Direct Indirect - Reported Speech

Rules

DIRECT SPEECH CHANGES-INTO INDIRECT SPEECH

Present Simple Tense into Past Simple Tense
Present Progressive Tense into Past Progressive Tense
Present Perfect Tense intoPast Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Progressive Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Simple Tense into Past Perfect Tense
Past Progressive Tense into Perfect Continuous Tense
"Past Perfect Tense (The tense remains unchanged)
"Past Perfect Progressie Tense (The tense remains unchanged)
Future Simple Tense (eg. wil) into'would"
Future Progressive Tense (eg. will be) into "would be"
Future Perfect Tense (eg. will have) into "would have"
Future Perfect Progressive Tense (e.g. will have been) into "would have been
Fxamnles:

PRESENT SIMPLE changes into PAST SIMPLE

She said, "l work in a hospital:. She said that she worked in a hospital.
They said, "We play Football". They said that they played Football.
He said, " love my parents. He said that he loved his parents.
She said,"Idon't waste time". She said that she didn't waste time.
PRESENTPROGRESSIVE changes into PAST PROGESSIVE
He said, "l am waiting for someone": He said that he was waiting for someone.
I said. "She is driving a car". I said that she was driving a car.
She said,"They are enjoying the music": She said that they were enjoying the music.
David said."l am not going to College. David said that he was not going to College.
PRESENT PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT
She said," I have completed the work" |Shesaid that she had completed the work.
John said,"Ihave won a prize". |John said that he had won a prize.
He said, "She has washed the shirts He said that she had washed the shirts.

David said, "Ihave not met her. David said that he had not met her.
PRESENT PERFECT PROGRESSIVE changes into PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
She said, "I have been working in a factory She said that she had been working in a
for two years. factory for two years.
David said, "he has been waiting for his David said that he had been waiting for his
brother for three hours" brother for three hours.
They said, "We have been living in America They said that they had been living in America
since 2013". since 2013.
 PAST TENSE
PAST SIMPLE changes into PAST PERFECT
He said. "Istarteda Job. He said that he had started a job.
She said, "I bought a newcar. She said that she had bOught a new car.
They said, "We went to a market" They that they had gone to a market.
He said to me"You didn't help me" He said to me that I had not helped him.
PAST PROGRESSIVE changes into PAST PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
He said, "I was writing a poem" He said that he had been writinga poem.
The kids said, "WNe were playing a game". The kids said they had been playing a game.
They said, "We were watching a movie. They said they had been watching a movie.
She said, "Iwas not makinga noise". She said that she had not been making a noise.
PAST PERFECT Changes into PAST PERFECT (No change in tense)
They said, "We had won the game" They said that they had won the game.
He said."Ihad gone to home": He said that he had gone to home.
David said,"Ihad passed the exam:. David said that he had passed the exam.
She said, "I had not received the letter. She said that she had not received the letter.

FUTURE TENSE

FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE

WILL changes into WOULD
She said, "I will go to London". She sald that she would go to London.
He said, "I will start a new job. He said that he would start a new job.
They said to me, "We will help you. They said to me that they would heip me.
She said, "I will not waste time". She said that she would not waste time.
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
WILL BE changes into WOULD BE
He said to me, "Iwill be waiting for you. He said to me that he would be waiting for me.
David said, "I will be making tea". David said that he would be making tea.
She said, "Iwill be feeding my kids". She said that she would be feeding her kids.
They said, "We wvill not be driving a car. They said that they would not be driving a car.
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
WILL HAVE changes into WOULD HAVE
She said, "I will have cooked the food. She said that she would have cooked the food.

He said, "Iwill have cleaned the room. He said that he would have cleaned the room.

David said, "I will have called a Doctor". David said that he would have calleda Doctor.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

CAN changes into COULD
He said, "I can sing a song" He said that he could sing a song
She said, "Ican write a poem". She said that she could write a poem.
David said, "I can play a Guitar". David said that he could play a Guitar.
MAY changes into MIGHT
She said, "I may go to Paris'. She said that she might go to Paris
He said, "I may call a Doctor She said that she might go to Paris.
They said, "We may buy a car They said that might buy a car.
MUST changes into HAD TO

He said, "I must study this book". He said that he had to study this book
They said, "We must finish the work in They said that they had to finish the work in
time" time

|She said, "I must eat a healthy diet" She said that she had to eat a healthy diet
These Modals are not changed and remain same in indirect speech. Read the following
examples.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

