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Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech grammar rules vary so you need to understand them. We'll start by looking at what each one is. Note that indirect speech is also commonly knows as reported speech.

Definition of Direct Speech

Direct speech is when the words are given in exactly the way that the speaker said them. So in other words they are quoted with no change .

When presenting direct speech, the words are usually placed in quotation marks, with a comma after say(s) / said if it is used to present the speech. Say (s)  / said can also be placed at the end of the quotation, in which case a comma comes before it.

Examples of Direct Speech:

• He said, "Don't take the car without asking me".
• John says, "I will help you with your work".
• "We are prepared to revise the law if we can", they said.
• The teacher said, "You must wear the proper uniform".

Definition of Indirect Speech

Indirect speech is also known as reported speech . You may also see it referred to as indirect discourse or indirect narration .

Indirect speech is the reporting of what someone else said in your own words but without changing the meaning of what was said. 

Reporting verbs are used to present indirect speech. The common ones are:

• say(s)/said (that)
• told me (that)

That is in brackets as it can be omitted from the sentence, whether spoken or written.

Examples of Indirect Speech:

• He said (that) he would definitely buy it.
• Sheila told me (that) I had to come back in the afternoon.
• The council said (that) they will try and clear the rubbish.
• She told me (that) she was feeling unwell. 

So the key difference between direct and indirect speech is that with direct speech the exact words are quoted but in indirect speech it is your own words . 

Direct speech is fairly simple to use and understand as it involves just repeating what was said. There is not much to get confused about with the grammar, apart from getting say(s)/said  correct.

But indirect or reported speech is more difficult so we will look at that in more detail now.

View more examples of direct and indirect speech >>

Direct and Indirect Speech Conversion

With direct and indirect speech, there are three main things you need to be aware of when converting one to the other:

• Changes in Tense
• Changes in Person and Pronouns
• Changes in Time Phrases

Changing Tenses

The tense of verbs when moving from direct to indirect speech do not necessarily change because if the circumstances of what someone said is the same, then it may be reported as that. For example:

• "I am feeling tired" (=  Direct Speech )
• Present Continuous
• She said she is feeling tired (=  Indirect Speech )

However, as we are reporting what was said in the past, we often change the tense. This rule for this is related to backshifting, which means shifting back a tense. So the present will go back to the past. Some modals also change.

Here are examples using the previous examples of indirect speech, showing you how they look like in direct speech:

Direct Speech

• "I want to meet you later".
• "You have to come back in the afternoon"
• "We like it a lot"
• "I have been mowing the lawn" 

Indirect Speech

• He said he wanted to meet me later.
• Sheila told me I had to come back in the afternoon.
• They said they liked it a lot. 
• He said he had been mowing the lawn. 

There are more details on the site about changing tenses in indirect / reported speech:

Learn more about changing tenses >>

Changing Pronouns

Pronouns in indirect speech also need to be changed from what they were in the indirect speech, as well as of course adapting the first pronoun to fit the person who said the statement:

• " I want to meet you later".
• " You have to come back in the afternoon"
• " We like it a lot"
• " I have been walking with my wife" 
• He said he had been walking with his wife. 

Changing Time Phrases

You may also need to change phrases referring to time, though this depends on the context and when you are reporting the speech. 

With these examples you have to assume the speech is being reported at a time in the future so the phrases such as 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' would not makes sense any more in terms of the reported speech.

• She said, "I saw her yesterday ".
• He said, "He will bring the book tomorrow ".
• She said, "I'm going to London today ".
• He said, "We need your assistance now ".
• She said that she had seen her the day before .
• He said that he would bring the book the next day .
• She said she was going to London that day . 
• He said they needed my assistance   then . 

Imperatives

Some different rules apply when turning direct speech using imperatives or commands into indirect speech. Check out the rules here:

Rules for Reported Speech Imperatives >>

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Reported Speech Imperatives: Reporting commands in indirect speech

Reported speech imperatives, also known as reported commands, follow a slightly different structure to normal indirect speech. We use imperatives to give orders, advice, or make requests.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

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100 Examples Of Direct And Indirect Speech: Better Grammar!

Practice your English grammar, conversation skills, and fluency with 100 examples of direct and indirect speech ! Just read through and repeat all of them to become comfortable with the structures, and see the patterns in the sentences. That’s not all, we will also be looking at other things to boost our English with today, including indirect speech questions + more! Let’s begin!

100 examples of direct and indirect speech

Here are the first lot of sentences that will make up our 100 examples of direct and indirect speech – read and repeat them all to get comfortable with how to say them.

• Lucas asked, “Are you coming?”
• Lucas asked if I was coming.
• Isabella said, “I enjoy painting.”
• Isabella said that she enjoyed painting.
• Mark exclaimed, “This is amazing!”
• Mark exclaimed that it was amazing.
• Lisa said, “I can’t believe it!”
• Lisa said that she couldn’t believe it.
• Tom asked, “What time is the meeting?”
• Tom asked what time the meeting was.

Related: 50 Sentences Of Ought To: Better English Communication!

How to use direct speech and indirect speech

Direct and indirect speech serve different purposes in communication.

Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by someone, placed inside quotation marks. For example: Lisa said, “I love reading.” This form is useful when you want to convey someone’s exact words, capturing their tone and emotion. It makes dialogue more vivid and engaging, especially in storytelling. We can also make direct speech questions, too. We’ll take a look at them later on.

Indirect speech summarizes what someone said without quotes. The sentence structure changes slightly. For instance, you would say: Lisa said that she loved reading. This form is handy for summarizing, especially when the exact wording isn’t important. It’s often used in reporting or academic writing, allowing you to clarify information without lengthy quotes. We will talk about indirect speech questions, too today. It is more about reporting what someone has asked . We’ll take a look at them later on in this article!

Related: 100 Examples Of Blended Words + Natural Sentences

Notice the difference in structure. In direct speech, the exact words are clear. In indirect speech, we focus on the meaning. Here are some examples:

Related: 56 Sentences With Enough: Better English Communication!

100 examples of direct and indirect speech: part 2

Here are the next set of examples that will make up today’s 100 examples of direct and indirect speech:

• Emma said, “I will finish my homework.”
• Emma said that she would finish her homework.
• James shouted, “Watch out!”
• James shouted to watch out.
• Maria said, “I love this song!”
• Maria said that she loved that song.
• Gabriel asked, “Where is the library?”
• Gabriel asked where the library was.
• Rachel said, “I’m going to the store.”
• Rachel said that she was going to the store.
• Kevin asked, “Can you help me?”
• Kevin asked if I could help him.
• Ananya said, “This cake is delicious!”
• Ananya said that the cake was delicious.
• Paul asked, “When is your birthday?”
• Paul asked when my birthday was.
• Émilie said, “I love to travel.”
• Émilie said that she loved to travel.
• Mark said, “I finished my project.”
• Mark said that he had finished his project.
• Alice asked, “Why are you late?”
• Alice asked why I was late.
• Ryan said, “I want to play soccer.”
• Ryan said that he wanted to play soccer.
• Mia asked, “Did you see the movie?”
• Mia asked if I had seen the movie.
• Sam said, “I am tired.”
• Sam said that he was tired.
• Chloe asked, “Where are we going?”
• Chloe asked where we were going.

Direct speech and indirect speech examples

Here is the next set of direct speech and indirect speech examples. Keep reading and repeating them all, you are doing well!

