direct speech present continuous examples

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense

Learn how to convey a message what someone is saying, feeling or thinking in present continuous tense. Direct and indirect of present continuous tense rules and structures of affirmative, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative sentences along with examples.

For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules

Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone is saying in present continuous we go one tense back. Instead we use past continuous tense in reported speech.

Affirmatives

Direct speech: RP +, + S + be1 + V1ing + ROTS He said, “I am doing my homework.”
Indirect speech: RP + that + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS He told me that he was doing his homework.

Interrogatives

Direct speech: RP +, + be1 + S + V1ing + ROTS He asked, “Are you going to school?”
Indirect speech: RP + if + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS He asked me if I was coming/going to school.
Direct speech: RP +, + S + be1 not + V1ing + ROTS He said, “She is not listening to me.”
Indirect speech: RP + that + S + be2 not + V1ing + ROTS He said to me that she was not listening to him.

Negative interrogatives

Direct speech: RP +, + b2 not + S + V1ing + ROTS He asked, “Aren`t they staying with us for tonight?”
Indirect speech: RP + that + if + S + be2 not + V1ing + ROTS He asked if they weren`t staying with them for that night.

WH/Information questions

Direct speech: RP +, + WH + be1 + S + V1ing + ROTS She asked, “What are you buying tomorrow?”
Indirect speech: RP + that + WH + S + be2 + V1ing + ROTS She wanted to know what I was buying the next day.

More sentences:

Affirmative

Direct speech: He said,” They are playing football.”
Indirect speech: He said that they were playing football.

Interrogative

Direct speech: He asked, “Are they playing football?”
Indirect speech: He asked me if they were playing football.
Direct speech: He said, “They are not playing football.”
Indirect speech: He said that they were not playing football.

Negative interrogative

Direct speech: He asked,” Aren’t they playing football?”
Indirect speech: He asked me if they weren’t playing football.

Wh/ Information question

Direct speech: He asked,” Where are they playing now?”
Indirect speech: He wanted to know where they are playing now.

Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

Narration Change in Present Tense

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Examples of narration change in present simple, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous are given below –

Table of Contents

Direct and Indirect Speech Simple Present Tense Examples

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Indefinite Tense to Past Indefinite Tense

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Continuous Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Continuous Tense to Past Continuous Tense .

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Perfect Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Perfect Tense to Past Perfect Tense .

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech in Present Perfect Continuous Tense

If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Perfect Continuous Tense to Past Perfect Continuous Tense .

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense

Direct speech means we repeat exactly what someone said. When we tell others what someone is saying right now using the present continuous tense, we can put quotation marks around those words. Indirect speech, which is also called reported speech, helps us share what someone said without repeating their words exactly.

English is a flexible language that helps us talk about things happening now or near now. We call one of the ways to do this the “present continuous tense.” It helps us explain actions as they are happening. In this article, we’ll learn how to use this tense when someone is talking directly or telling us what someone else said. We’ll make it simple with clear examples to understand better.

Understanding the Present Continuous Tense:

Present Continuous Tense Overview

Before we go to learn direct and indirect speech, let’s quickly go over how we make and use the present continuous tense. We usually create the present continuous tense by using the word “is,” “am,” or “are” with “ing” at the end of a verb.

Important Note : You can Download FREE PDF at the bottom

Positive statement: Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing

Example: He is studying for his exams.

Negative statement: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb + -ing

Example: They are not watching TV right now.

Interrogative statement: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb + -ing?

Example: Are they coming to the party tonight?

Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech:

Direct speech means we repeat exactly what someone said. When we tell others what someone is saying right now using the present continuous tense, we can put quotation marks around those words. Here are some examples:

Original Statement: Uzair said, “I am reading a great book.”

Direct Speech: Uzair said, “I am reading a great book.”

Original Statement: “We are going to the market,” they announced.

Direct Speech: “We are going to the market,” they announced.

Change the pronoun in the reporting verb: When changing the pronouns in sentences with the present continuous tense from direct speech to reported speech:

Direct Speech: “I am working on a project,” she said.

Reported Speech: She mentioned that she was working on a project.

To make a sentence from someone talking into a present continuous one, you change the words to fit what’s happening now or when you want to talk about. Here are some examples of how you can do that:

Change time expression:

Original Direct Speech: “I am studying for the exam.”

Present Time: “He says, ‘I am studying for the exam right now.”
Past Time: “He said, ‘I was studying for the exam yesterday.”
Future Time: “He will say, ‘I am studying for the exam tomorrow.'”

Present Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech:

Indirect speech, which is also called reported speech, helps us share what someone said without repeating their words exactly.

Here are the rules for changing what someone said in the present continuous tense from direct speech to indirect speech:

Change the Verb Tense: In indirect speech, we usually talk about what someone said in a slightly different way. The words like “am,” “is,” or “are” change to “was” or “were,” but the action word with “ing” stays the same.

Direct Speech: He said, “I am studying for my exams.”

Indirect Speech: He said that she was studying for her exams.

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense Examples

Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech Exercises with PDF

Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech Exercise

Download FREE PDF Here

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Reported speech: direct speech

Direct speech is a representation of the actual words someone said. A direct speech report usually has a reporting verb in the past simple. The most common reporting verb is said . The reporting clause may come first or second.

The reporting clause may sometimes come in the middle of the reported clause, especially in literary styles:

“No,” she said , “I’ve never seen it before.”

