In English grammar, understanding direct and indirect speech rules is an important skill for accurate communication, reading, and writing. Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by a person, usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech (also called reported speech) expresses the same idea without quoting the exact words. These rules help students know how to change sentences correctly from one form to another and avoid common mistakes.
Many learners find it useful to use a direct and indirect speech rules chart or even search for a direct and indirect speech rules chart pdf or a direct and indirect speech rules pdf to study. Such charts and PDFs simplify complex grammar patterns by showing how tenses, pronouns, and time expressions change when you move from direct speech and indirect speech rules into reported form.
For example, in direct speech we keep the speaker’s exact words, but in indirect speech we often shift the tense back, remove quotation marks, and add conjunctions like that or if. A direct and indirect speech rules chart with examples is very helpful because it shows both rules and examples together, such as how “She says, ‘I am coming’” becomes “She says that she is coming”.
What is Direct Speech?
Direct Speech means reporting the exact words spoken by a speaker. The sentence is written inside quotation marks (“ ”) and the tense of the sentence usually does not change. Direct speech helps the reader clearly understand what the speaker actually said in real time.
Example:
- She said, “I am studying English grammar.”
- The teacher said, “Complete your homework today.”
What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect Speech, also called reported speech, means expressing the speaker’s message without using the exact words. In this form, quotation marks are removed, and changes may occur in tense, pronouns, and time expressions according to the direct and indirect speech rules. It is commonly used in academic writing and daily communication.
Example:
- She said that she was studying English grammar.
- The teacher told the students to complete their homework that day.
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Reported Speech and Reported Verb
Both direct and indirect speech have two important parts, and each part plays a different role in a sentence.
- Reported Speech shows the type, mood, or tone of what the speaker says.
It tells us whether the sentence is a statement, question, command, or exclamation.
Reported speech can be:-
- Assertive / Declarative
- Interrogative
- Imperative
- Exclamatory
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- Reported Verb is the verb that introduces the reported speech.
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- It helps us understand when the speech was spoken and often decides the tense change in indirect speech.
- Common reported verbs are said, told, asked, ordered, requested, etc.
- The reported verb may be in the present, past, or future tense.
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Together, reported speech and reported verb help us correctly change sentences from direct speech into indirect speech.
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How to Convert Between Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar
Changing sentences from direct speech to indirect speech (and sometimes indirect to direct) follows fixed grammar rules. These rules help students report what someone said without using exact quotation marks. Below is an easy explanation of the main direct and indirect speech rules.
Rule 1: Change of Tense (Backshifting)
When the reporting verb (said, told, asked) is in the past tense, the tense of the reported sentence usually changes to its past form.
Tense Changes in Direct and Indirect Speech
| Direct Speech Tense | Indirect Speech Tense |
| Present Simple (do/does + V1) | Past Simple (did + V2) |
| Present Continuous (is/am/are + V4) | Past Continuous (was/were + V4) |
| Present Perfect (has/have + V3) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Present Perfect Continuous (has/have been + V4) | Past Perfect Continuous (had been + V4) |
| Past Simple (V2) | Past Perfect (had + V3) |
| Past Perfect | No change |
| Past Perfect Continuous | No change |
| Future Simple (will + V1) | would + V1 |
| Future Continuous (will be + V4) | would be + V4 |
| Future Perfect (will have + V3) | would have + V3 |
| Future Perfect Continuous (will have been + V4) | would have been + V4 |
This rule is very important and is often shown in a direct and indirect speech rules chart for easy learning.
Rule 2: No Tense Change in Some Cases
If the reporting verb is in the present tense or future tense, then no change in tense is needed in reported speech.
Change of Pronouns
| Person | Rule |
| First person (I, we) | Changes according to the subject |
| Second person (you) | Changes according to the object |
| Third person (he, she, they) | No change |
Example:
- Direct: He said, “I will go.”
- Explanation: “I” refers to he
- Indirect: He said that he would go.
Rule 3: Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech
These examples help students clearly understand tense and pronoun changes:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| He said, “We play.” | He said that they played. |
| He said, “We are playing.” | He said that they were playing. |
| He said, “We have played.” | He said that they had played. |
| He said, “We have been playing.” | He said that they had been playing. |
| He said, “We played.” | He said that they had played. |
| He said, “We were playing.” | He said that they had been playing. |
These are common direct and indirect speech rules and examples used in exams.
Rule 4: Changing Certain Words
Some words related to time, place, and person must be changed while converting speech.
Examples:
- now → then
- today → that day
- tomorrow → the next day
- here → there
- this → that
Use of Direct and Indirect Speech in Different Types of Sentences
Direct and Indirect Speech rules change slightly depending on the type of sentence used. In this section, we will understand how interrogative, exclamatory, and optative sentences are converted from Direct Speech into Indirect Speech using easy rules and examples.
Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences are sentences that ask questions. These sentences usually end with a question mark (?) in Direct Speech.
Examples of Interrogative Sentences:
- Do you live here?
- Have you ever watched the Terminator III movie?
- Is it raining?
Rules to Change Interrogative Sentences into Indirect Speech:
- The reporting verb said to is changed into asked.
- The question mark (?) is removed and a full stop (.) is used.
- If the question can be answered with yes or no, use if or whether.
- If the question begins with who, what, when, where, why, or how, the same word is used in indirect speech.
- The sentence becomes assertive (statement form).
