What Is Direct Speech?

What Is Indirect Speech?

Direct speech is exactly what it sounds like—text that reports the exact thoughts expressed by a
person in their original form. It is often enclosed in quotation marks so that the reader
understands that the quoted text is the speaker's original narrative.

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech, indirect narration, or indirect discourse. In
grammar, when you report someone else’s statement in your own words without any change in
the meaning of the statement, it is called indirect speech. Look at the following sentences:

Direct speech: she says, “I am a little bit nervous.”

Indirect speech: she says that she is a little bit nervous.
 In the first sentence, the writer conveys the girl's message using her actual words (“I am a
little bit nervous.”).
 In the second sentence, the writer conveys her message but in his own words without
changing the meaning. Thus, direct and indirect speech each reports a person's statement
in different ways.

Now consider the different grammatical aspects of both

 Reporting Speech: The first part of the direct speech is called reporting speech (she says).
 Reported Speech: The second part of the sentence, which is enclosed in inverted commas
or quotation marks, is called reported speech (I am a little bit nervous).
 Reporting Verb: The verb of the reporting speech is called the reporting verb (says).
 Reported Verb: The verb of the reported speech is called the reported verb (am).

The Basic Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Changes in Person of Pronouns:

 First-person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the subject of
the reporting speech.

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  Second-person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the object
of the reporting speech.
 Third-person pronouns in reported speech are not changed.

Changes in Verbs:

 If the reporting speech is in the present or future tense, then it is not required to change
the verb in the reported speech. This verb could be in any tense, i.e., present, past, or
future. For example:
1. Direct speech: He says, “I am ill.”
Indirect speech: He says that he is ill.
2. Direct speech: She says, “She sang a song.”
Indirect speech: She says that she sang a song.
3. Direct speech: You say, “I shall visit London.”
Indirect speech: you say that you will visit London.
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the reported verb will be changed per the
following criterion.

Present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense. For example:

1. Direct speech: They said, “They take a walk every day.”

2. Indirect speech: They said that they took a walk every day.
Present continuous is changed into past continuous tense.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They are taking a walk every day.”
2. Indirect speech: They said that they were taking a walk every day.
Present perfect is changed into the past perfect tense.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They have taken a walk.”

2. Indirect speech: They said that they had taken a walk
Present perfect continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They have been taking a walk since morning.”
2. Indirect speech: They said that they had been taking a walk since morning.

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Past indefinite is changed into past perfect tense.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They took a walk.”

2. Indirect speech: They said that they had taken a walk.
Past continuous tense is changed into past perfect continuous tense.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They were taking a walk.”

2. Indirect speech: They said that they had been taking a walk.
No changes are necessary to change into past perfect and past perfect
continuous tenses.

In future tense, no changes are made except shall and will are changed into
would.

1. Direct speech: They said, “They will take a walk.”

2. Indirect speech: They said that they would take a walk.
How Words Are Used Differently in Direct vs. Indirect Speech

Word in word in Direct speech Indirect speech

direct indirect
speech speech
This That He says, “I want to buy this He says that he wants to buy that book.
book.”
These Those He says, “He want to buy these He says that he wants to buy those books.
books.”
Here There She says, “everybody was She says that everybody was there.
here.”
Now Then They say, “It’s ten o’clock They say that it’s ten o’clock then
now.”
Sir/madam respectfull They said, “ Sir, the time is They said respectfully the time is over
y over.”
Today That day She said, “I am going London She said that she was going London that

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 today.” day.
yesterday The She said, “I visited Oxford She said that she had visited Oxford
previous university yesterday.” university the pervious.
day
Tomorrow The She said, “I am going to She said that she was going to London the
following/ London tomorrow.” following day/ next day.
next day
To night That night She said, “I am going to see him She said that she was going to see that
tonight. night.
Good Greeted She said, “Good morning Sir She greeted respectfully Ahamed.
morning, Ahamed.”
good
evening
Understanding direct and indirect speech in different types of sentences

Assertive Sentences

Sentences that make a statement are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be
positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect narration, use
the rules mentioned above, except said is sometimes replaced with told. Look at the following
examples:

1. Direct speech: She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect speech: She says that she is writing a letter to her brother
2. Direct speech: she says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect speech: She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.
3. Direct speech: She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”
Indirect speech: She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.
Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences give an order or direct command. These sentences may come in the
form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Either a period or exclamation point is used at the end
of the sentence, depending on the forcefulness of the speaker. For example:

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  Shut the door!

