Direct and Indirect Speech / Narration
From the Desk of Mian Irfan Ali
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 |
