marks.

c. Speaker Tags

Speaker tags like “he said” or “she exclaimed” are often used to indicate who is speaking. These can be placed before , after , or even in the middle of the quoted speech.

2. E xamples of Direct Speech

a. Basic Examples

Consider this simple example:

• Ritu said, “I am going to the store.”

Here, the exact words of Ritu are presented within quotation marks.

b. Complex Examples

Now, let’s add more complexity:

• “I can’t believe it,” she whispered, “but I saw a unicorn in the garden.”

Notice how the sentence is split into two parts, but both are still within quotation marks.

For a better understanding of Direct Narration

“I shall not go to school,” are the exact words of Riya, enclosed in quotation marks/inverted commas (“….”). This format, which uses commas and quotation marks/inverted commas, is called direct speech . In this sentence, ‘Riya’ is the subject or speaker, ‘says’ is the reporting verb, and ‘I shall not go to school’ is the reported speech.

Understanding Indirect Speech

Indirect speech , on the other hand, involves paraphrasing someone’s words and reporting them indirectly, without using quotation marks. It requires a few changes in structure, such as tense and pronoun shifts. Let’s convert the previous example of direct speech into indirect speech:

1. Key Elements of Indirect Speech

a. Removing Quotation Marks

Unlike direct speech, indirect speech doesn’t require quotation marks. You’re paraphrasing what was said.

b. Changing Pronouns

Pronouns often need to be changed to fit the new context. For instance, “I” becomes “he” or “she.”

c. Adjusting Tenses

Tenses usually shift back when converting to indirect speech. Present tense often turns into past tense.

d. Modifying Time Expressions

Time expressions like “today” or “tomorrow” also change to maintain the timeline consistency.

2. Examples of Indirect Speech

Basic Examples

Here’s a simple conversion:

• Direct: John said, “I am going to the store.”
• Indirect: John said that he was going to the store.

Complex Examples

For a more complex sentence:

• Direct: “I can’t believe it,” she whispered, “but I saw a unicorn in the garden.”
• Indirect: She whispered that she couldn’t believe it but that she had seen a unicorn in the garden.

For a clear concept of Indirect Narration

Similarly, we can report the above sentence without quoting Riya’s exact words while keeping the meaning the same. This format is called indirect speech. In this format, no commas or quotation marks/inverted commas are used; only a full stop (.) is used at the end of the sentence.

Difference between direct and indirect speech rules

The following comparison highlights the key differences between direct and indirect speech rules, including punctuation, tense changes, and adjustments to pronouns and time references.

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Direct and Indirect Speech Rules: Essential for Learners

Discover the essential rules of direct and indirect speech with a variety of examples to improve your language skills. Effortlessly understand the intricacies of converting statements, questions, and commands from one form to another.

Understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication, for learners. Here, we have outlined the essential rules you need to know.

A. Reporting Verbs Rules B. Tenses Rules C. Pronouns Rules D. Punctuation Marks Rules E. Modals and Conditional Rules F. Modifying Words Rules

A. Direct and Indirect Speech Rules for Reporting Verbs

Different reporting verbs are used to introduce indirect speech. The choice of reporting verb can convey the speaker’s attitude towards the reported speech.

Changes in reporting verbs according to tense are one of the most important rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech.

Remember: If the reporting verbs are in the present or future tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech is not changed .

Remember: If the reporting verbs are in the past tense , the tense of the verb in the reported speech will be in the corresponding past tense.

Here are some commonly used reporting verbs:

Rule 1: Reporting verbs rules for ‘ Say ‘ and ‘ Tell ‘.

“Say” and “tell” are two frequently used reporting verbs. “Say” is generally followed by the reported speech, while “tell” is followed by the indirect object (the person being addressed).

Direct: He says , “I am your friend.” Indirect: He says that he is your friend.

Direct: He said to me, “I’m going to the store.” Indirect: She told me that he was going to the store.

Reporting verbs ‘Say’ and ‘Tell’ Chart

Rule 2: ‘ Ask ‘ and ‘ Inquire’ are used as reporting verbs.

When reporting questions , “ ask “ and “ inquire “ are commonly employed reporting verbs.

Direct: He said to me, “Where are you going?” Indirect: He asked where I was going.

Direct: She said , “When will the concert start?” Indirect: She inquired, “When will the concert start?”

Direct: Sarah said , “What time does the movie start?” Indirect: Sarah asked what time the movie started.

Direct: “Could you please provide more details?” she said to me. Indirect: She inquired politely if I could provide more details.

Direct: The customer said , “Do you have this item in stock?” Indirect: The customer i nquired if that item had in stock.

Rule 3: Reporting Verb rules for “ Request “, “ Advise “, “ Order “, and “ Beg “.

To report imperative sentences, “Request”, “Advise”, “Order”, and “beg” are often used.

Direct: “Please close the door,” she said . Indirect: She requested that the door be closed.

Direct: “You should study regularly,” he said. Indirect: He advised that regular studying should be done.