‘Was it,’ he asked , ‘the first time you had spoken to Mrs Dalton?’

We can use adverbs with the reporting verb to describe the way someone said something. This is more common when the reporting clause comes second:

“I will not accept it!” he said angrily .

‘Can I speak to the doctor?’ she asked rather nervously .

Reported speech: punctuation

Reported speech: reporting and reported clauses

Direct speech: inversion of subject and reporting verb

In narratives, especially novels and short stories, when the reporting clause comes second, we often invert the subject (s) and reporting verb (v):

“Things have always been the same in this village,” [V] said [S] the old man .

‘Hold on! I’m coming!’ [V] cried [S] Maurice .

Direct speech: present simple and continuous reporting verbs

Informal narratives.

In informal conversation, we sometimes use the present simple in the reporting clause. This makes the direct speech more vivid and dramatic:

So then this guy says , “I’ve got something for you. Come over here.” And he picked up a box and he says , “Open that.”

We can make the direct speech even more vivid and dramatic by using the present continuous. This is very informal:

And he’s looking at me and he ’s asking , “Who are you?” and I said, “I’m your nephew” and he ’s mumbling , “I don’t know you. I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

In very informal conversation, people sometimes use says as a reporting verb for all persons ( I, you, she, he, we, they ):

She says , ‘What’s going on here?’ and I says , ‘Nothing. There’s nothing happening – everything’s okay.’

Many speakers consider the above examples to be incorrect. This applies especially to the use of says with all persons.

Newspaper headlines

We also use the present simple in newspaper headlines. This makes the reported words more dramatic:

‘I WON’T RESIGN,’ SAYS MINISTER

Say or tell ?

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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

The comma ( , )after the reporting verb is removed and the conjunction that is added in the indirect speech.
If the direct speech contains ‘said to’ , it will be converted into ‘told’ in the indirect speech.
The quotation marks (Inverted commas) are to be removed in the indirect speech.
I becomes He/ She
We becomes they
You becomes He / She/ They
Me becomes Him/ he r (Depending on the gender in the direct speech)
My becomes His/ Her .
Our becomes their
Us becomes them
Your becomes His/ her/ their .

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech

Example: He said to me, “I am happy” becomes He told me that he was happy

(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)

Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: He said to me, “I was happy” changes into He told me that he had been happy

Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech.

Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom” changes into The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom.

Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.

Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change of tense in indirect speech.

Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.

Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

Rule 6: While converting interrogative sentences, the verb ‘said to’ becomes ‘asked’ and if/ whether will come in the place of ‘that’. The connecting word ‘that’ will not be used in indirect speech. Also, the interrogation mark (?) is not repeated in the indirect speech.

Example: He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

Rule 7: During the conversion of imperative sentences, the verb “said to” is changed into ordered, advised, requested, suggested, proposed, etc. depending on the situation. Also, the connecting word ‘that’ is not used. Instead of that, ‘ to’ is used before the reporting verb.

Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

Rule 8: For exclamatory sentences, the verb is converted into: exclaimed with joy or sorrow or with surprise, wished, prayed, applauded,/ etc. The exclamatory words and the exclamation are not mentioned anymore in the indirect speech. For example,

Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech

Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.

Changes in Time and Place

Cha nges in pronoun s

The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.

Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb.

Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.

Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.

Rule 2: The second person in reported speech changes based on the object of the reporting verb.

Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.

Rule 3 : The third person in the reported speech remains unchanged.

Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

Reader Interactions

Reported speech: statements

Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said. indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films. direct speech: 'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef. direct speech: 'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said. indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel. indirect speech: Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked ) than the tense originally used (e.g. work ). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.' Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job. 'The baby's sleeping!' He told me the baby was sleeping. 'I've hurt my leg.' She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.' She told me they'd lived in China for five years. 'It was raining all day.' He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.' He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.' Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her. 'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.' He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him! 'I've broken my arm!' She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob. Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden. 'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina. Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said. I told her that I was working on my thesis. 'We want our jobs back!' we said. We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.' He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.] He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.] 'We like it here.' She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.] She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.] 'I'm planning to do it today.' She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.] She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those , now changes to then , yesterday changes to the day before , tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before .

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar B1-B2: Reported speech 1: 2

Language level

Hello Team. If the reporting verb is in the present perfect, do we have to backshift the tenses of the direct speech or not? For example: He has said, "I bought a car yesterday."

1- He has said that he bought a car yesterday.

2- He has said that he had bought a car the previous day.

Hello Ahmed Imam,

It's not necessary to backshift the verb form if the situation being reported is still true. For example:

"I'm a doctor"

She told me she is a doctor. [she was a doctor when she said it and she is still doctor now]

She told me she was a doctor. [she was a doctor when she said it and may or may not still be a doctor now]

The reporting verb in your example would be 'said' rather than 'has said' as we are talking about a particular moment in the past. For the other verb both 'bought' and 'had bought' are possible without any change in meaning. In fact, when the verb is past in the original sentence we usually do not shift the verb form back.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello again. Which one is correct? Why?

- He has said that he (will - would) travel to Cairo with his father.

The present perfect is a present form, so generally 'will' is the correct form.

In this case, assuming that the man said 'I will travel to Cairo', then 'will' is the correct form. But if the man said 'I would travel to Cairo if I had time to do it', then 'would' would be the correct form since it is part of a conditional statement.

