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Direct and Indirect Speech in English: A Complete Guide

Illustration comparing direct and indirect speech examples with quotation marks and reporting verbs for English grammar learners.

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Have you ever wondered how to report what someone said without quoting them directly? This is where Direct and Indirect Speech comes into play. In English, we use Direct Speech to repeat someone’s exact words and Indirect Speech (also called Reported Speech) to tell what someone said in our own words.

Understanding the difference between these two forms of speech is essential for everyday conversations, storytelling, and formal writing. Imagine you’re sharing a conversation with a friend, reporting news, or writing a book—knowing how to correctly switch between direct and indirect speech will make your communication clearer and more effective.

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Direct and Indirect Speech—from basic rules and usage to common mistakes and practice exercises. By the end of this post, you’ll be able to confidently transform direct speech into indirect speech and vice versa. Let’s get started!

Common Expressions in Direct and Indirect Speech

Before diving into the rules, let’s look at some common sentences that often appear in both Direct and Indirect Speech. These examples will help you recognize how speech is reported in everyday conversations.

  1. Direct: She said, “I am tired.”
    Indirect: She said that she was tired.
  2. Direct: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
    Indirect: He said that he would call me the next day.
  3. Direct: They said, “We have finished our work.”
    Indirect: They said that they had finished their work.
  4. Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?”
    Indirect: She asked me where I lived.
  5. Direct: He told me, “Don’t be late.”
    Indirect: He told me not to be late.
  6. Direct: She said, “I can swim.”
    Indirect: She said that she could swim.
  7. Direct: He said, “I must complete this project.”
    Indirect: He said that he had to complete the project.
  8. Direct: The teacher said, “You should study harder.”
    Indirect: The teacher said that I should study harder.
  9. Direct: My friend said, “I am going to the market.”
    Indirect: My friend said that he was going to the market.
  10. Direct: She said, “I didn’t see him yesterday.”
    Indirect: She said that she hadn’t seen him the day before.

These examples give a glimpse of how sentences change when shifting from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech. Next, we’ll explore where and when to use this grammar structure in daily communication.

Usage of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech is used in various situations, from everyday conversations to professional and academic writing. Below are the key contexts where this grammar structure is essential:

1. Reporting Conversations

When you need to share what someone said, Direct and Indirect Speech help convey the message accurately.

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

2. News and Journalism

Reporters and journalists often use Indirect Speech to present statements from public figures, interviews, or events.

  • Direct: The Prime Minister said, “We will improve healthcare services.”
  • Indirect: The Prime Minister stated that they would improve healthcare services.

3. Storytelling and Narration

Writers use Direct Speech for dialogues and Indirect Speech for summaries or background information in books, articles, and movies.

  • Direct: “I will never give up!” the hero shouted.
  • Indirect: The hero declared that he would never give up.

4. Academic and Professional Communication

In formal writing, like research papers or workplace communication, Indirect Speech is commonly used to summarize findings or discussions.

  • Direct: The professor said, “This theory explains climate change.”
  • Indirect: The professor explained that the theory clarified climate change.

5. Giving Instructions or Commands

When reporting commands, orders, or requests, Indirect Speech is often used.

  • Direct: The teacher said, “Complete your homework.”
  • Indirect: The teacher told us to complete our homework.

6. Asking and Reporting Questions

When someone asks a question, you can report it using Indirect Speech.

  • Direct: He asked, “Where is the nearest hospital?”
  • Indirect: He asked where the nearest hospital was.

Understanding these situations will help you use Direct and Indirect Speech correctly in daily life. Now, let’s move on to the next section: Conjugation and see how verbs change when reporting speech.

Conjugation in Direct and Indirect Speech

One of the most important aspects of Indirect Speech is the change in verb tense when reporting what someone said. In most cases, the verb in Indirect Speech shifts one step back in time. This process is known as backshifting and follows a specific pattern.

