Exceptions in Direct and indirect speech (also known as reported speech)

1. Universal, Common, or Habitual Truths:

o If the reported clause states a universal, common, or habitual truth, the tense
of the reported clause does not need to be changed, regardless of the tense of
the reporting verb.

o Example: "The scientist said, 'The earth is round.'" In reported speech, this can
be expressed as "The scientist said that the earth is round."

2. Present or Future Tense Reporting Verb:

o If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the tense of the
reported clause does not need to be changed.

o Example: "Mother says, 'I work hard for my family.'" In reported speech, this
can be expressed as "Mother says that she works hard for her family."

3. Time Expressions:

o When a time expression indicating the past is used in the reported speech, the
tense of the reported clause can remain the same.

o Example: "She left Boston on Monday." In reported speech, this can be

expressed as "He said that she left / had left Boston on Monday."

4. Sentences with "if" or "when":

o The verb tenses in sentences with "if" or "when" generally do not change in
reported speech.

o Example: "If I had more time, I would learn French." In reported speech, this
can be expressed as "He said that if he had more time, he would learn French."

Examples of Direct and indirect speech (also known as reported speech)

Direct: She says, “I am ill.”
Indirect: She says that she is ill.
Direct: I will study”, Mary said.
Indirect: I will study”, said Mary.
Direct: She said, “The exam is difficult.
Indirect: She said the test was difficult.
Direct: I bought a car.
Indirect: He said he bought a car.
Direct: My parents are very well.
Indirect: Alex said that his parents were very well.
Direct: Please don’t be late.
Indirect: He asked their not to be late.
Direct: I’m living in Texas now.
Indirect: Her father said that he was living in London now.
Direct: I am living in Paris.
Indirect: He said that he was living in Paris.
Direct: My mother isn’t very well.
Indirect: She said that her mother wasn’t very well.
Direct: I need help with my work.
Indirect: George said “I need help with my homework.”
Direct: I was walking along the Street.
Indirect: He said he had been walking along the Street.
Direct: I haven’t seen George recently.
Indirect: She said that she hadn’t seen George recently.
Direct: I would help, but…
Indirect: He said he would help but…
Direct: I’m waiting for Michael, she said.
Indirect: She said (that) she was waiting for Michael”.
Direct: They said, “They have taken exercise.”
Indirect: They said that they had taken exercise.
Direct: I can speak perfect Spanish.
Indirect: He said he could speak perfect Spanish.

Direct: I haven’t seen Mary.

Indirect: He said he hadn’t seen Mary.
Direct: What is your name? she asked me.
Indirect: She asked me what my name was.
Direct I was sleeping when Mary called.
Indirect: He said that he had been sleeping when Mary called.
Direct: Please help me!
Indirect: He asked me to help his.
Direct: It is too late.
Indirect: I said it was too late.
Direct: I had taken Spanish lessons before.
Indirect: He said he had taken Spanish lessons before.
Direct: Did you do your homework?
Indirect: He asked me if I did (had done) my homework.
Direct: Please help me carry this!
Indirect: My mother asked me to help her carry that.
Direct: I like ice cream.
Indirect: He said that he liked ice cream.
Direct: I’II see you later.
Indirect: He said he would see me later.
Direct: I could swim when I was four.
Indirect: He said he could swim when he was four.
Direct: I should call my mother.
Indirect: He said he should call her mother.
Direct: I might be late.
Indirect: He said he might be late.

Direct: He said, “I was teaching earlier.”

Indirect: He said he had been teaching earlier
Direct Mary said, “I have been writing this essay.”
IndirectMary said that he had been writing that essay.
Direct Michael said, “I may go there.’
IndirectMichael says that she may go there.
Direct We can´t go the zoo next week.
Indirect They said they couldn’t go to the zoo next week.
Direct George is said, “I write a letter”.
Indirect George is said that she wrote a letter.
Direct I said, “He is driving a car”
Indirect I said that he was driving a car.
Direct I am reading a book, he explained.
Indirect He explained that he was reading a book.
Direct My father said, “I am cooking dinner.”
Indirect My father said he was cooking dinner.
Direct My sister said, “I had already eaten.”
Indirect My sister said she had already eaten.
Direct My boyfriend asked, “Do you like horror films?”
Indirect Do you like horror films? my boyfriend asked.
Direct I never get up late, my mother said.
Indirect My mother said that she never got up late.
41 Direct She said, “I might come early.”
Indirect She said she might come early.
42 Direct I am leaving home now.”
Indirect He said that he left home then.
43 Direct Are you living here?
Indirect He asked me if I was living here.
44 Direct I’m going to come.
Indirect She said that she was going to come.
45 Direct We can communicate smoothly.
Indirect They said that they could communicate smothly.