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| I said to her, “When do you do your homework?” | I asked her when she did her homework. |
| We said to him, “Are you ill?” | We asked him if he was ill. |
| You said to me, “Have you read the articles?” | You asked me if I had read the articles. |
| He said to her, “Will you go to the radio station?” | He asked her if she would go to the radio station. |
| She says, “Who is he?” | She asked who he was. |
| Rashid says to me, “Why are you late?” | Rashid asked me why I was late. |
Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences are used to express strong feelings or emotions, such as joy, sorrow, surprise, or wonder. They usually end with an exclamation mark (!).
Examples of Exclamatory Sentences:
- Hurray! We have won the match.
- Alas! He failed the test.
- How beautiful that dog is!
- What a marvellous personality you are!
Rules to Change Exclamatory Sentences into Indirect Speech:
- Interjections like alas, hurray, oh, wow are removed.
- The exclamation mark (!) is removed.
- The reporting verb said is changed to:
-
- exclaimed with joy
- exclaimed with sorrow
- exclaimed with wonder
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- Words like what and how are replaced with very or very great.
- The sentence becomes an assertive sentence.
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| He said, “Hurray! I have won the match.” | He exclaimed with great joy that he had won the match. |
| She said, “Alas! My brother failed the test.” | She exclaimed with great sorrow that her brother had failed the test. |
| They said, “What a beautiful house this is!” | They exclaimed that the house was very beautiful. |
| I said, “How lucky I am!” | I said that I was very lucky. |
| You said to him, “What a beautiful drama you are writing!” | You said to him in great wonder that he was writing a beautiful drama. |
Optative Sentences
Optative sentences express wishes, prayers, or hopes. They often begin with words like may or would that, and usually end with an exclamation mark.
Examples of Optative Sentences:
- May you succeed in the test!
- May you get well soon!
- Would that I were rich!
Rules to Change Optative Sentences into Indirect Speech:
- Said is changed into prayed or wished.
- May is changed to might.
- The exclamation mark (!) is removed.
- The sentence becomes an assertive sentence.
Examples:
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
| He said to me, “May you live long!” | He prayed that I might live long. |
| My mother said to me, “May you succeed in the test!” | My mother prayed that I might succeed in the test. |
| She said, “Would that I were rich!” | She wished that she were rich. |
| I said to him, “Would that you were here on Sunday!” | I wished that he had been there on Sunday. |
| You said, “I pray you find your camera!” | You prayed that I might find my lost camera. |
Practice Problems: Direct and Indirect Speech
Question 1
Instruction: In the following question, a sentence is given in direct speech. Choose the correct option that changes it into indirect speech.
Sentence: Rahul said, “I have to complete this project.”
Answer & Explanation: The given sentence is in direct speech and uses the present tense. When we convert it into indirect speech, the exact words of the speaker are not repeated.
Indirect Speech: Rahul said that he had to complete that project.
Important points to remember:
- Quotation marks (“ ”) are removed.
- The word ‘that’ is usually used to join the sentence.
- The pronoun ‘I’ changes to ‘he’.
- The tense ‘have’ changes to ‘had’.
- The word ‘this’ changes to ‘that’.
Question 2
Sentence: The principal said, “The school follows strict discipline.”
Answer & Explanation: This sentence states a general truth. Sometimes, the tense may not change, but in exam-based questions it is often shifted.
Indirect Speech: The principal said that the school followed strict discipline.
Key rules applied:
- Quotes are removed.
- ‘That’ connects the sentence.
- The verb tense is adjusted as per reporting verb.
Question 3
Sentence: Neha says, “My brother lives in Delhi.”
Answer & Explanation: Since the reporting verb ‘says’ is in the present tense, the tense of the sentence does not change.
Indirect Speech: Neha says that her brother lives in Delhi.
Rules used:
- ‘My’ changes to ‘her’.
- Present tense remains the same.
- Comma and quotation marks are removed.
Question 4
Sentence (Indirect): The coach advised Rohan to practice daily.
Answer & Explanation: The word ‘advised’ shows a suggestion. To convert this into direct speech, we use polite words like please.
Direct Speech: The coach said, “Rohan, please practice daily.”
Important points:
- Reporting verb changes according to meaning.
- ‘To + verb’ form becomes a command or request.
- Sentence meaning remains the same.
Additional Examples
- Direct: She said, “I am happy today.”
Indirect: She said that she was happy that day. - Direct: The doctor said, “You should take rest.”
Indirect: The doctor advised him to take rest.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rules FAQs
Q1. What are direct and indirect speech rules in English grammar?
Ans: Direct and indirect speech rules explain how spoken words are reported. Direct speech uses the exact words of the speaker, while indirect speech reports the message without quotation marks and with tense, pronoun, and time changes.
Q2. Why are direct and indirect speech rules important for students?
Ans: These rules help students improve grammar accuracy in exams, writing tasks, and daily communication. They are also commonly asked in school exams and competitive tests.
Q3. What changes are required while converting direct speech into indirect speech?
Ans: Usually, tense changes, pronoun changes, and changes in time expressions are required. Reporting verbs like said, told, or asked are also used.
Q4. How does a direct and indirect speech rules chart help in learning?
Ans: A direct and indirect speech rules chart with examples gives a clear visual summary of rules, making it easier to remember patterns and avoid confusion.
Q5. Where can students find a direct and indirect speech rules chart PDF?
Ans: Students can find a direct and indirect speech rules chart PDF on educational websites, grammar learning platforms, or school-focused study portals.