Direct and Indirect Speech
Learn the rules • Understand the changes • Practise systematically
Riya is talking to her friend.
Direct Speech: Riya said, “I am preparing for my English test.”
These are Riya's exact words. This is called Direct Speech.
Indirect Speech: Riya said that she was preparing for her English test.
This is called Indirect Speech or Reported Speech.
When we report the exact words spoken by a person, we use Direct Speech.
Example: The teacher said, “Complete your homework.”
The exact words of the teacher are placed inside inverted commas (“ ”).
Taking the sentence: The teacher said, “Complete your homework.”
- The teacher said → Reporting clause
- Complete your homework → Reported speech
- “ ” → Inverted commas
When we report what someone said without using their exact words, we use Indirect Speech.
Example: The teacher told us to complete our homework.
The quotation marks are removed and the sentence may undergo changes in pronouns, tense, time words, and sentence structure.
When changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, check these core elements:
| No. | What to Check | What Happens? |
|---|---|---|
| ① | Inverted commas | Remove “ ”. |
| ② | Pronouns | Change them according to the speaker and listener. |
| ③ | Tense | The tense may change when the reporting verb is in the past. |
| ④ | Time and place words | Words such as today, tomorrow, now, here may change. |
| ⑤ | Reporting verb | said, said to, asked etc. may change according to the sentence type. |
| ⑥ | Sentence structure | Questions, commands, requests, and exclamations follow different patterns. |
For ordinary statements, we generally use that to connect the clauses.
Direct: Rohan said, “I am tired.”
Indirect: Rohan said that he was tired.
- Meena said, “I like Science.”
- Rahul said, “I am ready.”
- The teacher said, “The students are working hard.”
- Father said, “I will return soon.”
- Riya said, “I have finished my project.”
Pronouns change according to who is speaking and who is being spoken to.
Direct: Aman said, “I have completed my homework.”
Indirect: Aman said that he had completed his homework.
| Direct Speech | Possible Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| I | he / she |
| we | they |
| my | his / her |
| our | their |
| me | him / her |
| us | them |
| you | I / we / he / she / they |
- Sita said, “I am happy.”
- Mohan said, “I have lost my pen.”
- Riya said, “We are preparing our project.”
- Arjun said, “I will help my brother.”
- The boys said, “We have completed our work.”
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the reported speech generally changes back into the past format.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| Simple Present | Simple Past |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| will | would |
| can | could |
| may | might |
- Simple Present → Simple Past:
Direct: He said, “I play cricket.”
Indirect: He said that he played cricket. - Present Continuous → Past Continuous:
Direct: She said, “I am reading.”
Indirect: She said that she was reading. - Present Perfect → Past Perfect:
Direct: Ravi said, “I have finished the work.”
Indirect: Ravi said that he had finished the work. - Simple Past → Past Perfect:
Direct: She said, “I visited Delhi.”
Indirect: She said that she had visited Delhi.
- The teacher said, “The students work hard.”
- Riya said, “I am studying Mathematics.”
- Mohan said, “I have completed the project.”
- Anu said, “I visited the museum.”
- Father said, “I will help you.”
A statement expressing a universal truth, scientific fact, or habitual action normally does not change its tense, even when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
Direct: The teacher said, “The Earth revolves around the Sun.”
Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
❌ Incorrect: The teacher said that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
When the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the tense of the reported speech remains unchanged.
Direct: Riya says, “I am preparing for the test.”
Indirect: Riya says that she is preparing for the test.
Direct: Father will say, “I am busy.”
Indirect: Father will say that he is busy.
- The teacher says, “The students are ready.”
- Riya says, “I like reading.”
- Mother says, “I have finished my work.”
- The coach will say, “The players are ready.”
- Father says, “I will return soon.”
Words referring to time and place change when changing from direct to indirect speech depending on the context.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day / following day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| ago | before |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
| last week | the previous week |
| next week | the following week |
Direct: Ravi said, “I will finish this work tomorrow.”
Indirect: Ravi said that he would finish that work the next day.
- She said, “I will meet you tomorrow.”
- He said, “I completed the work yesterday.”
