direct to indirect speech imperative sentences

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

Discover how to change Direct and Indirect speech of Imperative sentences into statements, maintaining proper punctuation. In addition,  get the use of reporting verbs , change word orde r, and at the same time use appropriate tone to convey the meaning of the original sentence for the direct and indirect speech of Imperative sentences.

Imperative Sentence

An imperative sentence is a type of sentence that gives a command or makes a request. It typically takes the

form of a subjectless verb , and the tone is often forceful, direct, and commanding. For examples,

• “Close the door.” 
• “Please pass the salt.”

Identify Imperative Sentences to Change Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

(a) Basically, the subject will be “you” and it is not written in the sentence, but it remains in understood condition. 

(b) On the other hand, such sentences imply someone to advise, to order, or to request.

• Direct: Mother said to me,  “(You) Don’t run in the sun.”
• Indirect: Mother advised me not to run in the sun.
• Direct :  Bina said to me, “Bina said to me go and fetch a glass of water.”
• Indirect: Bina told (asked/ordered/requested) me to go and fetch a glass of water.

Verbs with Imperative Sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech.

An imperative sentence always indicates a command, request, or advise. In order that we have to use appropriate Verbs according to command, request, or advise. A list of verbs used to change direct speech into indirect speech provides in the table below:

Another key point is that ‘Tell ’ may often be used to express a ‘request’, ‘order, or ‘command’. As a result, it is often safer to use ‘ tell ’ in the indirect form when there is doubt about the proper word to introduce the Reported Speech.

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Rules: Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences.

In indirect narration imperative sentence rules , the introductory or the Reporting Verb of an Imperative sentence expressing command, request, or desire transforms into an appropriate verb that expresses the intended meaning – tell, ask, request, order, command, beg, entreat, advise, implore.

First, look at the sentence given in the reported speech under Direct Narration.

In Indirect Narration, the Verb of the Reported Speech in an Imperative Sentence is changed into the Infinitive [ to + V( Base Form ) ]

If the Reported Speech is Negative, the word “ not ” is used in Indirect Narration before the Infinitive ( not + to )

Expressions like ‘Please, Sir, Madam, etc are omitted in Indirect Narration, and their sense is expressed by adding adverbs like ‘politely’, ‘kindly’, ‘respectfully’, etc.

A Nominative of Address or a Vocative is omitted in indirect narration. The verb is followed by the person addressed and the Infinitive.

When “Let” in the Direct Speech expresses a Proposal or Suggestion we may use “Should” or “Let” and change the Reporting Verb into proposing or suggest. [ It indicates Proposal or Suggestion]

When the Plural Form of Pronouns ( us etc ) is used after “Let”, [ Infinitive ( to + V)] is not used in Imperative Sentences beginning with “ Let.”

But when “ Let ” does not express a proposal, it should be changed into might or might be allowed to or into some other form and the Reporting Verb in Indirect Speech might be a wish, request, told, ordered, say, etc. according to the meaning or sense of the sentence. 

[ It  does not indicate Proposal or Suggestion When Singular Form of Pronoun ( me, him, etc ) is used after “Let” ] [ Infinitive ( to + V) is not used in Imperative Sentence beginning with “ Let.”

Changes of Persons in indirect narration have already been discussed on the previous page. Should be carefully studied.

Changes in Reporting Verb in Indirect Narration and the Verb of the reported speech in indirect narration also have been discussed in the General Rules section on the previous page. Should be carefully studied.

Direct and Indirect Speech Imperative Sentences Examples 2024

Note carefully the Changes in Imperative Sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

Direct: Father said to me, “Go home at once.”

Indirect: Father ordered me to go home at once.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Don’t come here.”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me not to go there. Or, The teacher forbade me to go there.

Direct: He said to me, ‘Please open the door.”

Indirect: He requested me to open the door. Or, He told me politely to open the door.

Direct: He said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.”

Indirect: He requested me to wait there till he returned.

Direct: I said to him, “Please explain the passage.”

Indirect: I requested him to explain the passage.

Direct: mother said to him, “Don’t run in the sun.”

Indirect: The mother advised him not to run in the sun. Or. Mother forbade him to run in the sun.

Direct: He said, “Ram, go there.”

Indirect: He told Ram to go there.

Direct: He said, “Friends, lend me your ears.”

Indirect: Addressing them as friends, he requested them to lend him their ears.

Direct: He shouted, “Stop, you villain !”

Indirect : He shouted to the villain to stop.  Or,  He ordered the villain to stop.  Or,  Calling the man a villain, he ordered him to stop.

Narration of imperative sentences exercise and Answers

Change the narration from direct to indirect speech.

Direct: “Shut the window,” she commanded. Indirect: She commanded to shut the window.

Direct: “Please bring me a glass of water,” he requested. Indirect: He requested to bring him a glass of water.

Direct: “Don’t touch that,” she warned. Indirect: She warned not to touch that.

Direct: “Help me with this assignment,” he asked. Indirect: He asked for help with that assignment.

Direct: “Pass me the salt,” she said. Indirect: She asked to pass her the salt.

Direct: “Please don’t disturb him,” she requested. Indirect: She requested not to disturb him.

Direct: “Open the door,” he ordered. Indirect: He ordered to open the door.

Direct: “Don’t be late for the meeting,” she advised. Indirect: She advised not to be late for the meeting.