• Ben said, “I have a new bike.”
• Ben said that he had a new bike.
• Olivia asked, “Can we go outside?”
• Olivia asked if we could go outside.
• Ethan said, “I need a break.”
• Ethan said that he needed a break.
• Anita asked, “What do you want for dinner?”
• Anita asked what I wanted for dinner.
• Jack said, “I love reading books.”
• Jack said that he loved reading books.
• Ava asked, “Is it going to rain?”
• Ava asked if it was going to rain.
• Leo said, “I finished my homework early.”
• Leo said that he had finished his homework early.
• Ella asked, “What’s your favorite sport?”
• Ella asked what my favorite sport was.
• Oliver said, “I want to learn guitar.”
• Oliver said that he wanted to learn guitar.
• Sophia asked, “Do you like ice cream?”
• Sophia asked if I liked ice cream.
• Noah said, “I saw a great show.”
• Noah said that he had seen a great show.
• Mia asked, “Can we go to the park?”
• Mia asked if we could go to the park.
• Aiden said, “I’m excited for the trip.”
• Aiden said that he was excited for the trip.
• Grace asked, “What are you doing this weekend?”
• Grace asked what I was doing that weekend.
• Isaac said, “I love my dog.”
• Isaac said that he loved his dog.

Direct speech and indirect speech sentences

Here you will find the next lot of our 100 direct speech and indirect speech sentences. After that, we will check out some indirect speech questions , among other things.

• Zoe asked, “Have you tried sushi?”
• Zoe asked if I had tried sushi.
• Caleb said, “I want to be a doctor.”
• Caleb said that he wanted to be a doctor.
• Hannah asked, “What time does the concert start?”
• Hannah asked what time the concert started.
• Nathan said, “I need to study.”
• Nathan said that he needed to study.
• Stella asked, “Can you believe it?”
• Stella asked if I could believe it.
• Daniel said, “I’m learning French.”
• Daniel said that he was learning French.
• Chloe asked, “Where did you buy that?”
• Chloe asked where I had bought that.
• Julian said, “I finished my book.”
• Julian said that he had finished his book.
• Layla asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
• Layla asked if I was coming to the party.
• Théo said, “I like playing video games.”
• Théo said that he liked playing video games.
• Charlotte asked, “What’s your favorite movie?”
• Charlotte asked what my favorite movie was.
• Lucas said, “I’m going for a run.”
• Lucas said that he was going for a run.
• Sophie asked, “Can I borrow your pen?”
• Sophie asked if she could borrow my pen.
• Adam said, “I just got a new phone.”
• Adam said that he had just gotten a new phone.
• Emma asked, “Are you ready for the test?”
• Emma asked if I was ready for the test.

Indirect speech questions

Indirect speech questions report what someone asked without using their exact words. Instead of quoting the question directly, you change it into a statement format. This often involves changing the verb tense and removing the question marks.

To form an indirect speech question, start with the question word (if there is one), then follow with the subject and the verb.

Here are 10 examples of indirect speech questions :

• She asked, “Where is the library?” → She asked where the library was.
• He wondered, “When will the movie start?” → He wondered when the movie would start.
• They asked, “Are you coming to the party?” → They asked if I was coming to the party.
• I inquired, “Why did you choose that book?” → I inquired why he had chosen that book.
• She asked, “Who is your favorite artist?” → She asked who my favorite artist was.
• He wanted to know, “Can I join the team?” → He wanted to know if he could join the team.
• They wondered, “What time does the train arrive?” → They wondered what time the train arrived.
• She asked, “Did you finish your homework?” → She asked if I had finished my homework.
• He inquired, “Where did you go on vacation?” → He inquired where I had gone on vacation.
• They asked, “Will you help us?” → They asked if I would help them.

Direct speech questions

Direct speech questions are the exact words someone uses when asking a question. They are enclosed in quotation marks and maintain the original tone and structure of the question. When writing them, you usually start with a question word or an auxiliary verb and end with a question mark. To form a direct speech question, just quote the speaker’s words directly.

Here are 10 examples of direct speech questions:

• She asked, “Where is the library?”
• He wondered, “When will the movie start?”
• They asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
• I inquired, “Why did you choose that book?”
• She asked, “Who is your favorite artist?”
• He wanted to know, “Can I join the team?”
• They wondered, “What time does the train arrive?”
• She asked, “Did you finish your homework?”
• He inquired, “Where did you go on vacation?”
• They asked, “Will you help us?”

Direct speech questions help us capture the exact feelings and intentions of the speaker. Just remember to keep the quotation marks in place.

Direct speech paragraph

Here is a fictional paragraph featuring “direct speech”. Feel free to use it as inspiration for any writing assignments that you have! How many times can you spot direct speech?

As the sun began to set, Maria turned to her friend, Jake. “Are you ready for tonight?” she asked. Jake nodded but added, “I hope the new restaurant is as good as everyone says” Maria laughed and replied, “It’s supposed to be amazing! What’s the worst that could happen?” Just then, their friend Lisa arrived, panting slightly. “Did I miss anything?” she exclaimed. Maria smiled and said, “Not yet! We were just talking about dinner.” Lisa frowned. “What time do we need to leave?” she asked. “In about thirty minutes,” Jake replied. Maria checked her watch. “We should hurry then! I don’t want to be late.” The three friends exchanged glances, a mix of anticipation and nerves in the air. “Let’s go! It’ll be fun,” Maria urged, her enthusiasm infectious. They gathered their things and headed out, ready for an evening filled with laughter and good food.

Indirect speech paragraph

Here is a fictional paragraph featuring “indirect speech”. Feel free to use it as inspiration for any writing assignments that you have! How many times can you spot indirect speech?

On a chilly autumn afternoon, Tom mentioned that he had seen a beautiful park nearby. His friend Sarah asked if he wanted to check it out together. Tom replied that he thought it would be a great idea. As they walked, Sarah pointed out the vibrant leaves and said how much she loved this time of year. Tom agreed, adding that the colors reminded him of his childhood. When they arrived at the park, Sarah remarked that it looked even better in person. Tom suggested they take some pictures to remember the day. Sarah laughed and said she couldn’t wait to share them with everyone. As they strolled along the path, they talked about their favorite seasons. Tom confessed that autumn was his favorite, while Sarah revealed she loved spring. The air was filled with laughter and the scent of fallen leaves, making it a perfect afternoon.

100 examples of direct and indirect speech: stronger English overall!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading through and repeating all of today’s 100 examples of direct and indirect speech ! Practicing both direct and indirect forms correctly is super helpful if you are learning English. Direct speech shows exact words spoken, which helps with understanding conversation. It builds listening skills. Indirect speech reports what someone said without quotes. This helps learners grasp the main idea and improve their summarizing skills. Both forms are used in everyday communication. Mastering them boosts confidence in speaking and writing. It also prepares learners for different contexts, like storytelling or reporting. By practicing these forms, students can express themselves more clearly and accurately, making their English stronger and more versatile.

Digital English

Rules for direct and indirect speech (basic to advanced),   basic rules of narration change.

Table of Contents

Rules For Direct and Indirect Speech  

Some rules are mandatory for all types of sentences at the time of narration change. The rules are below.

• How to identify direct and indirect speech
• How to identify “Reporting Verb” and “Reported Speech”
• How to identify “Sentence”
• Change words or phrases [Direct to Indirect]
• Change Tense [Direct to Indirect]
• Change Person/ Noun/ Pronoun

How to Identify Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct Speech:   We will find a quotation mark in the direct speech.

The boy said to me, “I will sell my mobile phone.”

Indirect Speech: We will not find a quotation mark in the direct speech.

The boy told me that he would sell his mobile phone.

How to Identify the “Reporting Verb” and “Reported Speech”

Reporting Verb: The part which is separated by a comma is called reporting verb.

Example:  Badal said to Gopal, “I will sing a song.”

“Badal said to Gopal,” this part is reporting verb.

Reported Speech: The part which is under an inverted comma is called reported speech.

Example: Badal said to Gopal, “I will sing a song.”

“I will sing a song.” This part is reported speech.

Five Types Sentence [Rules For Direct and Indirect Speech]

How to Identify Assertive Sentences

Assertive sentence: It is very easy to identify assertive sentences. Just find the below points in the sentence. If you get the points, you will be quite sure that the sentence is an assertive sentence.