Direct: “Stand up straight,” the sergeant said . Indirect: The sergeant ordered that they stand up straight.

Direct: He said to me, “Go home at once” Indirect: He ordered me to go home at once.

Direct: She said , “Do not run in the sun” Indirect: She advised not to run in the sun.”

Direct: “Please forgive me,” she said. Indirect: She begged for forgiveness.

B. Tenses Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

The second most important rule is the changes of Tenses for converting direct speech to indirect speech. When transforming direct speech into indirect speech, there are specific rules to follow regarding tense changes:

Rule 4: If the reporting verb is in the present tense ,

If the Reporting Verb is in the Present Tense , there is no change in the tense in the Reported Verb when Direct Speech is converted into Indirect Narration.

Direct: Arnab says , “The room is dark.” Indirect: Arnab says that the room is dark.

Direct: Arnab says , “The room was dark.” Indirect: Arnab says that the room was dark.

Direct: Arnab says , “I shall finish the work.” Indirect: Arnab says that he will finish the work.

Direct: Mary says , “I am going to the party.” Indirect: Mary says that she is going to the party.

Direct: He tells us, “I will finish the project by tomorrow.” Indirect: He tells us that he will finish the project by tomorrow.

Rule 5: If the reporting verb is in the future tense ,

If the Reporting Verb is in the Future Tense , there is no change in the tense in the Reported Verb when Direct Speech is converted into Indirect Narration.

Direct: Sarah will say , “I am going to the store.” Indirect: Sarah will say that she is going to the store.

Direct: John will say, “I have completed the assignment.” Indirect: John will say that he has completed the assignment.

Direct: Arnab will say, “The room is dark.” Indirect: Arnab will say that the room is dark.

Direct: Arnab will say , “The room was dark.” Indirect: Arnab will say that the room was dark.

Direct: Arnab will say, “I shall finish the work.” Indirect: Arnab will say that he will finish the work.

Rule 6: If the reporting verb is in the past tense ,

If the Reporting verb of the Direct Narration is in the Past Tense , the Present Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech of Direct Narration is changed into the corresponding Past Tense in Indirect Narration .

Direct: Rohan said , “She works hard.” Indirect: Rohan said that she worked hard.

Direct: Rohan said, “She is singing a song.” Indirect: Rohan said that she was singing a song.

Direct: The guest said shouting, “We have arrived .” Indirect: The guest shouted that they had arrived.

Direct: My sister said , “It has been raining hard for 3 days”. Indirect: My sister said that it had been raining hard for 3 days.

Direct: Father said, “I visited the Taj yesterday.” Indirect: Father said that he had visited the Taj the previous day.

Direct: The boys said, “They were traveling in the park.” Indirect: The boys said that they had been traveling in the park.

Direct: The reporters commented , “The Kohinoor had been lost long ago”. Indirect: The reporters commented that the Kohinoor had been lost long ago.

Direct: Jyotsna said, “ She had been doing the work for 3 hours”. Indirect: Jyotsna said that she had been doing the work for 3 hours.

Rule: 7 If the reported speech implies Universal Truth or Habitual Fact or Scientific Truth ,

The Tense of the Verb remains unchanged in Indirect Narration in cases of General Statements of Facts , Universal Truths , Commonplace Occurrences , and Habitual or Repeated Actions . No real change occurs in these cases. Only there will be present Tense alone.

Direct: The boy said to his mother, “ The sun rises in the East”. Indirect: The boy told his mother that the sun rises in the East. [ Universal Truth ]

Direct: The monk answered , “ Man is mortal”. Indirect: The monk answered that man is mortal. [ Universal Truth ]

Direct: The teacher told the students, “ Perseverance always leads to success.” Indirect: The teacher told the students that perseverance always leads to success.

3. Direct and Indirect Speech R ules for Pronouns

There are certain rules to follow regarding the changes of pronouns from direct speech to indirect speech:

Rule 8: Personal Pronouns (I, We, You, He, She, They) Rules

First person.

(a) If the subject of the reported speech of direct form is in the first person, the subject of the reported speech will be replaced by the subject of the reporting verb in indirect form, but the number must be the same. [ singular > singular and plural > plural ]

Direct: She says, “ I am ill today.” Indirect: She says that she is ill that day.

Second Person

(b) If the subject of the reported speech in the Direct Form is in the second person, the subject of the reported speech will be replaced by the object of the reporting verb in the indirect form, but the number must be the same. [ singular > singular and plural > plural ]

Direct: He says to me , ” You can do this work.” Indirect: He tells me that I can do that work.

Third Person

(c) If the subject of the reported speech of Direct Form is in the third person, there will be no change in the person of the Indirect Form.

Direct: I said, “ He will not wait for his friend.” Indirect: I said that he would not wait for his friend.

Pronouns Chart : direct and indirect speech rules

Rule 9: Demonstrative Pronouns ( This, That ) Rules

In the case of demonstrative pronouns, replace them with appropriate pronouns in indirect speech.

