DIRECT AND

INDIRECT
SPEECH
- Shahrukh Mehta
TABLE OF 01 INRODUCTION

CONTENTS
Direct and Indirect Speech, its Terminology & Narration

02 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Basic knowledge required for conversion

03 SIX STEPS METHOD OF CHANGE

Easy steps for conversion

04 MINDMAPS
Easy to Understand method (chart presentations)
 01
INTRODUCTION
What is Direct and Indirect Speech
its Terminology and Narration
 NARRATION
ACT OF REPORTING THE WORDS OF A SPEAKER

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

THE ACTUAL WORDS OF THE ACTUAL WORDS OF THE SPEAKER ARE
SPEAKER ARE QUOTED AS IT IS TRANSFORMED

THE EXACT WORDS OF SPEAKER SAID OR WRITTENIN A SIMPLE

ARE ENCLOSED IN DOUBLE QUOTES [‘’ ‘’] LANGUAGE
BUT WHY DO WE NEED IT??
TO AVOID CONFUSION WHILE USING DIRECT SPEECH WHILE
YOGESH SAID, “I AM STUDYING.” REPORTING
REPORTING REPORTED SPEECH
VERB NARRATION

LOUISE SAID, “I HAVE A HEADACHE.” YOGESH SAID THAT HE WAS STUDYING.

REPORTING REPORTED SPEECH REPORTING CONJ REPORTED SPEECH
VERB VERB

LOUISE SAID THAT SHE HAD A HEADACHE.

REPORTING CONJ REPORTED SPEECH
VERB
 DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Statement of a speaker or reporter is known as "Speech or Narration". We can report any Speech to another
person in two ways:
Report speaker's Speech to another person in the same words. It is known as Direct Speech
or Direct Narration. In Direct Narration, the Speech is kept in Inverted Commas "I ...".
Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener, “Reported Speech.”

Report speaker's Speech to another person in our own words without changing the meaning of
the Speech. It is known as Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration.
Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech
 Terminology of Direct-Indirect Speech

Verb used in Reported VERB OF REPORTED

Speech is known as Verb of Reported SPEECH
Speech. In the example it is 'broken'.
REPORTED SPEECH
DIRECT SPEECH Rehan said to Raahil, "I have broken my toys." Speaker's Speech which remains
between Inverted Commas "..." is
LISTENER known as Reported Speech. Here
Speaker is known "I have broken my toys." is
REPORTING Verb used by Reporter
as Reporter. REPORTER Reported Speech. It always
Here Rehan is Reporter. VERB is Reporting Verb. Here 'said‘ starts with Capital Letter.
& ‘told’ are Reporting Verbs.

INDIRECT SPEECH Rehan told Raahil that he had broken his toys. Word joining the Principal Clause to
CONJUNCTION the Reported Speech. Here ‘that’.
 02
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Basic knowledge required for conversion

Shall
we
BEGIN
?
 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

SUBJECT AND OBJECT PRONOUN TENSE

PERSON
AMRITA SAID TO ZAARA TIME AT WHICH AN ACTION
HAS BEEN PERFORMED
FIRST SECOND THIRD
PERSON PERSON PERSON
SUBJECT OBJECT
I WE YOU HE HIS HIM
ME US YOUR SHE HER HERS PAST PRESENT FUTURE
MY MINE YOURS IT ITS
INTERVIEWER SAID TO THE CANDIDATE
OUR OURS YOURSELF THEIR THEIRS
MYSELF YOURSELVES THEY THEM SIMPLE
THE TEACHER SAID TO THE MONITOR OURSELVES HIMSELF sub + verb (as per tense) + obj
HERSELF CONTINUOUS
MONA SAID TO CHARLES ITSELF sub + to be + verb (ing) + obj
PERFECT
THEMSELVES
sub + to have + verb (past participle) + obj
PERFECT CONTINUOUS
sub + to have + been + verb (ing) + obj
 CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN DIRECT INDIRECT CONVERSIONS

Note: These are non o Simple present

This → that o I, WE, ME, MY, MINE, US, OUR,
reversible. o Present continuous
These → those OURS, MYSELF, OURSELVES →
Here → there change with respect to the o Present perfect
Today → that day gender of the speaker in the o Present perfect continuous
Tonight → that night direct sentence. o Simple past
Tomorrow → the next day o Past continuous
Yesterday → the previous day o YOU, YOU, YOURS, YOURSELF, o Past perfect
Next week → the following week YOURSELVES → change with o Past perfect continuous
Last week → the previous week respect to the gender of the
DETERMINERS

