Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Mastering Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

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As your grammar teacher, let me tell you—being able to switch between direct and indirect speech is a major skill for any English learner or writer. These two forms help us report what someone has said, but they work in very different ways.

In direct speech, we quote the speaker’s exact words using quotation marks. In indirect (or reported) speech, we tell someone what another person said without quoting them word-for-word—and that’s where the grammar starts to shift.

For example:

  • Direct: She said, “I love English.”

  • Indirect: She said (that) she loved English.

Sounds simple? It can be—but there are some important rules to follow, like changing the tense, adjusting pronouns, and dropping quotation marks when you move from direct to indirect speech.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

  • The definitions of direct and indirect speech

  • Step-by-step conversion rules

  • Common reporting verbs

  • Example sentences and practice exercises

  • Common mistakes to avoid

Whether you’re preparing for an exam, writing a story, or just polishing your grammar, this lesson will help you master direct and indirect speech with confidence.

Let’s dive in and start reporting speech like pros!

Table of Contents

Definition of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct speech involves reporting the exact words spoken by someone. It is typically enclosed in quotation marks (” “) and attributed to the speaker. The original words are reproduced verbatim, preserving the speaker’s tone and emphasis. Direct speech is often used to add authenticity, immediacy, or drama to a narrative.

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, involves reporting what someone said without using their exact words. Instead, the speaker’s message is paraphrased and integrated into the reporting sentence. Indirect speech typically involves changes in tense, pronouns, and time/place references to reflect the new context. It is often used to summarize or convey the general idea of a conversation or statement without necessarily capturing every detail.

Structural Breakdown

Direct Speech Structure

The basic structure of direct speech involves two main components: the reporting clause and the quoted speech. The reporting clause includes the speaker and the reporting verb (e.g., he said, she asked). The quoted speech contains the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks.

Example:

She said, “I am going to the store.”

In this example, “She said” is the reporting clause, and “I am going to the store” is the quoted speech.

Indirect Speech Structure

The structure of indirect speech is slightly different. It typically involves a reporting clause followed by a conjunction (such as that), and then the reported statement. The tense, pronouns, and time/place references may need to be adjusted to reflect the change in perspective.

Example:

She said that she was going to the store.

Here, “She said” is the reporting clause, “that” is the conjunction, and “she was going to the store” is the reported statement.

Types and Categories of Indirect Speech

Statements

When converting statements from direct to indirect speech, the tense of the verb in the reported clause usually changes. Pronouns and time/place references may also need to be adjusted.

Example:

Direct: He said, “I am happy.”

Indirect: He said that he was happy.

Questions

Converting questions to indirect speech involves changes in word order and the introduction of conjunctions like if or whether for yes/no questions, or using the question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) for wh-questions. The tense and pronouns also need to be adjusted.

Example (Yes/No Question):

Direct: She asked, “Are you coming?”

Indirect: She asked if I was coming.

Example (Wh-Question):

Direct: He asked, “Where are you going?”

Indirect: He asked where I was going.

Commands and Requests

When reporting commands or requests, the verb in the reported clause is usually changed to an infinitive with “to.” The reporting verb often changes to verbs like told, ordered, requested, or asked.

Example:

Direct: The teacher said, “Do your homework.”

Indirect: The teacher told us to do our homework.

Exclamations

Exclamations are often reported using verbs like exclaimed, cried out, or remarked, followed by a “that” clause. The intensity of the exclamation might be conveyed through adverbs or adjectives in the reported clause.

Example:

Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”

Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

The following tables provide a variety of examples illustrating the conversion between direct and indirect speech across different types of statements, questions, commands, and exclamations.