Direct: “ This is my book,” she said. Indirect: She said that this was her book.

4. Direct and Indirect Speech ( Punctuation and Quotation Marks ) Rules

Understanding how to punctuate and use quotation marks correctly is crucial when dealing with direct and indirect speech. Here are some guidelines:

Rule 10: Comma with Reporting Verb Rules

When introducing indirect speech with a reporting verb, use a comma to separate the reporting verb from the reported speech.

Example: She said, “I’ll be there on time.”

Rule 11: Question Mark to Full Stop Rules

If the direct speech is a question, change the question mark to a full stop when converting to indirect speech.

Direct: He asked, “Are you coming to the party?” Indirect: He asked if I was coming to the party.

Rule 12: Exclamation Mark to Full Stop Rules

In cases where the direct speech has an exclamation mark, replace it with a full stop in indirect speech.

Direct: She exclaimed, “What a beautiful day!” Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.

E. Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Rules : Modals and Conditional Sentences

Indirect speech involving modals and conditional sentences requires careful attention to maintain accuracy:

Rule 13: Rules of Modals in Indirect Speech

When dealing with modals like can, could, will, would, may, might, shall, should, must, etc., use the appropriate past form in indirect speech.

Direct: She said, “You should respect your elders. Indirect: She said that I should respect my elders.

Direct: She said, “I can speak French fluently. Indirect: She said that she could speak French fluently.

Direct: May I borrow your pen?” she asked. Indirect: She asked if she might borrow my pen.

Direct: He said, “You must complete the assignment by tomorrow. Indirect: He said that I must complete the assignment by the next day.

Rule 14: Conditional Sentences in Indirect Speech Rules

In indirect speech, conditional sentences undergo specific changes, especially when they involve “will” or “would.”

Direct: He said, “I will help you.” Indirect: He said that he would help me.

Direct: He said, “I will help you with your project Indirect: He said that he would help me with my project.

F. Direct and Indirect Speech Rules: ( Modifying Words – Time, Place, Manner )

Adding modifying words or phrases can alter the meaning of the reported speech:

Rule 15: Reporting with Adverbs of Time

When using adverbs of time in indirect speech, adjust them to match the new timeframe.

Direct: “I will come tomorrow,” she said. Indirect: She said that she would come the next day.

Rule 16: Reporting with Adverbs of Place

Similar to adverbs of time, adverbs of place need modification in indirect speech. 

Direct: ” I live here,” he said. Indirect: He said that he lived there.

Rule 17: Reporting with Adverbs of Manner

We can also use Adverbs of manner in indirect speech, requiring appropriate adjustments.

Direct: “He ran quickly,” she said. Indirect: She said that he ran quickly.

Time, Place, Manner, Distance, Direction Chart: Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

In Indirect Narration, words denoting Time, Place, Manner, Distance, and Direction used in the quoted speech are correspondingly changed to conform to the point of view of the Reporter. Thus, the sense of nearness is changed into that of Distance, and so on.

Place Chart

Manner Chart

Distance Chart

Direction Chart

Direct and Indirect Speech Advanced Rules

It is necessary to know about the Direct Indirect Speech Advanced Rules to change the mode of narration from direct to indirect speech of different sentences. All five sentences of Direct Indirect Speech Conversion Rules are shown with proper examples below.

A. Assertive Sentence Conversion Rules

To convert Assertive sentences into indirect speech the following rules are applied.

(a) No comma and Inverted comma in Indirect Speech, only full stop at the end. (b) Reporting Verbs changed from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech ; ‘say – say’, ‘says – says’, ‘said – said’, ‘said to – told’, ‘say to – tell’, ‘says to – tells’. (c) Connective ‘that’ added before Reported Speech in indirect Narration.

Direct: He said to me, “I am ill.” Indirect: He told me that he was ill.

Direct: Mary said, “I am happy with my results.” Indirect: Mary said that she was happy with her results.

Direct: Tom said, “I will attend the meeting tomorrow.” Indirect: Tom said that he would attend the meeting the next day.

Direct: Alice said, “I have finished my homework.” Indirect: Alice said that she had finished her homework.

Direct: David said, “We are planning a trip to the mountains.” Indirect: David said that they were planning a trip to the mountains.

B. Interrogative sentences Conversion rules

Forming indirect speech with questions necessitates some adjustments:

a. Reporting Yes/No Questions rules

When reporting yes/no questions, use “if” or “whether” and invert the subject and auxiliary verb in indirect speech.

Direct: John asked, “Are you coming to the party?” Indirect: John asked if I was coming to the party.

Direct: Sarah asked, “Do you like chocolate?” Indirect: Sarah asked if I liked chocolate.

Direct: Mike asked, “Have you finished your project?” Indirect: Mike asked if I had finished my project.

Direct: Emma asked, “Will you help me with my homework?” Indirect: Emma asked if I would help her with her homework.

