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📘 Direct Speech and Indirect Speech: Complete Explanation

🔹 1. What is Direct Speech?

Definition: Direct speech is when we quote the exact words spoken by someone. These words are enclosed in quotation marks ("...").

Structure:
Subject + reporting verb + comma + “quoted speech”

Example:
She said, “I am happy.”

🔹 2. What is Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)?

Definition: Indirect speech is when we report what someone said without quoting their exact words. We often need to change the verb tense, pronouns, and time expressions.

Structure:
Subject + reporting verb + that + reported clause

Example:
She said that she was happy.

Note: In modern English, the word “that” is often optional.

🔹 3. Key Changes When Using Indirect Speech

🔸 A. Change of Tense (Backshifting)

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
"I am tired," he said. He said he was tired.
"I have finished," she said. She said she had finished.
"I saw the movie," he said. He said he had seen the movie.
"I will go," she said. She said she would go.

⚠️ If the reporting verb (e.g., said, told) is in the past tense, we usually shift the tense back.

🔸 B. Change of Pronouns

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, "I love my job." He said he loved his job.
She said, "We are busy." She said they were busy.
I said, "You are late." I said he/she was late.

🔸 C. Change of Time and Place Expressions

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
nowthen
todaythat day
yesterdaythe day before
tomorrowthe next day
last nightthe night before
herethere
thisthat

Example:
She said, “I will come tomorrow.”
→ She said she would come the next day.

🔹 4. Common Reporting Verbs

  • say (to + person not used): She said (that) she was tired.
  • tell (must use object): She told me (that) she was tired.
  • ask, advise, suggest, order, promise, warn, admit, explain, etc.

🔹 5. Reporting Questions

🔸 Yes/No Questions

Use if or whether

Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
Indirect: He asked if I was coming.

🔸 WH-Questions

Use the WH-word (who, what, where, why, when, how...)

Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?”
Indirect: She asked where I lived.

🔹 6. Reporting Commands and Requests

Use to + verb (for commands) and not to + verb (for negative commands)

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, “Sit down.”He told me to sit down.
She said, “Don’t be late.”She told me not to be late.
He said, “Please help me.”He asked me to help him.

🔹 7. No Change in Tense (If Reporting Verb Is in Present/Future)

If the reporting verb is in the present or future, the verb tense usually does not change.

Examples:

  • She says, "I love chocolate." → She says she loves chocolate.
  • He will say, "I passed the test." → He will say he passed the test.

📌 Summary Table

Feature Direct Speech Indirect Speech
FormatQuotation marksNo quotation marks
PronounsSame as speakerChanged according to context
Verb TenseOriginal tenseUsually one step back (past)
Time Expressionsnow, today, tomorrowthen, that day, the next day
Reporting Verbssaid, asked, told, etc.said that, asked if, told me to, etc.

📘 Indirect Speech: Structure & Usage

In indirect speech (or reported speech), we report what someone said, asked, or commanded. The structure used depends on the type of sentence being reported.

✅ Common Structures in Indirect Speech

Structure Usage Example
that Used for statements She said that she was tired.
if / whether Used for Yes/No questions He asked if I liked tea.
to + V (infinitive) Used for affirmative commands/requests She told me to sit down.
not to + V (infinitive) Used for negative commands/requests He warned me not to be late.
wh-word + S + V Used for wh-questions (what, where, why...) She asked me where I lived.

📌 Notes

  • “that” is optional in informal English.
  • “whether” is used more formally or before “or not”.
  • In indirect WH-questions, keep the question word, but use normal sentence word order (no question form).
  • Use verbs like told, asked, advised, warned for reported commands and requests.

Mastering these patterns will help you report speech clearly and accurately in both writing and speaking!

🗣️ Indirect Speech – Multiple Choice Quiz

Choose the correct option for each sentence:

  1. She said ___ she was busy.

  2. He asked me ___ I liked chocolate.

  3. They told me ___ be careful.

  4. She asked me ___ I had finished the project.

  5. He told us ___ talk during the exam.

  6. He said ___ he didn’t know the answer.

  7. I asked her ___ she had gone.

  8. She told me ___ bring my ID card.

  9. They asked me ___ I could help them.

  10. He asked me ___ I was doing there.

  11. My teacher told me ___ submit the assignment on time.

  12. He warned me ___ touch the wire.

  13. I asked her ___ she wanted coffee or tea.

  14. She said ___ she had lived there before.

  15. The officer asked me ___ I had seen the accident.

  16. The nurse told him ___ rest for a few days.

  17. She asked me ___ I had met her brother.

  18. I asked him ___ he had gone on Sunday.

  19. He said ___ he would call me later.

  20. She told the child ___ play near the road.

🔄 Changing Personal Pronouns in Indirect Speech

When reporting someone’s words, we often need to change the personal pronouns to match the perspective of the speaker and listener in the reporting sentence.

