Master the transformation between direct and indirect speech (reported speech). Learn rules for statements, questions, and commands in all tenses.
✅ Recommended for: Class 8-9 (Foundation) | Class 10-12 (Advanced)
1. What is Direct & Indirect Speech?
Direct Speech: The exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks.
Indirect Speech: Reporting what someone said without using their exact words, no quotation marks.
| Type | Features | Example | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Speech | • Exact words • Quotation marks • Comma after reporting verb • Capital letter to start quote |
She said, "I am happy." | Original words preserved |
| Indirect Speech | • Reported meaning • No quotation marks • Conjunction 'that' • Pronoun, tense, adverb changes |
She said that she was happy. | Words modified for reporting |
2. Basic Changes in Indirect Speech
| Element | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronouns | I, we, you, my, our, your | he/she, they, his/her, their | Change according to speaker-listener relationship |
| Tenses | Present → Past Will → Would Can → Could |
Backshift one step | If reporting verb is past, tense shifts back |
| Time Words | now → then today → that day tomorrow → the next day |
Adjust to reporting time | See complete time change table |
| Place Words | here → there this → that these → those |
Adjust to reporting location | Change relative to reporter's position |
| Reporting Verbs | said, told, asked | said that, told that, asked if/whether | Add conjunction (that, if, whether, to) |
3. Tense Change Rules (Backshift)
| Direct Speech Tense | Direct Example | Indirect Speech Tense | Indirect Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | "I like apples." | Simple Past | He said he liked apples. |
| Present Continuous | "I am reading." | Past Continuous | He said he was reading. |
| Present Perfect | "I have finished." | Past Perfect | He said he had finished. |
| Simple Past | "I saw him." | Past Perfect | He said he had seen him. |
| Past Continuous | "I was sleeping." | Past Perfect Continuous | He said he had been sleeping. |
| Will/Shall | "I will help you." | Would/Should | He said he would help me. |
| Can | "I can swim." | Could | He said he could swim. |
| May | "I may come." | Might | He said he might come. |
| Must | "I must go." | Had to | He said he had to go. |
| No Change Cases | • Universal truths • Historical facts • Habitual actions • When reporting verb is present/future • Could, might, should, would, ought to |
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4. Time & Place Word Changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|---|---|
| now | then | today | that day |
| tonight | that night | tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| yesterday | the previous day / the day before | last night | the previous night / the night before |
| last week | the previous week / the week before | next week | the following week / the week after |
| ago | before | here | there |
| this | that | these | those |
| come | go | bring | take |
5. Reporting Statements
| Direct Statement | Indirect Statement | Changes Made | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| He said, "I am tired." | He said that he was tired. | • I → he • am → was • Added 'that' |
Add conjunction 'that' (optional) |
| She said, "I have finished my work." | She said that she had finished her work. | • I → she • have finished → had finished • my → her |
Tense backshift, pronoun change |
| They said, "We will come tomorrow." | They said that they would come the next day. | • We → they • will → would • tomorrow → the next day |
Modal change, time change |
| He said, "The sun rises in the east." | He said that the sun rises in the east. | No tense change | Universal truth - no backshift |
6. Reporting Questions
| Question Type | Direct Question | Indirect Question | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes/No Questions | She asked, "Are you coming?" | She asked if/whether I was coming. | • Verb before subject → subject before verb • Add if/whether • ? → . |
| Wh- Questions | He asked, "Where do you live?" | He asked where I lived. | • Wh-word remains • do you live → I lived • ? → . |
| Question with helping verb | They asked, "Can you help us?" | They asked if I could help them. | • can → could • you → I • us → them |
| Multiple questions | She asked, "What is your name and where are you from?" | She asked what my name was and where I was from. | • and joins reported questions • Both questions transformed |
7. Reporting Commands & Requests
| Type | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commands/Orders | He said, "Close the door." | He ordered/told me to close the door. | Reporting verb + object + to + base verb |
| Requests | She said, "Please help me." | She requested/asked me to help her. | Reporting verb + object + to + base verb |
| Negative Commands | Mother said, "Don't touch that." | Mother told me not to touch that. | Reporting verb + object + not to + base verb |
| Advice | He said, "You should study hard." | He advised me to study hard. | Reporting verb + object + to + base verb |
| Suggestions | She said, "Let's go for a walk." | She suggested going for a walk. OR She suggested that we go for a walk. |
suggest + gerund OR suggest + that clause |
🎯 Direct-Indirect Challenge
Change to indirect speech.
1. She said, "I am reading a book."
Present continuous → past continuous, pronoun change
2. He asked, "Where do you live?"
Wh-question: wh-word remains, tense backshift, pronoun change
3. The teacher said, "Don't make noise."
Command: told + object + not to + base verb
4. She said, "I will call you tomorrow."
Will → would, you → me, tomorrow → the next day
5. He said, "The Earth revolves around the Sun."
Universal truth - no tense change
8. Key Rules Summary
Step-by-Step Conversion:
1. Remove quotes and comma after reporting verb
2. Add conjunction: that (statements), if/whether (yes/no questions), wh-word (wh-questions), to (commands)
3. Change pronouns according to sense
4. Change tenses (backshift if reporting verb is past)
5. Change time/place words
6. Change word order to statement form for questions
No Backshift Cases (tense doesn't change):
• When reporting verb is present/future (He says, She will say)
• Universal truths/scientific facts
• Historical events
• Habitual actions
• When reporting immediately after speaking
• Modal verbs: could, might, should, would, ought to
📝 Practice Direct & Indirect Speech
Master all speech transformations with our comprehensive worksheet!
Go to Direct-Indirect WorksheetIncludes answer key • Statements • Questions • Commands • All tenses • Time changes