Direct: “Pass me the book,” he requested. Indirect: He requested to pass him the book.

Direct: “Don’t forget to call me tomorrow,” she reminded. Indirect: She reminded not to forget to call her the next day.

Imperative Sentences Narration Change Examples with ‘Let’

Direct: “Let’s go to the park,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested going to the park.

Direct: “Let her finish the presentation,” she proposed. Indirect: She proposed that she finish the presentation.

Direct: “Let’s not waste any more time,” he insisted. Indirect: He insisted on not wasting any more time.

Direct: “Let me help you with that,” she offered. Indirect: She offered to help with that.

Direct: “Let’s have dinner together,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested having dinner together.

Direct: “Let’s not forget to send the email,” she reminded. Indirect: She reminded not to forget to send the email.

Direct: “Let him borrow your book,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested allowing him to borrow your book.

Direct: “Let’s finish the project by Friday,” she urged. Indirect: She urged to finish the project by Friday.

Direct: “Let’s try a different approach,” he proposed. Indirect: He proposed trying a different approach.

Direct: “Let’s take a break,” she suggested. Indirect: She suggested taking a break.

Workout Examples of Imperative Sentences

Direct: I said to him, “Excuse me, sir.”

Indirect: I begged him to excuse me.

Direct: I said to him, “Let us have some music.”

Indirect: I proposed or suggested to him that we should have some music.

Direct: He said to his companions, “Let us not miss this chance.”

Indirect: He proposed (suggested) to his companions that they should not miss that chance.

Direct: We said, “Let him tell the story.”

Indirect: We said that he might (or might be allowed to) tell the story.

Direct: She said, Let him eat whatever he likes.”

Indirect: She said that he might (or might be allowed to) eat whatever he liked.

Direct: He said, “Let me come in.”

Indirect: He requested that he might be allowed to come in.

Exercises : Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

Change the following from Direct to Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentence 

1. He said to me. “Put out the light.”

2. Mother said, “Don’t idle away your time.”

3. The beggar said to the man, “Please help me with money.”

4. The teacher said, “Boys, don’t make noise in the class.”

5. “Be not afraid, noble prince”, said the philosopher.

6. The old man said, “Take care of yourself, little girl.”

7. He said to me, “Let me do my work.” 

8. He said, “Lie down, Tom.” 

9. He said, “Oil your own machine.”

10. The general said to his troops, “Capture the fort.”

11. The teacher said to me, “Don’t read so fast.”

12. The girl said to the woman, “Please excuse me, madam.”

13. Kaberi said to Raman, “Let me live in peace.”

14. He said, “Let me have my own way.”

15. The thirsty man said to the woman, “Bring me a glass of water.”

16. Mother said to the boy, “Come here soon.”

17. You said to me, “Follow me cautiously.”

18. He said to you, “Don’t look behind.”

19. Madam said to Della, “Take off your hat.”

20. Father said to Casabianca, “Do not leave the deck till I come back,”

Worksheet Imperative Sentence

Turn the following sentences into Indirect Speech :

(1) Father said, My son, “Don’t give up hope.”

(2) Mother said to the daughter, “Get ready to receive the guests.”

(3) The sergeant said to the constables, “Run after the miscreants.”

(4) The boy said to the pedestrian, “Please help me to get out of the trap.”

(5) The teacher said to the boys, “Read silently.”

(6) The secretary of the club said to the members, “Let us raise a fund to help flood victims.”

(7) The students said, “Let us play a friendly football match.”

(8) The grandmother said to the grandchildren, “Let me tell you a folk tale.”

(9) He said, “Let me do this sum.”

(10) You said to me, “Let me go with you.”

(11) She said, “Let me try it again.”

(12) They said, “Let us pray for Mother Teresa.”

(13) The monk said to us, “Give up bad habits.”

(14) Father said to me, “Do not tell a lie.”

(15) The master said to the servant, “Pack up the things in the bag.”

(16) The girl said to her mother, “Please forgive me for my misbehavior.”

(17) You said to me, “Let us take a holy dip in the Ganges.”

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• Direct & Indirect Speech

Reported Speech Imperatives

Reported speech imperatives differ in structure to other reported speech sentences.

Imperatives are:

• Commands: Keep quiet!
• Requests: Please close the window
• Advice: Go and lie down
• Suggestions: Take the test next year instead

This is the structure that we use:

Structure: reporting verb (e.g. ask, tell)   + noun/pronoun +  to infinitive 

Example: She asked me   to come  later

Here are some further examples using the imperative sentences above, showing them in direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct Speech:

• She said, "Keep quiet!"
• "Please close the window", the teacher said
• He told her, "Go and lie down"
• She said, "Take the test next year instead"

Reported Speech:

• She instructed me to keep quiet
• The teacher asked me to close the window
• He told her to go and lie down
• She advised them to take the test next year instead

Reporting Verbs for Imperatives

In normal reported speech, the common reporting verbs are said and told . For instance:

• She said she was tired
• He told me I should come tomorrow

There are many more, however, that are used with reported speech imperatives. Some are for orders while others are for polite requests.

