Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar: Rules, Examples and Exercises

A complete guide for Classes 6–10, teachers, and English learners.

Direct and indirect speech help us report what someone says. Learning the rules of reported speech improves grammar, writing, comprehension, and everyday communication.

1. What Are Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct Speech

Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by someone. We place those words inside quotation marks.

Example: Riya said, “I am happy.”

Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

Indirect speech reports the meaning of someone's words without repeating them exactly.

Example: Riya said that she was happy.

Important Terms

Term	Meaning	Example
Reporting speech	The part that introduces the words	Riya said
Reporting verb	The verb used to introduce the speech	said
Reported speech	The words or message being reported	“I am happy.”

2. General Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech

Rule 1: Remove Quotation Marks

Direct: He said, “I am tired.”

Indirect: He said that he was tired.

Quotation marks and the comma separating the reporting clause from the quotation are generally removed.

Rule 2: Change Pronouns According to Meaning

Pronouns change according to who is speaking, who is listening, and whose words are being reported.

Direct: Ravi said, “I like my school.”
Indirect: Ravi said that he liked his school.
Direct: Meena said to me, “You are helpful.”
Indirect: Meena told me that I was helpful.

Remember: Do not change pronouns mechanically. Identify the person each pronoun refers to.

Rule 3: Change the Tense When Necessary

When the reporting verb is in the past, the tense often moves one step back. This is called backshift.

Direct Speech	Common Indirect Form
Simple present	Simple past
Present continuous	Past continuous
Present perfect	Past perfect
Present perfect continuous	Past perfect continuous
Simple past	Past perfect
Past continuous	Past perfect continuous
Past perfect	Usually unchanged
Will	Would
Can	Could
May	Might

Examples:

Direct: He said, “I play cricket.”
Indirect: He said that he played cricket.
Direct: She said, “I have finished my work.”
Indirect: She said that she had finished her work.
Direct: They said, “We were waiting.”
Indirect: They said that they had been waiting.

Important exceptions:

If the reporting verb is in the present, backshift is generally unnecessary: He says, “I am busy.” → He says that he is busy.
Universal truths generally remain in the present tense: The teacher said, “The Earth revolves around the Sun.” → The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
A fact that remains true may also stay in the present tense, depending on the context.
Past perfect usually remains unchanged because it is already a past-perfect form.

Rule 4: Change Time and Place Expressions When Necessary

These expressions may change when the reporting time or place is different.

Direct Speech	Common Indirect Form
now	then
today	that day
yesterday	the previous day
tomorrow	the following day
last night	the previous night
next week	the following week
two days ago	two days before
here	there
this	that
these	those

Examples:

Direct: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”
Indirect: He said that he would come the following day.
Direct: She said, “I live here.”
Indirect: She said that she lived there.

These changes are not automatic. If the original time or place expression is still accurate from the reporting perspective, it may remain unchanged.

3. Rules for Different Types of Sentences

A. Assertive Sentences (Statements)

Statements give information or express an opinion.

Structure: Subject + said/told + (that) + statement.

Examples:

Direct: Ali said, “I am busy.”
Indirect: Ali said that he was busy.
Direct: Sara said to me, “I know your brother.”
Indirect: Sara told me that she knew my brother.

Remember: That is often optional in reported statements.

B. Interrogative Sentences (Questions)

1. Yes/No Questions

Use if or whether. Change the question into statement word order.

Structure: asked + person (if needed) + if/whether + subject + verb.

Examples:

Direct: He said to me, “Are you ready?”
Indirect: He asked me if I was ready.
Direct: She said to him, “Do you like tea?”
Indirect: She asked him whether he liked tea.

2. WH-Questions

Keep the question word, such as what, where, when, why, who, whose, which, or how.

Examples:

Direct: He said to me, “Where do you live?”
Indirect: He asked me where I lived.
Direct: Mother said, “Why are you crying?”
Indirect: Mother asked why I was crying.

Common mistake:

Incorrect: He asked me where did I live.

Correct: He asked me where I lived.

Indirect questions use statement word order, not direct-question word order.

C. Imperative Sentences (Orders, Requests and Advice)

Use a suitable reporting verb followed by the person and to + base verb.

Structure: reporting verb + person + to + base verb.

Examples:

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit down.”
Indirect: The teacher told me to sit down.
Direct: She said to him, “Please help me.”
Indirect: She requested him to help her.

For negative commands, use not to + base verb.

Direct: Father said to me, “Do not waste time.”
Indirect: Father advised me not to waste time.

Choose the reporting verb according to meaning: ordered, told, requested, advised, or warned.

D. Exclamatory Sentences

These express strong feelings, such as joy, sorrow, surprise, or admiration.

Use a reporting verb that conveys the feeling, followed by a statement.

Examples:

Direct: He said, “What a beautiful flower!”
Indirect: He exclaimed with admiration that it was a very beautiful flower.
Direct: She said, “Alas! I have lost my purse.”
Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her purse.
Direct: They said, “Hurrah! We have won the match!”
Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

The exact reporting verb may vary depending on the intended emotion.

E. Optative Sentences (Wishes, Prayers and Blessings)

Use reporting verbs such as wished, prayed, or blessed, depending on the meaning.