I think you were asking about the first situation (the general one), though. Does that make sense?

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Thank you for the information. It states that If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. I wonder if it is still correct to change the tense in this example: 'London is in the UK', he said. to He said London was in the UK. Or it has to be the present tense.

Hello Wen1996,

Yes, your version of the sentence is also correct. In this case, the past tense refers to the time the speaker made this statement. But this doesn't mean the statement isn't also true now.

Good evening from Turkey.

Is the following example correct: Question: When did she watch the movie?

She asked me when she had watched the movie. or is it had she watched the movie.

Do Subjects come before the verbs? Thank you.

Hello muratt,

This is a reported question, not an actual question, as you can see from the fact that it has no question mark at the end. Therefore no inversion is needed and the normal subject-verb word order is maintained: ...she had watched... is correct.

You can read more about this here:

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/b1-b2-grammar/reported-speech-questions

Thank you for your response.

Hello Sir, kindly help with the following sentence-

She said, "When I was a child I wasn't afraid of ghosts."

Please tell me how to write this sentence in reported/ indirect speech.

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Reported speech.

How to use reported speech in english, structure and explanations., table showing tense changes - direct to reported speech..

This table (right column) shows the verb tense or modal verb we use after we change from direct speech to reported speech.

Learn more about the tenses and modals in this list...

What is reported speech?

Reported speech is a structure used to repeat what somebody has said before (direct speech):

John: "My name is John" (direct speech) He said (that*) his name was John (reported speech)

* that can be omitted.

Note that after the verb said , which is in past tense, it is natural to continue the rest of the sentence in the past: "...his name was John". This does not mean that John is now not his name; we use the past for agreement of the verbs in the sentence: said and was .

However, if John is still John, we cannot reject the present tense. So that...

He said that his name is John.

...is also correct.

Let's consider a sentence said a week ago:

Mary: "I am going to Madrid."

If, a week later, we repeat what Mary said, we must now use the verb in past tense because the action cannot refer to the present but to seven days before :

Mary said that she was going to Madrid.

A tense one step further in the past.

We can see that I'm going in direct speech changes to I was going in reported speech. All tenses change to one step further in the past. In the above example, present continuous to past continuous .

In this next example, we can see how present perfect changes to past perfect :

Dave: I have seen that film. Dave said that he had seen that film.

In the case where we can not go further into the past, we repeat the same tense:

Mike: I had been there. He said that he had been there.

Other words that change.

Let's now look at other words that can change in reported speech if we refer to past actions:

I'm going tomorrow . He said he was going the next day (o " the following day ").

I'm playing football next week . He said he was playing football the following week .

I went last week . He said he had gone the week before .

If we have also moved in space, in other words, we are not in the same place where the direct speech was said, words referring to place must also change:

I like it here . He said that he liked it there .

Reported speech and modal auxiliary verbs.

Modal auxiliary verbs, in some cases, have also got a past tense form which is used in reported speech:

I can speak English. He said that he could speak English.

I 'll see you next week. She said that she would see him the following week.

See table above for full list of modals that change...

Reported speech and closed questions.

Let's now consider this question:

Is your name John?

A question in reported speech that requires the answer yes or no (closed question) must include if . In other words, we want to know if the answer is yes or no :

She asked him if his name was John.

Open questions and inversion.

Open questions which do not require a yes or no , for example, questions with words like: what?, when?, why?, who?, which?, how?, whose?, where?, how much? , what time?, etc. usually take inversion between the subject and auxiliary (or verb to be) in direct speech but no inversion in reported speech:

What is your name ? She asked what his name was (and not, ... what was his name ).

How much are the potatoes ? They asked how much the potatoes were (and not, ... how much were the potatoes ).

Where can we go? He asked where they could go (and not, ... where could they go ).

When did you see that film? She asked when he had seen that film (and not, ... where had he seen that film).

Reported speech and the imperative.

We will now look at sentences in the imperative. In these cases, it is common to use told + indirect object . Also note that the following verb is in the infinitive with to :

Go away! She told him to go away.

Sit down and be quiet! She told the child to sit down and (to) be quiet. Please take these things into the kitchen. She told him to take the things into the kitchen.

Exercises on reported speech...

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He Said, She Said: Mastering Reported Speech in English (Both Direct and Indirect)

“Reported speech” might sound fancy, but it isn’t that complicated.

It’s just how you talk about what someone said.

Luckily, it’s pretty simple to learn the basics in English, beginning with the two types of reported speech: direct (reporting the exact words someone said) and indirect (reporting what someone said without using their exact words ).

Read this post to learn how to report speech, with tips and tricks for each, plenty of examples and a resources section that tells you about real world resources you can use to practice reporting speech.

How to Report Direct Speech

How to report indirect speech, reporting questions in indirect speech, verb tenses in indirect reported speech, simple present, present continuous, present perfect, present perfect continuous, simple past, past continuous, past perfect, past perfect continuous, simple future, future continuous, future perfect, future perfect continuous, authentic resources for practicing reported speech, novels and short stories, native english videos, celebrity profiles.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Direct speech refers to the exact words that a person says. You can “report” direct speech in a few different ways.

To see how this works, let’s pretend that I (Elisabeth) told some people that I liked green onions.

Here are some different ways that those people could explain what I said:

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” Elisabeth said.

Direct speech: “I like green onions,” she told me. — In this sentence, we replace my name (Elisabeth) with the pronoun she.