Ago → before listener in the direct sentence. NO CHANGES TO BE MADE FOR

Now → then Past perfect
Come → go Thus → so
A month ago → a month before
PRONOUNS o HE, SHE, IT, THEY, HIM, HIS,
HER, ITS, THEM, THEIR,
Past perfect continuous
And Future Tense

TENSES
Bring → take THEIRS, HERS, HIMSELF,
Helping verbs
Will → would HERSELF, ITSELF,
like will, shall,
Shall → would/should (if indicates duty) THEMSELVES → no changes to
can – will change
Can → could be made during conversion.
as per rules in
May → might
determiners.
 03
SIX STEPS
METHOD
FOR CHANGE
Easy steps for conversion
 STEPS TO FOLLOW

REPLACE ,“ “ WITH CONJ

o Speaker o Conjunction is used as per o Changes in tense only occur if
o Listener type of sentence in RS. the RV is in its past form.
Reporting Verb o Assertive = that o As per questions asked in CBSE

CHANGE TENSE
o
o 1st,2nd,3rd person in RS o Interrogative = if/whether/x (which is dialogue) we presume
o Tense (if RV is in Past o Imperative = to/not to that RV is always in the past
IDENTIFY

form. o Exclamatory = that form.

o Optative = x/that o Refer to chart for changes

01 02 03 04 05 06
o 1st person as per gender o These are words that

CHANGE DETERMINERS
CHANGE REP.VERB

CHANGE PRONOUN
o Reporting verbs are changed
according to type of sentence of speaker indicate place and time in
in RS o 2nd person as per gender the RS.
o Assertive = to tell of listener o Refer to chart for
o Interrogative = to ask o 3rd person remains as it changes.
o Imperative = OSCARBIWEWPC is
o Exclamatory = to exclaim with o Refer to chart for
o Optative = as per expression changes.
 A]
EXAMPLES She said to me, “I am playing football with you now."
IDENTIFY PARTS OF THE RV RS Determiner

listener
speaker
SENTENCE 1st Person Type>> Assertive 2nd Person
Pronoun Tense>> Present Continuous Pronoun

CHANGE OF RV told As RS type is Assertive

REPLACE ,“ “ WITH CONJ that As RS type is Assertive
CHANGE OF PRONOUN I >> she 1st Per >> Speaker you>>me 2nd Per >> Listener
CHANGE OF TENSE am playing >> was playing As RV is in Past form >> pre.cont changes to past.cont
CHANGE IN DETERMINER now >> then refer to chart

Final Answer >>>> She told me that she was playing football with me then.
 B]
EXAMPLES Teacher said to the students, “When will you submit your project?"
IDENTIFY PARTS OF THE RV RS

listener
speaker
SENTENCE Type>> Interrogative 2nd Person 2nd Person
Tense>> Future time reference Pronoun Pronoun

CHANGE OF RV asked As RS type is Interrogative

REPLACE ,“ “ WITH CONJ when As RS type is Interrogative (wh question word) >> in other words ‘NO CONJ used’
CHANGE OF PRONOUN you >> they 2nd Per >> Listener your>>their 2nd Per >> Listener (possessive)
CHANGE OF TENSE will >> would As RV is in Future form >> no change apart from will>>would
CHANGE IN DETERMINER ( x ) no determiner in the sentence provided

Final Answer >>>> Teacher asked the students when they would submit their project.
* NOTE : Interrogative sentences are always converted to assertive before changing them from Direct to Indirect Speech.
 04
MINDMAPS

Easy to Understand method (chart presentations)

 Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech

THAT
ASSERTIVE SENTENCES

Say >> say - Do not make any changes in the tense

Present Says >> says
o
o - Do not make any changes in the determiners
Say to >> tell o - Make necessary changes in the Pronouns
Says to >> tells o - If the R.V. is said/said to and the R.S. is
Future Will/shall say
either a Universal Truth, or a definition, or a
proverb, then there is no change in the R.S.
>> will/shall say