Direct: “Will you be there?” he asked. Indirect: He asked if I would be there.

b. Reporting Wh-Questions rules

For reporting wh-questions, maintain the question word and adjust the word order in indirect speech.

(a) ‘Tell’ and ‘say’ in Direct Narration are changed to ‘ask’, ‘enquire of’, ‘question’, ‘want to know’ etc. in Indirect Narration. (b) In place of introductory ‘that’. ‘if’ or ‘whether’ should be used. (c) In Indirect Narration a full stop (.) must be put in place of a question mark(?) at the end of the sentence. (d) In Direct Narration the Reported Speech begins with W-word or how, in Indirect Narration the same Wh-word or how is retained.

Direct: Lisa asked, “Where are you going?” Indirect: Lisa asked where I was going.

Direct: Mark asked, “What time does the movie start?” Indirect: Mark asked what time the movie started.

Direct: Jennifer asked, “Why did you leave early?” Indirect: Jennifer asked why I had left early.

Direct: Tom asked, “How do you solve this problem?” Indirect: Tom asked how I solved that problem.

Direct: “Where are you going?” she asked. Indirect: She asked where I was going.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Why are you late?” Indirect: The teacher asked me why I was late.

C. Imperative Sentences Conversion rules

The indirect speech also involves reporting imperatives, which are commands, requests, or advice:

Reporting Commands

When reporting commands, use the reporting verb “tell” and change the imperative verb to the corresponding infinitive.

Direct: The teacher said, “Open your books.” Indirect: The teacher told the students to open their books.

Reporting Requests

For reporting requests, employ the reporting verb “ask” and convert the imperative verb to the corresponding infinitive.

Direct: She said, “Please help me with this.” Indirect: She asked for help with that.

(a) Reporting verbs of Direct Speech changed into order or command, advise, or request according to sense in Indirect Speech. (b) ‘To’ is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration; for the negative imperative sentence ‘not to’ is used. (c) ‘not to’ can also be replaced by ‘forbid’, or ‘prohibit’. (d) ‘Let’ implies ‘suggestion’ or ‘proposal’; Reporting verb will be ‘suggest’ or ‘propose’ in Indirect Speech. ‘that’ is used before Reported speech in Indirect Narration (e) ‘Let’ without ‘suggestion’ or ‘proposal’; Reporting verb will be ‘tell’, or ‘wish’ according to sense in Indirect Speech. ‘that’ is used before Reported speech in Indirect Narration.

Direct: Mother said to me, “Don’t run in the sun.” Indirect: Mother advised me not to run in the sun.

Direct: She said to me, “Let us go for a picnic.” Indirect: She suggested that we should go for a picnic.

D. Optative Sentence Conversion rules

The following rules are used to change an optative sentence from direct speech to indirect speech

(a) Reporting verbs changed to ‘ wish ’, ‘ pray’ , and ‘ bless ’ in Indirect Speech. (b) Linker, ‘ that ’ is placed before Reported speech in Indirect Narration.

Direct: The monk said to me, “ May God bless you.” Indirect: The monk wished that God might bless me.

E. Exclamatory Sentences Conversion rules

(a) The reporting verb is changed into exclaim (in joy), exclaim (in grief), cried out (in sorrow), pray, wish, etc. (b) Examinations are turned into statements. (c) Interjections (Alas, Oh, Hurrah) are omitted. (d) ‘What’, and ‘How’ used in exclamation should be replaced by great, great, very, very much, and big.

Direct: The boys said, “Hurrah! we have won the match.” Indirect: The boy exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.

Solved Exercises Direct and Indirect Speech

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

Q: Ratan said to Anita, “I don’t like your brother”.

Ans: Ratan told Anita that she did not like her brother.

Q: The hermit said to the boys, “God is present everywhere.”

Ans: The hermit told the boys that God is present everywhere.

Q: :He said to you, “You shouldn’t play in my garden.”

Ans: He told you that you should not play in his garden.

Q: The class teacher said to the students. “The inspector will visit our school today.”

Ans: The class teacher told the students that the inspector would visit their school that day.

Q: He said to me, “I don’t believe you.”

Ans: He told me that he didn’t believe me.

Q: She said to her son, “I’ve often told you not to play with fire.”

Ans: She told her son that she had often told him not to play with fire.

Q: Sitesh said to Lina, “I want you to go to Patna with me.”

Ans: Sitesh told Lina that he wanted her to go to Patna with him.

Q: “We can’t be quite happy in life,” he said.

Ans: He said that they couldn’t be quite happy in life.

Q: He said, “The Muslims bury their dead.”

He said that the Muslims bury their dead.

Q: “You’ve overcooked the steak again, Mary”, he said.

Ans: He told Mary that she had overcooked the steak again.

Q: Ramen said to Bina, “I’m going to your house this, week.”

Ans: Ramen told Bina that he was going to her house that week.

Q: He said, “We will discuss this tomorrow.”

Ans: He said that they would discuss that the next day

Turn the following sentences into direct speech.

Q: He said to me, “You are wicked; so I shall not mix with you.”