1. Present Simple → Past Simple

  • Direct: She said, “I like chocolate.”
  • Indirect: She said that she liked chocolate.

2. Present Continuous → Past Continuous

  • Direct: He said, “I am studying for my exam.”
  • Indirect: He said that he was studying for his exam.

3. Present Perfect → Past Perfect

  • Direct: She said, “I have finished my work.”
  • Indirect: She said that she had finished her work.

4. Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous

  • Direct: He said, “I have been working here for five years.”
  • Indirect: He said that he had been working there for five years.

5. Past Simple → Past Perfect

  • Direct: She said, “I visited Paris last year.”
  • Indirect: She said that she had visited Paris the previous year.

6. Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous

  • Direct: He said, “I was watching TV.”
  • Indirect: He said that he had been watching TV.

7. Past Perfect → (Remains the Same)

  • Direct: She said, “I had already eaten.”
  • Indirect: She said that she had already eaten.

8. Future (will) → Would

  • Direct: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
  • Indirect: He said that he would call me the next day.

9. Future Continuous (will be) → Would be

  • Direct: She said, “I will be traveling next week.”
  • Indirect: She said that she would be traveling the following week.

10. Future Perfect (will have) → Would have

  • Direct: He said, “I will have finished my project by Monday.”
  • Indirect: He said that he would have finished his project by Monday.

Exceptions: When Tenses Do Not Change

There are some cases where we do not change the tense in Indirect Speech:

  • If the reporting verb is in the present tense:
    • Direct: She says, “I love pizza.”
    • Indirect: She says that she loves pizza.
  • If the reported speech is a universal truth:
    • Direct: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the east.”
    • Indirect: The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.

Now that we understand how verbs change in Indirect Speech, let’s move on to the next section: Grammar Rules to learn the structure and formation in detail.

Grammar Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

Understanding the grammar rules of Direct and Indirect Speech is essential for proper sentence formation. Below are the key rules you need to follow when changing from Direct to Indirect Speech.

1. Changes in Pronouns

When converting Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, pronouns change based on the speaker and listener.

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
He said, “I am happy.”He said that he was happy.
She said, “We love ice cream.”She said that they loved ice cream.
I said, “You should try this.”I said that he/she should try that.

📌 Rule: Pronouns change depending on who is speaking and to whom the statement is directed.

2. Changes in Time Expressions

When reporting speech, time expressions often change.

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
today → that day“I saw her today.” → He said that he had seen her that day.
tomorrow → the next day“I will meet you tomorrow.” → She said that she would meet me the next day.
yesterday → the day before“I went there yesterday.” → He said that he had gone there the day before.
next week → the following week“I will go next week.” → She said that she would go the following week.
last year → the previous year“We traveled last year.” → They said that they had traveled the previous year.
now → then“I am happy now.” → She said that she was happy then.

📌 Rule: Time expressions must be adjusted when shifting from Direct to Indirect Speech.

3. Changes in Place References

Just like time expressions, place references also change in Indirect Speech.

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
here → there“I am here.” → She said that she was there.
this → that“I like this book.” → He said that he liked that book.
these → those“I want these apples.” → She said that she wanted those apples.

📌 Rule: Words referring to place and objects need to be adjusted in Indirect Speech.

4. Reporting Questions

When reporting questions, the structure changes as follows:

Yes/No Questions

  • Direct: She asked, “Do you like coffee?”
  • Indirect: She asked if I liked coffee.
  • Direct: He asked, “Did you finish your homework?”
  • Indirect: He asked whether I had finished my homework.

📌 Rule: For Yes/No questions, use if or whether in Indirect Speech.

WH- Questions

  • Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?”
  • Indirect: She asked me where I lived.
  • Direct: He asked, “Why are you late?”
  • Indirect: He asked me why I was late.

📌 Rule: WH- questions do not use “if” or “whether.” Instead, the question word (where, why, how, etc.) is directly followed by the reported statement.