🧭 Pronoun Shift Table

Direct Speech Reported Speech Example
I he / she She said, "I am tired." → She said she was tired.
you I / he / she / they / we He said to me, "You are late." → He told me I was late.
we they They said, "We will go." → They said they would go.
me him / her She said, "He saw me." → She said he had seen her.
us them He said, "She called us." → He said she had called them.
my his / her She said, "This is my book." → She said it was her book.
our their They said, "This is our home." → They said it was their home.
your my / his / her / their He said, "That is your pen." → He said it was my pen.

📌 Tips

  • Always think about **who is speaking** and **who is being spoken to** when changing pronouns.
  • Use context to decide the correct replacement: “you” can become **I**, **he**, **she**, **we**, or **they** depending on who the listener is.
  • This change helps the reported sentence make sense from the perspective of the new speaker.

Mastering pronoun changes helps make your reported speech clear, natural, and grammatically correct!

🔁 Pronoun Shift in Reported Speech – Quiz

Choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.

  1. She said, “I need help.” → She said that ___ needed help.



  2. He said, “You are late.” → He told me that ___ was late.



  3. They said, “We are tired.” → They said that ___ were tired.



  4. She said, “He helped me.” → She said that he had helped ___.



  5. I said to her, “You forgot your key.” → I told her she had forgotten ___ key.



  6. John said, “This is my house.” → John said that it was ___ house.



  7. They said, “Our teacher is sick.” → They said that ___ teacher was sick.



  8. I said to him, “You dropped your phone.” → I told him he had dropped ___ phone.



  9. Mary said, “They invited me.” → Mary said they had invited ___.



  10. He said, “My sister is coming.” → He said ___ sister was coming.



🕒 Verb Tense Shifts in Indirect (Reported) Speech

When we report what someone said (especially when the reporting verb is in the past), we often shift the verb tense one step back in time. This is called backshifting. The rules below show how tenses change from direct speech to indirect speech.

📋 Backshifted Tense Table

Direct Speech Tense Indirect Speech Tense Example
Present Simple (V1) Past Simple (V2) He said, “I work every day.” → He said he worked every day.
Present Continuous (am/is/are + V-ing) Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing) She said, “I am reading.” → She said she was reading.
Present Perfect (have/has + V3) Past Perfect (had + V3) He said, “I have finished.” → He said he had finished.
Present Perfect Continuous (have/has been + V-ing) Past Perfect Continuous (had been + V-ing) She said, “I have been waiting.” → She said she had been waiting.
Past Simple (V2) Past Perfect (had + V3) He said, “I went to school.” → He said he had gone to school.
Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing) Past Perfect Continuous (had been + V-ing) She said, “I was cooking.” → She said she had been cooking.
Future Simple (will + V1) would + V1 He said, “I will call you.” → He said he would call me.
Future Continuous (will be + V-ing) would be + V-ing She said, “I will be studying.” → She said she would be studying.
Future Perfect (will have + V3) would have + V3 He said, “I will have finished.” → He said he would have finished.

💡 Notes:

  • Backshifting is necessary **only** if the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., said, told, asked).
  • No backshifting is needed if the reporting verb is in the present or future.
  • If the statement is still true, sometimes no shift is made (especially in scientific facts or general truths).

🧠 Examples Without Backshift (When Allowed)

  • The teacher says, “Water boils at 100°C.” → The teacher says that water boils at 100°C. ✅
  • She says, “I like apples.” → She says that she likes apples. ✅

Mastering these tense shifts is essential for clear, accurate, and grammatically correct reported speech!

🗣️ Indirect Speech – Mixed Tense Shift Quiz (Fill in the Blanks)

Convert the following direct speech into correct indirect speech by filling in the blanks with the correct verb form.

  1. He said, "I go to school every day." → He said that he to school every day.
  2. She said, "I’m writing a story." → She said that she a story.
  3. They said, "We have finished our lunch." → They said that they their lunch.
  4. John said, "I will come to the meeting." → John said that he come to the meeting.
  5. She said, "I’ve been watching TV." → She said that she TV.
  6. He asked, "Do you like coffee?" → He asked if I coffee.
  7. I asked, "Where are you going?" → I asked where she going.
  8. They asked, "Did you see the movie?" → They asked if I the movie.
  9. She asked, "What are you doing?" → She asked what I doing.
  10. The teacher asked, "Have you completed your homework?" → The teacher asked if I my homework.
  11. He said, "Clean the room!" → He told me the room.
  12. She said, "Don’t shout." → She told me shout.
  13. The doctor said, "Take the medicine twice a day." → The doctor told me the medicine twice a day.

🗣️ Indirect Speech – Time and Place Expression Changes

When reporting speech, certain time and place expressions also change to match the new point of reference. Here's a guide to help you understand how they shift.

📋 Common Time & Place Shifts

Direct Speech Indirect Speech Example
today that day She said, "I’m busy today." → She said she was busy that day.
tomorrow the next day / the following day He said, "I’ll come tomorrow." → He said he would come the next day.
yesterday the day before They said, "We met her yesterday." → They said they had met her the day before.
now then / at that moment She said, "I need help now." → She said she needed help then.
this that He said, "I like this book." → He said he liked that book.
these those She said, "These are my keys." → She said those were her keys.
here there He said, "Come here." → He told me to come there.