Past Said >> said o - Make necessary changes in the Tense

* NOTE: ONLY RV AS PAST NEEDS
Said to >> o - Make necessary changes in Determiners
MORE FOCUS AS PER CBSE, THE
CONVERSIONS ARE ALWAYS AS
told / informed o - Make necessary changes in the Pronouns
PER PAST FORM GUIDLINES
EX. OF ASSERTIVE SENTENCES 1) Sam says, “I will be late for school.”
>>Sam says that he will be late for school.
2) My teacher said, “Water boils at 100oC.”
>>My teacher said that water boils at 100oC.
3) Radha said, “I am doing my homework now.”
>>Radha said that she was doing her homework then.
4) Amit said to Seema, “I love watching T.V.” 5. She says to Kanika, "I will teach you and Avyan."
>>Amit told Seema that he loved watching T.V. >>She tells Kanika that she will teach her and Avyan.
6. Avyan said to Swati, "I will give my toys to you."
>>Avyan told Swati that he would give his toys to her.
7. They said to me, "We have given our share to you"
>>They told me that they had given their share to me.
8. We will say to Heena, "You have brought her paintings to
show us and your Mom."
>>We will tell Heena that she has brought her paintings to
show us and her Mom.
 Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
IF/WHETHER – YES/NO (AUXI)
& ‘WH’ WORD – WH QUES.
Say >> ask - Change the sentence to Assertive
Present Says >> asks
o
o - Do not make any changes in the Tense
Say to >> ask o - Do not make any changes in the Determiners
Says to >> asks o - Make necessary changes in Pronouns
Future Will/shall say
o - Remove the Question Mark (?)
>> will/shall ask
o - Change the sentence to Assertive
Past Said >> asked o - Make necessary changes in the Tense
NOTE: If the sentence contains Said to >> o - Make necessary changes in the Determiners
DO/DOES/DID, then it is to be
removed from the sentence and asked / inquired o - Make necessary changes in Pronouns
necessary changes are to be made. o - Remove the Question Mark (?)
 1) Bina said to Sapna, “Will you lend me your
EX. OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES dictionary for one day?”
>>Bina asked Sapna if she would lend her her
dictionary for one day.
2) My teacher said, “Did you do your homework
yesterday?”
>>My teacher asked if I had done my homework the
previous day. 5) Darshan said to me, “Where do you live?”
3) Radha said, “What are you doing now?” >>Darshan asked me where I lived.
>>Radha asked what he was doing then. 6) He said, “How many cousins do you have?”
4) Amit said to me, “Where is your key?” >>He asked how many cousins I had.
>>Amit asked me where my key was. 7) She asked me, “Are you hungry?”
>>She asked me if I was hungry.
8) The teacher said to me, “Who are you staying
with?”
>>The teacher asked me who I was staying with.
 Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech

NOTE:FOR SENTENCES
BEGINNING WITH LET’S USE
TO – FOR +VE SENT.
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
NOT TO – FOR –VE SENT.
Past
CONJUNCTION ‘THAT’

Request >> Requested

- Do not make any changes in the Tense
* SAID TO changes according to the expression the sentence in the

o
Advise >> Advised
Suggest >> Suggested
o - Make necessary changes in the Determiners
IF the RS is a

Instruct >> Instructed o - Make necessary changes in the Pronouns

Order >> Ordered o - Remove unnecessary words like ‘ please’ or
Command >> Commanded ‘kindly’
Reported Speech portrays >>

Begging >> Begged o - For sentences beginning with ‘Don’t’, use ‘not to’
Entreat >> Entreated in place of ‘don’t’ while converting to Indirect.
let + me >> Requested
Let + him/her/it >> Told
* FOR RS: REMEMBER THE ABBRE. >> OSCARBIWEWPC
Let’s >> Suggested to / Proposed to Order, Suggest, Command, Advise, Request,
If the expression is unclear >> Told Beg, Instruct, Warn, Entreat, Wish, Pray, Curse
 1) The master said to the servant, “Get out.”
EX. OF IMPERATIVE SENTENCES >>The master ordered the servant to get out.
2) I said to him, “Please give me your book.”
>>I requested him to give me his book.
3) The teacher said to the students, “Be regular.”
>>The teacher advised the students to be regular.
4) The teacher said, “Keep a note of my teachings, boys.”
>>The teacher instructed the boys to keep a note of his
teachings. 5) He said to me, “Please, don’t make noise.”
>>He requested me not to make noise.
6) I said to him, “Lend me your book.”
>>I requested him to lend me his book.
7) Shyam said to his father, “Let’s go for a picnic.”
>>Shyam suggested to his father that they go for a picnic.
8) Sam said to the maid, “Clean this.”
>>Sam instructed the maid to clean that.
 Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech
EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES
THAT
Past
Wow! >> Exclaimed with Joy
o - Change the sentence to Assertive
What! >> Exclaimed with Surprise
* SAID TO changes according to EXCLAIMED WITH # >>

