Direct and Indirect Speech Rules English Grammar
Students should refer to the following Direct Indirect Speech Rules of English Grammar. These rules have been designed by expert English teachers to help students appearing in English Exams in schools or competitive examinations. You should remember the following Direct Indirect Speech Rules so that you can use them correctly and score good marks in examinations. You should refer to all Rules of English Grammar provided by us to strengthen your understanding.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rules English Grammar
Direct to Indirect Conversion – Modal verb changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Examples |
| Can | Could | Direct – He said, “I can make paranthas.” Indirect – He said that he could make Paranthas. |
| May | Might | Direct – She said, “I may go to Delhi.” Indirect – She said that she might go to Delhi. |
| Must | Had to | Direct – He said, “I must eat a healthy diet.” Indirect – He said that he had to eat a healthy diet . |
| Should | Should | No changes |
| Might | Might | No changes |
| Could | Could | No changes |
| Would | Would | No changes |
| Ought to | Ought to | No changes |
Direct to Indirect Coversion – Changes due to Reporting Verb
| Reporting Verb | Changes | Examples |
| Past Tense | If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the tense of the direct sentence (Reported speech) is changed to corresponding past form. | Direct: Naveen said, “I am fine.’ Indirect: Naveen said that he was fine. Direct: He said, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: He said that he was reading a book. Direct: He said, “I have been learning English.” Indirect: He said that he had been learning English. |
| Present Tense | If the reporting verb is in the present tense, then the tense of the direct sentence (Reported speech) does not change | Direct : She says, “I am a little bit nervous.” Indirect : She says that she is a little bit nervous. Direct: He says, “I went there yesterday.”Indirect: He says that he went there the day before. |
| Future Tense | If the reporting verb is in the Future tense, then the tense of the direct sentence (Reported speech) does not change | Direct: Ram will say, “I go to the gym everyday.” Indirect: Ram will say that he goes to the gym everyday. |
Note- If the direct sentence(Reported speech) contains the universal truth then it remains unchanged in the Indirect Sentence.
Direct to Indirect Conversion – How tense changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Examples |
| Present simple (Subject +V1st + Object) | Past simple (Subject +V2 + Object) | Direct – Sheela said, “I walk everyday.” Indirect – Sheela said that she walked everyday. |
| Present continuous (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object) | Past Continuous (Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object) | Direct – Hritik said, “I am having breakfast.” Hritik said that he was having Breakfast. |
| Present perfect (Subject + has/have+V3+Object) | Past perfect (Subject+had+V3+Object) | Direct – Mallya said, “Bablu has left for Classes.” Indirect – Mallya said that Bablu had left for classes. |
| Past simple (Subject+V2+Object) | Past perfect (Subject+had+V3+Object) | Direct – Mom said, “Sweety took Patries.” Indirect – Mom said that Sweety had taken pastries. |
| Past Continuous (Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object) | Past perfect continuous (Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object) | Direct – They told, “We were staying in Delhi.” Indirect – They told that they had been staying in Delhi. |
| Future simple (Subject+ will/shall+V1+object) | Present Conditional (Subject+ would+V1+object) | Direct – Soni said, “I will go to gym.” Indirect – Soni said that he would go to gym. |
| Future Continuous (Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object) | Conditional Continuous (Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object) | Direct – Police Said, “They will be investigating the case.” Indirect – Police said that they would be investigating the case. |
Direct to Indirect Conversion –Place and Time
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech | Examples |
| Now | Then | Direct – They say, “It’s ten o’clock now.” Indirect – They say that it’s ten o’clock then. |
| Here | There | Direct – She says, “Everybody was here.” Indirect – She says that everybody was there |
| Today | That day | Direct – She said, “I am going to London today.” Indirect – She said that she was going to London that day. |
| Tomorrow | The next day / The Following day | Direct – She said, “I am going to London tomorrow.” Indirect – She said that she was going to London the next day. |
| Last week | The previous week | Direct – She says, “Everybody was present Last week.” Indirect – She says that everybody was present the previous week |
| This | That | Direct – He says, “He wants to buy this book.” Indirect – He says that he wants to buy that book |
| These | Those | Direct – He says, “He wants to buy these books.” Indirect – He says that he wants to buy those books. |
| Tonight | That night | Direct – She said, “I am going to see him tonight.” Indirect – She said that she was going to see him that night. |
| Ago | Before | Direct – “I saw her a week ago,” he said. Indirect – He said he had seen her a week before. |
Silimarly – ‘Thus’ changes to ‘so’, ‘Hither changes to ‘Thither’, ‘Come changes to ‘Go’, ‘Hence changes to ‘Thence
Active to Passive voice conversion – Interrogative Sentence
| Rule | Example |
| The reporting verb said/said to is changed to asked, demanded, ordered, inquired as per the nature of the sentence. | Direct – Ravi said, “What is Heena doing?” Indirect – Ravi asked me what Heena was doing Direct – The boy asked, “Where do you stay?” Indirect – The boy inquired where I stayed |
| While a sentence starts with reporting verb then at the conversion time if /whether is used as the joining clause. | Direct – Esha said, “Will she come for lunch?” Indirect – Esha asked if she would come for lunch. |
| In case the sentence starts from “Wh” question word, then no extra conjunction is used. | Direct – I said to her, “When do you do your homework?” Indirect – I asked her when she did her homework. Direct – Rashid said to me, “Why are you late?” Indirect – Rashid asked me why I was late. |
Active to Passive voice conversion – Changes of Pronouns
Rule – The first person in reported speech changes according to the subject of reporting speech.
Rule – In Reported Speech change of the second person depends on the object of reporting speech.
Rule – The third person remains unchanged.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| I | He/she |
| You | He/she/they |
| We | They |
| They | They |
| Us | Them |
| Ours | Their |
| He | He |
| His | His |
| Her | Her |
| Its | Its |
| It | It |
| She | She |