In all of these examples, the part that was said is between quotation marks and is followed by a noun (“she” or “Elisabeth”) and a verb. Each of these verbs (“to say,” “to tell [someone],” “to explain”) are ways to describe someone talking. You can use any verb that refers to speech in this way.

You can also put the noun and verb before what was said.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like spaghetti.”

The example above would be much more likely to be said out loud than the first set of examples.

Here’s a conversation that might happen between two people:

1: Did you ask her if she liked coffee?

2: Yeah, I asked her.

1: What did she say?

2. She said, “Yeah, I like coffee.” ( Direct speech )

Usually, reporting of direct speech is something you see in writing. It doesn’t happen as often when people are talking to each other.

Direct reported speech often happens in the past. However, there are all kinds of stories, including journalism pieces, profiles and fiction, where you might see speech reported in the present as well.

This is sometimes done when the author of the piece wants you to feel that you’re experiencing events in the present moment.

For example, a profile of Kristen Stewart in Vanity Fair has a funny moment that describes how the actress isn’t a very good swimmer:

Direct speech: “I don’t want to enter the water, ever,” she says. “If everyone’s going in the ocean, I’m like, no.”

Here, the speech is reported as though it’s in the present tense (“she says”) instead of in the past (“she said”).

In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as it is above.

Here’s an example from Lewis Carroll’s “ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ,” where the speech is even more split up:

Direct speech: “I won’t indeed!” said Alice, in a great hurry to change the subject of conversation. “Are you—are you fond—of—of dogs?” The Mouse did not answer, so Alice went on eagerly: “There is such a nice little dog near our house I should like to show you!”

Reporting indirect speech is what happens when you explain what someone said without using their exact words.

Let’s start with an example of direct reported speech like those used above.

Direct speech: Elisabeth said, “I like coffee.”

As indirect reported speech, it looks like this:

Indirect speech: Elisabeth said she liked coffee.

You can see that the subject (“I”) has been changed to “she,” to show who is being spoken about. If I’m reporting the direct speech of someone else, and this person says “I,” I’d repeat their sentence exactly as they said it. If I’m reporting this person’s speech indirectly to someone else, however, I’d speak about them in the third person—using “she,” “he” or “they.”

You may also notice that the tense changes here: If “I like coffee” is what she said, this can become “She liked coffee” in indirect speech.

However, you might just as often hear someone say something like, “She said she likes coffee.” Since people’s likes and preferences tend to change over time and not right away, it makes sense to keep them in the present tense.

Indirect speech often uses the word “that” before what was said:

Indirect speech: She said that she liked coffee.

There’s no real difference between “She said she liked coffee” and “She said that she liked coffee.” However, using “that” can help make the different parts of the sentence clearer.

Let’s look at a few other examples:

Indirect speech: I said I was going outside today.

Indirect speech: They told me that they wanted to order pizza.

Indirect speech: He mentioned it was raining.

Indirect speech: She said that her father was coming over for dinner.

You can see an example of reporting indirect speech in the funny video “ Cell Phone Crashing .” In this video, a traveler in an airport sits down next to another traveler talking on his cell phone. The first traveler pretends to be talking to someone on his phone, but he appears to be responding to the second traveler’s conversation, which leads to this exchange:

Woman: “Are you answering what I’m saying?”

Man “No, no… I’m on the phone with somebody, sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.” (Direct speech)

Woman: “What was that?”

Man: “I just said I was on the phone with somebody.” (Indirect speech)

When reporting questions in indirect speech, you can use words like “whether” or “if” with verbs that show questioning, such as “to ask” or “to wonder.”

Direct speech: She asked, “Is that a new restaurant?”

Indirect speech: She asked if that was a new restaurant.

In any case where you’re reporting a question, you can say that someone was “wondering” or “wanted to know” something. Notice that these verbs don’t directly show that someone asked a question. They don’t describe an action that happened at a single point in time. But you can usually assume that someone was wondering or wanted to know what they asked.

Indirect speech: She was wondering if that was a new restaurant.

Indirect speech: She wanted to know whether that was a new restaurant.

It can be tricky to know how to use tenses when reporting indirect speech. Let’s break it down, tense by tense.

Sometimes, indirect speech “ backshifts ,” or moves one tense further back into the past. We already saw this in the example from above:

Direct speech: She said, “I like coffee.”

Indirect speech: She said she liked coffee.

Also as mentioned above, backshifting doesn’t always happen. This might seem confusing, but it isn’t that difficult to understand once you start using reported speech regularly.

What tense you use in indirect reported speech often just depends on when what you’re reporting happened or was true.

Let’s look at some examples of how direct speech in certain tenses commonly changes (or doesn’t) when it’s reported as indirect speech.

To learn about all the English tenses (or for a quick review), check out this post .

Direct speech: I said, “I play video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I played video games (simple past) or I said that I play video games (simple present).

Backshifting into the past or staying in the present here can change the meaning slightly. If you use the first example, it’s unclear whether or not you still play video games; all we know is that you said you played them in the past.

If you use the second example, though, you probably still play video games (unless you were lying for some reason).

However, the difference in meaning is so small, you can use either one and you won’t have a problem.

Direct speech: I said, “I’m playing video games.”

Indirect speech: I said that I was playing video games (past continuous) or I said that I’m playing video games (present continuous).

In this case, you’d likely use the first example if you were telling a story about something that happened in the past.