 Please shut the door.

 Repair the door by tomorrow!

To convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the
above-mentioned rules.

 The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into order if the sentence
gives a direct command. For example:

A: Direct speech: The teacher said to me, “shut the door.”

B: Indirect speech: The teacher ordered me to shut the door.
 The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into request if the sentence
makes a request. For example:

Direct speech: He said to me, “Shut the door.”

Indirect speech: He requested me to shut the door.
 The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into advice if the sentence
gives a piece of advice. For example:

Direct speech: He said to me, “You should work hard to pass the exam.”
Indirect speech: H e advised me that I should work hard to pass the exam.
 The reporting verb is changed according to reported speech into forbade if the sentence
prevents someone from doing something. For example:

Direct speech: He said to me, “Not to smoke.”

Indirect speech: He forbade me to smoke.
Interrogative Sentences

Sentences that ask questions are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence ends
with a question mark. For example:

 Do you live here?

 Have you ever watched Terminator III?

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  Is it raining?
 To convert interrogative sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along
with the above-mentioned rules:

 The reporting verb said to is changed into asked.

 If the reporting speech has the reporting verb at its start, then if is used in place of
that.

 If the reporting speech has interrogative words like who, when, how, why, when,
then neither if is used nor any other word is added.

 A period is placed at the end of the sentence instead of a question mark.

Examples

Direct speech Indirect speech

I said to her, “when do you do your homework?” I asked her when she did her homework.
We said to him, “Are you ill?” We asked him if he was ill.
You said to me, “Have you read the article?” You asked if I had read the article.
He said to her, “Will you go to the FM radio He asked if she would go to the FM radio
station?” station.
She says, “Who is he?” She says who he is.
Hagos said to me, “Why are you late?” Hagos asked me why I was late.

Exclamatory Sentences

The sentences that express our feelings and emotions are called exclamatory sentences.
Exclamation marks are used at the end of an exclamatory sentence. For example:

 Hurray! We have won the match.

 Alas! He failed the test.
 How beautiful that dog is!
 What a marvelous personality you have!

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To change exclamatory sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the
above-mentioned rules:

 If there is an interjection, i.e., alas, aha , hurray , etc., in the reported speech, then they are
omitted along with the exclamation point.
 The reporting verb, i.e., said, is always replaced with exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with
sorrow, exclaimed joyfully, exclaimed sorrowfully, or exclaimed with great wonder or
sorrow.
 If there is what or how at the beginning of the reported speech, then they are replaced
with very or very great.
 In an indirect sentence, the exclamatory sentence becomes an assertive sentence.

Examples

Direct speech Indirect speech

He said, “Hurray! I have won the match.” He exclaimed with great joy that he had won
the match.
She said, “Alas! My brother failed in the test.” She exclaimed with great sorrow that her
brother had failed the test.
They said, “What is the beautiful house this They exclaimed that that house was very
is!” beautiful.
I said, “how lucky I am!” I said in the great wonder that I was very
lucky.
You said to him, “What a beautiful drama you You said to me in great wonder that he was
writing!” writing a beautiful drama.

Optative Sentences

Optative sentences express a hope, prayer, or wish. Usually, there is an exclamation mark at the
end of an optative sentence. For example:

May you succeed on the test!

May you get well soon!
Would that I were rich!
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To change optative sentences into indirect speech, follow the rules below along with the above-
mentioned rules:

 If the reported speech starts with the word may, then the reporting verb said is
replaced with the word prayed.
 If the reported speech starts with the word would, then the reporting verb said is
replaced with the word wished.
 May is changed to might.
 The exclamation mark is omitted.
 In indirect speech, the optative sentences become assertive sentences.

