English Direct & Indirect

Section VI: Direct & Indirect (Change of Narration)

Direct and Indirect Speech (A.B)

We can report the words of a speaker in two ways:
1. She said, “I am doing my home task now.”
2. She said that she was doing her home task then.
The first way of reporting the speaker’s words is called Direct Speech. While doing this we
have reproduced the exact words of the speaker and put them in inverted commas.
The second way of reporting what the speaker had said is called the Indirect (Reporting)
Speech. While doing this we have made the following changes in the sentences.
1. Conjunction that has been placed before the reported speech. (Indirect statement)
2. Pronoun I had been changed into she.
3. Verb am has been changed into was.
4. Adverb now has been changed into then.
Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect (A.B)

1. When the reporting verb is in the past tense.

A. a present indefinite becomes a past indefinite:

He said, “I am not a thief.” (DIRECT)

He said that he was not a thief. (INDIRECT)
B. a present continuous becomes a past continuous:

She said, “I am working hard.” (DIRECT)

She told that she was working hard. (INDIRECT)
C. a present perfect becomes a past perfect:

He said, “I have returned the books.” (DIRECT)

He said that he had returned the books. (INDIRECT)
D. a past indefinite becomes a past perfect:

She said, “The patient died in the hospital.” (DIRECT)

She said that the patient had died in the hospital. (INDIRECT)

ENGLISH-10 270
English Direct & Indirect
E. Will/Shall changes into would/should:

He said, “She will go there.” (DIRECT)

He said that she would go there. (INDIRECT)

F. Pronouns of the first and the second person change into third person
pronouns. However, if the person addressed reports the speech, second
person change into first. (A.B)

She said, “I do not agree with you.” (DIRECT)

She said that she did not agree with him. (INDIRECT)

He said to the stranger, “I do not recognize you.” (DIRECT)

He told the stranger that he did not recognize him. (INDIRECT)

The teacher said to Mueen, “I have taught you and your sister.” (DIRECT)

The teacher told Mueen that he had taught him and his sister. (INDIRECT)

She said to me, “You are a lazy boy.” (DIRECT)

She told me that I was a lazy boy. (INDIRECT)

G. Words showing nearness change into words showing distance, as given below: (A.B)

Word changes into Word Word Change into Word

this that now then

here there thus so

today that day tomorrow the next day

yesterday the day before last night the night before

ago before

ENGLISH-10 271
English Direct & Indirect
Exercise (Page # 173)

Change the following sentences into the indirect form of speech. (A.B)

Sr. # Sentences (Direct form of speech) Sentences (Indirect form of speech)

1 She said, “I like clouds in the sky.” She said that she liked clouds in the sky.
2 He said, “I am unwell.” He said that he was unwell.
3 He said to her, “I live in this building.” He told her that he lived in that building.
4 They said that their teachers was on
They said, “Our teacher is on leave.”
leave.
5 Arif and Ayesha said to their mother, Arif and Ayesha told their mother that
“We like mangoes.” they liked mangos.
6 She said, “I am helping my mother in the She said that she was helping her mother
kitchen.” in the kitchen.
7 He said, “I am watering the plants in the He said that he was watering the plants in
garden.” the garden.
8 Afshan said, “I am sewing mother’s Afshan said that she was sewing
shirt.” mother’s shirt.
9 He said, “They are not doing their duty He said that they were not doing their
well.” duty well.
10 He said to me, “You are not running very
He told me that I was not running fast.
fast.”
11 They said, “We have done our duty.” They said that they had done their duty.
12 The teacher said to us, “You have not The teacher told us that we had not
completed your drawing.” completed our drawing.
13 She said, “They have not eaten their She said that they had not eaten their
meals.” meals.
14 The teacher said, “I have often told you The teachers said that he had often told
not to play with fire.” me not to play with fire.
15 My brother said to me, “You have missed My brother told me that I had missed the
the point completely.” point completely.
16 He said, “I completed my drawing half an He said that he had completed his
hour ago.” drawing half an hour before.
17 She said, “I did not go to school She said that she had not gone to school
yesterday.” the previous day.
18 He said, “She sang a beautiful ghazal at He said that she had sung a beautiful
the concert last night.” ghazal at the concert the previous night.
19 She said, “He rang me up at twelve She said that he had rung her up at
midnight.” twelve midnight.
20 He said, “The boys did not put up a good He said that the boys had not put up a
show last night.” good show the previous night.
ENGLISH-10 272
English Direct & Indirect
21 She said that she would never do such a
She said, “I shall never do such a thing.”
thing.
22 Afshan said, “They will wait for us for Afshan said that they would wait for
one hour only.” them for an hour only.
23 They said, “We shall never make a They said that they would never make a
promise, we cannot fulfill.” promise they could not fulfill.
24 He said, “I shall explain this to you only He said that he would explain that to me
if you listen to me with patience.” only if I listened to him with patience.
25 He said, “I hope you will not repeat this He said that he hoped I would not repeat
make.” that mistake.
H. In reporting question: (A.B)
a. Beginning with a verb, we place whether or if after the object of the reporting verb; or if
the answer to the question is ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, we use whether or if after the object of the
reporting verb.
b. Begging with an interrogative word like what and why, we do not use any conjunction.
However, the reporting verb is changed to asked, enquired, requested, etc.