You could use the second example to repeat or stress what you just said. For example:

Hey, want to go for a walk?

Direct speech: No, I’m playing video games.

But it’s such a nice day!

Indirect speech: I said that I’m playing video games!

Direct speech: Marie said, “I have read that book.”

Indirect speech: Marie said that she had read that book (past perfect) or Marie said that she has read that book (present perfect).

The past perfect is used a lot in writing and other kinds of narration. This is because it helps point out an exact moment in time when something was true.

The past perfect isn’t quite as useful in conversation, where people are usually more interested in what’s true now. So, in a lot of cases, people would use the second example above when speaking.

Direct speech: She said, “I have been watching that show.”

Indirect speech: She said that she had been watching that show (past perfect continuous) or She said that she has been watching that show (present perfect continuous).

These examples are similar to the others above. You could use the first example whether or not this person was still watching the show, but if you used the second example, it’d probably seem like you either knew or guessed that she was still watching it.

Direct speech: You told me, “I charged my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had charged your phone (past perfect) or You told me that you charged your phone (simple past).

Here, most people would probably just use the second example, because it’s simpler, and gets across the same meaning.

Direct speech: You told me, “I was charging my phone.”

Indirect speech: You told me that you had been charging your phone (past perfect continuous) or You told me that you were charging your phone (past continuous).

Here, the difference is between whether you had been charging your phone before or were charging your phone at the time. However, a lot of people would still use the second example in either situation.

Direct speech: They explained, “We had bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Indirect speech: They explained that they had bathed the cat on Wednesday. (past perfect)

Once we start reporting the past perfect tenses, we don’t backshift because there are no tenses to backshift to.

So in this case, it’s simple. The tense stays exactly as is. However, many people might simplify even more and use the simple past, saying, “They explained that they bathed the cat on Wednesday.”

Direct speech: They said, “The cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time!”

Indirect speech: They said that the cat had been going outside and getting dirty for a long time. (past perfect continuous)

Again, we don’t shift the tense back here; we leave it like it is. And again, a lot of people would report this speech as, “They said the cat was going outside and getting dirty for a long time.” It’s just a simpler way to say almost the same thing.

Direct speech: I told you, “I will be here no matter what.”

Indirect speech: I told you that I would be here no matter what. (present conditional)

At this point, we don’t just have to think about tenses, but grammatical mood, too. However, the idea is still pretty simple. We use the conditional (with “would”) to show that at the time the words were spoken, the future was uncertain.

In this case, you could also say, “I told you that I will be here no matter what,” but only if you “being here” is still something that you expect to happen in the future.

What matters here is what’s intended. Since this example shows a person reporting their own speech, it’s more likely that they’d want to stress the truth of their own intention, and so they might be more likely to use “will” than “would.”

But if you were reporting someone else’s words, you might be more likely to say something like, “She told me that she would be here no matter what.”

Direct speech: I said, “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

Indirect speech: I said that I would be waiting for your call. (conditional continuous)

These are similar to the above examples, but apply to a continuous or ongoing action.

Direct speech: She said, “I will have learned a lot about myself.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would have learned a lot about herself (conditional perfect) or She said that she will have learned a lot about herself (future perfect).

In this case, using the conditional (as in the first example) suggests that maybe a certain event didn’t happen, or something didn’t turn out as expected.

However, that might not always be the case, especially if this was a sentence that was written in an article or a work of fiction. The second example, however, suggests that the future that’s being talked about still hasn’t happened yet.

Direct speech: She said, “By next Tuesday, I will have been staying inside every day for the past month.”

Indirect speech: She said that by next Tuesday, she would have been staying inside every day for the past month (perfect continuous conditional) or She said that by next Tuesday, she will have been staying inside every day for the past month (past perfect continuous).

Again, in this case, the first example might suggest that the event didn’t happen. Maybe the person didn’t stay inside until next Tuesday! However, this could also just be a way of explaining that at the time she said this in the past, it was uncertain whether she really would stay inside for as long as she thought.

The second example, on the other hand, would only be used if next Tuesday hadn’t happened yet.

Let’s take a look at where you can find resources for practicing reporting speech in the real world.

One of the most common uses for reported speech is in fiction. You’ll find plenty of reported speech in novels and short stories . Look for books that have long sections of text with dialogue marked by quotation marks (“…”). Once you understand the different kinds of reported speech, you can look for it in your reading and use it in your own writing.

Writing your own stories is a great way to get even better at understanding reported speech.

One of the best ways to practice any aspect of English is to watch native English videos. By watching English speakers use the language, you can understand how reported speech is used in real world situations.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

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Celebrity profiles, which you can find in print magazines and online, can help you find and practice reported speech, too. Celebrity profiles are stories that focus on a famous person. They often include some kind of interview. The writer will usually spend some time describing the person and then mention things that they say; this is when they use reported speech.

Because many of these profiles are written in the present tense, they can help you get used to the basics of reported speech without having to worry too much about different verb tenses.

While the above may seem really complicated, it isn’t that difficult to start using reported speech.

Mastering it may be a little difficult, but the truth is that many, many people who speak English as a first language struggle with it, too!

Reported speech is flexible, and even if you make mistakes, there’s a good chance that no one will notice.

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Reported speech – Present Progressive – Sentences – Exercise

Task no. 2337.

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Joe, "I'm drawing a picture." Joe said (that)

Joe said (that) he was drawing a picture .