5. Reporting Commands, Requests, and Advice

When reporting commands or requests, we use tell or ask + to-infinitive.

  • Direct: She said, “Close the door.”
  • Indirect: She told me to close the door.
  • Direct: He said, “Please help me.”
  • Indirect: He asked me to help him.

📌 Rule: In commands and requests, use told or asked with to + verb.

6. Reporting Negative Commands

For negative commands, use not to + verb.

  • Direct: She said, “Don’t be late.”
  • Indirect: She told me not to be late.
  • Direct: He said, “Don’t touch the stove.”
  • Indirect: He warned me not to touch the stove.

📌 Rule: Use not to + verb for negative instructions in Indirect Speech.

These are the essential grammar rules you need to master when converting Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

Next, we will cover Things to Keep in Mind, where we’ll discuss tricky points and exceptions in reported speech.

Things to Keep in Mind: Tricky Points and Exceptions

While the rules for Direct and Indirect Speech are mostly straightforward, there are exceptions and tricky cases that learners must be aware of. Below are some key points to keep in mind:

1. No Tense Change in Certain Situations

Not all sentences follow the usual backshifting rule when converting to Indirect Speech. Here are the cases when tenses remain unchanged:

✅ When the reporting verb is in the present or future tense

  • Direct: She says, “I love painting.”
  • Indirect: She says that she loves painting.
  • Direct: He will say, “I am busy.”
  • Indirect: He will say that he is busy.

✅ When the reported speech is a universal truth

  • Direct: The teacher said, “Water boils at 100°C.”
  • Indirect: The teacher said that water boils at 100°C.

📌 Rule: If a fact or general truth is being reported, the tense remains the same.

2. Using ‘That’ in Indirect Speech

In Indirect Speech, the conjunction “that” is often used, but it is optional in some cases:

  • Direct: She said, “I am tired.”
  • Indirect: She said that she was tired.
  • Indirect (without “that”): She said she was tired. ✅ (Also correct)

📌 Rule: The word “that” can be omitted in Indirect Speech without changing the meaning.

3. Questions Without Auxiliary Verbs

If the direct question does not have an auxiliary verb (like do/does/did), the word order must change.

  • Direct: She asked, “Who is calling?”
  • Indirect: She asked who was calling.
  • Direct: He asked, “What happened?”
  • Indirect: He asked what had happened.

📌 Rule: The sentence structure changes to statement order (subject before verb) in Indirect Speech.

4. Modal Verbs in Indirect Speech

Some modal verbs change in Indirect Speech, while others remain the same.

Direct SpeechIndirect Speech
will → would“I will help you.” → He said he would help me.
can → could“She can swim.” → He said she could swim.
may → might“He may come.” → She said he might come.
shall → should“I shall call you.” → She said she should call me.
must → had to“You must leave.” → He said I had to leave.
should → should“We should sleep early.” → He said we should sleep early.
might → might“She might be late.” → He said she might be late.

📌 Rule: “must” usually changes to “had to,” but “should” and “might” remain unchanged.

5. Indirect Speech for Exclamations and Wishes

When reporting exclamations or wishes, we use reporting verbs like exclaimed, wished, or said with emotion.

  • Direct: She said, “Wow! What a beautiful dress!”
  • Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful dress.
  • Direct: He said, “I wish I had more time.”
  • Indirect: He wished that he had more time.

📌 Rule: Use verbs like exclaimed, wished, shouted, sighed, etc. to report exclamations and strong emotions.

These are some of the most important exceptions and tricky points in Direct and Indirect Speech. Understanding these will help you avoid common mistakes and use reported speech correctly.

Next, let’s look at Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them to ensure perfect usage! 🚀

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Many learners make mistakes when converting Direct Speech into Indirect Speech. Below are some of the most common errors, along with corrected versions and tips to avoid them.

1. Incorrect Tense Shifts

❌ Incorrect: She said that she is happy.
✅ Correct: She said that she was happy.