Ans: He told me that I was wicked; so he would not mix with me.

Q: He said to you, “I was much struck by your eloquence.”

Ans: He told you that he had been much struck by your eloquence.

Q: We remarked, “God is gracious.”

Ans: We remarked that God is gracious.

Q: I said to my mother, “I shall always obey you.”

Ans: I told my mother that I should always obey her.

Q: He said to Gopal, “You were a mere boy when I saw you last.”

Ans: He told Gopal that he was a mere boy when he had seen him last.

Q: I said to him, “The sky is blue.”

Ans: I told him that the sky is blue.

Q: He said to me, “You will feel the consequences.”

Ans: He told me that I should feel the consequences.

Q: She said to you, “I am not angry with you.”

Ans: She told you that she was not angry with you.

Q: I said to them, “You have done wrong.”

Ans: I told them that they had done wrong.

Q: He said, “I visit the temple every day.”

Ans: He said that he visited the temple every day.

Direct and Indirect Speech Sample MCQ Questions Answers

Fill in the blanks with proper direct and indirect speech rules.

• d) had been
• Answer: a) was
• c) will like
• d) had liked
• Answer: a) liked
• a) will visit
• b) would visit
• d) had visited
• Answer: b) would visit
• Answer: c) was
• c) will have
• Answer: b) had
• Answer: b) could
• a) revolves
• c) revolved
• d) is revolving
• Answer: a) revolves
• b) had been
• Answer: b) had been
• Answer: b) would

FAQs : Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

Q : what is the key difference between direct and indirect speech.

Ans: The main difference lies in the quoting style. Direct speech involves repeating someone’s exact words, while indirect speech reports what was said without quoting verbatim.

FAQ 2: Is it always necessary to backshift the tense in indirect speech?

Ans: While backshifting is common, some exceptions exist, especially in cases where the statement’s truth remains constant.

FAQ 3: How do I handle multiple speakers in indirect speech?

Ans: When reporting multiple speakers, use appropriate reporting verbs and introduce each person’s dialogue in a logical sequence.

FAQ 4: Can I mix direct and indirect speech in the same sentence?

Ans: Combining direct and indirect speech in a sentence is possible, but it requires precision to avoid confusion.

FAQ 5: What are some reporting verbs commonly used in indirect speech?

Ans: Reporting verbs like “said,” “told,” “asked,” “claimed,” and “explained” are frequently employed.

FAQ 6: How can I ensure my writing maintains a natural flow when switching between direct and indirect speech?

Ans: Focus on maintaining consistency in style and verb tense to ensure a smooth transition between direct and indirect speech.

FAQ 7: How do I identify direct and indirect speech in a sentence?

Ans: Direct speech is usually enclosed within quotation marks and directly quotes someone’s words. Indirect speech, on the other hand, reports those words without quotation marks, often using reporting verbs like “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc.

FAQ 8: Can reporting verbs change the meaning of indirect speech?

Ans: Yes, the choice of reporting verbs can convey the speaker’s attitude or emotions towards the reported speech. Different reporting verbs can modify the meaning slightly.

FAQ 9: What are the common reporting verbs for indirect speech?

Ans: Common reporting verbs for indirect speech include “say,” “tell,” “ask,” “inquire,” “explain,” “describe,” and more.

FAQ 10: How do I change tenses in indirect speech?

Ans: The tense in indirect speech is generally shifted back one step. For example, present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, and so on.

FAQ 11: Is it essential to use quotation marks in indirect speech?

Ans: No, quotation marks are not used in indirect speech as they report the speech without directly quoting it.

FAQ 12: Can you give an example of indirect speech in narratives?

Ans: Certainly! In the story, he said, “I love you,” to which she replied that she loved him too.

FAQ 14: Can we omit the reporting verb in indirect speech?

Ans: It is possible to omit the reporting verb in some cases, especially in informal contexts, but including it adds clarity and structure to the reported speech.

FAQ 15: Do all tenses change in indirect speech?

Ans: Most tenses change in indirect speech, but the changes depend on the context and the tense of the original statement.

FAQ 16: Can you provide more examples of direct and indirect speech transformations?

Ans: Certainly! Here are a few more examples:

Direct: “I am reading a book,” she said. Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.

Direct: “We have completed the project,” they exclaimed. Indirect: They exclaimed that they had completed the project.

FAQ 17: How can I practice using direct and indirect speech effectively?

Ans: Practice by converting direct speech to indirect speech and vice versa using various reporting verbs, tenses, and pronouns. Additionally, read books or articles and identify the reported speech used by the authors.

Related Posts:

• Government Exam Articles

Rules For Direct And Indirect Speech For English Language

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

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

What is Direct & Indirect Speech?

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

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

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

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

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

Direct And Indirect Speech Rules PDF:- Download PDF Here

Direct And Indirect Speech Rules

Rules for converting Direct into Indirect speech

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

Rule 1 – Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

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

Direct to indirect speech example: 

Direct: She said , ‘I am happy’.