• The sentence will be ended with a full stop (.) mark.
• The sentence will be started with a doer or subject.
• He is not playing cricket now.
• You have not helped me.
• The headmaster has punished the student.
• The girl danced here.

How to Identity Interrogative Sentence

Interrogative sentence: If you got two points, the sentence is an interrogative sentence.

• The sentence ends with a question (?) mark.
• The sentence starts with a helping verb or wh-word.
• Did they come here yesterday?
• Does your sister read English newspapers daily?
• Do the trees give us fruits?
• What should you do now?
• When could he return the money?

How to Identify Imperative sentence

Imperative sentence: Find the below points in a sentence. If you get the points, the sentence must be an imperative sentence.

• The sentence starts with “Finite verb” in affirmative and “Do not finite verb” in negative.
• Normally the imperative sentence begins with “Let/Do not /Never/Please /Kindly /Always/Be /Have/Give”.
• You will get the terms “Please or Kindly” at the end of the sentence or starting of the sentence.
• The doer (subject -You) of the sentence is implied.
• Prepare your lessons.
• Don’t jump here.
• Please don’t reject my form.
• Kindly, switch off the light.
• Please come to the point.
• Let us discuss the matter.

How to Identify Optative Sentences

Rules For Direct and Indirect Speech

Optative sentence: Optative sentence has the below features.

• The sentence ends with a full stop (.) mark.
• The sentence starts with “Long”, “Wish” and “May”.
• May you live a happy life.
• May God give you a son.
• Long live our prime minister.
• Wish you good luck.

How to Identify Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentence: It is very easy to identify the exclamatory sentences. If you find the below points in the sentence, you will be quite sure that the sentence is an exclamatory sentence.

• Interjection or What, How is at the beginning of the sentence.
• Sometimes the verb is implied.
• At the end of the sentence, there is an exclamation mark (!).
• Sometimes you will find the words (Alas!, Adieu!, Oh!, Fie!, Hurrah!, Hus!, Bravo! ) at the starting of the sentence.
• What a fine movie!
• How happy the man is!
• What a good boy!
• Fie! You smoke.
• Were they young!
• Had you 100000 dollar!

Change Words or Phrases Direct to Indirect

There are some words and phrases that are changed in indirect speech. The words and phrases are given below. 

Direct: Gobindo said, “I saw this ox yesterday.”

Indirect: Gobindo said that he had seen that ox the previous day.

Direct: She said, “I am eating rice now.”

Indirect: She said that she was eating rice then.

Direct: You said to me, “We shall come here.”

Indirect: You told me that you should go there.

Direct: They said, “We shall leave for Delhi tomorrow.”

Indirect: They said that they would leave for Delhi the next day.

Direct: Rana said to me, “I bought the book from the book fair last year.”

Indirect: Rana told me that I had bought the book from the book fair the previous year.

Direct: He said to you, “I shall meet with you next week.”

Indirect: He told you that he would meet with you the following week.

Change Tense Direct to Indirect (Present and Future Tense)

• If the reporting verb is in the Present Tense, there is no change in the tense used in the reported speech when direct speech is transformed into indirect speech.

Direct: The boy says, “My hobby is gardening.”

Indirect: The boy says that his hobby is gardening.

Direct: He says, “I like you.”

Indirect: He says that he likes you.

Direct: We say to you, “You can play cricket.”

Indirect: We tell you that you can play cricket.

Rules 2 Reporting Verb Future Tense

• If the reporting verb is in the Future Tense, there is no change in the tense used in the reported speech when direct speech is transformed into indirect speech.

Direct: Ram will say, “I have done this work.”

Indirect: Ram will say that he has done that work.

Direct: The judge will say to me, “You are not guilty.”

Indirect: The judge will tell me that I am not guilty.

Direct: Your friend will tell you, “I have got my first salary.”

Indirect: Your friend will tell you that he has got his first salary.

Rules 3 Reporting Verb Past Tense and Reported Speech Present Tense

Reporting Verb Past Tense and Reported Speech Present Tense

• If the reporting verb is in the Past Tense, there is a change in the tense used in the reported speech when direct speech is transformed into indirect speech.

Direct: Riya said, “I know the gentleman.”

Indirect: Riya said that he knew the gentleman.

Direct: Mitali said, “I am doing the sums now.”

Indirect: Mitali said that he was doing the sums then.

Direct: Rajat said, “Kamal has invited me to the party.”

Indirect: Rajat said that Kamal had invited him to the party.

Direct: The man said, “The boys have been swimming in the pond since morning.”

Indirect: The man said that the boys had been swimming in the pond since morning.

Rules 4 Reporting Verb Past Tense and Reported Speech Past Tense

• If we find reporting verb Past Tense and reported speech Past Tense in the direct speech, we change Tense at the time of narration change.

Direct:   Mother said, “I cooked fish yesterday.”

Indirect: Mother said that she had cooked fish the previous day.

Direct: Liton said, “I was playing football in the field.”

Indirect: Liton said that he had been playing football in the field.

Direct: We said to you, “Kiran had purchased a laptop.”

Indirect: We told you that Kiran had purchased a laptop.

Direct: She said to us, “The students had been shouting for ten minutes.”

Indirect: She told us that the students had been shouting for ten minutes.

Rules 5 Reporting Verb Past Tense and Reported Speech Future Tense

• If we find reporting verb Past Tense and reported speech Future Tense in the direct speech, we change Tense at the time of narration change.

Direct: Your father said to me, “Kakoli will pass the examination.”

Indirect: Your father told me that Kakoli would pass the examination.

Direct: He said to me, “You will fail the test.”

Indirect: He told me that I would fail the test.

Direct: Ranjan said to his father, “I shall enlist my name in the army.”

Indirect: Ranjan told his father that he would enlist his name in the army.

Rule 6 Reporting Verb Past Tense and Reported Modal Sentence

• If we find reporting verb Past Tense and reported speech Modal Sentence in the direct speech, we sometimes change Tense at the time of narration change.

Direct: You said to me, “You can speak English.”

Indirect: You told me that I could speak English.

Direct: The man said to him, “You may win the match.”

Indirect: The man told him that he might win the match.

Direct: The teacher said to the girl, “You should practice it.”

Indirect: The teacher told the girl that she should practice it.

Direct: My grandfather said to me, “You ought to apologize for your misbehavior.”

Indirect: My grandfather told me that I ought to apologize for my misbehavior.

Direct: My father said to me, “You must wake up early.”

Indirect: My father told me that I must wake up.

Direct: The boy said, “I would play in this field.”

Indirect: The boy said that he would play in that field.

Direct: Naren said, “I could run a computer.”

Indirect: Naren said that he could run a computer.

Direct: The boys said to me, “We might catch fish in the river.”

Indirect: The boys told me that they might catch fish in the river.

Table of Changing Tense From Direct to Indirect Speech

Look at a glance changing of tense

Change Person/ Noun/ Pronoun (First Person)

• If the subject of reported speech is first person (I, We), it indicates the subject of reporting verb. Or

I, my, me, we, us and our are changed on the base of subject of reporting verb.

Direct: Sujata said to me, “I have gone to this office with my elder brother.”

Indirect: Sujata told me that she had gone to this office with her elder brother.

Direct: The boys said to me, “We have completed our homework.”

Indirect: The boys told me that they had completed their homework.

Direct: Pratap said to me, “Tanmoy teaches me English.”

Indirect: Pratap told me that Tanmoy taught him English.

Direct: The old man said to me, “The sun gives us heat and light.”

Indirect: The old man told me that the sun gave them heat and light.

Change Second Person Direct to Indirect Speech

• If the subject of reported speech is second person (you, you), it indicates the object of reporting verb. The person is changed flowing them. Or

You and your are changed on the base of the object of reporting verb.