Polite Request

Here are some more examples of reported speech imperatives using these verbs:

Polite Requests

• My doctor  advised  me to sleep more
• The government  urged  the people to use less water
• She asked me to join her on holiday
• They  reminded  us to put our seat belts on
• He  requested  the guests to vacate their rooms
• He begs her to stay
• John told his brother to change direction
• My boss  orders  me to work harder
• She instructed them to learn the alphabet
• The general  commanded his  soldiers to obey
• The sign  forbade  them to enter

Suggest / demand / insist as Reported Verbs

Suggest  / demand / insist can be used as reported verb for imperatives; however, they do not follow the same pattern as above. That is because the structure for using them is as follows:

• Suggest  /  demand / insis t  + that + someone

So this is how reported speech with these verbs will look:

• Direct Speech: She said, "Study harder to pass your test"
• Reported Speech: She suggested that I study harder to pass my test
• Direct Speech:  He said, "Take a taxi home"
• Reported Speech:  He insisted that we take a taxi home

You can't say:

• She suggested me to study harder X
• He insisted us to take a taxi home X

Negative Imperatives in Reported Speech

When we want to make an imperative reported speech sentence negative, we simply add in not before the ' to infinitive ': 

Negative Imperatives in Reported Speech

Structure: reporting verb  + noun/pronoun + not +  to infinitive 

Example: She advised me   not  to come late

Here are some examples of direct speech changed into indirect speech using negative imperatives.

• She said, "Don't keep talking!"
• "Please don't study too hard", the teacher said
• He told her, "Don't wait up for me"
• The doctor said, "Don't over eat" 
• She instructed us not to keep keep talking
• The teacher asked them  not to study to hard
• He urged me not to wait up for him
• The doctor advised me not to over eat

More on Reported Speech:

Reported Speech Quiz - Practice forming indirect speech

This reported speech quiz gives you the chance to practice converting direct speech to reported speech, also known as indirect speech. This involves backshifting with the tenses.

Reported Speech Tenses Chart: How to convert tenses

Reported speech tenses may differ from the tense of the direct speech. The general rule for tenses in reported speech is that it changes to the past tense. This is called backshifting.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In these examples of direct and indirect speech you are given a sentence in direct speech which is then connected to indirect speech.

Direct and Indirect Speech: The differences explained

Direct and indirect speech are different because in direct speech the exact words said are spoken, but in indirect or reported speech, we are reporting what was said, usually using the past tense.

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• Reported Speech /

Imperative Reported Speech with Examples & Practise Exercises

• Updated on  
• Jan 9, 2024

Imperative Reported Speech: When studying English grammar , the candidate needs to have all the knowledge about imperative reported speech. By doing so, they will be able to construct sentences in a much better way. Imperative sentences in reported speech are used to give commands. In this blog, you will read about imperative reported speech which will help you learn about this concept. 

This Blog Includes:

What is an imperative sentence, what is imperative reported speech, imperative reported speech with verb from direct to indirect speech, imperative reported speech exercise 1, imperative reported speech exercise 2.

An imperative sentence is a type of sentence that gives commands or makes requests. These sentences usually take the form of the subjectless verb. The tone is often forceful, commanding and direct. 

Also Read: Imperative Sentence Passive Voice

Imperative in reported speech is a little bit different from regular sentences. They are generally used when one gives orders and we can also use them to make requests. 

In imperatives, we use “ask/tell somebody to do something.”

Reported speech imperatives differ in structure from other reported speech sentences. Some imperatives including examples are given here:  

Commands : Keep low!

Requests : Please close the gate

Advice : Move and lie down

Suggestions : Take the pill the next day instead

Below given examples below show how imperative is used in reported speech.

Imperative: “Come here.”

Reported Speech: She told me to come here.

Also Read: Active and Passive Voice: Rules, Examples & Exercise

An imperative sentence always indicates a command, advice or a request. Therefore, we must use appropriate verbs according to advice, command or request. Here is a list of verbs used to change direct speech into indirect speech as provided in the table below:

Another main key point in ‘tell’ is often used to express a ‘command’, ‘order’ or ‘request’. Therefore, it is safe to use ‘tell’ in the indirect form when there is doubt about a proper word to introduce a reported speech. 

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

• My brother said, “Would you like to have tea with me?”
• He said to his teacher, “Please explain this poem to me.”
• “Come quickly”, he shouted, “and help me as I am in grave danger.”
• The saint said to the pupils, “Be quiet and listen to me carefully.”
• “Be punctual from tomorrow,” my teacher said, “otherwise I will complain to the Principal.”

Also Read: Tenses Rules: Charts, Examples, Types [PDF Available]

Rewrite each sentence into reported speech.

• Grandma said to me, “Please fetch my glasses.”
• The librarian said to us, “Return the books in a month.”
•  I said to the agent, ”Please book two tickets for America.”
•  Andrew said, ”I’ll have a chicken sandwich and some coffee.”
• He said, ”Fasten your seat belts.”

Check Your Answers:

• Grandma asked me to kindly fetch her glasses.
• The librarian told us to return the books in a month.
• I requested the agent to book two tickets for America.
• Andrew asked for a chicken sandwich and some coffee.
• He asked us to fasten our seat belts.

Also Read: Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises For Class 8 

More Blogs on Reported Speech!

An example of an imperative in a reported speech are: He instructed me to keep quiet. The driver asked me to close the window of the bus.

To report an imperative, one can do so by using an infinitive along with a reporting verb. These will include tell, order instruct, win or direct.

In imperative speech, the sentence that expresses an advice, request or order is called an imperative speech.

