Direct And Indirect Speech
Direct Speech
A kind of sentence structure in which we report people’s exact words is called ‘direct speech’. These words are placed between inverted commas.
Examples:
Majed said, "I want to work hard.”
He said, "I am happy.”
Indirect Speech
A kind of sentence structure in which we make people’s words a part of our own sentence by using conjunctions (e.g. that), and changing sentences, pronouns, and other words where necessary. There are no inverted commas in indirect speech.
Examples:
Majed said that she wanted to work hard.
He said that he was happy .
Rule for conversion of Direct speech to indirect speech
In order to change a sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, we apply some general rules.
These rules involve:
Changing of tenses
Changing of pronouns
Change of expressions of time and space
The comma and the inverted commas are omitted
The conjunction ‘that’ is generally used
Conversion of direct speech to indirect speech Reporting Verb
Rules | Examples |
If the reporting verb is in past tense, the verb of the reporting speech is changed to the corresponding past tense. | Direct: She said. "I am sick.” Indirect: She said that she was sick. |
If the reporting verb is in present tense or future tense then the tense of the reported speech remains unchanged. | Direct: She says, "I am going.” Indirect: She says that she is going. Direct: She will say, "I am going.” Indirect: She will say that she is going. |
If the reported speech has a universal truth or a habitual action, the tense of the reported speech usually remains unchanged | Direct: He said, "Man is mortal.” Indirect: He said that man is mortal. |
Change of Present Tenses
Rules | Examples |
The simple present tense is changed to the simple past tense. | Direct: She said, ”I am unwell.” Indirect: She said that she was unwell. Direct: They said, ”We play cricket.” Indirect: They said that they played cricket. |
The present continuous tense is changed to the past continuous tense. | Direct: She explained, ”I am playing a guitar.” Indirect: She explained that she was playing a guitar. |
The present perfect tense is changed to the past perfect tense. | Direct: She said, ”I have already completed my work.” Indirect: She said that she had already completed her work. |
The present perfect continuous tense is changed to the past perfect continuous tense. | Direct: He said, ”I have been living in Lahore since 2001.” Indirect: He said that he had been living in Lahore since 2001. |
Change of Past Tenses
Rules | Examples |
The simple past tense is changed to the past perfect tense. | Direct: They said,”We played cricket.” Indirect: They said that they had played cricket. |
The past continuous tense is changed to the past perfect continuous tense. | Direct: She explained,”I was playing a guitar.” Indirect: She explained that she had been playing a guitar. |
The past perfect tense remains unchanged. | Direct: She said,”I had already completed my work. Indirect: She said that she had already completed her work. |
The past perfect continuous tense remains unchanged. | Direct: He said,”I had been living in Lahore since 2001.” Indirect: He said that he had been living in Lahore since 2001. |
Change of Future Tenses
Rules | Examples |
The simple future tense (‘will and shall’ are changed to ’would’) | Direct: They said,”We shall play cricket.” Indirect: They said that they would play cricket. |
The future continuous tense (‘will be and shall be’ are changed to ‘would be’) | Direct: She explained,”I shall be playing guitar.” Indirect: She explained that she would be playing guitar. |
The future perfect tense (‘will have and shall have’ are changed to ‘would have’) | Direct: She said,”I shall have already completed my work.” Indirect: She said that she would have already completed her work. |
The future perfect continuous tense (‘will have been and shall have been’ are changed to ‘would have been’) | Direct: He said,”I shall have been living in Lahore since 2001.” Indirect: He said that he would have been living in Lahore since 2001. |
Change of Modal Verbs
Rules | Examples |
Will —------------> Would | Direct: He said,”The test will be difficult.” Indirect: He said that the test would be difficult. |
Can —------------> Could | Direct: He said,”I can help the poor.” Indirect: He said that he could help the poor. |
May —------------> Might | Direct: He said,”It may rain tonight.” Indirect: He said that it might rain tonight. |
Note: Past modal verbs (e.g. would, could, should, might, must, ought) usually remain unchanged. | Direct: He said,”It may rain tonight.” Indirect: He said that it might rain tonight. |
Conversion of Interrogative Sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech
Rules | Examples |
If a sentence in the direct speech begins with a question word (e.g. what/where/when, etc.), the reporting verb is usually changed to verbs such as ‘enquire’ and ‘asked’.
The inverted commas and the question mark are omitted, and no conjunction is used.
The structure of the direct speech is changed from interrogative form to assertive form. | Direct: The boy said,”Where do you live?” Indirect: The boy inquired where I live.
Direct: She said to me,”What were they doing at home?” Indirect: She asked me what they had been doing at home? |
If a sentence in the direct speech begins with auxiliary verb (helping verb), we use the conjunction ‘if’ or ‘weather’ after the reporting verb | Direct: She said to me,”Will you come to the party?” Indirect: She asked me whether I would come to the party. |
Direct and Indirect Speech
Conversion of Imperative Sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech
Rules | Examples |
The reporting verb is generally changed to another verb such as: Command: ordered, told, commanded, etc. Request: asked, requested, pleaded, begged, etc. Advice: suggested, urged, forbade (for negative sentences only), warned, etc.
The inverted commas are omitted. No conjunction is introduced.
The verb of the reported speech is changed to an infinitive (e.g. to+be). | Direct: She said to me,”Polish my shoes.” Indirect: She ordered me to polish my shoes.
Direct: She said to me,”Please help me.” Indirect: She requested me to help her.
Direct: She said to me,”Do not waste your time.” Indirect: She forbade me to waste my time. |
Conversion of Exclamatory Sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech
Rules | Examples |
The reporting work is changed to another verb such as exclaimed with joy, sorrow, surprise, anger, admiration, etc.
The commas and interjections are omitted, and the conjunction ‘that’ is used.
The structure of direct speech is changed from exclamatory form to assertive form. | Direct: She said,”What a beautiful flower that is!” Indirect: She exclaimed with admiration that it was a beautiful flower. Direct: He said,”Alas! We have lost the match.” Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost the match. |
Conversion of Wish (Optative Sentences) from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech
Rules | Examples |
The reporting verb is changed to words such as wished, desired, prayed, etc.
The commas and the interjection are omitted, and the conjunction ‘that’ is generally used
The structure of the direct speech is changed from optative form to assertive form. | Direct: She said,”May you live long!” Indirect: She prayed that I might live long.
Direct: He said to me,”May Allah bless you!” Indirect: He wished me that Allah might bless me.
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Change of Pronoun
Rules | Examples |
The pronouns of the first person in direct speech changed with the subject of the reporting speech. | Direct: He said.”I always help the poor.” Indirect: He said that he always helped the poor. |
The pronoun of the second person in direct speech is changed with the object of reporting speech. | Direct: He said to me,”You always help the poor.” Indirect: He told me that I always help the poor. |
The pronoun of the third person in the reported speech remains unchanged. | Direct: He said,”She has completed her work.” Indirect: He said that she had completed her work. |
Change of Typical Words Time and Place
Rules | Examples |
In direct speech, the words that express nearness in time and place are changed to words that express distance in the indirect speech. | Direct: He said,”His friends came yesterday.” Indirect: He said that his friends had to come the day before. |
If the reporting verb is in the present tense or future tense, expression of time and place remains unchanged. | Direct: He says,”My friend came yesterday.” Indirect: He says that his friend came yesterday. |
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
now | then |
here | there |
ago | before |
thus | so |
today | that day |
tomorrow | the next day |
this | that |
yesterday | the day before |
these | those |
hither | thither |
hence | thence |
the next week/month | the following week/month
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