Examples:

Direct: He said to me, “May you succeed!”
Indirect: He wished that I might succeed.
Direct: Mother said to me, “May God bless you!”
Indirect: Mother prayed that God might bless me.
Direct: He said, “Long live our country!”
Indirect: He expressed the wish that their country might live long.

The final example requires the pronoun to match the context; if the speaker is included, our country may become their country when reporting another group's words.

4. Modal Verbs in Reported Speech

Modal verbs express ability, possibility, permission, obligation, and advice. Their changes depend on meaning and context.

Direct Speech	Common Indirect Form	Example
can	could	“I can swim.” → He said he could swim.
may	might	“I may come.” → She said she might come.
will	would	“I will help.” → He said he would help.
shall	would/should, depending on meaning	“I shall return.” → He said he would return.
could	usually unchanged	“I could swim.” → He said he could swim.
would	usually unchanged	“I would help.” → She said she would help.
might	usually unchanged	“I might come.” → He said he might come.
should	usually unchanged	“You should rest.” → He said I should rest.
ought to	usually unchanged	“You ought to study.” → He said I ought to study.
must	may become had to	“I must leave.” → He said he had to leave.

Special cases:

Must expressing obligation may change to had to, but must can remain when the obligation still applies or the meaning requires it.
Must expressing a logical conclusion often remains unchanged.
Could, would, should, and might generally remain unchanged.
Need to may change to needed to when backshift is appropriate.
The reporting form of shall depends on whether it expresses a future action, offer, suggestion, or obligation.

5. Reporting Verbs: Correct Structures

Different reporting verbs require different grammatical patterns.

Reporting Verb	Correct Structure	Example
say	say + (that) clause	He said that he was tired.
say to	say to + person + (that) clause	He said to me that he was tired.
tell	tell + person + (that) clause	He told me that he was tired.
ask	ask + person + if/whether/WH-clause	She asked me if I was ready.
order	order + person + to + verb	He ordered me to leave.
request	request + person + to + verb	She requested him to wait.
advise	advise + person + to + verb	He advised me to study.
warn	warn + person + not to / about	She warned me not to touch it.
suggest	suggest + -ing / that-clause	He suggested going early.
promise	promise + to / that-clause	She promised to help.
invite	invite + person + to + verb	He invited me to join.
remind	remind + person + to + verb	She reminded me to call.

Important Differences

Say and tell

Correct: He said that he was tired.
Correct: He said to me that he was tired.
Correct: He told me that he was tired.
Incorrect in standard reported speech: He said me that he was tired.

Suggest

Correct: He suggested going early.
Correct: He suggested that we should go early.
Incorrect: He suggested me to go early.

Ask

Ask can introduce a question or a request.

Question: She asked me whether I was ready.
Request: She asked me to wait.

6. Special Cases and Exceptions

A. Universal Truths

Universal truths generally remain in the present tense.

Direct: The teacher said, “The Earth revolves around the Sun.”
Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

B. Present Reporting Verb

When the reporting verb is in the present, the reported tense usually stays the same.

Direct: He says, “I am ill.”
Indirect: He says that he is ill.

C. Suggestions with “Let Us”

A suggestion can be reported using suggested that or suggested + -ing.

Direct: He said, “Let us play.”
Indirect: He suggested that they should play.
Alternative: He suggested playing.

D. Questions Beginning with “Shall”

The meaning determines the reporting structure.

Direct: He said, “Shall we start?”
Indirect: He suggested that they should start.

If shall expresses a question about a future action rather than a suggestion, use a reporting structure that preserves that meaning.

E. Punctuation

Remove quotation marks in indirect speech.
Use statement word order in reported questions.
End an indirect statement with a full stop.
Do not keep a question mark simply because the original words were a question.
Use capitalisation and punctuation appropriate to the new sentence.

7. Practice Exercises

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

Ravi said, “I am learning English.”
She said to me, “Have you completed your homework?”
The teacher said to the students, “Do not make noise.”
He said, “What a wonderful idea!”
Mother said to me, “May you always be happy!”
He said, “I can solve this problem.”
She said to me, “Where are you going?”
The doctor said to him, “You should take rest.”
He said, “The Earth moves around the Sun.”
She said, “Let us help the poor.”

8. Answer Key

Ravi said that he was learning English.
She asked me whether I had completed my homework.
The teacher told the students not to make noise.
He exclaimed with admiration that it was a wonderful idea.
Mother wished that I might always be happy.
He said that he could solve that problem.
She asked me where I was going.
The doctor advised him to rest.
He said that the Earth moves around the Sun.
She suggested that they should help the poor.

Note: Pronouns and expressions such as this and that may vary when the reporting context differs. The answer key gives the intended standard transformations.

9. Final Teaching Checklist

Before changing direct speech into indirect speech, ask:

What type of sentence is it: statement, question, command, exclamation, or wish?
Which reporting verb best expresses the meaning?
Does the reporting verb require an object?
Should the pronouns, tense, time, or place expressions change?
Which conjunction or infinitive structure is required?
Does the final sentence have correct word order and punctuation?

Conclusion

Reported speech becomes easier when students understand the meaning of the original sentence before applying grammatical rules. Practise one sentence type at a time, pay attention to pronouns and verb forms, and remember that tense and time expressions do not always have to change.

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