Do you need help?

Reported speech

Jenny, "I'm coming down." Jenny said (that) .
Tim, "Jack is having breakfast." Tim said (that) .
Jamy, "She's telling a joke." Jamy told me (that) .
Mavis, "The dog is running after the cat." Mavis remarked (that) .
Peter, "I'm playing the piano." Peter said (that) .
Zack, "You're drinking tea." Zack mentioned (that) .
Ella, "It's not raining." Ella remarked (that) .
Jacob, "Riley is checking the computer." Jacob said (that) .
Owen, "They aren't watching TV." Owen told me (that) .
Nora, "He is learning Spanish words." Nora said (that) .
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Grammar Exercises
Reported Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

English grammar direct and indirect speech rules, what is direct and indirect speech.

We often have to give information about what people say or think. In order to do this, we can use direct or quoted speech or indirect or reported speech .

Direct Speech

Saying exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech).

For example:

She said, “Today’s lesson is on presentations.” Or “Today’s lesson is on presentations,” she said.

Indirect speech

Indirect speech (sometimes called reported speech or Narration ), doesn’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and it doesn’t have to be word for word. Thus, in indirect speech, we convey the speaker’s message in our own words.

Direct Speech: He said, “I’m going to the cinema”.
Indirect Speech: He said that he was going to the cinema.

Reported Speech Tenses Change Chart

Reported speech does not go back a tense if it is already in the past perfect (there is no further back it can go), and some modal verbs also do not change.

Direct and Indirect speech Examples for Tense

1. Simple Present to Simple Past

Direct: He said, “The boy goes home.” Indirect: He said that the boy went home.

2. Present Continuous to Past Continuous

Direct: Ram said, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: Ram said that he was reading a book.

3. Present Perfect to Past Perfect

Direct: The girl said, “I have lost my pen.” Indirect: The girl said that she had lost her pen.

4. Present Perfect Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous

Direct: He said, “Ram has been going.” Indirect: He said that Ram had been going.

5. Past Indefinite to Past Perfect

Direct: Mother said, “I bought a watch for you.”
Indirect: Mother said that she had bought a watch for him.

6. Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous

Direct: Raju said, “I was repairing a car.” Indirect: Raju said that he had been repairing a car.

7. Future Tense (shall/will) to future in the Past (should/would)

Direct: The teacher said, “I shall give you notes.” Indirect: The teacher said that he would give them notes.

8. Conditional to Perfect Conditional Direct:

Direct: He said, “If I had the money I could buy the car.” Indirect: She said that if he had the money he could have bought the car.

9. Past Perfect Tense: No Change

Direct: She said, “I had gone to Bhagalpur.” Indirect: She said that she had gone to Bhagalpur.

10. Auxiliary Verbs (would, should, might, could, ought, must) — No Change

Direct: He said, “I would like to take milk.” Indirect: He said that he would like to take milk.
Direct: The boy said, “The teacher could have solved it in no time.” Indirect: The boy said that the teacher could have solved it in no time.
Direct: He said, “The boy must apologise to the teacher.” Indirect: He said that the boy must apologise to the teacher.

Changes of Interrogative Sentences

Toni said, “What is Luna doing?” Toni asked me what Luna was doing.
Luna said, “Will she come for lunch?” Luna asked if she would come for lunch.
The boy asked, “ Wh ere do you stay?” The boy inquired where I stayed

Things are slightly more complicated with imperatives

Time and place references.

I went to the theatre last night . He said he had gone to the theatre the night before .
I’m having a party next weekend . He said he was having a party the next weekend .
I’m staying here until next week . He said he was staying there until the following week.
I came over from London 3 years ago . He said he had come over from London 3 years before.

When verbs don’t follow the rules?

You’ve invited someone for dinner at your house, and the phone rings. It’s them! They say:
(on the phone) “I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to be a bit late. There’s a lot of traffic.”
After you finish speaking on the phone, you say to someone else:
That was Juan. He said he thinks he’s going to be late because there’s a lot of traffic.

Another example:

A friend says to you: “Maria’s ill. She’ s got chickenpox!”
You say to someone else: Laura said that Maria’ s ill. She’ s got chickenpox.
However, the following day you see Maria at the beach. You’re surprised and say to her:
Laura said that you were ill. She said you had chickenpox.

This has to change to the past because it isn’t true . Maria obviously isn’t ill .

A friend is telling you about the horrible weather: “It started raining heavily when I left work.” (This is where things get confusing):
He said it had started raining heavily when he had left work (it sounds horrible and the sentence is almost nothing but verbs).
He said it had started raining heavily when he left work (is wrong because it means it was already raining when he left work)
He said it started raining heavily when he left work (is the best version because it is accurate, short, and there is no confusion because of the time context)

Generally speaking, the past simple and continuous don’t always need to be changed if:

Rules for Universal Truth, Habitual Facts, etc.