To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .

Malvika Chawla

Malvika is a content writer cum news freak who comes with a strong background in Journalism and has worked with renowned news websites such as News 9 and The Financial Express to name a few. When not writing, she can be found bringing life to the canvasses by painting on them.

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Imperative Sentences- Direct & Indirect Speech

An Imperative Sentence is a type of Sentence that expresses some kind of command or an entreaty. It means that an Imperative sentence is about a command that is given by somebody to do something or not. The command may be about fulfilling a specific task or it may have some type of advice.

• Leave my room at once.
• Be very kind to animals.
• Never tell a lie.
• Do not spoil your clothes.

The Imperative Sentence has no subject, instead, it begins with a verb and ends with a full stop (.) at the end just like Assertive Sentence.

Imperative Sentence- Direct & Indirect Narration

To form the Indirect Narration of the Imperative Sentences, induced the words” requested, ordered, advised, forbade, asked, directed, urged, or suggested” in the Reporting Speech instead of “said to” according to the command. And then add “to” before the “first verb” of the Reported Speech to make the “infinitive” and make the sentence Simple Assertive Sentence.

The rest of the changes can be done by following the following rules:

• General Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech
• Pronouns Changing Rules
• Other Words Changing Rules
• Rule # 1, Rule # 2, and Rule # 3 of Changes in the Tenses

” That” is not used to make the Indirect Narration of the Imperative Sentences. Instead, “to” is used with “the first verb” of the Imperative Sentences to make the infinitive. You must visit for ExamLabs to get experties on different subject.

Imperative Sentences with Order Command

The sentences that start with “verbs”, have the Order Command in general as follows:

• The manager ordered the peon to get out of his office.
• She ordered us to keep quiet over there.
• The policeman ordered the driver to show him his license.
• The magistrate ordered the policeman to arrest that pickpocket.
• She ordered her servant to polish her shoes at once.
• The teacher ordered the peon to turn on the fan then.
• The policeman ordered my neighbor to open the door.
• The headmaster ordered the teacher to send those boys home to bring back their progress reports.
• He ordered his servant to go and bring a taxi for him.
• Father ordered him to make it a point to return home before sunset.
• The policeman ordered me to show him my identity card.
• The master ordered the peon to shut the gate and did not let anybody go out.
• He ordered us to let the ladies pass first.
• The superintendent ordered him to hand over his answer book to him.
• He ordered me to leave for Quetta at once.
• She ordered them to see her in her office the next day.
• She ordered the servant to iron her clothes.
• The magistrate ordered the policemen to fire at the mob.
• He ordered me to go away from there.
• I ordered him to go away at once.
• The minister ordered the D.S.P to arrest all bad characters that night.
• You ordered him to get out of your house then and never show you his face again.
• I ordered him to polish my shoes immediately.

Imperative Sentences with Request Entreaty

Words like” please, kindly, etc.” show the request entreaty. So, these sentences may take the word “requested” in the Reporting Speech in place of “said to”.

• He requested us to not make a noise in front of his house.
• He requested my father to forgive him that time.
• He requested his teacher respectfully to excuse him then.
• She requested her to forgive her that time.
• He requested I switch on the fan.
• I requested the visitor to wait for a few minutes.
• The old woman requested me to help her to cross that road.
• They requested him to lend them a hundred rupee.
• He requested I grant him leave for two days.
• She requested him to help her in that case.
• He requested her to send a telegram to his father the next day.
• He requested her to forgive him.
• You requested him to lend you his wristwatch for a day.
• He requested us to accompany him to the airport.
• She requested the policeman to help her to hire a taxi.
• He requested we take him to the hospital.
• Saulet requested me to lend him my pen.

Imperative Sentences with Advice

• She advised her brother to work very hard from that day.
• They advised him to take a bath very early in the morning.
• She advised her children to pray five times a day.
• They advised him to trust in God and did the right.
• I advised him to respect those who respect him.
• She advised me to pray five times a day.
• You advised them to be quiet at home over there.
• I advised them to play a fair game like true Muslims.
• She advised him to respect his elders.
• I advised him to be very careful in the future.
• The old man advised him to pray to God for seeking His help and guidance.
• She advised her sons to live to serve their country.
• He advised us to treat our younger brothers and sisters with kindness.
• He advised his friends to go on working as hard as they could.
• She advised us to be very sincere to our friends.
• She advised me to be on my guard against pickpockets in that town.
• I advised him to help the poor.
• He advised me to be honest in my dealings with everybody.
• He advised us to be very kind to our servants.
• He advised me to trust in God in that hour of my trial.
• She advised him to get up very early in the morning and went out for a walk every day.

Imperative Sentences with Direction Command

• He directed me to knock at that door again.
• I directed them to go on doing their duty.
• I directed the visitor to go away from there.
• The postman directed me to sign that receipt.
• The clerk directed the watchman to ring the bell in case of danger.
• The teacher directed the students to keep quiet.
• I directed my brother to show those strangers the way to the nears police station.

Imperative Sentences with Urging Command

• He urged me to try my luck again.
• The teacher urged us to try our best to win that match. 

