DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Suppose your teacher told you that you needed a new dictionary. You want to convey this to your
father. You can do it in either of these two ways.

Father, my teacher said to me, “You need a new dictionary.”

Father, my teacher told me that I needed a new dictionary.

In the first example, you have repeated the exact words of your teacher. They are put within
quotation marks or inverted commas. This method of quoting someone is called direct speech or
narration.

In the second example, you have put in your own words. This method of quoting someone is called
indirect speech or reported speech.

The word that introduces the reported speech is called the reporting verb.
For example: My teacher said to me,”You need a new dictionary.” In this sentence, ‘You need a new
dictionary’ are the exact words of the teacher and that is reported speech. ‘said’ is the reporting
verb.

SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER

Direct speech:
• The direct speech is always enclosed within inverted commas.
• The first word of the direct speech begins with a capital letter.
• The direct speech is separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
Example: Jyoti said, “Mother is going for a walk.”
Indirect speech:
• No inverted commas are used.
• No comma is used to separate the reported speech from the rest of the sentence.
• A conjunction if necessary is used to join the reported speech with the rest of the sentence.
Example: Jyoti said that mother was going for a walk.
• Tenses, pronouns and words that denote time and position undergo certain changes.
For example Manjit said, “I am sad today.”
Manjit said that she was sad that day.

Some important rules for the change of tense in Direct and Indirect Speech

1. If the reporting verb is in a present tense or future tense, the tense of the verbs in the
reported speech remains unchanged.
Direct: The teacher says, “The examinations will begin on Monday.” (says – simple present tense)
Indirect: The teacher says that the examinations will begin on Monday.(will begin – no change)
Direct: My father will say, “Books have become very costly.”(simple future tense)
Indirect: My father will say that books have become very costly.(have become – no change)
2. If the reporting very is in a past tense, the tenses in the reported speech are changed to
past tense.
Direct: He said, “Suresh goes for a walk daily.” (said – past tense)
Indirect: He said that Suresh went for a walk daily. (goes changed to went)

3. Shall changes to should, will changes to would may changes to might

can changes to could

4. Exception to rule 2. If the reported speech expresses a universal truth or a habitual fact
(any habit of any person) its tense remains unchanged.
Direct: The teacher said, “Karan is very sincere in his work.” (Karan’s habit)
Indirect: The teacher said that Karan is very sincere in his work. (‘is’ does not change to ‘was’)
Direct: The teacher said, “The earth revolves around the sun.”
Indirect: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.

5. Exception to rule 2. The reported speech describes a situation which still exists at the time of
reporting.
The station master said, “All the trains are running late as heavy rains have damaged some tracks.
The station master said that all the trains are running late as heavy rains have damaged some
tracks.

6. The reported speech contains two clauses both in the past.

Neeraj said to me, “Deepa was busy, so she didn’t go to see the movie.”
Neeraj told me that Deepa was busy, so she didn’t go to see the movie.

NOTE:
When the reporting verb is in past tense:
Simple Present Simple Past
She said, “He goes to school daily” She said that he went to school daily
Present Continuous Past Continuous
He said,” He is listening to music.” He said that he was listening to music
Present Perfect Past Perfect
They said, ”We have not gone to New York.” They said that they had not gone to New York.
Simple Past Past Perfect
John said, ”They went to the cinema.” John said that they had gone to the cinema.
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
She said,” It has been raining for three days.” She said that it had been raining for three days.
Past Simple Past Perfect
He said to me, ”You answered correctly.” He said to me that I had answered correctly.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
They said, “We were enjoying the weather.” The said that they had been enjoying the weather.
Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)
She said, ”I had visited a doctor.” She said that she had visited a doctor.
Simple Future (will ) would
He said,” I will study the book.” He said that he would study the book.
Future continuous (will be) would be
I said to him,” I will be waiting for you.” I told him that I would be waiting for him.
Future perfect (will have) would have
He said, ”I will have finished the work.” He said to me that he would have finished the work.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Here is a list you can refer to while converting from direct speech to reported speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

Here There
now Then
ago Before
Today/tonight That day/that night/same day/same night
yesterday The day before/the previous day
tomorrow The next day/the following day
The day before yesterday The day before the previous day
The day after tomorrow The day after the next day
Last week/year etc The previous week/year
Next week/year etc The following week/year
Is/are/am Was/were
Was/were Had been
Had been No change
Has/have Had
had No change
do Did
did Had done
Will/shall would
May/can Might/could
Would/should/might/could/ought No change
to/used to
must Had to
The reporting verb ‘said’ may be retained as ‘said’ or changed to ‘told’. Some other words that can be
used:
Added admitted answered argued assured complained denied replied
Explained objected pointed out promised remarked reminded demanded
Wondered asked begged commanded encouraged forbade warned
Urged invited reminded wanted to know requested pleaded
exclaimed with sorrow exclaimed with grief wished thanked enquired
NOTE: When the reporting verb is in past tense: (REPORTED SPEECH RULES)
Simple Present Simple Past
She said, “He goes to school daily” She said that he went to school daily
Present Continuous Past Continuous
He said,” He is listening to music.” He said that he was listening to music
Present Perfect Past Perfect
They said, ”We have not gone to New York.” They said that they had not gone to New York.
Simple Past Past Perfect
John said, ”They went to the cinema.” John said that they had gone to the cinema.
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
She said,” It has been raining for three days.” She said that it had been raining for three days.
Past Simple Past Perfect
He said to me, ”You answered correctly.” He said to me that I had answered correctly.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
They said, “We were enjoying the weather.” The said that they had been enjoying the weather.
Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)
She said, ”I had visited a doctor.” She said that she had visited a doctor.
Simple Future (will ) would
He said,” I will study the book.” He said that he would study the book.
Future continuous (will be) would be
I said to him,” I will be waiting for you.” I told him that I would be waiting for him.
Future perfect (will have) would have
He said, ”I will have finished the work.” He said to me that he would have finished the work.

NOTE: When the reporting verb is in past tense: (REPORTED SPEECH RULES)
Simple Present Simple Past
She said, “He goes to school daily” She said that he went to school daily
Present Continuous Past Continuous
He said,” He is listening to music.” He said that he was listening to music
Present Perfect Past Perfect
They said, ”We have not gone to New York.” They said that they had not gone to New York.
Simple Past Past Perfect
John said, ”They went to the cinema.” John said that they had gone to the cinema.
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
She said,” It has been raining for three days.” She said that it had been raining for three days.
Past Simple Past Perfect
He said to me, ”You answered correctly.” He said to me that I had answered correctly.
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
They said, “We were enjoying the weather.” The said that they had been enjoying the weather.
Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)
She said, ”I had visited a doctor.” She said that she had visited a doctor.
Simple Future (will ) would
He said,” I will study the book.” He said that he would study the book.
Future continuous (will be) would be
I said to him,” I will be waiting for you.” I told him that I would be waiting for him.
Future perfect (will have) would have
He said, ”I will have finished the work.” He said to me that he would have finished the work.