Direct: My friend said, “I am an early riser.” Indirect: My friend said that he is an early riser.
Direct: Father said, “Man is the only animal that cooks his food.” Indirect: Father said that man is the only animal that cooks his food.
Direct: The teacher said, “Honesty is the best policy.” Indirect: The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.
Direct: The teacher said, “The earth moves around the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth moves around the sun.
Direct: Sarla said, “When Ram was reading Sham was writing.” Indirect: Sarla said that when Ram was reading Sham was writing.
Direct: The teacher said, “Akbar died in 1605 AD.” Indirect: The teacher said that Akbar died in 1605 AD.
Direct: The speaker said, “Gentlemen, I will tell you what is going there.” Indirect: The speaker told his audience (those present) that he would tell them what was going there
Direct: He said, “I hope, friends, you will support me.” Indirect: He said that he hoped they would support him.
Direct: He said, “I would rather she played.” Indict: He said that he would rather she played.
Direct: He said, “If I were rich, I would settle in Mumbai. Indirect: He said that if he were rich, he would settle in Mumbai.
Direct: He said. “When we lived/were living in Chennai, we often visited Rameshwarm” Indirect: He said that when they lived/ were living in Chennai, they often visited / had visite Rameshwarm

Rules for the Change of Pronouns

If the direct speech has a pronoun, its person is changed, when necessary, to refer in the indirect to the same individual as it does in the direct.

Soni said, “ I am a good girl.” Soni said that she was a good girl.
I told them, “ You have finished your work.” I told them that they had finished their work.
He said, “ She is in Delhi.” He said that she was in Delhi.
Direct: He said, “I can cross this river.” Indirect: He said that he could cross that river.
Direct: You said. “I can cross this river.” Indirect: You said that you could cross that river.
Direct: I said, “I can cross this river.” Indirect: I said that I could cross that river.

You also need to be careful with personal pronouns . They need to be changed according to the situation. You need to know the context.

For example , there is possible confusion when you try to change reported speech to direct speech:

She said she ’d been waiting for hours. (Is ‘ she ‘ one person or two different people?)
I told them they would have to ask permission. (Are we talking about two groups of people or only one?)

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Direct Indirect Speech

Verbs and tenses
Prepositions
Articles,Vowels and Consonants
Active Voice and Passive Voice
Gender-Masculine and Feminine
Singular and Plural Nouns
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Interjections

Direct Indirect of Present Continous

Last updated at April 16, 2024 by Teachoo

If Direct Speech is Present Continuous−−>In indirect Form it becomes Past Continuous

Direct Speech Sister said" I am going to market"
Indirect Speech Sister said that she was going to market

Note:- In Direct Speech,we use "am going" (Present Continous) In Indirect Speech,we use "was going"(Past Continuous)

Convert into Indirect Speech

Father Said" I am driving"

Father said that he was driving

Teacher said" I am speaking to principal"

Teacher said that he was speaking to Principal

They said" We are shopping in Khan Market"

They said that they were shopping in khan market

She said" I am day dreaming"

She said that she was dreaming

The man said" The Politician is lying"

The man said that the politician was lying

The class monitor said" Students are fighting"

The class monitor said that students were fighting

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Reported Speech

Perfect english grammar.

Reported Statements

Here's how it works:

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. ( Click here for more about using 'say' and 'tell' .) If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'she says' and then the sentence:

Direct speech: I like ice cream.
Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person' from 'I' to 'she', for example. We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. (As I'm sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use 'that' or not in English. I've put it in brackets () to show that it's optional. It's exactly the same if you use 'that' or if you don't use 'that'.)

But , if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

* doesn't change.

Direct speech: The sky is blue.
Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.

Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements. Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

Reported Questions

So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?

Direct speech: Where do you live?
Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.
Direct speech: Where is Julie?
Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.
Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

Click here to practise reported 'wh' questions. Click here to practise reported 'yes / no' questions. Reported Requests

There's more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

Direct speech: Close the window, please
Or: Could you close the window please?
Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
Direct speech: Please don't be late.
Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

Reported Orders

Direct speech: Sit down!
Reported speech: She told me to sit down.
Click here for an exercise to practise reported requests and orders.
Click here for an exercise about using 'say' and 'tell'.
Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

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Reported Speech /

Direct Speech Vs Reported Speech: Differences, Rules, Examples, and Exercises

Updated on
Jan 9, 2024

For effective communication , the students need to learn the difference between the two types of speech. Direct speech adds authenticity and captures the speaker’s tone or emotions. On the other hand, reported speech is used to report the content of the speech in a more generalized or summarized manner.

Direct Speech is often involved in writing literature, storytelling, and news reporting. The primary purpose of direct speech is to add an immediate impact and create a vivid impression of the speaker’s words. In contrast, Reported Speech is found in academic writing, official reports, and formal contexts.

In this blog post, you will learn about direct and reported speech and practical exercises to master the concept of direct and reported speech.

Explore Now Test Your English Proficiency with this Editing Quiz!

Important Differences Between Direct And Reported Speech

The table below represents the important differences between direct and reported speech that will help you to understand the structure of speech in a better way:

Must Read: Subject-Verb Agreement: Definition, 12 Rules & Examples

Rules For Changing Direct Speech to Reported Speech

The below table highlights the rules from changing direct speech to the reported speech for a better understanding of the concept.

Also Read: Tenses Rules: Charts, Examples, Types [PDF Available]

Examples of Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Some of the examples of direct and indirect speech are given below:

Exercises of Direct Speech vs. Reported Speech

Change the following sentences to indirect speech:

“I am going to the store,” she said.
“We have completed the project,” they announced.
“He plays the guitar very well,” she commented.
“I can’t believe you did that!” he exclaimed.
“It’s my birthday tomorrow,” she informed us.
“Please turn off the lights,” he requested.
“I will help you with your homework,” she promised.
“They won the competition,” he revealed.
“Do you want some coffee?” she asked.
“I have never been to Paris,” he admitted.