Imperative Sentences to Ask

• We asked them to go away from that place.
• The doctor asked me to show him my tongue.
• He asked his brother to sit down on that chair.
• You asked him to forgive and forget.
• I asked the booking clerk to give me a second-class ticket for Peshawar.
• The teacher asked the students to open their books on page 45.
• He asked his elder brother to buy him that book that day.
• He asked me to mind my own business.
• I asked him to post that letter on his way home.
• The S.T.E. asked the passengers to show him their tickets.

Imperative Sentences with Suggestion Entreaty

• I suggested she consult a lady doctor.
• He suggested his friend get that pen changed.
• He suggested his wife take a dose after every four hours.
• The doctor suggested the patient come to him the next day morning without having his breakfast.

Imperative Sentences with begging

• The beggar begged me to give him food for his children.

Negative Imperative Sentences

The negative Imperative Sentence is usually about the forbidding command. So, “said to” of the Reporting Speech may be replaced by “forbade”.

• Mother forbade me to tell a lie.
• I forbade him to betray his friends.
• She forbade her to tell a lie.
• He forbade us to waste his time.
• He forbade me to mix with bad boys.
• You forbade her to pluck flowers from the garden.
• The doctor forbade us to take more than two cups of tea a day.
• The mother forbade the newcomer to sit there.
• The policeman forbade the driver to show him his license.
• You forbade the hawker to give you a short measure.
• The Principal forbade him to copy.
• The watchmaker forbade the customer to try to threaten him.
• He forbade his companion to enter that room.
• She forbade her sister to burn the midnight oil.
• Mother forbade us to tell a lie.
• Father forbade us to play with those boys.
• She forbade me to play marbles.
• She forbade him to waste her time.
• You forbade them to go to the pictures.
• You forbade them to quarrel with their neighbors.
• He forbade them to call him names.
• I forbade my brother to depend on guess papers for success in the examination.
• He forbade me to cheat anybody.
• He forbade the peon to let anybody enter his office before 11 A.M.
• She forbade her son to deceive anybody.
• The doctor forbade the patient to eat sweets.
• The teacher forbade the boys to copy in the examination hall.

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Reported Speech Imperatives Exercise

See the Video Exercise

Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

You might know that an imperative sentence expresses ideas such command, request, advice, suggestion, allowance etc. To change such sentences into indirect speech we use to- infinitive or that clause and instead of the reporting verb ‘said’ we use the following reporting verbs:

Advise, command, request, suggest, threaten, order, forbid, decree, propose, entreat, prompt, counsel, pardon, beg, persuade, instruct etc. Depending upon the nature of imperative sentence in reported speech.

Direct speech:            He said to me, “Leave India.”

Indirect speech:         RP + to + Verb 1 + ROTS        

• He told me  to leave India.
• He ordered me  to leave India.
• He advised me  to leave India.
• He threatened me  to leave India.
• He warned me to leave India.                          
• He informed me  to leave India.
• He notified me  to leave India.
• He begged me  to leave India.
• He requested me to leave India.                                          

Indirect Speech of Negative Imperatives

Direct speech:            He said to me, “Don`t stay here anymore.”

Indirect speech:         RP + not to + Verb1 + ROTS

• He ordered me not to stay there anymore.  
• He advised me not to stay there anymore.  
• He threatened me not to stay there anymore.  
• He warned me not to stay there anymore.                                       
• He informed me not to stay there anymore.  
• He notified me not to stay there anymore.  

Indirect Speech of Suggestions

• Direct speech:            She said, “let`s watch a movie.”
• Indirect speech:           She encouraged me to watch a movie with her. 
• Direct speech:            She said, “let`s eat out tonight.”
• Indirect speech:           She suggested eating out that night.
• Direct speech:            He said, “let`s sing a song together.”
• Indirect speech:         He proposed that we should sing a song together.

Note: If the reporting verb is ‘suggested’ we use verb + ing or that clause not an infinitive.

Indirect Speech of Exclamatory sentences

• Direct speech:            She said, “Wow! Pakistan won the cricket game.”
• Indirect speech:         She was so excited about Pakistan winning the cricket game.  Or         
• She exclaimed with happiness that Pakistan had won the cricket game.
• Direct speech:            He said, “Ops! Something went wrong with the internet.”
• Indirect speech:          He exclaimed with sorrow that something had gone wrong with the internet.

Note: The verb forbid itself coveys a negative sense. Therefore, we don’t need to use not in indirect speech.

• Direct speech: I said to the students, ‘Do not make a noise.’
• Indirect speech:  I forbade the students to make a noise. (Not I forbade the students no to make noise.)

IMPORTANT: In order to change an imperative sentence into indirect speech we choose the reporting verb according to the nature of imperative sentence in direct speech. Therefore, you have to be careful when choosing a reporting verb.

• The poor man said to me, ‘Please help me.’ 
• The poor man requested me to help him. 
• The teacher said to the students,’ respect elders.’
• The teacher advised the students to respect elders. 
• He said to the customer, ‘ come in, please.’
• He allowed/ asked the customer to come in. 
• The policeman said to the prisoner,’ Do not fight in the prison.’
• The policeman warned the prisoner not to fight in the prison. 

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Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors.

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

Word of the Day

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to try to persuade a customer who is already buying something to buy more, or to buy something more expensive

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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Transformation of Sentence: Direct & Indirect Speech

A direct speech can be transformed into an indirect speech and vice versa using a suitable reporting verb and a linker depending on the sentence. Let’s have an example first.