Direct: The man said to me, “You will bring your cycle.”

Indirect: The man told me that I would bring my cycle.

Direct: She said to the boy, “Your friend insulted you there”

Indirect: She told the boy that his friend had insulted him there.

Direct: The doctor said to us, “You can help your sister.”

Indirect: The doctor told us that we could help our sister.

Unchanged Third Person Direct to Indirect Speech

• Again if the subject of the reported speech is third person (He, She, It, They, Ram, Kamal and Gopal), it does not indicate the subject and object of reporting verb.

Direct: Rina said to me, “It is a fresh mango.”

Indirect: Rina told me that it was a fresh mango.

Direct: I said to you, “He is not a good boy.”

Indirect: I told you that he was not a good boy.

Direct: You said to us, “Ratan took a cup of tea.”

Indirect: You told us that Ratan had taken a cup of tea.

Direct: He said to you, “They do not study in the school.”

Indirect: He told you that they did not study in the school.

Direct: The old man said to us, “Gopal and Madan have stolen some mangoes.”

Indirect: The old man told us that Gopal and Madan had stolen some mangoes.

• Narration Change (A to Z)
• Degree Change
• Transformation of sentences (Simple/Complex and Compound)
• Joining of sentences
• Voice Change (A to Z)
• Transformation of sentences (Affirmative to Negative)
• Voice Change of Affirmative Sentences
• Voice Change of Negative Sentences
• Basic Rules of Narration Change
• Narration Change of Assertive Sentences
• Direct and Indirect Speech Interrogative Sentences
• Imperative Sentences Narration Change
• Optative Sentences Narration Change
• Exclamatory Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

What is Speech (Narration):

If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.

Types of Speech

In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.

The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.

These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations. 

Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.

Direct speech:

It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.

The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”

The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.

Indirect speech:

An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.

It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.

The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.

Reporting speech:

A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.

• He says , “He cooks food”.

Reported speech:

Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.

It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.

• He says,  “He cooks food.”

Reporting verb:

The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.

• Zoya  said , “I want to go there.”

Reported verb:

The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.

• Zoya said, “I  want  to go there.”

As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like  “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”

These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like  said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.

But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.

Examples of direct and indirect speech:

• Indirect speech: John said that she was looking so beautiful.
• Indirect : He said that he was not a culprit.
• Indirect : He said that she was working on that project.
• Indirect : The teacher asked if he completed his homework. 
• Indirect : She says that she is an artist.
• Indirect : Sam told me that he was not coming with me.
• Indirect : He says that she is working on that project.

Some basic rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech:

Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.

The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.

Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”

    Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.

Rule 2: use of “that” conjunction

Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.

Example: 

• He said, “I have completed my assignment yesterday.”
• He said  that  he had completed his assignment the previous day.

Rule 3: Change of tense

While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.

• If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense , then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively.
• Indirect : He says that he is going to school. (no change in tense)
• Indirect : She says that she  will not come  with me. (no change in tense)
• Indirect : He says that he  wrote  a letter. (no change in tense)

If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.

For the present tense:

Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..

Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.

Present continuous tense will change into past continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.

Present perfect tense will change into past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him. 

Present perfect continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her. 

For the past tense:

Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.

Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”

Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”

For the future tense:

There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.

• Direct: She said, “Can you come tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day

• Direct: He said, “I will never forgive you.”

Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.

Rule 4: Changing the pronoun

The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.

• The pronoun used for representing the first person in reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting speech in a direct speech.
• The pronoun used for representing the second person in reported speech changes based on the report’s object in a direct speech.
• The pronoun used for representing the third person remains the same in the reported speech.
• Direct: He said, “ I  am going to school.”
• Indirect: He said that  he  is going to school.
• Direct: She says, “ I  will not come with  you .”
• Indirect: She says that  she  will not come with  me .
• Direct: They said, “ we  are eating our tiffin box.”
• Indirect: They said that  they  were eating  their  tiffin box.

Rule 5: Changing the time

The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like   now  becomes  then, tomorrow  becomes  the next day, yesterday  becomes  the previous day, today  becomes  that day, later  becomes  soon. 

• Direct: He told, “He is coming from Tokyo  today .”
• Indirect: He told me that he was coming from Tokyo  that day .
• Direct: She asked, “Will the parcel reach by  tomorrow  or not?”
• Indirect: She asked whether the parcel will reach by  the next day  or not.
• Direct: “The teacher has given some assignments  yesterday ”, he reminds me.
• Indirect: He reminds me that the teacher had given some assignments on  the previous day.

Conversion of statements from direct speech into Indirect speech:

Assertive sentences:.

Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.

If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.

Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.

• Direct: He said to me, “she is working on this project.”

Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.

• Direct: She said to me, “I’m going for a long drive.”

Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.

Imperative sentences:

Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.

It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.

• Sit properly!
• Stand by my side!
• Come closer!

While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.

• Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit properly!”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.

• Direct: The Boss said to an office boy, “Bring one coffee for me.”

Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.

Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.

• Direct: The bartender said to me, “try this drink.”

Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.

Interrogative sentences:

An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.

Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.

• What is your name?
• Can you do me a favor?
• Why are you laughing in the classroom?

While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,

• the reporting verb “said” in the direct speech is changed into “asked” in the indirect speech because it asks the question to another person.
• If any reporting verb comes first in the reporting speech, then “If” is used despite “that.”
• In a reporting speech, if any wh-type question words are present, then no other words will be used, and the sentence ends with a full stop sign instead of a question mark.
• Indirect: He asked me what was my name.
• Indirect: She asked if he could do her a favor.
• Indirect: The teacher asked him why he was laughing in the classroom.

Exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!

• Congratulations! You have a baby girl.
• I am extremely sorry for your loss!
• Most welcome!

If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.

The replacement of reporting verb “said” with  exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)

Replace with  very  or  very great , if words like  how  or  what  comes at the beginning of the reported speech.

• Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that I had a baby girl.
• Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she felt sorry for my loss.
• Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that most welcome.

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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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Related posts

What is a capstone project in grad school, active and passive voice of present perfect continuous, comparative and superlative adverbs rules, 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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Literary English

Direct and Indirect Speech in English | A Complete Guide

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone else has said. In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. In indirect speech, the words of the speaker are reported without using their exact words and without using quotation marks. Instead, the reported speech is often introduced by verbs such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc. Indirect speech allows us to convey what someone else said without necessarily repeating their exact words, often to provide a summary or to integrate it into a larger narrative.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration “example”, or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use  direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:

• Saif came in and said, “I’m really happy”.

As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ and ‘to says’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’.

Indirect Speech

In grammar, when we want to report what someone said, without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we use indirect speech. It is also known as reported speech. Look at the following sentences:

• Direct speech:  he says, “I am going to school.”
• Indirect speech:  he says that he is going to school.

In above sentences, the reporter delivers the message of the boy using his real words (e.g.“I am going to school.”) In the indirect speech sentence, the reporter delivers his message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.

Basic Rules for Direct and Indirect Speeches

• When we change direct speech to indirect speech always we will replace inverted commas with word ‘ that’ .
• When we combine reporting and reported speech we use  that  between these sentences.
• If the first part of the sentence does not include word  said  then tense will not be changed.
• At the end of reporting speech if there is a comma then it will be removed.
• Say  always will be changed into  tell .
• Says  always will be changed into  tells .
• Said  will be changed into  told  only in one condition when there is object in reporting speech.
• Direct : You said to Saif, “you are going to Lahore”.
• Indirect : you told Saif that he was going to Lahore. 

Changes in the Person of Pronouns

1 st  person                             2 nd  person                             3 rd  person

Subject                                  Object                                    No change

I, we,                                       you                                         he, she, it,

My, our, us, me                     your                                        they and noun.

