Direct and Indirect Speech

Rama said, I am very busy now.

Rama said that he was busy then.
We quote the actual words of a speaker in Direct speech
In the indirect speech, we report what has been said without quoting the exact
words of the speaker.
In Direct Speech, we use inverted commas. Said is the principal or reporting verb
Changes in the reported speech:

We use than after the principal or reporting verb before the indirect
statement. (Generally omitted in spoken English)
Pronoun change takes place (I to he)
Tense change if required ( am to was)
Adverb change (now to then)

Depending on the form of reporting verb.

I.

If the reporting verb is in present or future, the tenses of the Direct speech
do not change.
Rama says, I am very busy now.
Rama says that he is very busy now.
He will say, I cannot help you.
He will say that he cannot help me.

II.

If the reporting verb is in the past tense, all Present tenses are changed
into the corresponding past tenses.
a. Simple present becomes simple past
Direct: He said, I am unwell.
Indirect: He said that he was not unwell.
b. Present continuous becomes past continuous
Direct: He said, She is watching TV.
Indirect: He said that she watching TV.
c. Present perfect becomes past perfect
Direct: He said, I have passed the examination.
Indirect: He said that he had passed the examination.
d. Present perfect continuous becomes past perfect continuous
Direct: I have been singing for two hours, Lata said.
Indirect: Lata said that she had been singing for two hours.
As a rule, the simple past in the Direct becomes the past perfect in the
Indirect.
e. Present continuous becomes past continuous
Direct: He said, The horse died last night.
Indirect: He said that the horse had died the night before.

The tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a

universal truth.
Direct: I know her address, said Gopi.
Indirect: Gopi said he knows/knew her address.
Direct: German is easy to learn, she said.
Indirect: She said German is/was easy to learn.
Direct: The teacher said, The earth goes round the sun.
Indirect: The teacher that the earth goes round the sun.
The will-can-may forms change to the would-could-might forms. Shall
changes to should.
Direct: My father will be back on Monday, he said.
Indirect: He said his father would be back on Monday.
Direct: You may go home, said the boss.
Indirect: The boss said I might go home.
The pronouns change according to the context or situation.
Direct: I will meet you again, he said to me.
Indirect: He told me he would meet me again.
Direct: I will meet you again, she said to him.
Indirect: She told him she would meet him again.
Direct: I will meet you again, I said to her.
Indirect: I told her I would meet her again.
Words or phrases expressing nearness in time generally change to those
expressing distance:
Direct
now

Direct
Today; tonight

here

Indirect
Then, at that
time
There

ago

Before

yesterday

this

That

last night

tomorrow

Indirect
that day; that
night
the next day/
following day
the previous
day/ the day
before
the night before

Commands and Requests (Imperatives)

A verb such as ask, tell, order, command, request is followed by a personal
object and the to infinitive:
Subject+ reporting verb + personal object + to infinitive
Direct: Sit down, she said.
Indirect: She asked me to sit down.
Direct: Take the tablets before the meals, said the Doctor.

Indirect: The doctor told me to take the tablets before the meals.
Direct: Open the gate, he said to the servant.
Indirect: He ordered the servant to open the gate.
Direct: Please help me with my homework, she said to her brother.
Indirect: She requested her brother to help her with her homework.
Direct: Read this book, said the teacher.
Indirect: The teacher advised me to read that book.
Direct: Dont go there, she said.
Indirect: She asked me not t go there.
Direct: Dont shoot! said the officer.
Indirect: The officer commanded the soldier not to shoot.
Direct: Please dont make so much of noise, I said to boys.
Indirect: I asked the boys not to make s much of noise.
Questions
Indirect questions do not have the same word order as that of direct
questions where inversion takes place. The verb comes after the subject as in
statements.
If a question begins with a Wh- word (what, who, when, where, how), the
question word serves as a link between the reporting verb and the reported
question. That is not used in such sentences.
If a question does not begin with a Wh- word, the conjunction if or whether is
placed before the indirect question. Verbs like ask, inquire are used to report
questions.
Direct: The policeman said to us, Where are you going?
Indirect: The policeman inquired where we were going.
Direct: Where do you live? she said.
Indirect: She asked where I lived.
Direct: Who has done it? they asked.
Indirect: They asked who had done it.
Direct: He said, Will you listen to such a man?
Indirect: He asked whether they would listen to such a man.
Direct: He said, Do you want me to help you?
Indirect: He asked if I wanted him to help me.
Direct: Has your brother gone to Delhi? she said.
Indirect: She inquired whether my brother had gone to Delhi.
Direct: Shankar said, Can you swim, Kishore?
Indirect: Shankar asked Kishore whether he could swim.