Examples

Direct speech Indirect speech

He said to me “May you live long!” He prayed that I might live long.
My mother said to me, “May you succeed in My mother prayed that I might succeed in the
the test!” test.
She said, “Would that I were rich!” She wished she had been rich
I said to him, “Would you that you were here I wished he had been there on Sunday.
on Sunday.
Additions to Remarks

The other important category of Tag- questions is the ‘ Additions to Remarks’.

These Remarks are mostly used in conversations. While agreeing or disagreeing with others in
conversation, we do not repeat the entire expression (sentence) the other person says; instead, we
use some Additions to give our opinion of the topic of discussion. And learning some standard
rules will help us to make our Additions relevant to the matter in discussion and clear to the
person(s) we are conversing with. e.g.

Mr. A.: “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

Mr. B.: “Yes, yes. Tom also would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

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In this dialogue what Mr. B. says may not be grammatically wrong, but repeating the others’
expressions may not sound very interesting or wise, particularly when the other person(s) is
sensitive to such things.

Suppose Mr. B. responds in this way…

Mr. A.: “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

Mr. B.: “ Tom would too .” OR “ So would Tom .” listeners will definitely receive this response
well! Some standard ‘additions to remarks’ :

1. Affirmative ( positive) additions to affirmative ( positive) remarks can be made by

“subject + auxiliary (helping) verb + too/also” or “so + auxiliary verb + subject”.

e.g. Remark: George will answer my call. [‘will answer’ – verb – ‘will’ auxiliary verb, ‘answer’
– main verb – positive]

Addition: Kate will too . OR So will Kate.

When there is an auxiliary verb in the first remark, the same is used in the Addition. But
when the expression does not have any auxiliary verb, or if it is a non-anomalous verb, we
must take the help of the ‘anomalous’ verb words “ do/ does; did” depending on the person
and number of the subject and tense of the main verb:

e.g. Remark: Mike is coming.

Addition: So is Jane. OR Jane is too . [‘is’ – anomalous verb – used as auxiliary (helping) verb]
But… Remark: Mike draws pictures well. [‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb]

Addition: So draws Jane. OR Jane draws too . [ wrong] [‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb – simple
present tense — cannot be used ] Therefore…

Addition: So does Jane. OR Jane does too . [correct ]

[‘does’ – anomalous verb — helping verb — simple present tense]

e.g. Remark: Men told lies. [‘told’ – non-anomalous verb – simple past]

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Addition: So did women. OR Women did too. [‘Did’ – anomalous verb – helping verb — simple
past tense]

2. Negative Additions to negative Remarks are made with “neither/nor + auxiliary verb +
subject”.

E.g. Remark: David never goes to see films. [‘goes’ – non-anomalous verb — ‘never’ – adverb
– negative] Addition: Neither does his friend. [‘Neither’ – negative]

E.g. Remark: HANA hasn’t got any spare time. [* ‘HANA’ – 3rd person – singular; “hasn’t” –
verb – singular – present perfect tense – with negative —- ‘has not’ hasn’t]

Addition: Neither have I. OR Nor have I . [** ‘I’ – 1 st person; ‘have’ – verb – positive —– ‘has’
in the Remark is changed to “have” to agree with the subject “I” in the Addition]

e.g. Remark: I didn’t get much sleep last night.

Addition: Neither did I. OR Nor did I.

These negative Additions to negative Remarks can also be made with “subject + negative
auxiliary + either

e.g. Remark: He didn’t like that book.

Addition: She didn’t either .

e.g. Remark: They haven’t made that noise.

Addition: We haven’t either .

3. Affirmative (positive) Additions to negative Remarks are made with “but + subject +
auxiliary (helping) verb”.

e.g. Remark: Jemal hasn’t got a driving license. [subject = Jemal ; ‘hasn’t’ – verb – negative]

Addition: But Lamerot has. [Subject = Lamerot – different subject; ‘has’ – verb – positive]

e.g. Remark & Addition: She doesn’t eat meat, but her husband does.