• Tina said to me, “Are you busy now?” [direct speech]
• Tina asked me whether I was busy then. [indirect speech]

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

• Look, if the reporting verb in direct speech (said) is in past tense, the reporting verb in indirect speech (asked) would also be in past tense. ‘Whether’ is the linker added here as it is a ‘yes-no’ type question (Refer to list 1 below).
• ‘Are’ changes to ‘was’. As the reporting verb was in past tense, the verb in the reported speech will also be in past. (Refer to list 2 below)
• ‘Now’ has become ‘then’. Time and place expressions change if the reporting verb is in past tense. (Refer to list 3 below)
• The question mark (?) has changed to a full stop(.).
• Another important thing, the format of question (v + s + o) has changed to the format of a statement (s + v + o). In indirect speech the pattern always comes to subject + verb + object.

List of Reporting verbs and linkers (list 1)

Verbs of Reported speech (if the reporting verb is in past tense) (list 2) Direct speech → Indirect speech Am / is / are →  was / were Was / were → had been Has / have → had Had → had had Shall / will → would Can → could May → might Must, should → must, should Verb1 → verb2 Verb2 → had + verb3

Change of time and place expressions in past tense (list 3) now → then ago → before today → that day yesterday → the previous day tomorrow → the next day last night → the previous night here → there this → that these → those

Narration change of Assertive sentence

• Robin said, “I went to Delhi yesterday.” – Robin said that he had gone to Delhi the previous day .
• She said to her husband, “I want to go with you.” – She told her husband that she wanted to go with him.

Narration change of Interrogative sentence

• He said to me, “Do you know English?” – He asked me whether I knew English.
• She said to me, “Did you go there?” – She wanted to know whether I had gone there.
• I said to him, “What are you doing?” – I asked him what he was doing.
• Rahul said to his mother, “How do you do all these things together?” – Rahul asked his mother how she did all those things together.

Narration change of Imperative sentence

• He said to me, “Go there right now.” – He ordered me to go there right then.
• My teacher said to me, “Obey your parents.” – My teacher asked me to obey my parents.
• She said to me, “Please don’t go there.” – She requested me not to go there.
• He said to her, “Let’s go home.” – He suggested her that they should go home.
• His mother said, “Let him eat whatever he likes.” – His mother suggested that he might be allowed to eat whatever he liked.

Narration change of Optative sentence

• He said to the boy, “May god bless you.” – He prayed that God might bless the boy.
• The girl said, “Had I the wings of a dove.” – The girl wished that she had the wings of a dove.

Narration change of Exclamatory sentence

• “How happy we are here!” said the children. – The children exclaimed in joy that they were very happy there.
• The children said, “How happy we were there!” – The children exclaimed in sorrow that they had been very happy there.
• He said to me, “Good bye!” – He bade me good bye.
• She said to me, “Good evening!”—She wished me good evening.

Narration change of Vocatives

• Teacher said, “ Robin , stand up.” – Teacher asked Robin to stand up.
• The Bishop said to the convict, “Always remember, my son , that the poor body is the temple of the living God.” – The Bishop addressed the convict as his son and advised him to always remember that the poor body is the temple of the living God.

Narration change of question tag

• He said to me, “You went to Kolkata, didn’t you?” – He asked me whether I had gone to Kolkata and assumed that I had.
• I said to him, “Tina didn’t tell a lie, did she?” – I asked him if Tina had told a lie and assumed that she had not.

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Reported speech - 1

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Worksheets - handouts

Reported speech

Exercises: imperatives.

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Reported Speech: Commands and Requests Practice Exercises

• Post last modified: 10 April 2022
• Post category: Grammar Exercises / School Grammar

Learn converting commands and request type Imperative sentences into Indirect Speech or narration. The solved exercises given below are here to do practice on these exercises. Attempt yourself first and then see the answers.

New exercises are added from time to time, so, keep coming here.

Narration: Commands and Requests

Q. change the following sentences into indirect speech..

• He said to his servant, “Leave the room at once”.
• He said to him, “Please wait here till I return.”
• Sara’s mother said to her, “Cook the food properly”.
• The teacher said to a student, “Don’t waste your time”.
• The police man shouted to the man, “Stop or I will shoot you”.
• My elder brother said to me, “Please post this letter for me”.
• I said to my brother, “Let us go to some hill station for a change”.
• The police officer said to a culprit, “Don’t try to be clever”.
• The judge said to the accused, “Hold your tongue”.
• He shouted, “Let me go.”
• She said, “Be quiet and listen to his words.”
• I said to my teacher, ” Pardon me sir”
• He ordered the servant to leave the room at once.
• He requested him to wait there till he returned.
• Sara’s mother ordered her to cook the food properly.
• The teacher ordered a student not to waste the time.
• The police man ordered the man to stop and threatened that otherwise he would shoot him.
• My elder brother requested me to post this letter for him.
• I suggested to my brother that we should go to some hill station for a change.
• The police officer ordered a culprit not to try to be clever.
• The judge ordered the accused to hold his tongue.
• He shouted to let him go.
• He urged them to be quiet and listen to his work.
• I respectfully begged my teacher to pardon me.

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Direct and indirect speech: Imperative sentences

The mood of the verb in a sentence showing order, request or advice is called imperative sentence.

Changes in imperative sentences are a bit different that the rest of narrations.

It is because of the fact that imperative sentence is made in a different way than other sentences or as we have read in the portion of tenses.