Indirect: She said (that) she was happy.

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

Direct to indirect speech example:

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

Indirect: He said that we cannot live without air. 

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

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

Indirect: She says/will say she is going.

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

• Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect.

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

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

• Present Continuous Changes to Past Continuous

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

Indirect: She explained that she was playing the guitar.

• Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect

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

Indirect: He said that she had finished her homework.

• Simple Present Changes to Simple Past

Direct: “I am unwell”, she said.

Indirect: She said that she was unwell.

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

• Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect

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

Indirect: She said that Irvin had arrived on Sunday.

• Past Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous

Direct to indirect speech example

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

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

• Future Changes to Present Conditional

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

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

• Future Continuous Changes to Conditional Continuous

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect: The boy enquired where I lived.

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

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

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

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

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

Indirect: He asked me what I was wearing.

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

• English Root Words
• Most asked English Vocabulary Words

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

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

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

Check the examples:

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

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

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

Rule 6 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Pronoun

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

Direct speech to indirect speech examples-

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

Indirect: He says that he was in class Twelfth.

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

Direct speech to indirect speech examples –

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

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

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

Direct: He says, “She dances well.”

Indirect: He says that she dances well.

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

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

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

Indirect: She requested her to complete it.

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

Indirect: Hamid ordered Ramid to sit down.

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

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

Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

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

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

Rule 8 – Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Punctuations

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

Example: She said, “I am the best.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video – Direct & Indirect Speech in English Grammar

Rules of converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech

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

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

Direct-Indirect Speech – Sample Questions For the English Language

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

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

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

She said,’ I have baked a cake’

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

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

Q.2. Choose the correct sentence. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q.5. The man said, ‘Ah! I am ruined.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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• Reported Speech /

Reported Speech Interrogative: Rules, Examples & Exercise

• Updated on  
• Mar 11, 2024

Reported Speech Interrogative : Imagine a scenario where you’re in a formal setting, addressing a respected individual. Instead of asking, “Can you please pass the salt?” ie, (Direct Speech), you could say, “I wondered if you could kindly pass me the salt.” (Indirect Speech). This is one of the many instances of Reported Speech Interrogative and how it changes the tone of your question. However, there are certain rules you would need to master to attain this subtle shift of tone and convey your request without losing the decorum of the situation. 

Therefore, without any further ado, delve deeper into this blog on Reported Speech Interrogative and learn in detail about its rules, skim through its examples and exercises. So that, you can attain a greater height of the mountain called English Grammar . 

This Blog Includes:

Yes/no questions, wh-questions, examples of reported speech interrogative, reported speech interrogative exercise for practise, rules for reported speech interrogative.

When it comes to changing a Direct Speech to an Indirect Reported Speech Interrogative, you cannot skip following these essential rules:

Replace the reporting verb “said/told” with an appropriate interrogative verb.   

• Common interrogative verbs include “asked,” “enquired,” “wondered,” “wanted to know,” and “inquired.”
• The choice of verb depends on the context and the speaker’s tone.
• For example, “asked” is a neutral verb, while “wondered” suggests curiosity or uncertainty.

Remove the question mark (?) from the direct interrogative and add a full stop (.) in the reported sentence.  

Place modal verbs like “could,” “might,” “should,” and “would” instead of “can,” “may,” “should,” and “will” in indirect speech.

Use appropriate phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” “I suppose,” and “I wonder” to express uncertainty in indirect speech.

Use “if/whether” to introduce indirect/yes/no questions.  

• When reporting questions begin with “ who ,” “ what ,” “ when ,” “ where ,” “ why ,” or “ how ,” use “ if ” or “ whether ” to introduce the indirect question.
• If: Use “if” for questions that seek information or express uncertainty.
• Whether: Use “whether” for questions that seek a choice or confirmation.

Convert the direct interrogative sentence (Wh-question) into a statement structure.

• Direct interrogative sentences have a subject-verb-object order.
• The sentence structure is changed to a statement form when converting to reported speech.
• The subject and verb tense remain the same, but the interrogative tone is removed.

Here are some more examples of Reported Speech Interrogative you can take a look at before practising the exercises:

Direct : I said to him, “Where are you going?” Indirect : Tasked him where he was going.

Direct : He said to me, “Will you go there?” Indirect : He asked me if I would go there.

Direct : My friend said to Deepak, “Have you ever been to Agra?” Indirect : My friend asked Deepak if he had ever been to Agra.

Also Check: 50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Now the time comes to finally analyse your learning of Reported Speech Interrogative with us so far. Take your time to solve these exercises and check how many you got right from the answers below. 

Q1. Convert the following direct interrogative sentences into reported speech using the correct reporting verbs.

• “Have you already seen the new movie?”
• “Could you tell me the way to the nearest post office?”
• “Do you think it’s going to rain tonight?”
• “Can you please help me carry this heavy bag?”
• “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
• “When will the train arrive at the station?”
• “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be late?”
• “What time does the store close today?”
• “Would you mind passing me the salt?”
•  “Do you think you could lend me your car for the weekend?”

