Direct & Indirect Speech
What you'll learn
- Identify direct speech and indirect (reported) speech
- Apply the 5-step method to convert statements, questions, and commands
- Use the tense backshift table to change verb tenses correctly
- Change pronouns and time/place expressions as required
Key concepts
Direct vs Indirect Speech
Direct speech quotes the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks. Indirect speech (reported speech) reports what was said without quoting the exact words.
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Direct | She said, "I am happy." |
| Indirect | She said that she was happy. |
Notice: quotation marks removed, "that" added, "I" → "she", "am" → "was".
Reporting Verbs
| Direct | Indirect (common reporting verbs) |
|---|---|
| "…" said | said / told (told must have an object: told me/him) |
| "Please…" | requested / asked |
| "Do this." | ordered / commanded / instructed |
| "Can you…?" | asked whether / wanted to know if |
said vs told: Use "told" only when you mention WHO was spoken to. "She told me that…" / "She said that…" (no object after 'said').
The 5-Step Conversion Method
Step 1: Identify the reporting verb and whether it is past tense. Step 2: Remove quotation marks; add "that" for statements (optional but recommended). Step 3: Apply tense backshift (if reporting verb is past). Step 4: Change pronouns according to the context. Step 5: Change time and place expressions.
Step 3 — Tense Backshift Table
| Direct Speech (Tense) | Indirect Speech (Backshift) |
|---|---|
| Simple Present (V1/V1+s) | Simple Past (V2) |
| Present Continuous (am/is/are + V-ing) | Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing) |
| Present Perfect (have/has + V3) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Simple Past (V2) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Past Continuous (was/were + V-ing) | Past Perfect Continuous (had been + V-ing) |
| will | would |
| can | could |
| may | might |
| shall | should |
| must | had to |
Exception: If the reporting verb is in the present tense ("He says that…"), no tense change is needed.
Step 4 — Pronoun Changes
Pronouns change based on the speaker (S), listener (L), and narrator (N).
| Direct Pronoun | Change to |
|---|---|
| I (speaker) | he / she (based on gender of speaker) |
| we (speaker + others) | they |
| you (the listener addressed) | the person addressed (by name or pronoun) |
| my | his / her |
| our | their |
Worked Example: Direct: Ram said to me, "I will help you."
- "I" (Ram) → "he"
- "you" (me, the listener) → "me" Indirect: Ram told me that he would help me.
Step 5 — Time and Place Expression Changes
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| last week | the previous week |
| next year | the following year |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
Converting Questions (Interrogative Sentences)
Yes/No questions → use "whether" or "if" Direct: He asked, "Are you coming?" Indirect: He asked whether/if I was coming.
Wh-questions → keep the wh-word, change to statement order (no auxiliary before subject) Direct: She asked, "Where do you live?" Indirect: She asked where I lived. (NOT "where did I live")
Critical rule: In indirect questions, the word order becomes statement order (Subject + Verb), NOT question order (Aux + Subject + Verb). Do NOT use a question mark.
Converting Commands and Requests
Command: Reporting verb = ordered / commanded / told + Object + to + V1 Direct: The officer said to the soldiers, "Stand up!" Indirect: The officer ordered the soldiers to stand up.
Request: Reporting verb = requested / asked + Object + to + V1 Direct: She said, "Please open the door." Indirect: She requested (someone) to open the door.
Negative command/request: told/asked + Object + not to + V1 Direct: He said, "Don't make noise." Indirect: He told us not to make noise.
Quick check
- Change to indirect speech: He said, "I am studying for the exam."
- Change the reporting verb correctly: She said to him, "Please wait outside." (Use 'requested')
- Convert: The teacher asked, "Have you finished your homework?"
- Change the time expression: He said, "I saw her yesterday."
- What is wrong with: "She asked where did he go"?
Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Direct and Indirect Speech.
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