💡 Tip: When the reporting verb (said, told, asked) is in the past, shift the tense one step back in Indirect Speech.

2. Forgetting to Change Pronouns

❌ Incorrect: He said, “I am hungry.” → He said that I was hungry.
✅ Correct: He said that he was hungry.

💡 Tip: Pronouns must change based on the speaker and listener.

3. Wrong Word Order in Questions

❌ Incorrect: He asked where was she.
✅ Correct: He asked where she was.

💡 Tip: In Indirect Speech, question format changes to statement order (subject before verb).

4. Not Changing Time Expressions

❌ Incorrect: She said, “I will go tomorrow.” → She said that she would go tomorrow.
✅ Correct: She said that she would go the next day.

💡 Tip: Adjust time expressions in Indirect Speech.

5. Forgetting “If” or “Whether” in Yes/No Questions

❌ Incorrect: He asked, “Do you like coffee?” → He asked do I like coffee.
✅ Correct: He asked if I liked coffee.

💡 Tip: Always use “if” or “whether” for Yes/No questions.

6. Incorrectly Reporting Commands & Requests

❌ Incorrect: He said me to close the door.
✅ Correct: He told me to close the door.

❌ Incorrect: She said me not to be late.
✅ Correct: She told me not to be late.

💡 Tip: Use “told” for commands and “asked” for requests, followed by “to + verb”.

7. Not Changing “Must” Properly

❌ Incorrect: He said, “You must leave early.” → He said that I must leave early.
✅ Correct: He said that I had to leave early.

💡 Tip: Change “must” to “had to” in Indirect Speech (except in universal truths).

8. Confusion with “Said” and “Told”

❌ Incorrect: He told that he was tired.
✅ Correct: He said that he was tired.

❌ Incorrect: He said me that he was tired.
✅ Correct: He told me that he was tired.

💡 Tip:

  • Use “said” when there is no object (He said that…).
  • Use “told” when there is an object (He told me that…).

Mastering these common mistakes will help you use Direct and Indirect Speech accurately.

Next, let’s look at Example Sentences to reinforce what we’ve learned! 🚀

Example Sentences in Direct and Indirect Speech

Here are different categories of Direct and Indirect Speech, each with two examples to help you understand their usage.

1. Statements (Affirmative & Negative)

  • Direct: She said, “I am learning English.”
  • Direct: He said, “I don’t like spicy food.”
    • Indirect: He said that he didn’t like spicy food.

📌 Rule: In reported statements, shift the tense back one step and adjust pronouns accordingly.

2. Yes/No Questions

  • Direct: She asked, “Do you like chocolate?”
    • Indirect: She asked if I liked chocolate.
  • Direct: He asked, “Have you ever been to Paris?”
    • Indirect: He asked if I had ever been to Paris.

📌 Rule: Convert Yes/No questions using “if” or “whether” and change the question structure into a statement format.

3. Wh- Questions

  • Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?”
    • Indirect: She asked where I lived.
  • Direct: He asked, “What are you doing?”
    • Indirect: He asked what I was doing.

📌 Rule: Keep Wh- words (who, what, where, why, how) in Indirect Speech, but change verb tense and sentence structure.

4. Commands & Requests

  • Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
    • Indirect: He told me to close the door.
  • Direct: The teacher said, “Don’t talk during the exam.”
    • Indirect: The teacher told us not to talk during the exam.

📌 Rule: Convert commands and requests using “told/asked” + (not) to + verb.

5. Modal Verbs

  • Direct: He said, “I can swim.”
    • Indirect: He said that he could swim.
  • Direct: They said, “We must leave now.”
    • Indirect: They said that they had to leave then.

📌 Rule: Modal verbs change: can → could, will → would, must → had to (except universal truths).

6. Reported Speech with “Let” (Suggestions & Offers)

  • Direct: He said, “Let’s go to the park.”
    • Indirect: He suggested going to the park.
  • Direct: She said, “Let me help you.”
    • Indirect: She offered to help me.

