Direct and Indirect Speech
(REPORTED SPEECH)
Definition:
Reported
speech is used to express what someone
else has said, but not in their exact words. Instead of quoting the speaker
directly, we change the sentence structure, pronouns, and often the verb tense.
Direct Speech:
She said, "I like chocolate."
Reported Speech:
She said (that) she liked chocolate.
Direct Speech:
They said, "We are going to the market."
Reported Speech:
They said (that) they were going to the market.
Direct Speech:
He asked, "Do you speak English?"
Reported Speech:
He asked if I spoke English.
Direct Speech:
She asked, "Have you finished your homework?"
Reported Speech:
She asked whether I had finished my homework.
Direct Speech:
He asked, "Where do you live?"
Reported Speech:
He asked where I lived.
Direct Speech:
They asked, "What time does the movie start?"
Reported Speech:
They asked what time the movie started.
General rules
1.
Reporting Verbs: Say / Says / Said
|
Verb |
Usage in Reported Speech |
Example |
|
say |
Present simple form |
I say (that) I am happy. |
|
says |
Third person singular present |
She says (that) she is tired. |
|
said |
Past simple form |
He said (that) he was busy. |
Note:
"say/says/said" is not followed by an object directly. Use "that-clause"
instead.
2. Reporting Verbs: Tell / Tells / Told
|
Direct
Form |
Reported
Form |
Example |
|
says to (someone) |
tells (someone) |
She says to me, "You look nice." →
She tells me that I look nice. |
|
said to (someone) |
told (someone) |
He said to her, "I love
you." → He told her that he loved her. |
Note: "tell/tells/told" must be followed by an
object (someone).
GENERAL RULES OF REPORTED SPEECH
1. Change
the Pronouns
·
Adjust pronouns according to the context.
Example:
Direct: She said, “I love my dog.”
Reported: She said that she loved her dog.
2. Change
the Tense (if the reporting verb is in the past)
|
Direct Speech |
Reported Speech |
|
am/is |
was |
|
are |
were |
|
have/has |
had |
|
will |
would |
|
can |
could |
|
do/does |
did |
|
Did (v2) |
had done |
|
was/were |
had been |
|
shall |
should |
|
may |
might |
In detail
Tense Changes from Direct to
Indirect Speech
|
Direct Speech Tense |
Change in Reported Speech |
Example (Direct) |
Example (Reported) |
|
Simple Present |
→ Simple Past |
He said, “I work hard.” |
He said that he worked hard. |
|
Present Continuous |
→ Past Continuous |
She said, “I am reading a book.” |
She said that she was reading a book. |
|
Present Perfect |
→ Past Perfect |
He said, “I have eaten lunch.” |
He said that he had eaten lunch. |
|
Present Perfect Cont. |
→ Past Perfect Cont. |
She said, “I have been waiting.” |
She said that she had been waiting. |
|
Simple Past |
→ Past Perfect |
He said, “I watched the movie.” |
He said that he had watched the movie. |
|
Past Continuous |
→ Past Perfect Continuous |
She said, “I was cooking dinner.” |
She said that she had been cooking dinner. |
|
Past Perfect |
→ (No Change) |
He said, “I had finished it.” |
He said that he had finished it. |
|
Past Perfect Cont. |
→ (No Change) |
She said, “I had been working.” |
She said that she had been working. |
|
Will |
→ Would |
He said, “I will help you .” |
He said that he would help you. |
|
Shall (future) |
→ Would (or Should for
"I/We") |
She said, “I shall come.” |
She said that she would come. |
|
Can |
→ Could |
He said, “I can swim.” |
He said that he could swim. |
|
May |
→ Might |
She said, “I may go.” |
She said that she might go. |
|
Must |
→ Had to (or no change) |
He said, “I must leave.” |
He said that he had to leave. |
|
Would / Could / Might / Should / Ought to |
→ (No Change) |
She said, “I would help.” |
She said that she would help. |
Notes:
If the reporting verb is in present tense (e.g., says, says to), tense usually does not change:
o Direct:
He says, “I am happy.”
o Reported:
He says that he is happy.
For universal
truths, tense does not change:
o Direct:
She said, “The Earth is round.”
o Reported: She said that the Earth is round.
3. Change Time and Place Words
|
Direct Speech |
Reported Speech |
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|
now |
then |
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|
today |
that day |
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|
tomorrow |
the next day |
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|
yesterday |
the day before |
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|
next week |
the following week |
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|
last year |
the previous year |
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|
here |
there |
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|
this |
that |
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|
these |
those |
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|
In detail Change of
Time and Place Adverbs in Reported Speech
📌
Special Notes: These changes usually happen
when the reporting verb is in the
past tense (e.g., said, told). If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, time/place adverbs often remain unchanged. |
ADVANCED RULES OF REPORTED
SPEECH
4. No
Change in Tense (When Reporting Verb is in Present/Future)
Example:
Direct: He says, “I like football.”
Reported: He says that he likes football.
5. Reporting
Questions
a. Yes/No Questions → Use if or whether
Direct:
She asked, “Are you coming?”
Reported: She asked if I was
coming.
b. Wh- Questions → Use the wh-word as
connector
Direct:
He asked, “Where do you live?”
Reported: He asked where I
lived.
6. Reporting
Commands and Requests
Use an infinitive
(to + verb) after verbs like tell,
ask, order, advise, etc.
Direct:
She said, “Open the window.”
Reported: She told me to open
the window.
Direct:
He said, “Don’t be late.”
Reported: He told me not to be
late.
7. Reporting
Suggestions, Offers, Promises, etc.
|
Speech Act |
Reporting Verb |
Example (Reported) |
|
Suggestion |
suggested + verb-ing |
She suggested going for a walk. |
|
Offer |
offered + to + verb |
He offered to help me. |
|
Promise |
promised + to + verb |
She promised to return my book. |
|
Advice |
advised + object + to + verb |
He advised me to study hard. |
|
Request |
asked + object + to + verb |
He asked me to close the door. |
8. Modals
in Reported Speech
|
Direct Speech |
Reported Speech |
|
will |
would |
|
shall |
should |
|
can |
could |
|
may |
might |
|
must |
had to (sometimes stays as must) |
Note: “would,” “could,” “should,” “might,” and “ought to” do not change in tense.
9. Mixed Time Context (Universal
Truths or Facts)
No change in tense even if the reporting verb
is in the past.
Direct:
He said, “The sun rises in the east.”
Reported: He said that the sun
rises in the east.
10. Backshift
Not Always Necessary (Optional in some cases)
Sometimes, especially in modern or informal English, back shifting
is optional when the original situation is still true.
Direct:
She said, “I live in Kathmandu.”
Reported:
She said she lives in Kathmandu. (still true)
She said she lived in Kathmandu. (acceptable too)
1. Assertive/Declarative Sentence:
Definition
An assertive sentence (also called a declarative sentence) is a sentence that makes a statement or declares something. It ends with a full stop (.) and can be positive or negative.
Examples:
1.
Direct:
She said, “I am tired.”
Indirect: She said that she was tired.
2.
Direct: He
said, “I don’t know the answer.”
Indirect: He said that he didn’t know the answer.
3.
Direct:
They said, “We have completed the project.”
Indirect: They said that they had completed the project.
List of Reporting Verbs for Assertive Sentences
|
Reporting Verb |
Usage Example |
|
said |
He
said that he was busy. |
|
told |
She
told me that she was coming. (requires
object) |
|
mentioned |
He
mentioned that he liked music. |
|
stated |
The
manager stated that the work was finished. |
|
added |
She
added that she would call later. |
|
replied |
He
replied that he didn't know the answer. |
|
answered |
She
answered that she had no idea. |
|
explained |
He
explained that he was late due to traffic. |
|
remarked |
She
remarked that it was a beautiful day. |
|
informed |
They
informed us that the event was cancelled. |
|
noted |
He
noted that the prices were increasing. |
|
declared |
The
leader declared that the war was over. |
|
admitted |
She
admitted that she was wrong. |
|
confirmed |
He
confirmed that the meeting was at 10 a.m. |
|
denied |
She
denied that she had stolen the bag. (for
negatives) |
2. Interrogative Sentences: Definition
An interrogative
sentence is a sentence that asks a question and ends with a question mark (?).
They are of two types:
A. Yes/No Questions
These questions can be answered with
"yes" or "no."
Examples:
·
“Are you hungry?”
· “Did she call you?”
B. Wh-Questions
These questions begin with wh-words (who, what, when, where, why,
how, etc.).
Examples:
·
“Where are you going?”
· “Why did he cry?”
Reported Speech for Interrogative
Sentences
General Rules:
·
Change the
question form into a statement form.
·
Do not use a
question mark (?) in indirect speech.
·
Change tense,
pronouns, and time/place words as usual.
· Use reporting verbs like: asked, inquired, wondered, wanted to know, etc.
A. Yes/No Questions in Reported Speech
Structure:
Reporting Verb + if/whether + subject + verbExamples:
|
Direct Speech |
Indirect Speech |
|
He
said, “Are you coming?” |
He
asked if I was coming. |
|
She
said, “Did he pass the exam?” |
She
asked whether he had passed
the exam. |
|
John
said, “Is it raining now?” |
John
asked if it was raining then. |
|
She
said, “Do you like coffee?” |
She
asked if I liked coffee. |
Structure:
Reporting Verb + wh-word + subject + verbExamples:
|
Direct Speech |
Indirect Speech |
|
He
said, “Where do you live?” |
He
asked where I lived. |
|
She
said, “Why are you crying?” |
She
asked why I was crying. |
|
They
said, “When will you arrive?” |
They
asked when I would arrive. |
|
She
said, “What is your name?” |
She
asked what my name was. |
|
He
said, “How do you solve this?” |
He
asked how I solved that. |
List of
Common Reporting Verbs for Questions
|
Verb |
Used with |
Example |
|
asked |
yes/no
& wh-questions |
She
asked if I was ready. |
|
inquired |
yes/no
& wh-questions |
He
inquired where I was going. |
|
wanted
to know |
yes/no
& wh-questions |
She
wanted to know why he left. |
|
wondered |
mostly
wh-questions |
I
wondered what time it was. |
|
questioned |
formal
questions |
The
officer questioned whether I
saw anything. |
|
interrogated |
formal/legal |
The
police interrogated him about
the incident. |
Additional Notes:
·
Don’t use do/does/did
in reported questions.
o Direct:
“Where does she work?”
o Indirect:
He asked where she worked.
· Don’t forget to apply tense backshift, pronoun change, and time/place word changes.
3 Imperative Sentences: Definition
An imperative sentence is
used to give:
- Commands
- Requests
- Advice
- Instructions
- Suggestions
- Prohibitions (negative commands)
It usually begins with the base
form of the verb and ends with a full stop (.) or exclamation
mark (!).
Examples:
- “Close the door.” (command)
- “Please help me.” (request)
- “Don't talk loudly.” (prohibition)
- “Take a rest.” (advice)
2.
Reported Speech for Imperative Sentences
General
Structure:
Reporting
Verb + (object) + to-infinitive
Reporting
Verb + (object) + not to-infinitive (for negative)
Note: Use "not to" for negative commands.
3.
Examples:
|
Direct Speech |
Indirect Speech |
|
He said, “Open the window.” |
He told me to open the
window. |
|
She said, “Please sit down.” |
She requested me to sit down. |
|
The doctor said, “Take your
medicine daily.” |
The doctor advised me to take
my medicine daily. |
|
He said, “Don’t touch the wire.” |
He warned me not to touch
the wire. |
|
She said, “Remember to lock the
door.” |
She reminded me to lock the
door. |
4.
Common Reporting Verbs for Imperatives
Here is a categorized list of
reporting verbs used for different types of imperatives:
|
Function |
Reporting Verbs |
|
Order / Command |
told, ordered, commanded,
instructed |
|
Request / Ask |
requested, asked, begged, implored |
|
Advice / Suggest |
advised, suggested, recommended |
|
Warning |
warned, cautioned |
|
Encouragement |
encouraged, urged, persuaded |
|
Permission |
allowed, permitted, forbade (for
negative permission) |
|
Reminder |
reminded |
Examples
with Different Reporting Verbs:
- She told me to wait outside. (Command)
- He requested me to lend him some money. (Request)
- The teacher advised us to study regularly. (Advice)
- They warned us not to go out at night. (Warning)
- The coach encouraged us to try harder. (Encouragement)
Key
Notes:
- Use "to + base verb" for positive
imperatives.
- Use "not to + base verb" for negative
imperatives.
- Always remove "please" and use a
polite reporting verb like requested or asked politely.
4 Optative Sentence: Definition
An optative sentence
expresses:
- Wishes
- Blessings
- Curses
- Prayers
- Goodwill
- Hopes
It usually starts with may, wish,
or long live, and ends with a full stop (.) or exclamation
mark (!).
Examples:
- “May you live long!” (blessing)
- “Wish you a happy journey!” (goodwill)
- “May God bless you!” (prayer)
- “May you fail!” (curse)
- “Long live the king!” (wish)
2.
Reported Speech for Optative Sentences
General
Structure:
Reporting
Verb + (that) + subject + verb (in correct tense)
Use appropriate reporting verbs
based on the nature of the sentence (wish, bless, curse, etc.).
3.
Examples:
|
Direct Speech |
Indirect (Reported) Speech |
|
He said, “May you live long!” |
He blessed me that I
might live long. |
|
She said, “Wish you a happy new
year!” |
She wished me a happy new
year. |
|
They said, “May you succeed in
life!” |
They wished me that
I might succeed in life. |
|
He said, “May God bless you!” |
He prayed to God that
He might bless me. |
|
She said, “May you go to hell!” |
She cursed me that I
might go to hell. |
|
The man said, “Long live the
queen!” |
The man wished that the
queen might live long. |
4.
Common Reporting Verbs for Optative Sentences
|
Expression Type |
Common Reporting Verbs |
|
Wishes |
wished, hoped, desired |
|
Blessings |
blessed, wished |
|
Curses |
cursed |
|
Prayers |
prayed, invoked |
|
Goodwill |
wished, greeted |
|
Appreciation |
congratulated, complimented |
More
Example Sentences:
- Direct:
“May you be happy forever!”
Indirect: He wished that I might be happy forever. - Direct:
“Wish you all the best!”
Indirect: She wished me all the best. - Direct:
“May your soul rest in peace.”
Indirect: He prayed that my soul might rest in peace.
Important
Notes:
- Use "might" in place of "may"
when changing the verb in reported speech.
- No need to use “to” infinitive in most optative
transformations (unlike imperative).
- The word “that” is often used, but it's optional.
5 Exclamatory Sentences: Definition
An exclamatory sentence is
used to express strong emotions such as:
- Joy
- Sorrow
- Surprise
- Anger
- Excitement
- Admiration
- Disgust, etc.
It ends with an exclamation mark
(!) and often begins with what or how.
Examples:
- “What a beautiful flower it is!” (admiration)
- “How lovely the weather is!” (joy/surprise)
- “Alas! He is dead.” (sorrow)
- “Hurray! We won the match.” (joy)
2.
Reported Speech for Exclamatory Sentences
General
Structure:
Reporting
verb + that + subject + verb + exclamatory expression changed into statement
You must:
- Change the tone to a statement
- Remove the exclamation mark (!) and words like what/how/hurray/alack/alike
- Use a suitable reporting verb (exclaimed, said
with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, etc.)
- Follow the usual changes of pronouns, tense, and
adverbs of time/place
3.
Examples:
|
Direct Speech |
Indirect Speech |
|
He said, “What a nice car this
is!” |
He exclaimed with admiration
that it was a very nice car. |
|
She said, “How beautiful the
painting is!” |
She exclaimed with joy that
the painting was very beautiful. |
|
They said, “Alas! We lost the
game.” |
They exclaimed with sorrow
that they had lost the game. |
|
He said, “Hurray! We have won!” |
He exclaimed with joy that
they had won. |
|
She said, “Wow! This is amazing.” |
She exclaimed with surprise
that it was amazing. |
4.
Common Reporting Verbs for Exclamatory Sentences
|
Emotion |
Reporting Verbs |
|
Joy |
exclaimed with joy, said joyfully,
said with happiness |
|
Sorrow |
exclaimed with sorrow, said with
grief, lamented, mourned |
|
Surprise |
exclaimed with surprise, said in
amazement |
|
Admiration |
exclaimed with admiration,
praised, said in appreciation |
|
Disgust |
exclaimed with disgust, said with
anger |
|
General Emotion |
exclaimed, remarked, said
emotionally |
Changes
of “what” and “how”:
|
Direct (What/How) |
Change to Indirect (Statement) |
|
“What a beautiful view!” |
It was a very beautiful view. |
|
“How cold it is!” |
It was very cold. |
Important
Notes:
- Always change the sentence into a statement.
- Choose a reporting verb based on the emotion.
- Use ‘that’ to connect the reporting clause and
the reported clause.
- Remove exclamatory words like what, how,
hurray, alas, wow, etc., and express their meaning
through the verb.
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