SHOULD
He said, 1should start a Job" He said that he should start a Job.
She said, 1 shoukd not waste my time". She said that she should not waste her time
They said, We shouid help the poor. They said that we should help the poor.
MIGHT
She said, "1 might eat a cake. She said that she might eat a cake.
They said, "We might go to a Cinema". They said that they might go to a Cinema
He said, I might attend the meeting". He sald that he might attend the meeting.
COULD
David said, "1 could buy a Camera". David said that he could buy a Camera.
He said, 1could play Footbalr. He said that he could play Football.
She said, "I could cook some food. She said that she could cook some fo0d.
WOULD
She said, "1 would wait for my son". She said that she would wait for her son.
|He said, 1 would decorate the walls He said that he would decorate the walls.

They said, We would watch a move They said that they would watch a movie.
OUGHT TO

David said, "1 ought to avold unhealthy David said that he ought to avold unhealthy
|diets diets.

He said, 1 ought to start a business. He said that he ought to start a business.

She said, "1ought not to waste my time She said that she Ought not to waste her time.
Questions that can be answered with "YES or NO
To make indirect speech of such questions, the word "if"or "whether' will be used in Indirect
Speech. Both the wordsif or 'whether" can be used interchangeably.
Examples:

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

David said to me, "Do you like coffee?" David asked me if Iliked coffee.
He said to me, "Will you help me? He asked me if IWould help him.

|She said to me, "Can I use your Phone? She asked me if she could use my Phone.
They told me, "Have you gone to London?" |They asked me if I had gone to London.
He said to me, "Did yoU meet your friend?" He asked me if Ihad met my friend.
John said to her, "Will you buy the book?" John asked her whether she would buy the book.
|She said, "Are they waiting for me?" She asked whether they were waiting for her.

Questions that cannot be answered with only "YES or NO"

To make indirect speech of such questions, the word "if or "whether" will not be used. The
question is changed into assertivelpositive) form and is simply placed after the reporting
verb.

Examples:
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said to me, "What are you doing?" He asked me what I was doing.
She said to me. "What is your name?" She asked me what my name was.
David said to me, "How are you? |David asked me how I was.
|They said to me, where have you gone?" They asked me where I had gone.
Teacher told her, "Why did you fail the exam? Teacher asked her why she had failed the exam.
|Isaid to her, What were you eating?" asked her what she had been eating.
He said to her, "How will you help me?" He asked her how he would heip her.
|Thestudent said, "How can Ibuy this booK?" The student asked how he could buy this book.
They said, "How is the weather? The asked how the weather was.
Indirect Speech for Indirect Speech for Imperative:
A sentence that expresses a command, a request, an advice or a suggestion is called an
imperative sentence. Here are some examples:
Open the door. (command)
Please help me. (request)
Quit smoking. (advice)
Don't make a noise. (command)

As imperative sentences have a command (or an order), a request, an advice or asuggestion,

to change them into Indirect Speech, some specific verbs (.e. requested, order, advised.
forbade, suggested) replace the verbs (e.g. said, told) of reporting verb.
Examples:
Direct Speech: She said to me, "Please help me"
Indirect Speech: She requested me to help her.
Direct Speech: Teacher said to him, "Do not waste your time"
" Indirect Speech: Teacher advised him not to waste his time.
Direct Speech: He said to her, "Please lend me your Camera for one day
Indirect Speech: He requested her to lend him her camera for one day.
Direct Speech: Doctor said to him, "Avoid unhealthy food"
Indirect Speech: Doctor advised him to avoid unhealthy food.
Direct Speech: The Boss said to the employee, "Get out of the room"
Indirect Speech: The Boss ordered the employee to get out of the room.
Direct Speech: He said to his servant, "Clean the room".
Indirect Speech: He ordered his servant to clean the room.
Indirect Speech for Exclamatory sentences:
A sentence that expresses a state of sorrow, joy or wonder, is known as exclamatory
sentence.

Examples:

Hurrah! Iwon the competition. (state of joy)

Alas! Icouldn't qualify the exam. (state of sorrow)
Wow! What abeautiful car. (state of wonder)

An exclamatory sentence expresses state of joy, sorrow or wonder, to change them into
Indirect Speech, specific words (i.e. exclaimed with joy. exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed
with wonder) are added to the sentence. Read the following examples.