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 Reported Statements

Change this direct speech into reported speech:

1. “He works in a bank”

She said ___________________________________________________________
2. “We went out last night”
She told me________________________________________________________
3. “I’m coming!”
She said ___________________________________________________________
4. “I was waiting for the bus when he arrived”
She told me ________________________________________________________
5. “ I’d never been there before”
She said ___________________________________________________________
6. “I didn’t go to the party”
She told me ________________________________________________________
7. “Lucy’ll come later”
She said ___________________________________________________________
8. “He hasn’t eaten breakfast”
She told me ________________________________________________________
9. “I can help you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
10. “You should go to bed early”
She told me ________________________________________________________
11. “I don’t like chocolate”
She told me ________________________________________________________
12. “I won’t see you tomorrow”
She said ___________________________________________________________
13. “She’s living in Paris for a few months”
She said ___________________________________________________________
14. “I visited my parents at the weekend”
She told me ________________________________________________________

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 15. “She hasn’t eaten sushi before”
She said ___________________________________________________________
16. “I hadn’t travelled by underground before I came to London”
She said ___________________________________________________________
17. “They would help if they could”
She said ___________________________________________________________
18. “I’ll do the washing-up later”
She told me ________________________________________________________
“He could read when he was three”
19. She said ___________________________________________________________
“I was sleeping when Julie called”
20. She said ___________________________________________________________

Reported Questions

Change these direct questions into reported speech:

1. “Where is he?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
2. “What are you doing?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
3. “Why did you go out last night?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
4. “Who was that beautiful woman?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
5. “How is your mother?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
6. “What are you going to do at the weekend?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
7. “Where will you live after graduation?”
She asked me______________________________________________________
8. “What were you doing when I saw you?”

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 She asked me ______________________________________________________
9. “How was the journey?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
10. “How often do you go to the cinema?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
11. “Do you live in London?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
12. “Did he arrive on time?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
13. “Have you been to Paris?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
14. “Can you help me?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
15. “Are you working tonight?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
16. “Will you come later?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
17. “Do you like coffee?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
18. “Is this the road to the station?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
19. “Did you do your homework?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________
20. “Have you studied reported speech before?”
She asked me ______________________________________________________

Reported Requests and Orders

Change the direct speech into reported speech:

1. “Please help me carry this”

She asked me ______________________________________________________

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2. “Please come early”
She ______________________________________________________________
3. “Please buy some milk”
She ______________________________________________________________
4. “Could you please open the window?”
She ______________________________________________________________
5. “Could you bring the book tonight?”
She ______________________________________________________________
6. “Can you help me with my homework, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7. “Would you bring me a cup of coffee, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
8. “Would you mind passing the salt?”
She ______________________________________________________________
9. “Would you mind lending me a pencil?”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “I was wondering if you could possibly tell me the time?”
She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Do your homework!”
She told me ________________________________________________________
12. “Go to bed!”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Don’t be late!”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Don’t smoke!”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “Tidy your room!”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Wait here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “Don’t do that!”

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 She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Eat your dinner!”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. 19. “Don’t make a mess!”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “Do the washing-up!”
She ________________________________________________________

Mixed Reported Speech 1 (Statements, Questions, Requests and Orders)

Change the direct speech into reported speech. Choose the past simple of
‘ask’, ‘say’ or ‘tell’:

1. “Don’t do it!”
She ______________________________________________________________
2. “I’m leaving tomorrow”
She ______________________________________________________________
3. “Please get me a cup of tea”
She ______________________________________________________________
4. “She got married last year”
She ______________________________________________________________
5. “Be quick!”
She ______________________________________________________________
6. “Could you explain number four, please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
7. “Where do you live?”
She ______________________________________________________________
8. “We went to the cinema and then to a Chinese restaurant”
She __________________________________________________________
9. “I’ll come and help you at twelve”
She ______________________________________________________________
10. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

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 She ______________________________________________________________
11. “Don’t go!”
She ______________________________________________________________
12. “Do you work in London?”
She ______________________________________________________________
13. “Could you tell me where the post office is?”
She ______________________________________________________________
14. “Come here!”
She ______________________________________________________________
15. “I’ve never been to Wales”
She ______________________________________________________________
16. “Have you ever seen ‘Lord of the Rings’?”
She ______________________________________________________________
17. “I don't like mushrooms”
She ______________________________________________________________
18. “Don't be silly!”
She ______________________________________________________________
19. “Would you mind waiting a moment please?”
She ______________________________________________________________
20. “How often do you play sport?”
She ______________________________________________________________

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