o - Remove what and how, and replace it with very,

# HUMAN FEELINGS

IF the RS contains interjections like

Well done! >> Exclaimed with Applause

Sorry! >> Exclaimed with Regret great, really, indeed
Pooh! >> Exclaimed with Contempt o - Make necessary changes in the Tense
Oh! >> Exclaimed with Surprise / Sorrow o - Make necessary changes in the Determiners
Nonsense! >> Exclaimed with Contempt o - Make necessary changes in the Pronouns
Hurrah! >> Exclaimed with Joy o - Remove the exclamation mark at the end of the
Bravo! >> Exclaimed with Delight RS
Alas! >> Exclaimed with Sorrow / Grief * FOR RV : REMEMBER >> CHANGE IN RV DEPEND ON THE HUMAN
EMOTION IT PORTRAYS IN THE RS
Dear! >> Exclaimed with Surprise / Pity Joy, sorrow, happiness, sadness, excitement, anxiety, terror, horror,
Ouch! >> Exclaimed with Pain pity, disgust, pain, agony, love, serenity, thankfulness, etc.
EX. OF EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES 1) She said, “ What a beautiful flower it is!”
>>She exclaimed with praise that it was a beautiful flower.
2) Sam said, “How sweetly the bird whistles!”
>>Sam exclaimed with appreciation that the bird whistles
sweetly. 5) Vijay said, “Yuck! This is awful.”
3) The players said, “Hurrah! We won the tournament.” >>Vijay exclaimed with disgust that that was awful.
>>The players exclaimed with joy that they had won the 6) I said to him, “What a pity you did not come!”
tournament. >>I exclaimed to him with sorrow that it was a pity he did no
4) He said, “Alas! It is a grievous loss.” come.
>>He exclaimed with sorrow that it was a grievous loss. 7) Shyam said to his father, “Wow! We are going on a picnic
tomorrow.”
>>Shyam exclaimed with delight to his father that they were
going for a picnic the next day.
8) He said, "Good God! The fellow has come to life again."
>> He exclaimed with surprise that the fellow had come to
life again.
 Speaker → Reporting Verb → Listener → Conjunction → Reported Speech

NOTE: IN SOME CASES IF A

SENTENCE STARTS WITH
‘MAY’ THEN ‘THAT’ IS USED.
NO CONJUNCTION USED
Past Good Morning/evening
OPTATIVE SENTENCES

/afternoon/night! >> Wished

* SAID TO changes according to the expression the sentence in the

Would that…! >> Wished o - Make necessary changes in the Tense

O that…! >> Wished - Make necessary changes in the Determiners
IF the RS is a

o
O for…! >> Wished o - Make necessary changes in the Pronouns
May/May God >> Prayed o - End the sentence with a full-stop(.)
If…were (only imagination) >> Wished o - Remove unnecessary words from the RS
Reported Speech portrays >>

Wish >> Wished Prayer >> Prayed

Thanking someone >> Thanked
Congratulating someone >> Congratulated
Saying Good bye/farewell
* FOR RV : REMEMBER >> CHANGE IN RV DEPEND ON THE HUMAN
>> Bade (Bid-Past) EMOTION IT PORTRAYS IN THE RS
Blessing >> Blessed Wishing, Praying, Cursing, Hoping, etc.
EX. OF OPTATIVE SENTENCES 1) He said, "Good morning, Mom!"
>>He wished his Mom good morning.
2) Sachin said, "Good evening, Sir!"
>>Sachin respectfully wished the sir good evening.
Or Sachin respectfully wished me (you / him / her / them /…) good evening.
3) Prashant said, "Good night, father!"
>>Prashant bade his father good night.
4) Aman said, "Good bye, friends!"
>>Aman bade his friends good bye. 5) Neha said to him, "Would that you were here at that time!"
>>Neha wished that he had been there at that time.
6) He said, "O that I had the wings of a bird."
>>He wished that he had the wings of bird.
7) She said, "O for a glass of water."
>>She wished for a glass of water.
8) Neha said to him, “Wished that you were here at this time!”
>>Neha wished that he had been here at that time.
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