• 1 st person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the subject of the reporting speech.
• 2 nd person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the object of the reporting speech.
• 3 rd person pronouns in reported speech are not changed.

Important word changes

The above rules are mandatory for converting direct speech into indirect speech. Hence, they should be memorized thoroughly. The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules. So, focus on every sentence to know how the above-mentioned rules have been used here.

Some special words will be changed when direct speech changes into indirect speech

• Now into then
• Today into that day
• Yesterday into the previous day
• This into that
• Last night into the previous night
• Tomorrow into the next day
• These into those
• Here into there
• Next day into the following day
• Ago into before
• Come into go
• Will into would
• Shall into should
• May into might
• Can into could
• Good Morning, into greeted
• Good Evening, into greeted
• Good Day into greeted
• Madam into Respectfully
• Sir into Respectfully

Changes in Verbs

If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech.

Direct Speech:  he says, “I live in Pakistan”.

Indirect Speech:  he tells that he lives in Pakistan.

Direct Speech:  you say to me, “you will go to Lahore”.

Indirect Speech:  you tell me that I shall go to Lahore.

Direct Speech:  I say, “she was ill”.

Indirect Speech:  I tell that she was ill.

How to Make Direct and Indirect Speeches in Different Tenses

Present indefinite  will be changed into past into  past indefinite  tense.

(First form  into  second form)

• Direct:  I said, “I go to school”.
• Indirect:  I said that I went to school.

Present continues  will be changed into  past continues  tense.

(is, am, are  into  was, were)

• Direct:  Raza said, “I am a boy”.
• Indirect : Raza said that he was a boy.

Present perfect  will be changed into  past perfect  tense.

(has, had  into  had)

• Indirect : You told Saif that he was going to Lahore. 

Present perfect continues  will be changed into  past perfect continues  tense.

(has been, have been  into  had been)

• Direct : The guard said to the passenger, “the train has come”
• Indirect : The guard told to the passenger that the train had come.

Past indefinite will be changed into  past perfect  tense.

(second form  into  had)

• Direct : Aslam said, “They played cricket”.
• Indirect:  Aslam said that they had played cricket.

Past continues  will be changed into  past perfect continues  tense.

(was, were  into  had been)

• Direct : The policeman said, “The thief has been stealing for two year”.
• Indirect : The policeman told that the thief had been stealing for two year.

Note :  Past perfect, past perfect continues, future indefinite, future continues, future perfect, future perfect continues tense will not be changed.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Assertive Sentences

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

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.

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.

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.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are sentences that give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the presenter. Thus, a full stop (.) or sign of exclamation (!) is used at the end of the sentence.

When we will be convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

• Both sentences will be joined with the conjunction
• If in the reported sentence has word do not,  then it will be changed with the word  not to.
• Direct speech : Aslam said, “Do not beat him”.
• Indirect speech: Aslam ordered to not beat him.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said  will be changed into  ordered  For example:

• Direct Speech:  The father said to me, “Sit down.”
• Indirect Speech:  The father ordered me to sit down.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case request the speaker gives a request command. Then said  will be changed into  request.

For example:

• Direct Speech:  The man said, “Please show me your pen.”
• Indirect Speech:  the man requested to show him my door.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case guide the speaker gives a piece of advice. Then said  will be changed into  advised .

• Direct Speech:  The headmaster said, “Write neat and clean.”
• Indirect Speech:  the headmaster advised to write neat and clean.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case forbade the speaker stopped to do something. Then said  will be changed into  forbade .

• Direct Speech:  The teacher said, “Don’t sit.”
• Indirect Speech:  The teacher forbade to sit.

Optative & Exclamatory Sentences

The sentence, which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse, happiness etc., is called an  optative sentence . This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes, ‘may’ remains hidden.

The sentence, which expresses a sudden and deep excitement, wonder, shock, or sorrow, etc., is called an  exclamatory sentence . In this kind of sentence must have exclamation mark (!) at the end of the sentence or in the central of the sentence.

• May you succeed in the test!
• May you get well soon!
•   Would that I was rich!

When we will be converted these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

In a prayer  sentence  said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas  that .

• Direct speech : He said, “May you live long”.
• Indirect speech : He prayed that I might live long.

In a  hope  sentence  said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .

• Direct speech:  The father said, “May my son get first position”.
• Indirect speech:  The father wished that his son might get first position.

In a glad & happy sentence, said  will be replaced by  exclaimed with joy  or  exclaimed with joyfully.  And exclamatory  mark  (!) will be removed.

• Direct speech:  The boys said, “Hurrah! We have won the match”.
• Indirect speech:  The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

In a sad or sorrow sentence, said  will be replaced by  exclaimed with sorrow  or  exclaimed with sorrowfully.

• Direct speech:  The bagger said, “Ah! I am undone”.
• Indirect speech:  The exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.

Interrogative Sentences

Which sentences, ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence has question mark (?) at the ends.

• Where are you going?
•   Where did you live?
• Are you want to go with me?

To change interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

  When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect  Said  will be replaced by  asked .

If interrogative sentence will be started from “ Wh ” mean when, whom, what, where, who, which, why, how, whose when we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect speech  inverted commas  will not be replaced. Just it will be removed.

If the reported sentence will be started form helping verb, then  if will be used in place of  that .

After the changing sentence mark of interrogation (?) will be replaced with full stop (.).

Direct speech:  He said to me, “Who are you”?

Indirect speech:  He asked me who I was.

Direct speech:  He said to me, “Where are you going”?

Indirect speech:  He asked me where I was going.

Direct speech:  Sunny said to me, “will you help me”?

Indirect speech:  Sunny asked me if I would help him.

Direct and indirect Speech in Universal Sentence

Sentences which have natural truth or universal truth in the part of reported speech are called universal sentences .

• Allah is one.
• Honesty is the best policy.

To change universal sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect  Said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas with  that .

Always remember that universal truth will never change so we will not be changed reported speech portion.

Direct speech:  The teacher said to the boys, “The earth revolves around the sun”.

Indirect speech:  The teacher told the boys that the earth revolves around the sun.

Direct speech:  Saif said, “Allah is one”.

Indirect speech:  Saif told that Allah is one.

Direct speech:  She said to him, “Honesty is the best policy”.

Indirect speech:  She told him that honesty is the best policy.

Direct speech:  Sunny said to Farrukh, “The sun rises in the east”.

Indirect speech:  Sunny told Farrukh that the sun rises in the east.

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• Definition, Structure, and Types of Sentences
• Definition And Types Of Word
• What Are Helping Verbs?
• Active Voice And Passive Voice

Home / English Grammar / Direct and Indirect Speech / 123 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples and Answers

123 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples and Answers

Deepen your understanding with 123 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech with Answers. Each example comes with detailed, step-by-step guides to help you convert between direct and indirect speech. Improve your skills in maintaining accurate tense, pronoun, and modal usage. Explore these extensive examples to support and enhance your learning experience.

Direct Speech Examples

When a  speech  is quoted with  exact words  used by the speaker is called Direct speech   or  narration .

For examples,

• Direct Speech: Ravi says, “I am tired.”
• Direct Speech: She said, “Why are you crying?”

The speech which is quoted above in actual words (“ I am tired”  is called the  Reported Speech  and the verb (“ says “) that introduces speech is called the  Reporting Verb.  The above  speech  is called  Direct Speech .

Indirect Speech Examples

On the other hand, when the  speech  is reported in the form of a narrative,  without quoting the speaker’s  actual words , it is called Indirect speech   or  narration.

• Indirect Speech: Ravi says that he is tired.
• Indirect Speech: She asked why I was crying.

The above  speech  is reported in the form of a narrative ,  without quoting the speaker’s  actual words , but keeping the meaning the same. So, it is  Indirect Speech .