46 Direct I often enjoy myself.

 Indirect Mary will say that that she often enjoys herself.
47 Direct Everything is going fine.
Indirect The news says that everything is going fine.
48 Direct My father was born in 1962.
Indirect My father told us that he was born in 1962.
49 Direct She said, “I’ve missed my train.”
Indirect She said that she’d missed her train.
50 Direct I’m sorry for the accident.
Indirect Georger told Samuel (that) he was sorry for the accident.
51 Direct He said, “I am a football player.”
Indirect He said that he was a football player.
52 Direct Michael said, “I will buy a new car.”
Indirect Michael said that she will buy a new car.
53 Direct Mark said, “Bill needs a pencil.”
Indirect Mark said that Bill needed a pencil.
54 Direct She said, “I went to the shopping center.”
Indirect She said that she had gone to the shopping center.
55 Direct I write poems.
Indirect He says that he writes poems.
56 Direct She said: “I would buy new house if I were rich”.
Indirect She said that she would buy new house if she had been rich”.
57 Direct May I go out?
Indirect She wanted to know if she might go out.
58 Direct She is American, she said.
Indirect She said she was American.
59 Direct My son, do the exercise.“
Indirect Sh told her son to do the exercise.
60 Direct I don’t know what to do.
Indirect Samuel added that he didn’t know what to do.
61 Direct The Minister said, “There will be no growth this year.”
Indirect The Minister said that there will be no growth this year.
62 Direct I’m sitting on the chair.
Indirect Arya said that she was sitting on the chair.
63 Direct “I’ve found a new job,” my mother said.
Indirect My mother said that she had found a new job.
64 Direct Go to bed! mother said to the children.
Indirect Mother told the children to go to bed.
65 Direct Mark arrived on Sunday, he said.
Indirect He said that Mark had arrived on Sunday.
66 Direct I have been to France, she told me.
Indirect She told me that she had been to France.
67 Direct Michael said, “I have finished my lunch.”
Indirect She said that she had finished his lunch.
68 Direct My brother said, “I met Alex yesterday.’
Indirect My brother said that he had met Alex yesterday.
69 Direct The dentist said, “Your father doesn’t need an operation.”
Indirect Dentist said that my father doesn’t need an operation.
70 Direct He said, “Man is mortal.”
Indirect He said that man is mortal.
71 Direct Sansa said “I am very busy now”.
Indirect Sansa said that she was very busy then.
72 Direct He said, “I like coffee.”
Indirect He said (that) he likes coffee.
73 Direct Come at 11!
Indirect Alex told me to come at 11.
74 Direct He said, “he is listening to the music”
Indirect He said that he was listening to the music.
75 Direct Mercedes is a good car.
Indirect Tom said Mercedes was a good car.
76 Direct I am a doctor he said.
Indirect He said he was a doctor.
77 Direct Michael was ill.
Indirect Michael’s father said (that) Michael had been ill.
78 Direct I could swim when I was five.
Indirect My girl friend said (that) she could swim when she was five.
79 Direct What are you doing?
Indirect He asked me what I was doing.
80 Direct Don’t smoke!
Indirect The teacher told us not to smoke.
81 Direct The butcher told us, “We are closing at 7 o’clock.”
Indirect The butcher told us that we were closing at 7 o’clock.
82 Direct Today is nice, said George.
Indirect George said that day was nice.
83 Direct He asked her, “How often do you work?”
Indirect He asked her how often she worked.
84 Direct He works in a bank.
Indirect She said that he worked in a bank.
85 Direct I’m angry with you.
Indirect My mother said she was angry with me.
86 Direct I can help you tomorrow.
Indirect She said that she could help me tomorrow.
87 Direct I often have a big meat.
Indirect My son says that he often has a big hamburger.
88 Direct Dance with me!
Indirect Maria told me to dance with her.
89 Direct Must I do the city?
Indirect My sister asked if she had to do the city.
90 Direct Please wash your hands!
 Indirect My father told me to wash my hands.

91 Direct Michael asked Tom, “Are you married?”

Indirect Michael asked Tom whether she was married.
92 Direct I didn’t go to the party.
Indirect Alex said that he hadn’t gone to the party.
93 Direct He said, “I live in the city center.”
Indirect He said he lived in the city center.
94 Direct My father is helping me study.
Indirect He said his father was helping his study.
95 Direct He said, “I can swim.”
Indirect He said he could swim.
96 Direct He said “I had lived in Paris.”
Indirect He said that she had lived in Paris.
97 Direct I don’t understand you.
Indirect Teacher said that he didn’t understand me.
98 Direct He said, “I will wash my teeth”.
Indirect He said he would wash his teeth.
99 Direct Why are you going to school?
Indirect Mary asked Alex why he was going to school.
100 Direct Listen to me!
Indirect Mother told me to listen to him.