Q2. Convert the following reported speech interrogative sentences into direct speech .

• She asked if I had finished my homework.
• He inquired if I could help him with his computer problem.
• She wondered if I knew the answer to the question.
• He asked if I was interested in going to the movies with him.
• She asked if I could give her a ride to the airport.
• He enquired if I had heard the latest news about the election.
• She wondered if I had any plans for the weekend.
• He asked if I thought it would be a good idea to go out for dinner.
• She asked if I could lend her her favourite book.
• He enquired if I could give him some feedback on his new song.

 Answer Key 1:

• Reported Speech: She asked if I had already seen the new movie.
• Reported Speech: He enquired if I could tell him the way to the nearest post office.
• Reported Speech: She wondered if it was going to rain that night.
• Reported Speech: He asked if I could help him carry that heavy bag.
• Reported Speech: She asked if I was sure I knew what I was doing.
• Reported Speech: He enquired when the train would arrive at the station.
• Reported Speech: She asked why I hadn’t told her I was going to be late.
• Reported Speech: He asked what time the store closed that day.
• Reported Speech: She asked if she could pass me the salt.
• Reported Speech: He asked if I thought he could lend him my car for the weekend.

Answer Key 2:

• Direct Speech: “Have you finished your homework?”
• Direct Speech: “Could you help me with my computer problem?”
• Direct Speech: “Do you know the answer to the question?”
• Direct Speech: “Are you interested in going to the movies with me?”
• Direct Speech: “Could you give me a ride to the airport?”
• Direct Speech: “Have you heard the latest news about the election?”
• Direct Speech: “Do you have any plans for the weekend?”
• Direct Speech: “Do you think it would be a good idea to go out for dinner?”
• Direct Speech: “Could you lend me your favourite book?”
• Direct Speech: “Could you give me some feedback on my new song?”

Explore More on Reported Speech

Explore More Blogs on Tenses

Interrogative journalism is a form where the main focus is on asking questions and seeking answers.

Reported Speech is when we tell someone what the other person said. Example: ‘I work in a bank, said James’ (Direct Speech) James said that he worked in a bank. (Indirect Speech)

Reported Speech is also known as Indirect speech.

This was all about the Reported Speech Interrogative rules and more. Hope you understand the concept and where it’s used. You can also follow Leverage Edu for more exciting and informative blogs.

Harshita is a creative writer cum literature enthusiast in pursuit to extend her learnings of overseas and Indian education sectors to the masses, through her well-curated articles. You may also find her emerging in prose writing or reading Toni Morrison when not writing stuff related to education.

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Direct and indirect speech exercises PDF

• English grammar PDF
• PDF worksheets
• Mixed PDF tests
• Present tenses
• Past tenses
• Future tenses
• Present perfect
• Past perfect
• Future perfect
• Irregular verbs
• Modal verbs
• If-conditional
• Passive voice
• Reported speech
• Time clauses
• Relative clauses
• Indirect questions
• Question tags
• Imperative sentence
• Gerund and infinitive
• Direct | indirect object

Direct and indirect speech

• Online exercises
• Grammar rules PDF

English grammar books PDF

PDF book 1: English grammar exercises PDF

PDF book 2: English grammar rules PDF

Direct and indirect speech exercises

Reported speech exercises PDF

• Learn how to change tenses, pronouns, expressions of time and place in the reported speech.

Reported questions + commands exercises PDF

• Practise the difference between the direct and indirect speech in questions, commands and requests.

Online exercises with answers:

Direct - indirect speech exercise 1 Rewrite sentences in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 2 Report a short dialogue in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 3 Find and correct mistakes in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 4 Choose correct answers in a multiple choice test.

Indirect - direct speech exercise 5 Rewrite sentences from the reported speech to direct speech.

Reported questions, commands and requests:

Reported questions exercise 6 Change the reported questions and orders into direct questions and orders.

Reported questions exercise 7 Change direct questions into reported questions.

Reported commands exercise 8 Make reported commands and requests.

Grammar rules PDF:

Reported speech rules PDF Changes of tenses, pronouns, time and place in reported statements, questions and commands.

English grammar PDF All PDF rules with examples on e-grammar.org.

Direct + indirect speech

See also: Reported questions + commands

The direct and indirect speech are used to say what other people said, thought or felt. "I like it," he said. - He said that he liked it. "Dan will come," she hoped. - She hoped Dan would come.

The reported (indirect) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. in the past tense. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at the seaside.

If these verbs are in the past tense, we change the following: a) verb tenses and verb forms b) pronouns c) the adverbs of time and place

A) Verb tenses

We change the tenses in the following way:

• Present - past "I never understand you," she told me. - She told me she never understood me. "We are doing exercises," he explained. - He explained that they were doing exercises.
• Present perfect - past perfect "I have broken the window," he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window. "I have been waiting since the morning," he complained. - He complained that he had been waiting since the morning.
• Past - past perfect "She went to Rome," I thought. - I thought that she had gone to Rome. "He was thinking of buying a new car," she said. - She said he had been thinking of buying a new car.
• Will - conditional Will changes into the conditional. I will come on Sunday," he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on Sunday.