People also ask

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Punctuation Marks

Punctuating direct and indirect speech correctly is essential for clarity and grammatical correctness in writing. Let me provide examples of both with explanations:

Direct Speech punctuation :

• Conveys the exact words spoken by a person. – (Direct Speech)
• Enclose spoken words within quotation marks. – (Punctuation)
• Use commas, question marks, or exclamation marks as needed. – (Separation)

For examples :

• Direct Speech: “I love reading,” she said.
• Direct Speech: “What time is the meeting?” he asked.
• Direct Speech: He said, “What a nice picture!”

Indirect Speech Punctuation

• Conveys the reported speech without using the exact words. – (Indirect Speech)
• Use “that”, “if”, “to” etc to introduce the different reported speech. – (Introduction)
• Adjust verb tenses, pronouns, and adverbs as necessary to fit the reporting sentence. – ( Modification)
• Do not use quotation marks. – (Punctuation)

Direct Speech: “I love reading,” she said. Indirect Speech: She said that she loved reading.

Direct Speech: “What time is the meeting?” he asked. Indirect Speech: He asked what time the meeting was.

Direct Speech: He said, “What a nice picture!” Indirect Speech: He remarked that it was a nice picture.

In both direct and indirect speech, proper punctuation and verb tense agreement are crucial for accurately conveying the speaker’s words and maintaining grammatical correctness within the sentence.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech for All Tenses

In English grammar, examples of all tenses can be found in both direct and indirect speech, illustrating how verbs and structures change to reflect the shift in time.

1. Present Tense Examples

Direct: “I love chocolate,” she says . Indirect: She says that she lo ves chocolate.

Direct: “I am watching TV,” he says. Indirect: He says that he is watching TV.

Direct: “I have finished my homework,” she says. Indirect: She says that she has finished her homework.

Direct: “I have been studying for hours,” he says. Indirect: He says that he has been studying for hours.

Direct: “I played cricket,” he says . Indirect: He says that he played cricket.

Direct: “I shall visit New York,” he says . Indirect: He says that he will visit New York.

Direct: He says, “You will make a good result.” Indirect: He says that I shall make a good result.

Direct: They say, “We won the match.” Indirect: They say that they won the match.

2. Past Tense Examples

Direct: “I visited Paris last summer,” she said. Indirect: She said that she had visited Paris last summer.

Direct: “I was reading a book when you called,” he said. Indirect: He said that he had been reading a book when I called.

Direct: “I had already eaten dinner when she arrived,” she said. Indirect: She said that she had already eaten dinner when I arrived.

Direct: “I had been working on this project for months,” he said. Indirect: He said that he had been working on that project for months.

Direct: She said to me, “I am writing a letter now.” Indirect: She told me that she was writing a letter then.:

Direct: He said to me, “I shall not do it.” Indirect: He told me that he would not do it.

Direct: They said to us, “You make a mistake.” Indirect: They told us that we made a mistake

Direct: The doctor said to me, “You have brought the patient in time.” Indirect: The doctor told me that I had brought the patient in time.

Direct: Mother said , “I took tea.” Indirect: Mother said that she had taken tea.

Direct: My friend said to me, “you were doing a good job.” Indirect: My friend told me that I had been doing a good job.

Direct: The man said to me, “I had not seen you before.” Indirect: The man told me that he had not seen me before.

3. Future Tense Examples:

Direct: “I will call you tomorrow,” she will say. Indirect: She will say that she will call me tomorrow.

Direct: “I will be traveling to Europe next month,” he will say. Indirect: He will say that he will be traveling to Europe next month.

Direct: “I will have finished the project by Friday,” she will say. Indirect: She will say that she will have finished the project by Friday.

Direct: “I will have been studying for five hours by then,” he will say. Indirect: He will say that he will have been studying for five hours by then.

Direct: He will say , “I shall be there within an hour.” Indirect: He will say that he will be there for an hour.

Direct: Mother will say , “I made the fish curry.” Indirect: Mother will say that She made the fish curry.

Examples of Sentences for Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct: Sarah said, “I am going to the store.” Indirect: Sarah said that she was going to the store.

Direct: “The meeting starts at 9 AM,” announced the manager. Indirect: The manager announced that the meeting started at 9 AM.

Direct: Tom asked, “Did you finish your homework?” Indirect: Tom asked if I had finished my homework.

Direct: “I love watching movies,” she exclaimed. Indirect: She exclaimed that she loved watching movies.

Direct: “Don’t touch that!” shouted Mark. Indirect: Mark shouted not to touch that.

Direct: He said, “You are intelligent.” Indirect: He said that I was intelligent.

Direct: You will say, “I am right.” Indirect: You will say that you are right.

Direct: Rita said, “She is my favourite player.” Indirect: Rita said that she was her favourite player.

Direct: I said to you, ‘I wish to start a business next year.’ Indirect: I told you that I wished to start a business in the following years.

Direct: Mother said to her, “Are you feeling feverish?” Indirect: Mother inquired of her if she was feeling feverish.

Direct: She said to him, ‘Which of the books do you want to buy?’ Indirect: She asked him which of the books he wanted to buy.

Direct: The teacher said, “Boys, go to your classes.” Indirect: The teacher ordered the boys to go to their classes.

Direct: Mother said, ‘May you be happy.’ Indirect: Mother wished that I might be happy.

Examples of Modal Verbs Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct: He said to me, “You may go. ” Indirect: He told me that I might go.

Direct: “I can swim,” she said . (can) Indirect: She said that she could swim. (can)

Direct: “You will attend the meeting tomorrow,” he said to me. Indirect: He told me that I would attend the meeting the next day.

Direct: You will attend the meeting tomorrow,” I said to him. Indirect: I told him that he would attend the meeting the next day.

Direct: “You should study harder,” he advised . (should) Indirect: He advised that I should study harder. (should)

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

Direct: “We must finish this project by Friday,” he insisted. (must) Indirect: He insisted that we must finish the project by Friday. (must)

Direct: “You might want to consider that option,” she suggested. (might) Indirect : She suggested that I might want to consider that option. (might)

Direct: “I will help you with your homework,” she promised. (will) Indirect: She promised that she would help me with my homework. (will)

Direct: “You ought to apologize for your mistake,” he scolded. (ought to) Indirect: He scolded that I ought to apologize for my mistake. (ought to)

Direct: “ Can you lend me some money?” she requested. (can) Indirect: She requested if I could lend her some money. (can)

Direct: “You need to finish your chores before you go out,” he reminded. (need to) Indirect: He reminded me that I needed to finish my chores before going out. (need to)

Direct: “You are allowed to leave early today,” she informed. (are allowed to) Indirect: She informed that we were allowed to leave early that day. (are allowed to)

Examples of Change of Pronouns Direct to Indirect Speech

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

Direct: They will say to you, “ We have made it.” Indirect: They will tell you that they have made it.

Direct: You said to him, “ You are not like me.” Indirect: You told him that he was not like you.

Direct: He said to me, “ My name is John.” Indirect: He tells me that his name is John.

Direct: They said to me, “ This is our playground.” Indirect: They told me that that was their playground.

Direct: He says to me, “Elders give us blessings.” Indirect: He tells me that elders give them blessings.

Direct: He said to me, “ You are not smart .” Indirect: He told me that I was not smart.

Direct: She said to him, “ I am not your friend.” Indirect: She told him that she was not his friend.

Direct: He said to us, “ I shall give you money.” Indirect: He told us that he would give us money.

Direct: You said, “ He is right.” Indirect: You said that he was right.

Direct: I said, “ They will be late.” Indirect: I said that they would be late.

Change of Time & Place for Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Direct: He said to me, “ This is my house.” Indirect: He told me that that was his house.

Direct: She said to him, “ These are golden flowers.” Indirect: She told him that those were golden flowers.

Direct: He said, “I have done it today .” Indirect: He said that he had done it that day.

Direct: She said to him, “I bought the book yesterday .” Indirect: She said that she had the book the previous day.