Examples (A.B)
He said, “Will you listen to me?” (Direct)
a.
He asked me whether I would listen to him. (Indirect)

She said, “Are you going to Lahore today?” (Direct)

b.
She asked me whether I was going to Lahore that day. (Indirect)

He said, “Do you agree with me?” (Direct)

c.
He asked me whether I agreed with him. (Indirect)

He said to me, “What are you looking for?” (Direct)

d.
She asked me what I was looking for. (Indirect)

She said, “Where do you live?” (Direct)

e.
She enquired of them where they lived. (Indirect)

He said, “How many chapters have you done already?” (Direct)

f.
He enquired of him how many chapters he had done by that time. (Indirect)

ENGLISH-10 273
English Direct & Indirect
Exercise (Page # 174) (A.B)
Change the following sentences into indirect narrations.
Sentences (Indirect form of
Sr. # Sentences (Direct form of speech)
speech)
1 She said, “Is this your book?” She asked me if that was my book.
He said, “Do you have any share in this
2 He said if I had any share in that firm.
firm?”
They said, “Have you ever visited Murree He asked if I had ever visited Murree
3
Hills?” Hills.
4 He said, Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” He asked I was not ashamed of myself.
The teacher said, “Did you do your home The teacher asked if I had done my
5
task yesterday?” homework task the previous day.
The mother said, “Didn’t I ask you not to The mother asked if she had not asked
6
go there?” me not to go there.
Rehana said, “Will you stop interfering in Rehana asked me if I would stop
7
my work?” interfering in her work.
The mother said, “Shall we invite the The mother asked if they would invite
8
Qureshis also?” the Qureshis also.
Adnan said, “Had you left Karachi before Adnan asked if I had left Karachi before
9
writing this letter?” writing that letter.

The judge said, “Have you anything more The judge asked if I had anything more
10
to say?” to say.
11 He said, “What do you want me to do?” He asked what I wanted him to do.
The mother said, “How did you fail in your The mother asked how I had failed in
12
examination?” my examination.
13 Raza said, “Where are you going?” Raza asked where I was going.
14 The teacher said, “Whose book it is?” The teacher asked whose that book was.
The teacher said, “Who is the author of The asked who the author of that book
15
this book?” was.

ENGLISH-10 274
English Direct & Indirect
The stranger said, “Which is the way to The stranger asked me which the way to
16
Shalimar Gardens?” the Shalimar Gardens was.

The manager said, “How do you propose The manager asked me how I proposed
17
to solve this problem?” to solve the problem.
The boy said, “What do you want me to
18 The boy asked what I wanted him to do.
do?”
19 The pupil said, “Where have I eased?” The pupil asked where he had eased.
The teacher said, “Who is next on the The teacher asked who was next on the
20
list?” list .

I. In Imperative sentences the mood of verb is changed into the infinitive and the
reported speech is introduced by some verb expressing command or request i.e.
tell, ask, order, request, beg, appeal, entreat, advise, etc. (A.B)

The referee said, “Quiet, please.” (Direct)

a.
The referee requested the spectators to be quiet. (Indirect)

The teacher said, “Do not make a noise.” (Direct)

b.
The teacher asked the students not to make a noise. (Indirect)

She said to me, “Tell the truth.” (Direct)

c.
She advised me to tell the truth. (Indirect)

She said to me, “Please lend me your camera for a day.” (Direct)
d.
She requested me to lend her my camera for a day. (Indirect)

Roshana said, “Let us finish our work first.” (Direct)

e.
Roshana proposed that we should finish our work first. (Indirect)

ENGLISH-10 275
English Direct & Indirect
Exercise (Page # 175) (A.B)
Change the following into indirect narrations.

Sr. # Sentences (Direct form of speech) Sentences (Indirect form of speech)

1 He said to his sister, “Please say

He requested his sister to say something.
something.”

2 She said to her friends, “Please have She requested her friend to have dinner
dinner with me tomorrow at eight.” with her the next day at eight.
3 The judge ordered to call the next
The judge said, “Call the next witness.”
witness.
4 Farhan said to his uncle, “Please help me Farhan requested his uncle to help him in
in getting some job.” getting some job.