As you can see, both the past tense and the present perfect change into the past perfect.

Notes 1. I shall, we shall usually become would . "I shall appreciate it," he said. - He said he would appreciate it. 2. I should, we should usually change into would . "We should be really glad," she told us. - She told us they would be really glad. 3. May becomes might . "I may write to him," she promised. - She promised that she might write to him.

The verb forms remain the same in the following cases:

• If we use the past perfect tense. Eva: "I had never seen him." - Eva claimed that she had never seen him.
• If the reporting verb is in the present tense. Bill: "I am enjoying my holiday." - Bill says he is enjoying his holiday. Sandy: "I will never go to work." - Sandy says she will never go to work.
• When we report something that is still true. Dan: "Asia is the largest continent." - Dan said Asia is the largest continent. Emma: "People in Africa are starving." - Emma said people in Africa are starving.
• When a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true. Michael: "I am thirsty." - Michael said he is thirsty.
• With modal verbs would, might, could, should, ought to, used to. George: "I would try it." - George said he would try it. Mimi: "I might come." - Mimi said she might come. Steve: "I could fail." - Steve said he could fail. Linda: "He should/ought to stay in bed." - Linda said he should/ought to stay in bed. Mel: "I used to have a car." - Mel said he used to have a car.
• After wish, would rather, had better, it is time. Margo: "I wish they were in Greece." - Margo said she wished they were in Greece. Matt: "I would rather fly." - Matt said he would rather fly. Betty: "They had better go." - Betty said they had better go. Paul: "It is time I got up." - Paul said it was time he got up.
• In if-clauses. Martha: "If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy." - Martha said that if she tidied her room, her dad would be happy.
• In time clauses. Joe: "When I was staying in Madrid I met my best friend." - He said that when he was staying in Madrid he met his best friend.
• We do not change the past tense in spoken English if it is clear from the situation when the action happened. "She did it on Sunday," I said. - I said she did it on Sunday. We must change it, however, in the following sentence, otherwise it will not be clear whether we are talking about the present or past feelings. "I hated her," he said. - He said he had hated her.
• We do not usually change the modal verbs must and needn't . But must can become had to or would have to and needn't can become didn't have to or wouldn't have to if we want to express an obligation. Would/wouldn't have to are used to talk about future obligations. "I must wash up." - He said he must wash up/he had to wash up. "I needn't be at school today." - He said he needn't be/didn't have to be at school that day. "We must do it in June." - He said they would have to do it in June. If the modal verb must does not express obligation, we do not change it. "We must relax for a while." (suggestion) - He said they must relax for a while. "You must be tired after such a trip." (certainty) - He said we must be tired after such a trip.

B) Pronouns

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence. "We are the best students," he said. - He said they were the best students. "They called us," he said. - He said they had called them. "I like your jeans," she said. - She said she liked my jeans. "I can lend you my car," he said. - He said he could lend me his car.

Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing. "He killed them," Kevin said. - Kevin said that the man had killed them. If we only make mechanical changes (Kevin said he had killed them) , the new sentence can have a different meaning - Kevin himself killed them.

This and these are usually substituted. "They will finish it this year," he said. - He said they would finish it that year. "I brought you this book," she said. - She said she had brought me the book. "We want these flowers," they said. - They said they wanted the flowers.

C) Time and place

Let's suppose that we talked to our friend Mary on Friday. And she said: "Greg came yesterday."  It means that Greg came on Thursday. If we report Mary's sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following: Mary: "Greg came yesterday." - Mary said that Greg had come the day before. If we say: Mary said Greg had come yesterday , it is not correct, because it means that he came on Saturday.

The time expressions change as follows. now - then, today - that day, tomorrow - the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time, yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday - two days before, next week/month - the following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago - a year before/the previous year

Bill: "She will leave tomorrow." - Bill said she would leave the next day. Sam: "She arrived last week." - Sam said she had arrived the previous week. Julie: "He moved a year ago." - Julie said he had moved a year before.

Note If something is said and reported at the same time, the time expressions can remain the same. "I will go on holiday tomorrow," he told me today. - He told me today he would go on holiday tomorrow. "We painted the hall last weekend," she told me this week. - She told me this week they had painted the hall last weekend. On the other hand, if something is reported later, the time expressions are different in the indirect speech. Last week Jim said: "I'm playing next week." If we say his sentence a week later, we will say: Jim said he was playing this week.

Here usually becomes there . But sometimes we make different adjustments. At school: "I'll be here at 10 o'clock," he said. - He said he would be there at 10 o'clock. In Baker Street: "We'll meet here." - He said they would meet in Baker Street.

• All PDF exercises and grammar rules from this website.