Rules on Direct & Indirect Speech

In banking or other Governmental competitive exams questions on changing direct speech to indirect speech are commonly asked to answer. You will have to go through the rules on Changing direct to indirect Speech and understand the fundamentals of narration. But mugging will not help you unless you practise examples on direct, indirect speech rules on tenses. There are two types of reported speech: direct and indirect. Using indirect speech (also called reported speech) to report what someone has said without using speech marks is possible. Paraphrasing is done in indirect speech since the narrator never uses the speaker’s original words.

Rules on Changing direct to indirect Speech

Rules for changes according to Tenses

I have mentioned direct and indirect speech rules on tenses and examples of indirect speech rules on tenses. 

• Simple Present changes into simple Past

Rule: 

Simple Present: Subject + Verb first form + Object

Simple Past: Subject + Verb second form + Object

Example: 

Direct: She said, “I am unhappy.”

Indirect: She said that she was unhappy

• Present Continuous Tense changes into Past Continuous 

Rule:

Present Continuous: Subject + is/are/am + Verb first form + ing + Obj.

Past Continuous: Subject + Was/were + Verb first form + ing + Object

Example:

Direct: He said, “ My friend is writing a book.”

Indirect: He said that his friend was writing a book

• Present perfect tense changes into past perfect tense

Rule:

Present Perfect: Subject + has/have + Verb 3rd form + object

Past Perfect: Subject + had + Verb 3rd form + Object

Example:

Direct: She said, “ I have passed the preliminary round.”

Indirect: She said that she had passed the preliminary round

• Simple Past tense changes into past perfect tense

Rule:

Simple Past: Subject + Verb second form + Object

Past Perfect: Subject + had + Verb third form + Object

Example:

Direct: He said, “The horse died in the night.”

Indirect: He said that the horse had died in the night 

• Future Tense

In the case of future tense, “Shall” changes into “Should”, and “Will” changes into “Would” or “Should.”

Rule: 

Simple Future: Subject + shall/will + Verb first form + Object

Conditional Present: Subject + Would + Verb first form + Object

Future Continuous: Subject + will/shall + be + Verb first form + ing + Object

Conditional Continuous: Subject + Would + be + Verb first form + ing + Object

• In the case of universal truth, the Tenses will not change and also if the statement is still relevant.

Rules for changes in place and time

When there is a place and time integration in the sentences, then rules of changing direct to indirect speech are applied by changing the words like this

• Now becomes Then
• Tomorrow becomes the next day
• Last Night becomes the Night before
• Today becomes that day
• Thus becomes So
• Ago becomes Before
• Here becomes There

Rules for changes in kinds of sentences

• Questions

When introducing indirect speech in questions, words like asked, inquired, etc. are used

Example:

Direct: “Where do you live?” asked the stranger.

Indirect: The Stranger enquired where I lived.

Direct: He said, “will you listen to such a man?”

Indirect: He asked them whether they would listen to such a man.

• Commands and Requests

A verb expressing a command or request initiates Indirect speech, and the imperative mood is altered to an infinitive.

Example: 

Direct: Gukesh said to Nihal, “Go away.”

Indirect: Gukesh ordered Nihal to go away

Direct: He screamed, “Let me go.”

Indirect: He screamed to them to let him go

• Exclamations and Wishes

The indirect speech is introduced by a verb expressing an exclamation or wish in the case of exclamations and wishes.

Direct: Magnus Said, “How Clever I am!”

Indirect: Magnus exclaimed that she was very clever

Examples of changing direct speech into indirect speech on tenses

Direct: He said, ‘I do not wish to see any of you; go away.”

Indirect: He said he did not wish to see any of them and ordered them to disappear.

Direct: He said, “ We are all sinners.”

Indirect: He said that we are all sinners

Direct: My master often says to me, ‘If you don’t work hard, you will fail.”

Indirect: My Master often says that I shall fail if I don’t work hard.

Conclusion

While learning about the rules of Direct and Indirect speech, you should first point out the tense of the sentence, then look if it has any universal truth or any unique structures of sentences like questions, Commands, requests or Exclamation. You can use different test papers and grammar books to practice. While changing the sentences, remember the rules of changing direct speech to indirect speech, like which form of the verb is being used and what should be changed, what is required in place and time. After memorising each direct t0 indirect speech rule on tenses, practise with some examples of direct, indirect speech rules on tenses.