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.
I have mentioned direct and indirect speech rules on tenses and examples of indirect speech rules on tenses.
Simple Present: Subject + Verb first form + Object
Simple Past: Subject + Verb second form + Object
Direct: She said, “I am unhappy.”
Indirect: She said that she was unhappy
Present Continuous: Subject + is/are/am + Verb first form + ing + Obj.
Past Continuous: Subject + Was/were + Verb first form + ing + Object
Direct: He said, “ My friend is writing a book.”
Indirect: He said that his friend was writing a book
Present Perfect: Subject + has/have + Verb 3rd form + object
Past Perfect: Subject + had + Verb 3rd form + Object
Direct: She said, “ I have passed the preliminary round.”
Indirect: She said that she had passed the preliminary round
Simple Past: Subject + Verb second form + Object
Past Perfect: Subject + had + Verb third form + Object
Direct: He said, “The horse died in the night.”
Indirect: He said that the horse had died in the night
In the case of future tense, “Shall” changes into “Should”, and “Will” changes into “Would” or “Should.”
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
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
When introducing indirect speech in questions, words like asked, inquired, etc. are used
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.
A verb expressing a command or request initiates Indirect speech, and the imperative mood is altered to an infinitive.
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
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
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.
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.
Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