Statements Examples

This table shows examples of converting direct statements into indirect speech, demonstrating tense and pronoun changes.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, “I am tired.” He said that he was tired.
She said, “I went to the park yesterday.” She said that she had gone to the park the day before.
They said, “We will travel to Europe next year.” They said that they would travel to Europe the following year.
John said, “I have finished my work.” John said that he had finished his work.
Mary said, “I love chocolate.” Mary said that she loved chocolate.
The cat said, “I want food.” The cat said that it wanted food.
My mother said, “I am cooking dinner.” My mother said that she was cooking dinner.
My friends said, “We are going to the beach.” My friends said that they were going to the beach.
The teacher said, “The Earth is round.” The teacher said that the Earth is round. (Universal Truth)
He said, “I can speak Spanish.” He said that he could speak Spanish.
She said, “I might go to the party.” She said that she might go to the party.
They said, “We must study hard.” They said that they had to study hard.
John said, “I should call my sister.” John said that he should call his sister.
Mary said, “I would like to travel.” Mary said that she would like to travel.
The child said, “I am sleepy.” The child said that he/she was sleepy.
The chef said, “I am preparing the dish.” The chef said that he was preparing the dish.
My boss said, “I will give you a raise.” My boss said that he would give me a raise.
The scientist said, “Water boils at 100°C.” The scientist said that water boils at 100°C. (Universal Truth)
The actor said, “I am nervous before a show.” The actor said that he was nervous before a show.
The author said, “I write every day.” The author said that he wrote every day.
He said, “I have been working here since 2010.” He said that he had been working there since 2010.
She said, “I am learning to play the guitar.” She said that she was learning to play the guitar.
They said, “We have lived here for ten years.” They said that they had lived there for ten years.
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Questions Examples

This table illustrates the conversion of direct questions into indirect questions, showcasing the use of if/whether and question words.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He asked, “Are you coming to the party?” He asked if I was coming to the party.
She asked, “What is your name?” She asked what my name was.
They asked, “Where do you live?” They asked where I lived.
John asked, “Can you help me?” John asked if I could help him.
Mary asked, “Why are you late?” Mary asked why I was late.
The student asked, “May I leave the room?” The student asked if he/she might leave the room.
The doctor asked, “Do you feel any pain?” The doctor asked if I felt any pain.
My friend asked, “Have you seen the movie?” My friend asked if I had seen the movie.
The police officer asked, “Where were you last night?” The police officer asked where I had been the previous night.
He asked, “Will you marry me?” He asked if I would marry him.
She asked, “Could you pass the salt?” She asked if I could pass the salt.
They asked, “Should we go home?” They asked if they should go home.
John asked, “Would you like some coffee?” John asked if I would like some coffee.
Mary asked, “How old are you?” Mary asked how old I was.
The child asked, “Is Santa real?” The child asked if Santa was real.
The baker asked, “What kind of bread do you want?” The baker asked what kind of bread I wanted.
The librarian asked, “Have you returned the book?” The librarian asked if I had returned the book.
My neighbor asked, “Can you hear the music?” My neighbor asked if I could hear the music.
The interviewer asked, “What are your strengths?” The interviewer asked what my strengths were.
The traveler asked, “Where is the nearest restroom?” The traveler asked where the nearest restroom was.
He asked, “Have you ever been to Japan?” He asked if I had ever been to Japan.
She asked, “Did you eat all the cookies?” She asked if I had eaten all the cookies.
They asked, “Are you going to finish that?” They asked if I was going to finish that.

Commands and Requests Examples

This table provides examples of converting direct commands and requests into indirect speech, demonstrating the use of infinitives.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, “Close the door.” He told me to close the door.
She said, “Please help me.” She asked me to help her.
They said, “Don’t be late.” They told us not to be late.
John said, “Give me the book.” John told me to give him the book.
Mary said, “Please be quiet.” Mary asked me to be quiet.
The teacher said, “Do your homework.” The teacher told us to do our homework.
The doctor said, “Take this medicine.” The doctor told me to take that medicine.
My friend said, “Lend me your pen.” My friend asked me to lend him/her my pen.
The boss said, “Finish the report by tomorrow.” The boss ordered me to finish the report by the next day.
He said, “Wait for me.” He told me to wait for him.
She said, “Don’t forget to call.” She reminded me not to forget to call.
They said, “Meet us at the cafe.” They invited us to meet them at the cafe.
John said, “Help the elderly.” John advised to help the elderly.
Mary said, “Please send me the details.” Mary requested me to send her the details.
The parent said, “Go to bed early.” The parent told the child to go to bed early.
The coach said, “Train harder.” The coach encouraged us to train harder.
My neighbor said, “Water my plants, please.” My neighbor asked me to water her plants.
The officer said, “Show me your ID.” The officer ordered me to show him my ID.
The guide said, “Follow me.” The guide instructed us to follow him.
The sign said, “Do not enter.” The sign warned not to enter.
He said, “Be careful.” He advised me to be careful.
She said, “Don’t worry.” She told me not to worry.
They said, “Remember to bring your passport.” They reminded us to bring our passports.
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Exclamations Examples

This table provides examples of converting direct exclamations into indirect speech, demonstrating the use of reporting verbs like exclaimed and cried.

Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, “What a beautiful view!” He exclaimed that it was a beautiful view.
She said, “How exciting!” She exclaimed that it was very exciting.
They said, “We won!” They cried out that they had won.
John said, “Oh no, I forgot my wallet!” John exclaimed that he had forgotten his wallet.
Mary said, “What a surprise!” Mary exclaimed that it was a surprise.
The child said, “I love ice cream!” The child exclaimed that he/she loved ice cream.
The fan said, “That was an amazing goal!” The fan exclaimed that it had been an amazing goal.
My friend said, “How wonderful!” My friend exclaimed that it was wonderful.
The tourist said, “What a beautiful city!” The tourist exclaimed that it was a beautiful city.
He said, “How strange!” He exclaimed that it was very strange.
She said, “What a mess!” She exclaimed that it was a mess.
They said, “We are so happy!” They exclaimed that they were very happy.
John said, “What a great idea!” John exclaimed that it was a great idea.
Mary said, “How incredible!” Mary exclaimed that it was incredible.
The traveler said, “What a long journey!” The traveler exclaimed that it had been a long journey.
The student said, “I passed the exam!” The student exclaimed that he/she had passed the exam.
My colleague said, “How stressful!” My colleague exclaimed that it was stressful.
The gardener said, “What beautiful flowers!” The gardener exclaimed that the flowers were beautiful.
The musician said, “What an amazing performance!” The musician exclaimed that it was an amazing performance.
The shopper said, “What a bargain!” The shopper exclaimed that it was a bargain.
He said, “How ridiculous!” He exclaimed that it was ridiculous.
She said, “What a disaster!” She exclaimed that it was a disaster.
They said, “We are so relieved!” They exclaimed that they were so relieved.

Usage Rules

Tense Changes

One of the most important rules in converting direct to indirect speech is the change in tense. The tense of the verb in the reported clause usually shifts back one step in time.

However, if the statement is a universal truth or a fact that is still true, the tense does not change.

Simple Present in direct speech becomes Simple Past in indirect speech.

Present Continuous in direct speech becomes Past Continuous in indirect speech.

Simple Past in direct speech becomes Past Perfect in indirect speech.

Present Perfect in direct speech becomes Past Perfect in indirect speech.

Past Continuous in direct speech becomes Past Perfect Continuous in indirect speech.

Past Perfect in direct speech remains Past Perfect in indirect speech.

Future Simple (will) in direct speech becomes Conditional Simple (would) in indirect speech.

Example:

Direct: He said, “I am going to the store.”

Indirect: He said that he was going to the store.

Pronoun Changes

Pronouns often need to be changed to reflect the change in perspective. First-person pronouns (I, me, my, we, us, our) usually change to third-person pronouns (he, she, him, her, his, her, they, them, their), depending on the context.

Example:

Direct: She said, “I like my new car.”

Indirect: She said that she liked her new car.

Changes in Time and Place Expressions

Expressions of time and place may also need to be adjusted to reflect the change in perspective. Words like now, here, today, yesterday, tomorrow often change to then, there, that day, the day before, the next day, respectively.

Example:

Direct: He said, “I will see you here tomorrow.”

Indirect: He said that he would see me there the next day.

Reporting Verbs

The choice of reporting verb can also affect the meaning and tone of the reported speech. Common reporting verbs include said, told, asked, explained, claimed, stated, and suggested. Using a more specific reporting verb can convey the speaker’s intention or attitude more accurately.

Example:

Direct: He said, “I didn’t do it.”

Indirect: He denied doing it. (Using “denied” instead of “said” adds more specific meaning.)

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is forgetting to change the tense of the verb in the reported clause. Another is failing to adjust pronouns and time/place references appropriately.

It’s also important to choose the appropriate reporting verb to accurately convey the speaker’s intention.

Incorrect Correct
He said that he is tired. He said that he was tired.
She said that I went to the park yesterday. She said that she had gone to the park the day before.
They asked where do I live? They asked where I lived.
He told me close the door. He told me to close the door.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Converting Direct to Indirect Speech

Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech.

# Direct Speech Answer
1 She said, “I am reading a book.” She said that she was reading a book.
2 He said, “I went to the gym yesterday.” He said that he had gone to the gym the day before.
3 They said, “We will visit Paris next summer.” They said that they would visit Paris the following summer.
4 John asked, “Are you coming to the meeting?” John asked if I was coming to the meeting.
5 Mary said, “Please help me with this problem.” Mary asked me to help her with that problem.
6 The teacher said, “The sun rises in the east.” The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
7 He said, “I have finished my homework.” He said that he had finished his homework.
8 She asked, “What time is it?” She asked what time it was.
9 They said, “Don’t make noise.” They told us not to make noise.
10 He exclaimed, “What a beautiful day!” He exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
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Exercise 2: Converting Indirect to Direct Speech

Convert the following sentences from indirect to direct speech.