5 The doctor said to the patient, “Take The doctor advised the patience to take
complete rest and follow my direction.” complete rest and follow his direction.

The teacher said to the pupil, “Read the The teacher ordered the pupil to read the
6 paragraph and explain it in simple paragraph and explain it in simple
English.” English.

7 The mother said to her daughter, “Please The mother advised her daughter to tidy
tidy up your room.” up her room.

8 She said to me, “Do not waste your time She advised me not to waste my time in
in idle talk.” idle talk.

9 The father said to his son, “Get up early The father advised his son to get up early
in the morning and go for a walk.” in the morning and go for a walk.

10 Afshan said, “Let us go for a picnic on Afshan suggested that they should go for
Friday.” a picnic on Friday.

11 He said to his friend, “Please lend me He requested his friend to lend him his
your bike for a day.” bike for a day.

12 He said to her, “Please fetch me a glass of He requested his friend to fetch him a
water.” glass of water.

13 The master said to the servant, “Go and The master ordered the servant to go and
fetch me a glass of milk.” fetch him a glass of milk.

14 The father said to his son, “Do not leave The father ordered his son not to leave
this room without my permission.” that room without his permission.

15 She said to them, “Let us not deceive She suggested them that they should not
ourselves.” deceive themselves.

ENGLISH-10 276
English Direct & Indirect
J. In sentences expressing sudden and strong feeling or emotions and wishes, the
reported speech is introduced by some verb expressing exclamation or wish. (A.B)

He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”

a.
He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

He said, “Alas! I am ruined.”

b.
He exclaimed with sorrow that she had been ruined.

He said, “May Allah help me do my duty.”

c.
He prayed that Allah might help him to do his duty.

Exercise (Page # 176) (A.B)

Change the following into the indirect form of narrations.
Sr. # Sentences (Direct form of speech) Sentences (Indirect form of speech)
1 She said to her father, “May you live She prayed that her father might live
long!” long.
2 She said, “May you prosper!” She prayed that I might prosper.

3 The mother said to her daughter, “May The mother prayed for her daughter that
Allah bless you with a son!” God might bless her with a son.
4 She said, “Would that my father were She wished that her father had been
alive!” alive.
5 The mother said to her son, “May you The mother prayed for her son that he
return successful!” might return successful.
6 She exclaimed with wonder that the
She said, “What a beautiful piece of art!”
piece of art was very beautiful.
7 He exclaimed with wonder that she sang
He said, “How well she sings!”
very well.
8 He said, “Alas! We cannot defeat our He exclaimed with sorrow that they
enemies.” could not defeat their enemies.
9 She said, “What a pity you missed that She exclaimed with sorrow that I had
function!” missed that function.

10 He exclaimed with joy that he had won

He said, “Hurrah! I have won the medal.”
the medal.

ENGLISH-10 277
English Direct & Indirect
K. If the reporting verb is in the Present indefinite, Present perfect or Future
indefinite tense the reported speech retains the same tense as used by the
speaker. The Pronouns, however, change as usual. (A.B)
She says, “I hope I am not late.” (Direct)
a.
She says that she hopes she is not late. (Indirect)
He says, “I want to speak to you.” (Direct)
b.
He says that he wants to speak to him. (Indirect)
You have said, “They are waiting outside.” (Direct)
c.
You have told that they have been waiting outside. (Indirect)
You will say, “She is cranky.” (Direct)
d.
You will say that she is cranky. (Indirect)

Exercise (Page # 177) (A.B)

Change the following into the indirect form of narrations.
Sr. # Sentences (Direct form of speech) Sentences (Indirect form of speech)
1 They say, “We have done our duty.” They say that they have done their duty.
2 She says, “We have shifted to another She says that they have shifted to another
house.” house.
3 The teacher will say, “You have done The teacher will say that you would have
your work very well.” done your work very well.
4 He says, “She has written me a very He tells that she has written me a very
encouraging letter.” encouraging letter.
5 She says, “We love and respect our He says that they love and respect their
neighbours very much.” neighbours very much.
6 She has said, “She is ready to accompany She has informed that she is ready to
us to Karachi.” accompany us to Karachi.
7 He says, “I have not heard the latest news He says that he has not heard the latest
about her.” news about her.
8 The doctor says, “The patient is still in a The doctor informs that the patient is still
state of coma.” in the state of coma.

9 The teacher says, “She has always been a The teachers appreciates that she has
good student.” always been a good student.

10 She will say, “He did not come up to my She will exclaim with sorrow that he
expectations.” didn’t come up to her expectations.

ENGLISH-10 278