Direct Speech: They said, "Hurrah! We won the game"

Indirect Speech: They exclaimed with joy that they had won the game.
Direct Speech: He said, "Alas! Ifailed the test
Indirect Speech: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed the test.
Direct Speech: He said,"Hurrah! I bought a nice shirt:
Indirect Speech: He exclaimed with joy that he bought a nice shirt.
Direct Speech: She said, "Wow! What a beautiful flower it is".
Indirect Speech: She exclaimed with wonder that what a beautiful flower it was.
Direct Speech: She said, "Oh! Ilost my purse.
Indirect Speech: She exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost her purse.
Direct Speech: David said to him, "How intelligent youare!"
Indirect Speech: David exclaimed with wonder that how intelligent he was.

Change In Pronoun In Indirect Speech -Rules

To convert a direct speech into Indirect Speech, the pronoun (subject or object) a sentence is
changed. Here is a simple example:
Direct Speech: He said,"I like music:
Indirect Speech: He said that he liked music.

In the above example, the pronoun (|) is changed to pronoun (he) in Indirect Speech. This
sentence has two parts: a reporting verb (e.g. He said) and a reported speech (e.g. Ilike
music). The pronoun of reported speech changed according to the pronoun of reporting verb
of the sentence.

There are four easy rules for the change in pronoun in Indirect Speech.
There are four easy rules for the change in pronoun in Indirect Speech.
Rule No. 1: The 1st Person pronoun of reported Speech (e.g. We. I, Me, My. Mine, Us, or our)
is changed according to the Pronoun of the reporting verb if it is 3rd person Pronoun (i.e.
She, He, It, They, Their, her, his)
Examples:
Direct Speech: She said. "I will go to London".
Indirect Speech: She said that she would go to London.
Direct Speech: He said,"i work in a factory".
Indirect Speech: He said that he work in a factory.
Direct Speech: They said, "We have completed the work"
Indirect Speech: They said they had completed the work.
Direct Speech: He said, "My laptop is heavy
Indirect Speech: He said that his laptop was heavy.
Direct Speech: She said,"My son is cute".
Indirect Speech: She said that her son was cute.

Rule No.2: The 1st Person pronoun of reported Speech (i.e. We, I, Me, Mine. Us, or our) is
NOT changed, if the Pronoun of reporting verb is also 1st Person Pronoun (i.e. I, we)
Examples:
Direct Speech: Isaid, "I had applied for a Job
Indirect Speech: I saidthat I had applied for a Job.
Direct Speech: We said, "We sing a song"
" Indirect Speech: We said that we sang a song.

Rule No. 3:: The 2nd Person Pronoun (.e. you, yours) of the reported Speech is changed
according to "object" of the reporting verb.
Examples:

Direct Speech: She said to me,"Youare a brilllant student"

Indirect Speech: She said to me that I was brilliant student.
Direct Speech: She said to him, "You are a briliant student"
Indirect Speech: She said to him that he was a brilliant student.
Direct Speech: She said to them,"you are brilliant students"
Indirect Speech: She said to them that they were brilliant students.
Direct Speech: He said to me, "Your shirts are beautiful.
Indirect Speech: He said to me that my shirts were beautiful.
Direct Speech: He said to them, "Your shirts are beautiful.
Indirect Speech: He said to them that their shirts are beautiful.
 Rule No. 4i: The 3rd Person Pronoun (i.e. She, He, It, They. His, Him, them, His) of the
reported Speech will NOT be changed in the Indirect Speech.
Examples:
Direct Speech: He said,"She wll buy a pen.
Indirect Speech: He said that she would buy apen.
" Direct Speech: She said, "They are singing a song"
Indirect Speech: She sald that they were singing a song.
Direct Speech: They sald, "It is raining:.
Indirect Speech: They said that it was raining.
Direct Speech: You said, "She loves him".
Indirect Speech: You said that she loved him.
Direct Speech: David said, "He works in a factory'.
Indirect Speech: David said that he worked in a factory.
Direct Speech: He said, "She is waiting for them.
Indirect Speech: He said that she was waiting for them

Change in Time and Adverbs in Indirect Speech - Rules

For converting Direct Speech into Indirect Speech, some changes are made to the sentence.
These changes include: change in the time and adverb of the sentence. These changes are
made according to the following rules:

Tomorrow changes into the next day.

Today changes into that day or the same day.
. Yesterday changes into the day before or the previous day.
This week or month or year changes into that or same week or month or year.
Next week or month or year changes into the following weekor month or year.
Last week or month or year changes into the previous week or month or year.
Ago changes into before.
Now or just changes into then.
This changes into that.
Here changes into there.
Hence changes into thence.