Basics of Direct Indirect

Speech
If you are preparing for Banking or Government recruitment exams, Grammar forms
an important section in your exam. You can expect to see direct questions on Direct
Indirect Speech in all exams related to SSC - be it SSC CGL, CHSL,
Stenographer or others. You may also find that your knowledge of the rules of
Reported Speech is tested in Phrase Replacement or Error Spotting type
questions in Banking, Insurance and other exams like IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI
PO, SBI Clerk, RBI, IBPS RRB, LIC AAO, NICL AO, etc.

In SSC exams, where there are direct questions to convert direct speech into
indirect speech and vice-versa, you cannot afford to skip or make mistakes. Similarly,
there is no scope for error in Banking & Insurance exams, where you have to
attempt error spotting, phase replacement, etc.

Even though Direct & Indirect speech can be very tricky for some, you don't need to
worry at all! This detailed article on the Basics of Direct and Indirect Speech will help
you conceptualise the topic very quickly. Read on to learn the Rules for
Converting Direct Indirect Speech, Spotting Errors in Reported Speech
sentences, etc. What's more, by the end of this article, you will be able to able to
write flawless essays and letters too!

Difference between Direct and Indirect Speech

Case 1
The Prosecutor: Tell me exactly what he had told you. Repeat his words.
The Witness: He said, I am in my house now.

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Case 2
The Prosecutor: Tell me what he told you.
The witness: He said he was in his house then.

In case 1, the witness is repeating the actual words of the speaker and this kind
of reporting is called direct speech.

In case 2, the witness is reporting what the speaker has said (matter) and it is
known as indirect speech.

Direct now
I am in my house
speech

Indirect then
he was in his house
speech

Conversion to indirect speech

Following are some golden rules and easy steps to convert direct indirect speech.

Step#1. Note the tense of the reporting verb to decide the tense of the indirect
speech

Step#2. Change the time and place to indicate the actual time and place
meant by the speaker

Step#3. Use the appropriate pronoun for the subject and object.

Step#4. Use the proper structure/word order for the sentence.

Now let us consider these steps in detail, one by one.

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Step#1 Deciding the tense and conversion of
verb

Case 1
June said, I go to the gym every day.

Case 2
June says, I go to the gym every day.

In the above cases, say is the verb which conveys the action of speaking. In
case 1, the reporting verb, say is in the past tense said. In case 2, the
reporting verb is in the present tense.

Rule # 1: All the verbs must be in the corresponding past tense, if

the reporting verb is in the past tense.

June said, I go to the gym every day. June said that she went to the gym
every day.

Rule # 2: If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense,

tense is not changed.

June says, I go to the gym every day. June says that she goes to the gym
every day.

June will say, I go to the gym every day. June will say that she goes to the
gym every day.

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Conversion of tense

Tense Change

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

She volunteers for He said that she

Present simple Green Peace, he Past simple volunteered for
said. Green Peace.

The kid said, Tom is The kid said that

Present
chasing Jerry. Past continuous Tom was chasing
continuous
Jerry.

Present perfect He said, I have Past perfect He said that he had

simple done my job. simple done his job.

I have been living The old man said

Present perfect there since 1991, Past perfect that he had been
continuous the old man said. continuous living there since
1991.

You did not return The librarian said

your book Past perfect that he had not
Past simple
yesterday, said the simple returned his book the
librarian. previous day.

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 The lady was going The witness said that
Past perfect
Past continuous to the Church, the the lady had been
continuous
witness said. going to the Church.

Mita said, I had Mita said that she

finished my work. had finished her
Past perfect work.
(simple, No change
continuous) I had been reading The man said that he
a book, said the had been reading a
man. book.

Modal verbs are also changed to their past form: I will be there, he assured.
He assured (that) he would be there.

Changes in Modal Verbs

Direct speech Indirect speech

will would

would
shall Exception: In reported questions, shall changes
to should

can could

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 Changes in Modal Verbs

May (possibility) changes to might

I may not be there. He said (that) he might
not be there.
may
May (permission) changes to could
You may wait outside. The officer said (that)
we could wait outside.

had to
"I must practice hard." She said that she had to
practice hard.
must Exception: Must is retained when indicating
speculation
She must have hurt. He was worried she
must have hurt.

Might is usually retained in the indirect speech.

Exception: In reported hypothetical statements,
might might changes to might have been.
He might be there (assumption) She said he
might have been there.

could, should, Retained

would, need I should go there. He said he should go there.

Retained
used to, ought to
I used to go for walking. I told my new

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 neighbour that I used to go for walking.

Step 2 # Changes in the words expressing time, place

and connection

Time/place mentioned in the sentence must be changed accordingly to

indicate the actual time/place.

On 21st May, 2016: I will come tomorrow, she said.

On 29th May, 2016: She said that she would come the next day.

I was not here, he said. He said that he was not there.

Direct Indirect Direct Indirect

now then ago before

at that time earlier

today that day tonight that night

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tomorrow the following day yesterday the previous day

the next day the day before

a day later

next the following last the month/year before

month/year month/year month/year the previous month/year
the next month/year the preceding
a month/year later month/year

in some in some days/weeks here there

days/weeks from then

this that time/place these those

time/place
hither thither thus so

hence thence come go

Step 3 # Selection of pronoun for the subject and

object

Case 1

I will say to my friends, I have started learning computer.

I will tell my friends that I have started learning computer.

Here, the speaker as well as the reporter are the same and the pronoun must
be the first person pronouns (I/we)

Case 2
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 The teacher said to me, I hope you will bring credit to my school.
The teacher hoped that I would bring credit to his school.

Here, the teacher is the speaker and the student (I) is the reporter. Thus,
pronouns of the teacher must be in third person (he/she/it/they) and that of
the reporter must be in first person.

Case 3

Sam, will you help me carry my bags? asked the old woman.
The old woman asked Sam whether he would help her carry her bags.

Here, the speaker the old woman and the reporter is a third person (neither
the woman nor Sam). Thus, pronouns must be in third person.

Step 4 # Word order of the indirect speech

The word order of the indirect speech is the word order of a statement:

Subject + Verb + Object

What are you saying? she asked. She asked what I was saying.

Where is the college? He asked where the college was.

"What an excellent piece of art!" she said. She exclaimed with appreciation
that it was an excellent piece of art.

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