Direct: They said, ‘We will play now. ‘ Indirect: They said that they would play then .

Direct: You said, ‘ Here lives a lion.’ Indirect: You said that there lived a lion.

Direct: She always says, ‘I like these flowers.’ Indirect: She always says that she likes those flowers.

Direct: He said, ‘I will come here tomorrow. ‘ Indirect: He said that he would go there the next day .

Direct: I said, ‘You will get it today or tomorrow.’ Indirect: I said that you would get it that day or the next day.

Direct: He said to me, ‘ Come here .’ Indirect: He told me to go there.

Direct: He said, ‘I shall go there the day after tomorrow .’ Indirect: He said that he would go there in two day’s time.

Direct: He said to me, ‘I saw your sister two years ago. ‘ Indirect: He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.

Direct: He said to me, “I have no friend here .” Indirect: He told me that he had no friends here.

Direct: I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world. Indirect: I said that we could not be happy in this world.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Assertive Sentences

Direct: Peter says, “My mother teaches me English.” Indirect: Peter says that his (Peter’s) mother teaches him English.

Direct: Shyam will say, “I have done this work. Indirect: Shyam will say that he has done that work.

Direct: Bappa said to him, “I am ten years old.” Indirect: Bappa told him that he was ten years old.

Direct: Laltu said, “I am watching television now. Indirect: Laltu said that he was watching television then.

Direct: He said to me, “My mother is now sleeping.’ Indirect: He told me that his mother was sleeping then.

Direct: I said, “The teacher has taken me to the task. Indirect: I said that the teacher had taken me to the task.

Direct: Mother said to me, “I have taken the medicine twice today.” Indirect: Mother told me that she had taken the medicine twice that day.

Direct: My sister said to me, “The bird flew away. Indirect: My sister told me that the bird had flown away.

Direct: Namrata said, “They came here yesterday.’ Indirect: Namrata said that they had come there the previous day.

Direct: Jamuna said, “Lalan was listening to my words. Indirect: Jamuna said that Lalan had been listening to her words.

Direct: He said, “I shall take rice.” Indirect: He said that he would take rice.

Direct: They said, “We shall leave for Goa tomorrow.” Indirect: They said that they would leave for Goa the next day.

Direct: Ashisbabu said, “Now we shall start the ceremony.’ Indirect: Ashisbabu said that they should start the ceremony then.

Examples of Universal Truth or Habitual Truth, Historical Truth Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct: The teacher said to us, “Oil floats on water.” Indirect: The teacher told us that oil floats on water

Direct: Lopa said, “God is almighty.” Indirect: Lopa said that God is almighty.

Direct: Father said, “God is good.” Indirect: Father said that God is good.

Direct: Keats said, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” Indirect: Keats said that beauty is truth, truth beauty.

Direct: The teacher said, “The earth moves round the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

Direct: My grandfather said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Indirect: My grandfather said that honesty is the best policy.

Direct: Father said, “The sun rises in the east.” Indirect: Father said that the sun rises in the east.

Direct: Saurav said, “My grandfather recites the Geeta every morning.” Indirect: Saurav said that his grandfather recites the Geeta every morning.

Direct: Arindam’s uncle said, “I walk for half an hour every afternoon.” Indirect: Arindam’s uncle said that he walks for half an hour every afternoon.

Direct: He said, “Man is mortal.” Indirect: He said that man is mortal.

Direct: The old man said, “God is merciful.” Indirect: The old man said that God is merciful.

Direct: The teacher said, “Ashoka was a great emperor.” Indirect: The teacher said that Ashoka was a great emperor.

Direct: The student answered, “Lord Buddha died in his eightieth year.” Indirect: The student answered that Lord Buddha died in his eightieth year.

Direct: He said, “Babar was the first emperor of the Mughal empire.” Indirect: He said that Babar was the first emperor of the Mughal Empire.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Interrogative Sentences

Direct: The boy said to me. “Is the mango sweet?” Indirect: The boy asked me whether(or, if) the mango was sweet.

Direct: Tanmay said to me, “Are you ill?” Indirect: Tanmay asked me whether (or, if) I was ill.

Direct: I said to him, “Do you know him?” Indirect: I asked him whether he knew him.

Direct: Rabin said to me, “Is there any problem?” Indirect: Rabin enquired of me if there was any problem.

Direct: I said to my brother, “Are you going to school?” Indirect: I asked my brother whether he was going to school.

Direct: The teacher said to the student. Did you come to school yesterday?” Indirect: The teacher enquired of the student whether he (the student) had come to school the day before.

Direct: I said to Binay, “Did you see Palash?” Indirect: I asked Binay whether he (Binay) had seen Palash.

Direct: His mother angrily said to him, “Do you know better than your elder brother?” Indirect: His mother asked him angrily whether he supposed that he knew better than his elder brother.

Direct: The judge said to the accused, “Have you anything to say in justification of your action?” Indirect: The judge wanted to know from the accused if he had anything to say in justification of his action.

Direct: Sadhan said to Nabin, “Have you read the letter?” Indirect: Sadhan asked Nabin if he had read the letter.

Direct: Santosh said to Seema, “Can you lend me a pen?” Indirect: Santosh asked Seema if she could lend him (Santosh) a pen.

Direct: The trainer said to Tarun, “Can you swim?” Indirect: The trainer asked Tarun whether he (Tarun) could swim.

Direct: The poet said, “Real happiness is only a dream.” Indirect: The poet said that real happiness is only a dream.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of “Wh-word”

Direct: He said to me, “What are you doing?” Indirect: He asked me what I was doing.

Direct: I said to him, “What is your name?” Indirect: I asked him what his name was.

Direct: The passerby said to me, “What is the time now by your watch?” Indirect: The passerby asked me what time it was then by my watch.

Direct: I said to Basu, “Where do you live?” Indirect: I asked Basu where he (Basu) lived.

Direct: Dinu said to Manu, “Where are you going?” Indirect: Dinu asked Manu where he (Manu) was going.

Direct: I said to Gopal, “Where is your pencil box?” Indirect: I enquired of Gopal where his (Gopal’s) pencil box was.

Direct: The passenger asked, “When will the train start?” Indirect: The passenger asked (or, wanted to know) when the train would start.

Direct: Ratan said to me, “How are you?” Indirect: Ratan wanted to know from me how I was.

Direct: Suman said to me, “How did you know this? Indirect: Suman enquired (asked) me how I had known that.

Direct: I said to the policeman, “Why did you strike the boy?” Indirect: I wanted to know from the policeman why he had struck the boy.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Imperative Sentences

Direct: The teacher said to the students, “Sit down.” Indirect: The teacher told the students to sit down.

Direct: The commander-in-chief said to the soldiers, “March forward.” Indirect: The commander-in-chief ordered the soldiers to march forward.

Direct: The master said to his servant, Polish my shoes,” Indirect: The master ordered his servant to polish his master’s shoes.

Direct: Ratanbabu said to the man, “Leave the house at once,” Indirect: Ratanbaby ordered the man to leave the house at once.

Direct: The teacher said to his pupils, “Go out.” Indirect: The teacher told his pupils to go out.

Direct: Mother said to me, “Go to school at once.” Indirect: Mother ordered/urged me to go to school that very moment.

Direct: He said to Sujay. “Let’s have a cup of tea. Indirect: He invited Sujay to have a cup of tea with him.

Direct: Sunillbabe said to Sistab. Please lend me some money.” Indirect: Sunilbabe requested Sisibaba to lend him (Sababu) some money.

Direct: Father said, “Go on, apply for the job.” Indirect: Father advised/encouraged me to apply for the job.

Direct: The teacher said to the boy, “Don’t spit on the floor. Indirect: The teacher forbade the boy to spit on the floor.