Sometimes just a verb completes the requirement of being imperative, like; speak, go, etc.

The verb of reporting speech (say or said) is converted according to the nature of reported speech. Look at the following examples;

Use our direct and indirect speech converter and try converting sentences here.

For Universal truth sentences

Write your sentence: Reporting speech of your sentence: Reported speech of your sentence:

When commas are removed in indirect speech

Preposition to is used with all sentences instead of that. Sometimes for is used depending on the nature of sentence.

Examples of sentences with request

He said to me, “May I have your address please.” He requested to have my address.

She said, “Will you please give me two days’ leave.” She requested for two days leave.

Aimee says to me, “Will you please tell me the topic of your speech.” Aimee requested for the topic of my speech.

Examples of sentences with order

Captain said, “Open the fire.” Captain ordered to open the fire.

Our English teacher said, “Don’t shout in the class.” Our English teacher forbade to shout in the class.

He said to us, “Don’t be late.” He forbade us to be late.

In common routine the verb [ask] is used because order is something official in spirit.

Ask can also be used for request. In both cases preposition to is replaced by for.

He said, “Give me the book.”

He asked for a book.

She said, “please do me a favour.”

She asked for favour

Examples of advice

Remember the word advice is noun and its verb is advise and you are advised to use verb (advise).

See the examples below.

My mother said to me, “Be true to yourself always.” My mother advised me to be true to myself always.

Coach said, “Play with enthusiasm and wining spirit.” Coach advised to play with enthusiasm and wining spirit.

She said to us, “your behaviour must be acceptable.” She advised us to adopt acceptable behaviour.

Note: You might have noticed that the indirect speech of imperative sentences is a bit different than the previous ones as mentioned in above examples.

There is no problem in the verb of reported speech.

You have to apply your common sense to make indirect speech.

In negative imperative sentences we use the verb forbid instead of advise not to and suggest not to etc.

Although we can use them but the sentence is rather more appropriate with the verb forbid.

Look at the examples.

Examples with forbid

He said to me, “Do not go there.” He forbade me going there.

She said to him, “Do not make tall claims” She forbids him making tall claims.

Watch the video

• Direct and Indirect speech
• Direct and indirect narrations: Introduction
• Direct and indirect narrations: Kinds
• Direct and indirect narrations: Simple sentences
• Direct and indirect narrations: Interrogatives
• Direct and indirect narrations: Exclamatory sentences
• Direct and indirect narrations: Imperative sentences
• Direct and indirect narrations: Optative sentences
• Direct and Indirect Narrations: Universal Truths

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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Direct and Indirect Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken, using quotation marks, while indirect speech paraphrases the spoken words without quotes, often changing tenses and pronouns. Both forms are essential for effective communication, emphasizing clarity and context in reporting speech.

What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by someone, presented within quotation marks and often accompanied by a speech tag that attributes the statement to the speaker. This method of reporting speech is used to convey the original words and the tone in which they were spoken, preserving the personal touch and specific expressions of the speaker.

For example , if John says, “I am going to the store,” the direct speech presentation would be:

John said, “I am going to the store.”

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a method of conveying what someone said without quoting their exact words. Instead of using direct quotations, indirect speech summarizes or paraphrases the original statement. It often involves changes in verbs tenses, pronouns, and other elements to fit the grammatical context of the reporting sentence.

For example , consider the direct speech statement:

Tom said, “I am going to the gym now.” When converted into indirect speech, it becomes:

Tom said that he was going to the gym then.

Indirect speech does not use quotation marks and typically introduces the reported clause with conjunctions like “that,” although “that” can be omitted in informal contexts.

Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech

Rules for converting direct into indirect speech.

• Example : Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
• Indirect: He said that he was tired.
• Example : Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.”
• Indirect: She says that she is reading a book. (Note: When reporting in the present tense, as with ‘says’, the tense may not always change.)
• Example : Direct: “I will go there tomorrow,” John said.
• Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
• Example : Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
• Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
• Example : Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
• Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
• Example : Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
• Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
• Example : Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”
• Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.

Rules for converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech

• Example : Indirect: He said that he was tired.
• Direct: He said, “I am tired.”
• Example : Indirect: She says that she is reading a book.
• Direct: She says, “I am reading a book.” (Note: Sometimes the tense doesn’t need to change if the reporting verb is in the present tense.)
• Example : Indirect: John said that he would go there the next day.
• Direct: John said, “I will go there tomorrow.”
• Example : Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
• Direct: She said, “I can solve the problem.”
• Example : Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
• Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?”
• Example : Indirect: He asked me to close the door.
• Direct: He said, “Close the door.”
• Example : Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Direct: She said, “What a beautiful day!”

Difference Between Direct and Indirect Speech

This table should help you clearly see how the format, verbs, pronouns, and other elements differ between direct and indirect speech.

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

1. Direct : “I love reading books,” Jane said. Indirect : Jane said that she loved reading books. 2. Direct : “We will go to the park,” they announced. Indirect : They announced that they would go to the park. 3. Direct : “I have finished my homework,” he told his mother. Indirect: He told his mother that he had finished his homework. 4. Direct : “Can you help me with this?” she asked. Indirect: She asked if I could help her with that. 5. Direct : “I am feeling sick today,” he whispered. Indirect: He whispered that he was feeling sick that day. 6. Direct : “I won’t be able to attend the meeting,” Laura said. Indirect: Laura said that she would not be able to attend the meeting. 7. Direct : “Please open the window,” she requested. Indirect: She requested him to open the window. 8. Direct : “Do not touch my phone,” he warned. Indirect: He warned not to touch his phone. 9. Direct : “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she promised. Indirect: She promised that she would call me the next day. 10. Direct : “What time does the concert start?” he asked. Indirect: He asked what time the concert started.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

Direct to indirect speech exercises.

Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech:

Exercise 1 : “I am learning to play the piano,” she said. Answer 1 : How did she say she was learning to play the piano?

Exercise 2 : “Will you be attending the meeting?” he asked me. Answer 2 : How did he ask if I would be attending the meeting?

Exercise 3 : “I have seen that movie three times,” Alex told her. Answer 3 : How did Alex tell her that he had seen that movie three times?

Exercise 4 : “You should try the new Italian restaurant,” he recommended. Answer 4 : How did he recommend trying the new Italian restaurant?

Exercise 5 : “Please pass the salt,” she requested. Answer 5 : How did she request to pass the salt?

Exercise 6 : “I cannot come to your party,” Jane apologized. Answer 6 : How did Jane apologize that she could not come to the party?

Exercise 7 “Let’s meet at the mall,” they suggested. Answer 7 : How did they suggest meeting at the mall?

Exercise 8 : “Do you know where the station is?” he inquired. Answer 8 : How did he inquire if I knew where the station was?

Exercise 9 : “I must finish this book tonight,” she declared. Answer 9 : How did she declare that she must finish the book that night?

Exercise 10 : “I didn’t take your notebook,” he denied. Answer 10 : How did he deny taking my notebook?

Indirect to Direct Speech Exercises

Convert the following sentences from indirect to direct speech:

Exercise 11 : She said that she was learning to play the piano. Answer 11 : What did she say about learning to play the piano in direct speech?

Exercise 12 : He asked if I would be attending the meeting. Answer 12 : How did he ask about my attendance at the meeting in direct speech?

Exercise 13 : Alex told her that he had seen that movie three times. Answer 13 : What did Alex tell her about how many times he had seen the movie in direct speech?

Exercise 14 : He recommended trying the new Italian restaurant. Answer 14 : What did he say about trying the new Italian restaurant in direct speech?

Exercise 15 : She requested to pass the salt. Answer 15 : What did she request about the salt in direct speech?

Exercise 16 : Jane apologized that she could not come to the party. Answer 16 : What did Jane say when she apologized for not coming to the party in direct speech?

Exercise 17 : They suggested meeting at the mall. Answer 17 : What did they suggest about meeting in direct speech?

Exercise 18 : He inquired if I knew where the station was. Answer 18 : How did he inquire about the location of the station in direct speech?

Exercise 19 : She declared that she must finish the book that night. Answer 19 : What did she declare about finishing the book in direct speech?

Exercise 20 : He denied taking my notebook. Answer 20 : What did he say when he denied taking the notebook in direct speech?

FAQ’s

How do tenses change in indirect speech.

Tenses in indirect speech usually shift back (e.g., present to past) to reflect that the speaking occurred in the past.

Do pronouns always change in indirect speech?

Pronouns change in indirect speech to match the perspective of the speaker reporting the speech, ensuring clarity and coherence.

How do you convert a question from direct to indirect speech?

Questions in direct speech are converted by introducing a clause with ‘if’ or ‘whether’, and rearranging the syntax to statement form.

What happens to modal verbs in indirect speech?

Modal verbs often change in indirect speech, with ‘will’ becoming ‘would’ and ‘can’ changing to ‘could’, for example.

Can the verb tense remain the same in indirect speech?

Yes, if the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense within the reported clause might not change.

What are the typical introductory verbs used in indirect speech?

Common verbs include ‘said’, ‘told’, ‘asked’, ‘replied’, ‘exclaimed’, and ‘advised’, depending on the nature of the speech.

How do you handle imperatives in indirect speech?

Imperatives are converted into infinitive structures, such as changing “Close the door” to “He asked her to close the door.”

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Narration Change of Interrogative Sentences

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Interrogative sentence poses question. This type of sentence is very much different from assertive sentence which makes a statement. In interrogative sentence predicate (verb) comes first, then comes the subject. In some cases the helping verb comes before the subject and the main verb remains behind to form question. The entire verb can also be placed before subject in some instances. 

Interrogative sentence are two types –

• WH – question.
• Yes-no question. 
• WH – question is formed with the use of who, which, when, where, how why.
• Yes-no question is formed with the use of auxiliary verbs such as – am, is, are, was, were, do, did, can, shall, will, have, has, may. 
• A question mark should always be used at the end of interrogative sentence in direct speech.
• To convert direct speech to indirect speech quotation marks should be omitted . 
• Ask is used as reporting verb instead of say, tell, say to. 
• In narration change, interrogative sentence changes to assertive form [direct to indirect speech]
• After the conversion of interrogative sentence from direct to indirect speech, the question mark changes to full stop.
• The conjunction ‘ that ’ is not used to connect reporting and reported clause.
• Instead ‘ if ’ or ‘ whether ’ is used for the conversion of yes-no question.
• ‘ If ’, ‘ whether’ , ‘ that ’ are not used in WH – questions.