📌 Rule:

  • “Let’s” → suggested + verb-ing
  • “Let me” → offered to + verb

7. Reporting Advice & Warnings

  • Direct: She said, “You should study harder.”
    • Indirect: She advised me to study harder.
  • Direct: He said, “Don’t touch that wire!”
    • Indirect: He warned me not to touch that wire.

📌 Rule: Use advised, warned, recommended + (not) to + verb.

8. Reporting Promises, Threats & Agreements

  • Direct: He said, “I will call you later.”
    • Indirect: He promised to call me later.
  • Direct: He said, “I’ll report you to the manager.”
    • Indirect: He threatened to report me to the manager.

📌 Rule: Use promised, refused, threatened + to + verb.

These examples cover all the key categories of Direct and Indirect Speech. Mastering them will help you use reported speech accurately in English.

Next, let’s move on to Exercises to test your understanding! 🚀

Exercise: Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech

Fill in the blanks by converting the following sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

  1. She said, “I am very tired.”
    • She said that she _____ very tired.
  2. He asked, “Do you like ice cream?”
    • He asked if I _____ ice cream.
  3. They said, “We have finished our work.”
    • They said that they _____ their work.
  4. The teacher said, “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”
    • The teacher said that water _____ at 100 degrees Celsius.
  5. He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
    • He said that he _____ call me the next day.
  6. She asked, “Where did you buy this book?”
    • She asked where I _____ that book.
  7. The doctor said, “You must take your medicine on time.”
    • The doctor said that I _____ to take my medicine on time.
  8. He said, “I can speak three languages(English, Spanish and japanese).”
    • He said that he _____ speak three languages(English, Spanish and japanese).
  9. She said, “I don’t like spicy food.”
    • She said that she _____ like spicy food.
  10. He asked, “Have you ever been to Japan?”
  • He asked if I _____ ever been to Japan.
  1. She said, “Let’s go for a walk.”
  • She suggested _____ for a walk.
  1. He said, “Don’t touch that button!”
  • He warned me _____ touch that button.
  1. The manager said, “Finish the report by tomorrow.”
  • The manager told me _____ the report by the next day.
  1. She said, “I may visit my grandmother next week.”
  • She said that she _____ visit her grandmother the following week.
  1. He said, “I shall return soon.”
  • He said that he _____ return soon.
  1. She asked, “How are you feeling now?”
  • She asked how I _____ feeling then.
  1. They said, “We won’t attend the meeting.”
  • They said that they _____ attend the meeting.
  1. He said, “I need to submit my assignment today.”
  • He said that he _____ to submit his assignment that day.
  1. She said, “Let me help you with that.”
  • She offered _____ me with that.
  1. The teacher said, “Read the instructions carefully.”
  • The teacher told us _____ the instructions carefully.

These exercises will help reinforce Direct and Indirect Speech concepts.

Answers

Here are the correct answers. Please pay attention to the words in bold.