- Riya said, “I am busy now.”
- Aman said, “I will come here tomorrow.”
- The teacher said, “Complete these questions today.”
Use told instead of said to when the person being spoken to is explicitly mentioned.
Direct: Mother said to me, “Work hard.”
Indirect: Mother told me to work hard.
Direct: Ravi said to his friend, “I am busy.”
Indirect: Ravi told his friend that he was busy.
❌ He told that he was tired.
✔ He said that he was tired.
✔ He told me that he was tired.
For questions that can be answered with a simple Yes or No, connect using if or whether.
Direct: The teacher said to Ravi, “Are you ready?”
Indirect: The teacher asked Ravi if he was ready.
- said to → changes to asked
- if / whether is added to join clauses
- Question mark (?) is removed
- The sentence changes into statement word-order (Subject + Verb)
- Mother said to me, “Are you hungry?”
- The teacher said to Riya, “Have you completed your work?”
- Rahul said to me, “Do you play cricket?”
- Father said to Aman, “Did you finish your homework?”
- The coach said to the players, “Are you ready?”
If a question begins with a question word (what, where, when, why, who, how), retain the question word as the joiner.
Direct: The teacher said to me, “Why are you late?”
Indirect: The teacher asked me why I was late.
Direct question order: Why are you late? (Verb before Subject)
Indirect speech order: ...why I was late. (Subject before Verb)
- The teacher said to Rohan, “Where do you live?”
- Mother said to me, “Why are you crying?”
- The coach said to the player, “How did you get injured?”
- Riya said to Neha, “When will you return?”
- Father said to me, “What are you doing?”
For commands and imperative sentences, use reporting verbs like: ordered, told, instructed, commanded.
Structure: reporting verb + object + to + base verb
Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Open your books.”
Indirect: The teacher told the students to open their books.
Use not to + verb for negative commands.
Direct: Mother said to me, “Do not waste food.”
Indirect: Mother told me not to waste food.
- The teacher said to the students, “Maintain silence.”
- The coach said to the players, “Run faster.”
- Father said to me, “Complete your homework.”
- The librarian said to the students, “Do not make noise.”
- Mother said to Riya, “Do not waste water.”
For polite requests containing words like please, use verbs such as: requested, asked, begged.
Direct: Riya said to me, “Please help me.”
Indirect: Riya requested me to help her.
- The student said to the teacher, “Please explain this question.”
- Rahul said to me, “Please lend me your pen.”
- Mother said to the doctor, “Please help my son.”
- The old man said to the boy, “Please help me cross the road.”
- The student said to the librarian, “Please issue this book.”
For sentences giving suggestions or general advice, use advised or urged.
Direct: The doctor said to me, “Take regular exercise.”
Indirect: The doctor advised me to take regular exercise.
Direct (Negative Advice): The doctor said, “Do not eat junk food.”
Indirect: The doctor advised me not to eat junk food.
- The teacher said to me, “Work harder.”
- Father said to Rahul, “Save your money.”
- The doctor said to the patient, “Drink more water.”
- Mother said to me, “Do not stay up late.”
- The coach said to the players, “Practise every day.”
Exclamatory sentences express emotions such as joy, sorrow, surprise, or admiration. Use suitable reporting phrases like: exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed with surprise, exclaimed with admiration.
Direct: Riya said, “What a beautiful painting!”
Indirect: Riya exclaimed with admiration that it was a very beautiful painting.
Direct: He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match!”
Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
- She said, “What a beautiful flower!”
- The boy said, “Hurrah! We have won!”
- He said, “Alas! I have lost my wallet.”
- Riya said, “How wonderful the performance is!”
- The students said, “Wow! Our team has won!”
| Sentence Type | Reporting Verb | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | said, told | that + statement |
| Yes/No Question | asked | if / whether + statement |
| Wh-Question | asked | wh-word + statement |
| Command | ordered / told | object + to + verb |
| Negative Command | told / ordered | object + not to + verb |
| Request | requested / asked | object + to + verb |
| Advice | advised | object + to + verb |
| Exclamation | exclaimed | that + statement |
When converting Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, follow these steps systematically:
