REPORTED SPEECH

INDIRECT SPEECH (Reported

DIRECT SPEECH
Speech)
Presenting the words of the
Presenting the words of the
speaker without making any
speaker without reproducing
changes.
them in the exact manner.
For example:- Rahul said, “ I
For example:- Rahul said that
admire Virat Kohli.”
he admired Virat Kohli.

FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING RULES TO CHANGE THE DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT:-
 The reporting verb (said, said to etc) is followed by a suitable connector ‘that’
 The inverted commas are removed.
 The tense of the verb in the speech corresponds with the tense of the reporting verb.

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Said Said
Said to Told
Says says
Says to tells

RULE NO.1
If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future tense, the tense of the verb in the
Direct Speech doesn’t change.
For eg:- Ram says, “I am not feeling well.” (says here is the reporting verb) (DIRECT SPEECH)
Ram says that he is not feeling well. (INDIRECT SPEECH)
RULE NO.2
If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the tense of the Verb in the Indirect
Speech changes as follows :-

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE PAST
(is/am/are) (was/were)
(write/writes) (wrote)
(do/does not write) (do not write)
PRESENT CONTINUOUS PAST CONTINUOUS
(is/am/are writing) (was/were writing)
PRESENT PERFECT PAST PERFECT
(has/have written) (had written)
 PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
(has/have been writing) (had been writing)
SIMPLE PAST PAST PERFECT
( was/were) ( had been)
(wrote) (had written)
(did not write) (had not written)
PAST CONTINUOUS PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
(was/ were writing) ( had been writing)
*NOTE:- PAST PERFECT AND PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES DO NOT CHANGE
IN THE REPORTED SPEECH.

RULE NO.3 :-
Modals used for future tense change as follows :-

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

Will/Shall Would/Should
Can/May Could/Might
Must Had to

RULE NO.4 :-
The Simple Present Tense stating a general truth or the Simple Past stating a past
historical event do not change in the Reported Speech.
For eg:- 1.The teacher said, “ The sun rises in the east.”
The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.

2. The teacher said, “India became free in 1947.”

The teacher said that India became free in 1947.

RULE NO. 5:-

The words expressing nearness in time or place remain unchanged if the reporting verb is in
the present tense
For eg:- Rohit says, “ Richa is glad to be here.”
Rohit says that Richa is glad to be here.
RULE NO. 6:-
CHANGE IN PERSONAL PRONOUNS
 The pronouns of the first person (I, my, me, mine, we, our, us, ours) change into the
person and gender of the subject of the Reporting Verb.

For eg:- The boy said, “ I am a brave boy.”

The boy said that he was a brave boy.
 The boys said, “We are very brave.”
The boys said that they were very brave.
 The pronouns of the second person( you, yours, your) change into the person and
gender of the object of the Reporting Verb.
For eg:- I said to her, “You are a brave girl.”
I told her that she was a brave girl.

I said to him, “Your brother is a brave boy.”

I told him that his brother was a brave boy.
 CHANGE OF PRONOUNS
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
I He,she
Me Him/her
My His/her
Mine His/hers
We They
Us Them
Our Their
Ours Theirs
You He,she,they
You Him,her,them
Your His,her,their
Yours His,hers,theirs
*NOTE- The pronoun ‘you’ may also be changed to ‘I’ when the person being talked
to is not named in the direct statement.
For eg:- He said, “ You are brave.”
He said that I was brave.

* The pronoun of the Third Person do not change.

For eg:- I said to her, “He is a good boy.”

I told her that he was a good boy.

I said to him, “She is a good girl.”

I told him that she was a good girl.
RULE NO. 7
Change in words and expressions of time and place.
 RULE NO. 8:-
Rules for changing questions (interrogative sentences) into indirect:
 The reporting verb ‘say’ is changed into interrogative words like ask, inquire, wonder
etc.
 The question mark (?) is replaced with a full stop (.).
 In questions that elicit “yes/no” response, “if” or “whether” is used after the
Reporting verb.
 In questions beginning with a Question word- who, whom, whose, what, which,
when, where, why and how, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ is not used. The given question word
itself is retained in the reported speech.

For eg:- He said to them, “Will you listen to such a man?’’ (eliciting Yes/No)
He asked them whether they would listen to such a man.

He said to me, “Where are you going?”

He asked me where I was going.

The class teacher said to me, “Is Neeraj absent today?’’

The class teacher asked me if Neeraj was absent that day.
*NOTE- “Shall” indicating normal future in direct speech becomes “would” in indirect
speech. “Shall” indicating a request in direct speech becomes “should” in indirect speech.

For eg:- He said, “Shall I ever pass this test?’’

He wondered if he would ever pass that test.

He said, “Shall I begin the discussion?’’

He inquired if he should begin the discussion.
 RULE NO. 9:-
Rules for changing Imperative sentences (Commands, Request and Suggestion) into
indirect:
 The reporting Verb ‘say’ is changed into a verb of command or request
such as tell, order, command, ask, beg, urge, remind, warn etc. according
to the tone of the speaker.
 The infinitive (to+verb in root form)is used in direct commands and
requests.
 Negative commands are expressed by not+infinitive (to+verb in root form)
 In sentences beginning with ‘let’, the Reporting Verb is changed into
‘proposed” or ‘suggested’. In place of infinitive , ‘should+verb’ is used.

For eg:- He said to the beggar, “Go away.”

He told the beggar to go away.

He said to her, “Please wait here till I return.”

He requested her to wait there till he returned.

“Don’t go near the fire, children”, said the mother.

The mother warned the children not to go near the fire.

He said, “Let us go out for a walk.”

He suggested that they/we should go out for a walk.

RULE NO. 10:-

Rules for changing Exclamations into indirect:
 Exclamations are expressed in the indirect speech by changing them
into statements and expressing the spirit of the exclamation through
the reporting verb or the adverb.
 The Reporting Verb is changed into ‘exclaimed, declared, wished’, etc
according to the tone of the speaker.
 The exclamation mark (!) disappears in the reported speech.
 Exclamations with ‘what’ ‘how’, etc are changed into.
He said that it was…….
 Exclamation with ‘Ugh! Oh! Heavens! Alas! Ah! etc’ are changed into
He exclaimed with disgust/surprise/sorrow….etc
 Exclamation with ‘Hurrah’ are changed into:
He exclaimed with(great) joy…..

For eg:- He said, “What a dreadful thing!”

 He said with disgust that it was a dreadful thing.

She said, “How clever I am!”

She exclaimed that she was very clever.

The old woman said, “Alas! I have lost all my children”

The old woman exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost all her
children.
He said to her, “Bravo! You have done well”
He applauded her saying that she had done well.

----------THE END----------