Direct and Indirect Speech / Narration

Direct and Indirect Speech / Narration

Helping Hands

                        Rules of Reported Speech (DIRECT AND INDIRECT)

1.       Changes of Pronouns

PERSON	DIRECT	INDIRECT
First	I , My, Me We, Our, Us	In this case subject of reported speech  will change according to subject of reporting speech
Second	You, Your ,You	In this case subject of reported speech will change according to object of reporting speech
Third	He, His, Him She, Her, Her It, Its, It They, Their, Them	No Change

2.       Changes of Tenses

DIRECT SPEECH	INDIRECT SPEECH
Simple present (V1) He said, “I go to school every day.”	Simple past (V2) He said (that) he went to school every day.
Simple past (V2) He said, “I went to school every day.”	Past perfect (had + V3) He said (that) he had gone to school every day.
Present perfect (have/has + V3) He said, “I have gone to school every day.”	Past perfect (had + V3) He said (that) he had gone to school every day.
Present progressive (Continue) (is/am/are + V1+ing) He said, “I am going to school every day.”	Past progressive (Continue) (was/were+V1 + ing) He said (that) he was going to school every day.
Past progressive (Continue) (was/were+V1 + ing) He said, “I was going to school every day.”	Past Perfect progressive (Continue) (had been+V1 + ing) He said (that) he had been going to school every day.
Present Perfect Progressive (have/has+been+V1+ing) He said:"I have been playing football for two hours."	Past Perfect Progressive (had+been+V1+ing) He said that he had been playing football for two hours.
Future simple (will + V1) He said, “I will go to school every day.”	Future simple (would + V1) He said (that) he would go to school every day.
Almost No Change
Past Perfect (had + V3) He said: "They had finished the work when I arrived"	Past Perfect (had + V3) He said that they had finished the work when he had arrived.
Past Perfect Progressive (had+been+V1+ing) He said: "I had been reading a newspaper when the light went off"	Past Perfect Progressive (had+been+V1+ing) He said that he had been reading a newspaper when the light had gone off.
Conditional (would + verb) He said: "I would buy Mercedes if I were rich"	Conditional (would + verb) He said that he would buy Mercedes if he had been rich.

3.       Change in Time Phrases and Place

Time Phrase in Direct Speech	Time Phrase in Reported Speech
now	then
this, these	that, those
tomorrow	the day after / following day / next day
today	that day
this afternoon, this evening	that afternoon, this evening
tonight	that night
next week	the following week
yesterday	the day before
last night, last week	the night before, the week before
two weeks ago	two weeks before
here	there

4.         Change in Models

Direct speech	Indirect speech
will She said, "I'll teach English online tomorrow."	would She said she would teach English online tomorrow.
can She said, "I can teach English online."	could She said she could teach English online.
must She said, "I must have a computer to teach English online."	had to She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.
shall She said, "What shall we learn today?"	should She asked what we should learn today.
may She said, "May I open a new browser?"	might She asked if she might open a new browser.
could, would, might, had to, should, ought	no change

5.     Change of Reporting Verbs & Inverted Commas

1.1 Statements

He said to me, "I want to meet your friend". He (said to me / told me) (that) he wanted to meet my friend.

Reporting verb into said / told Inverted commas into that

1.2 Questions

A. "Yes / No Questions" (Is / Am / Have / Will; etc) "Is your brother studying now?” they said to her. They asked her (if / whether) her brother was studying then.	Reporting verb into asked / inquired / wanted to know etc Inverted commas into if / whether
B. "Wh-Questions" (Who / What / How; etc) * Mrs. Smith said, "What have you done, boys?" * Mrs. Smith asked the boys what they had done.	Reporting verb into asked / inquired / wanted to know etc Inverted commas into - repeat the "Wh-word"

Imperative sentences

1.3 Orders

I said, “Polish my shoes.” I ordered him to polish my shoes.

Reporting verb into ordered Inverted commas into to

1.4 Requests

The servant said to his master, “Please excuse me.” The servant requested his master to excuse him.

Reporting verb into requested Inverted commas into to

1.5 Advice

Mian Jee said, “Always speak the truth.” Mian Jee advised us to speak the truth.

Reporting verb into advised Inverted commas into to

1.6 Suggestion

He said to me,” Wait until I come back.’ He suggested to me to wait until he comes back.’

Reporting verb into suggested Inverted commas into to

1.7 Forbade/not to (negative)

I said to Khalid, “Do not waste my time.” I forbade Khalid to waste my time.

Reporting verb into forbade Inverted commas into to

Exclamatory sentences

1.8 Sorrow

He said, “Alas! I am undone.” He exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.

Reporting verb into exclaimed with sorrow / exclaimed   Inverted commas into that

1.9 Joy

He said, “Hurrah! I have won the trophy”. He exclaimed with joy that he had won the trophy.

Reporting verb into exclaimed with joy / exclaimed   Inverted commas into that

2.0 Wonder

He said, “What a fine dress it is!” He exclaimed with wonder that it was a very fine dress.

Reporting verb into exclaimed with wonder / exclaimed   Inverted commas into that

2.1 Pray

He said, “May you live long.” He prayed that I might live long.

Reporting verb into prayed   Inverted commas into that

2.2 Wish

Najma said, “Would that I were rich” Najma wished that she had been rich.

Reporting verb into wished   Inverted commas into that

Sentences start with Let

2.3 Let as Suggestion

He said, “let me do my duty” He said that he should be allowed to do his duty.

Reporting verb into said / told (with should or propose)   Inverted commas into that

2.4 Let as Permission 

He said, “let me do my duty” He requested me to let him do his duty.

Reporting verb into requested   Inverted commas into to

Universal Truth

2.5 Universal Truth

He said, “Honesty is the best policy”. He said that honesty is the best policy.

Reporting verb into said / told   Inverted commas into that

From the Desk of Mian Irfan Ali