  1. Direct: She said, “I am very tired.”
    • Indirect: She said that she was very tired.
  2. Direct: He asked, “Do you like ice cream?”
    • Indirect: He asked if I liked ice cream.
  3. Direct: They said, “We have finished our work.”
    • Indirect: They said that they had finished their work.
  4. Direct: The teacher said, “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”
    • Indirect: The teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (No change, as it’s a universal truth.)
  5. Direct: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
    • Indirect: He said that he would call me the next day.
  6. Direct: She asked, “Where did you buy this book?”
    • Indirect: She asked where I had bought that book.
  7. Direct: The doctor said, “You must take your medicine on time.”
    • Indirect: The doctor said that I had to take my medicine on time.
  8. Direct: He said, “I can speak three languages.”
    • Indirect: He said that he could speak three languages.
  9. Direct: She said, “I don’t like spicy food.”
    • Indirect: She said that she didn’t like spicy food.
  10. Direct: He asked, “Have you ever been to Japan?”
  • Indirect: He asked if I had ever been to Japan.
  1. Direct: She said, “Let’s go for a walk.”
  • Indirect: She suggested going for a walk.
  1. Direct: He said, “Don’t touch that button!”
  • Indirect: He warned me not to touch that button.
  1. Direct: The manager said, “Finish the report by tomorrow.”
  • Indirect: The manager told me to finish the report by the next day.
  1. Direct: She said, “I may visit my grandmother next week.”
  • Indirect: She said that she might visit her grandmother the following week.
  1. Direct: He said, “I shall return soon.”
  • Indirect: He said that he would return soon.
  1. Direct: She asked, “How are you feeling now?”
  • Indirect: She asked how I was feeling then.
  1. Direct: They said, “We won’t attend the meeting.”
  • Indirect: They said that they would not attend the meeting.
  1. Direct: He said, “I need to submit my assignment today.”
  • Indirect: He said that he needed to submit his assignment that day.
  1. Direct: She said, “Let me help you with that.”
  • Indirect: She offered to help me with that.
  1. Direct: The teacher said, “Read the instructions carefully.”
  • Indirect: The teacher told us to read the instructions carefully.

Explanation of Key Changes

  • Tense Shift: Present → Past (e.g., am → was, have finished → had finished).
  • Time & Place Changes:
    • tomorrow → the next day
    • this → that
    • next week → the following week
    • now → then
  • Modal Verbs Change:
    • will → would
    • can → could
    • must → had to
    • may → might

Summary: Key Takeaways on Direct and Indirect Speech

Here’s a quick recap of everything covered in this blog:

✅ Direct Speech repeats the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks.
✅ Indirect Speech (Reported Speech) conveys the same message but without quotation marks and with necessary grammatical changes.

Key Changes in Indirect Speech

✔ Tense Shift:

  • Present → Past (am → was, have → had, will → would)
  • Past → Past Perfect (went → had gone, saw → had seen)

✔ Pronoun Adjustments:

  • I → he/she, we → they, my → his/her, our → their, etc.

✔ Time & Place Changes:

  • today → that day
  • tomorrow → the next day
  • yesterday → the previous day
  • this → that
  • now → then
  • here → there

✔ Modal Verb Changes:

  • will → would
  • can → could
  • must → had to
  • may → might

Types of Sentences in Indirect Speech

🔹 Statements:

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

🔹 Questions:

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

🔹 Yes/No Questions:

  • Direct: She asked, “Do you like coffee?”
  • Indirect: She asked if I liked coffee.

🔹 Commands & Requests:

  • Direct: The teacher said, “Close the door.”
  • Indirect: The teacher told me to close the door.

🔹 Suggestions:

  • Direct: She said, “Let’s go to the park.”
  • Indirect: She suggested going to the park.

Do Not Make These Mistakes!

❌ Forgetting to shift tenses where necessary.
❌ Keeping quotation marks in Indirect Speech (they should be removed).
❌ Using incorrect pronouns when changing the sentence.
❌ Not adjusting time and place words properly.

Conclusion: Master Direct and Indirect Speech with Confidence!

Understanding Direct and Indirect Speech is essential for effective communication, whether in writing or speaking. By mastering these rules, you can report conversations accurately, avoid common mistakes, and enhance your English fluency.

Remember:
✔ Pay close attention to tense shifts, pronoun changes, and time/place word adjustments.
✔ Practice different sentence types—statements, questions, commands, requests, and suggestions.
✔ Avoid common mistakes like keeping quotation marks or forgetting to adjust tenses.

Now it’s your turn! Try using Indirect Speech in daily conversations or writing exercises. The more you practice, the more natural it will become.

💬 Let’s keep learning together! Share your doubts or examples in the comments—I’d love to help.
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Happy learning! 🚀✨

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