📝 Practice – Fill in the Blanks

  1. She said, "I’m going to the market today." → She said she was going to the market .
  2. He said, "I will call you tomorrow." → He said he would call me .
  3. They said, "We were at the event yesterday." → They said they had been at the event .
  4. She said, "I need it now." → She said she needed it .
  5. He said, "This idea is great!" → He said idea was great.
  6. She said, "These documents are important." → She said documents were important.
  7. He said, "Put the box here." → He told me to put the box .

📘 Statement – Indirect Speech (Fill in the Whole Sentence)

Convert the following direct statements into indirect speech. Type the full sentence using correct tense and pronoun shifts. Each sentence includes the speaker and listener.

  1. She said to me, “I always enjoy reading historical novels when I have some free time on the weekends.”
    →
  2. He said to his friend, “My brother has been working on a renewable energy project for over six months now.”
    →
  3. They said to their manager, “We plan to organize a fundraising event next Saturday at the community center.”
    →
  4. Jessica said to her professor, “I met the director of the program during the international conference in Tokyo last year.”
    →
  5. The teacher said to the students, “Your performance in the last three assignments has shown significant improvement.”
    →
  6. David said to his cousin, “My parents are currently staying at a resort in Bagan for their anniversary.”
    →
  7. She said to her editor, “I have just finished writing the first draft of my short story for the competition.”
    →
  8. Mark said to his classmate, “I was thinking about applying for a scholarship at the Australian university I mentioned.”
    →
  9. They said to the tour guide, “We have never visited the National Museum, even though we’ve lived here for years.”
    →
  10. He said to me, “I bought this antique vase from a local market during my trip to Chiang Mai.”
    →
  11. She said to her niece, “I used to walk home every day after school when I lived in my old neighborhood.”
    →
  12. Tom said to his sister, “We were watching the documentary on climate change when the lights went out.”
    →
  13. He said to his mentor, “I will definitely consider your advice before making a final decision about my career.”
    →
  14. Julia said to her aunt, “My cousins are coming over from London next month to celebrate New Year with us.”
    →
  15. They said to the travel agent, “We had already booked our flights before the airline offered any discounts.”
    →

❓ Questions – Indirect Speech (Fill in the Whole Sentence)

Convert the following direct questions into indirect speech. Include the speaker and listener. Use correct word order and tense shifts.

  1. She said to me, “Are you planning to attend the seminar this Friday?”
    →
  2. He said to the stranger, “Where is the nearest pharmacy around here?”
    →
  3. They said to their teacher, “Have you marked our test papers yet?”
    →
  4. Anna said to her friend, “What time did the film start yesterday?”
    →
  5. The interviewer said to the applicant, “Why do you want to work for our company?”
    →
  6. My sister said to me, “Did you feed the cat before leaving the house?”
    →
  7. Tom said to the librarian, “Can I borrow this book for two weeks?”
    →
  8. The student said to the principal, “When will the new school library be opened?”
    →
  9. She said to her mother, “Is there any cake left in the fridge?”
    →
  10. He said to the doctor, “What should I do to recover faster?”
    →
  11. The journalist said to the witness, “What did you see at the scene of the accident?”
    →
  12. They said to the coach, “Have we been selected for the final round?”
    →
  13. Anna said to the vendor, “How much does this bag cost?”
    →
  14. He said to his wife, “Are you going to your parents’ house this weekend?”
    →
  15. The officer said to the suspect, “Why didn’t you answer my call last night?”
    →

🗣 Imperatives – Indirect Speech (Fill in the Whole Sentence)

Convert the following imperative sentences into indirect speech. Include the speaker and listener. Cover both positive and negative commands.

  1. She said to me, “Please close the window before you leave.”
    →
  2. He said to his assistant, “Don’t forget to send the report by Friday.”
    →
  3. The teacher said to the students, “Open your books to page 45.”
    →
  4. She said to her brother, “Don’t touch my laptop without asking.”
    →
  5. The nurse said to the patient, “Take these pills after each meal.”
    →
  6. The officer said to the driver, “Please show me your license.”
    →
  7. My father said to me, “Don’t stay out too late tonight.”
    →
  8. The manager said to the staff, “Submit the documents before 5 p.m.”
    →
  9. She said to the child, “Don’t run near the pool.”
    →
  10. The policeman said to the man, “Stay where you are.”
    →
  11. Tom said to his sister, “Help me carry this box upstairs.”
    →
  12. The professor said to the students, “Don’t use your phones during the lecture.”
    →
  13. He said to her, “Take an umbrella with you. It might rain.”
    →
  14. Mother said to me, “Don’t leave your clothes on the floor.”
    →
  15. She said to the cleaner, “Please vacuum the carpet in the living room.”
    →