Direct: I said to my brother, “Do not run in the sun.” Indirect: I advised my brother not to run in the sun. Or I forbade my brother to run in the sun.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Do not waste time.” Indirect: The teacher advised me not to waste time.

Direct: He said to his sons, “Do not quarrel among yourselves.” Indirect: He advised his sons not to quarrel among themselves.

Direct Speech and Indirect Speech Examples with “Let”

Direct: Mukti said, “Let’s go for a walk.” Indirect: Mukti suggested that they should go for a walk.

Direct: The inspector said to the constable, “Let the man go.” Indirect: The inspector ordered the constable to let the man go.

Direct: Rama said, “Let’s arrange a musical party.” Indirect: Rama suggested that they should arrange a musical party.

Direct: The clergyman said, “The nations of the world should forget their differences and work together for peace.” Indirect: The clergyman suggested that the nations of the world should forget their differences and work together for peace.

Direct: Ramen said, “I must not delay any longer.” Indirect: Ramen said that he ought not to delay any longer.

Direct: He said, “I must return before 5 in the evening.” Indirect: He said that he must (or, would have to) return before 5 in the evening.

Direct: Rima said to me, “You ought to be careful when driving.” Indirect: Nima advised me to be careful when driving.

Direct: My father said, “You ought not to trust a man who is a habitual liar.” Indirect: My father warned me against trusting a man who was a habitual liar

Direct: Father said, “You should not be late in reaching school.” Indirect: Father advised me not to be late in reaching school. Or, Father said that I should not be late in reaching school.

Direct: Somen said, “It might rain tonight.” Indirect: Somen said that it might rain that night, Or Somen said that there was the possibility of rainfall that night,

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Optative Sentences

Direct: He said, “May God bless you.’ Indirect: He prayed that God might bless him (or, me).

Direct: The priest said to the accused, “May God pardon your sins.” Indirect: The priest prayed to God that He might pardon his sins (or, the sins of the accused).

Direct: We said, “May Mother Teresa’s soul rest in peace.” Indirect: We prayed that Mother Teresa’s soul might rest in peace.

Direct: The retiring teacher said to his pupils, “I bid all of you goodbye.” Indirect: The retiring teacher bade goodbye (or, farewell) to all his pupils.

Direct: They said, “Long live Netaji.” Indirect: They prayed for Netaji’s long life.

Direct: My grandfather said to me, “May you be happy.” Indirect: My grandfather blessed me wishing that I might be happy. Or. My grandfather blessed me by wishing me a happy life. Or, My grandfather wished that I might be happy.

Direct: His father said to him, “May you prosper.” Indirect: His father wished him prosperity. Or. His father wished that he might prosper.

Direct: Ajay said to his brother, “Welcome home.” Indirect: Ajay bade his brother welcome.

Direct: Rahul said to his playmates, “Good morning, I hope you are quite well.” Indirect: Rahul wished his playmates a good morning and expressed his hope that they were quite well.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of Exclamatory Sentences

Direct: The students said, “Hurrah! Our school won the match.” Indirect: The students shouted with delight (exclaimed with joy) that their school had won the match.

Direct: He said, “Alas! I am ruined.” Indirect: He lamented that he was ruined.

Direct: He said, “What a fool I am !” Indirect: He reproached (feata lucuíba) himself for being such a big fool.

Direct: The audience said to the actor, “How wonderful is your acting !” Indirect: The audience expressed to the actor their appreciation of his fine acting.

Direct: Returning from the place of the accident, he said, “What a ghastly sight it was!” Indirect: Returning from the place of the accident he expressed his disgust at the ghastliness of the sight.

Direct: Looking at the Tajmahal the tourist said, “What an exquisitely beautiful creation !” Indirect: Looking at the Tajmahal the tourist exclaimed in wonder that it was indeed an extremely beautiful creation.

Direct: The youth said, “Alas! I am undone by the death of my father.” Indirect: The youth lamented that he was undone by his father’s death.

Direct: The coach of the team said to his players, “Bravo! You have played extremely well.” Indirect: The coach of the team cheered the players and said that they had played extremely well indeed.

Direct: Nabinbabu said to Sajal, “What a pity you could not succeed in spite of such great efforts !” Indirect: Nabinbabu expressed his sympathy for Sajal for not being successful in spite of his great efforts.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples of More than one sentence

Direct: Sanu said to Sushama over the telephone, “I have got the tickets. Meet me at the station at 6.30 p.m.” Indirect: Sanu informed Sushama over the telephone that he had got the tickets and suggested that she meet him at the station at 6.30 p.m.

Direct: The supervisor of the examination said to the candidates, “Do not forget to put your names at the top of the page. Write down also the roll and the number.” Indirect: The supervisor of the examination advised the candidates not to forget to put their names at the top of the page and also reminded them to write down their roll and number therein.

Direct: Surabhi said to Mohan, “Let’s buy some flour. We will prepare bread at home.’ Indirect: Surabhi suggested to Mohan that they buy some flour and make bread themselves at home.

Direct: My assistant said to me, “You look tired. Why don’t you take a rest for a couple of days?” Indirect: My assistant told me that I looked tired, and suggested that I should take a rest for a couple of days.

Direct: My friend said to me, “Why don’t you open a bank account? I have opened one.” Indirect: My friend advised me to open a bank account and he also informed me that he had opened one.

Frequently Asked Questions Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Q: What are the 10 examples of direct and indirect speech?

• Direct Speech: Rohan said, “She works hard.”
• Indirect Speech: Rohan said that she worked hard
• Direct Speech: Rohan said, “She is singing a song.”
• Indirect Speech: Rohan said that she was singing a song.
• Direct Speech: The guest said shouting, “We have arrived .”
• Indirect Speech: The guest said shouting that they had arrived.
• Direct Speech: My sister said, “It has been raining hard for 3 days”.
• Indirect Speech: My sister said that it had been raining hard for 3 days.
• Direct Speech: Father said, “I visited the Taj yesterday.”
• Indirect Speech: Father said that he had visited the Taj the previous day.
• Direct Speech: Boys said, “They were travelling in the park.”
• Indirect Speech: Boys said that they had been travelling in the park.
• Direct Speech: The reporters commented that the Kohinoor had been lost long ago.
• Indirect Speech: The reporters commented, “The Kohinoor had been lost long ago”.
• D i rect Speech: Jyotsna said, “ She had been doing the work for 3 hours”.
• Indirect Speech: Jyotsna said that she had been doing the work for 3 hours.
• 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 ]

Q: What is direct and indirect speech with examples for Class 5?

Ans: When a sentence is quoted with the exact words used by the speaker, it is called a sentence in Direct Speech.

When the sentence is spoken or written in the form of a narrative without quoting the speaker’s actual words but keeping the meaning the same, it is called a sentence in Indirect Speech .

(1) I said to him that I had once seen him before. Ans: I said to him, “ I once saw you ago.”

(2) She said that she had a dream that night. Ans : She said, “I have a dream tonight.”

(3) The boy said. “We were playing.” Ans: The boy said that they had been playing.

(4) He told me that I should obey my parents. Ans: He said to me, “You will obey your parents.”

(5) Amal said to Bimal, “I gave you, my pen.” Ans: Amal told Bimal that he had given him his pen.

Q: What is the example of direct and indirect speech Class 9?

Ans: Direct: You say, ‘I am always busy.’ Indirect: You say that you are always busy.

Direct: The child will say, ‘Mum knows everything.’ Indirect: The child will say that Mum knows everything.

Direct: He said, ‘I need some money.’ Indirect: He said that he needed some money,

Direct: She said, ‘I am waiting for him.’ Indirect: She said that she was waiting for him.

Q: What are the 5 rules of indirect speech?

Ans: The five rules of indirect speech consist of Assertive sentences, Interrogative Sentences, Imperative Sentences, Optative Sentences, and Exclamatory sentences.

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