# Indirect Speech Answer
1 He said that he was tired. He said, “I am tired.”
2 She said that she had gone to the store the day before. She said, “I went to the store yesterday.”
3 They said that they would travel to Europe the following year. They said, “We will travel to Europe next year.”
4 She asked if I was coming to the party. She asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
5 He told me to close the door. He said, “Close the door.”
6 The teacher said that the Earth is round. The teacher said, “The Earth is round.”
7 He said that he could speak Spanish. He said, “I can speak Spanish.”
8 She asked what my name was. She asked, “What is your name?”
9 They told us not to be late. They said, “Don’t be late.”
10 He exclaimed that it was a wonderful surprise. He exclaimed, “What a wonderful surprise!”

Exercise 3: Identifying Errors in Indirect Speech

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences of indirect speech.

# Incorrect Indirect Speech Correct Indirect Speech
1 He said that he is happy. He said that he was happy.
2 She said that I will go to the beach tomorrow. She said that she would go to the beach the next day.
3 They asked where do I live? They asked where I lived.
4 He told me close the door. He told me to close the door.
5 She asked that are you coming? She asked if I was coming.
6 He said that he has finished the work yesterday. He said that he had finished the work the day before.
7 They said that they visit us next week. They said that they would visit us the following week.
8 She asked why I am late. She asked why I was late.
9 He told to me not to worry. He told me not to worry.
10 She exclaimed that how beautiful it is! She exclaimed that it was very beautiful.

Advanced Topics

Mixed Speech

Mixed speech is a combination of direct and indirect speech within the same sentence. This technique can be used to emphasize certain parts of the original statement or to add variety to your writing.

Example:

He said he was “absolutely thrilled” about the promotion.

Continuous Reporting

Continuous reporting involves reporting ongoing conversations or events over a period of time. This often requires careful attention to tense and time references to maintain clarity and coherence.

Example:

She mentioned that she had been working on the project for several weeks and that she was hoping to finish it by the end of the month.

FAQ

  1. What is the main difference between direct and indirect speech?Direct speech reports the exact words spoken, enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said without using the exact words, often involving changes in tense and pronouns.
  2. When should I use direct speech instead of indirect speech?Use direct speech when you want to convey the exact words spoken, add authenticity, or emphasize the speaker’s tone. Use indirect speech when you want to summarize or report the general idea of a statement without necessarily capturing every detail.
  3. Do I always need to change the tense when converting to indirect speech?Yes, generally, the tense of the verb in the reported clause shifts back one step in time. However, if the statement is a universal truth or a fact that is still true, the tense does not change.
  4. How do I convert questions into indirect speech?For yes/no questions, use if or whether. For wh-questions, use the question word (who, what, where, when, why, how). Also, adjust the word order and tense accordingly.
  5. What are some common reporting verbs I can use?Common reporting verbs include said, told, asked, explained, claimed, stated, suggested, and denied. The choice of verb can affect the meaning and tone of the reported speech.
  6. How do I handle time and place expressions when converting to indirect speech?Expressions of time and place may need to be adjusted to reflect the change in perspective. Words like now, here, today, yesterday, tomorrow often change to then, there, that day, the day before, the next day, respectively.
  7. What should I do if the direct speech contains another direct quote?This can be tricky! You’ll need to carefully nest the quotation marks and ensure that the inner quote is clearly attributed. For example: He said, “She told me, ‘I am going home.'” In indirect speech, you would report this as: He said that she had told him that she was going home.
  8. Are there any exceptions to the tense changes in indirect speech?Yes, there are a few exceptions. If the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., “He says”), the tense in the reported clause does not change. Also, as mentioned earlier, universal truths and facts that are still true do not require a tense change.

Conclusion

Mastering direct and indirect speech is essential for effective

communication in English. By understanding the structural differences, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can confidently and accurately report what others have said.

Practice the exercises provided and continue to refine your skills to enhance your overall command of the English language. Whether you are writing, speaking, or simply engaging in everyday conversations, a solid grasp of direct and indirect speech will undoubtedly improve your clarity and precision.