Match the answers with the following sentences:

She said that she was going to the store.
They announced that they had completed the project.
She commented that he played the guitar very well.
He exclaimed that he couldn’t believe I had done that.
She informed us that it was her birthday the next day.
He requested us to turn off the lights.
She promised to help me with my homework.
He revealed that they had won the competition.
She asked if I wanted some coffee.
He admitted that he had never been to Paris.

What is the difference between Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct Speech represents the exact words of the speaker whereas reported speech refers to the idea behind to what the speaker said instead of using the exact words of the speaker.

What are the four types of reported speech?

The four types of reported speech are Assertive, Interrogative, Exclamatory, and Imperative.

What is the example of Direct and Indirect Speech?

An example of direct and indirect speech is

Sita said,” I have done my work”.

Sita said that she had done her work.

To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page, and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .

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📚✨ From Classroom Chats Entered Into The Wordy World ….. Yes , If you all Remember that teacher who kept you on your toes with pop quizzes and endless homework? YEP! THAT WAS Me ! 🌟 But with the blessings of almighty and the key motivation of my husband who came across the spark of writing in me has insisted me to pave my way away from chalk dust to creative burst!💫 Being in this new world of writing I can compose pun-tastic content, poetry full of emotions and humorous articles that can even make Shakespeare envious of me 📝🎭.Yippee! from teaching young minds to educating worldwide readers it's an epic career switch. From teaching grammar lessons to grammatically flawless copy, I'm todays' wordsmith on a mission! Let me spin literary magic all around and conquer my exact destination of proving myself as The Best Writer in The World.🚀🏆 My promise is to provide you with valuable insights, solutions to your questions, and a momentary escape from the routine. I believe in the power of words to create connections, provoke thought, and foster growth. Woods are lovely dark and deep But I have promises to keep and Miles to go before I sleep ……..🌳✨🌌

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Get to Know the Rules and Application with Examples

There are many times when we need to describe a recent action or event, and this frequently includes repeating what someone said. A social situation, as well as a work presentation or email, are examples of such occasions. There are two types of speech used to describe what people said: direct sentence and indirect sentence (or reported speech).

Continue reading to learn more about these forms and how to improve your English storytelling abilities.

Direct and Indirect Speech

For English learners, the distinction between direct and indirect sentences can be perplexing. Let’s start by defining some terms and learn some definitions, then look at how to discuss what someone said and how to switch from direct to indirect and indirect to direct sentences.

You know how to answer the question, “What did she achieve?” in two varied ways:

by repeating (direct sentence) or reporting (reporting) the words spoken (indirect or reported sentence).

Direct Speech with Examples

The exact words spoken are repeated or quoted in sentences. When we use direct sentences in writing, we put the words spoken between quotation marks (” “) and leave them alone. We could be reporting something that is currently being said (for example, a phone conversation) or telling someone about a previous conversation later.

“What time will you be at the mall?” she inquires.

“What time will you be at home?” she inquired. “I don’t know!” I replied.

Simone screamed, “There’s a cockroach in my soup!”

“There’s a camel outside the window,” John said.

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Indirect Speech with Examples

When we use indirect or reported sentences to talk about the past, we usually change the tense of the words we say. We use reporting verbs like ‘tell,’ ‘say,’ and ‘ask,’ and we may introduce the reported words with the word ‘that.’ There are no inverted commas in this sentence.

“I saw him,” she said. She stated that she had seen him (direct sentence). (spoken in a roundabout way)

It is possible to omit “that”:

She expressed her love to him.

Direct and Indirect Speech Rules

Direct and indirect speech exercises for modals.

Look at the modals-based answers in the examples.

# “I can cook,” he stated.

He claimed that he could prepare meals.

# “We might go to Canada,” they said.

They expressed an interest in visiting Canada.

# “I have to finish the work on time,” she stated.

She stated that she needed to complete the project on time.

Should, would, could, might, and ought to are the only modals that haven’t changed.

# “I should avoid junk food,” Kanika said.

Kanika advised her to stay away from junk food.

Changes as Per Reporting Verb

Changes are made in the direct sentence or the sentence inverted commas, depending on the reporting verb.

# The direct sentence is changed to the past tense if the reporting verb is in the past tense.

# When the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the tense of speech remains unchanged.

# If the sentence contains the universal truth, the Indirect Speech does not change it.

We’ve included examples with reporting verb changes below.

# “He is young,” Navin said.

Navin stated that he was in his early twenties.

# “I am pretty,” Isha declares.

Isha thinks she’s attractive.

# “I am tall,” Rohan will say.

Rohan will tell you that he is a tall man.

# “The sun rises in the east,” they said.

The sun is said to rise in the east.

Also Read: How to Write a Professional Email? Complete Guide to Effective and Professional Email Writing

Changes as Per Tense

Using the table above, check the tense of the examples. Changes will always be made in accordance with the table provided.

# “I walk,” Rosy said.

Rosy stated that she went for a walk.

# “I’m having tea,” Raj explained.

Raj stated that he was enjoying a cup of tea.

# “Honey has gone to school,” Tina said.

Honey had gone to school, according to Tina.

# “Ananya took pasta,” Neha explained.

Ananya had taken pasta, according to Neha.

# “We were living in Korea,” they explained.

They stated that they had previously resided in Korea.

# “I’m going to Sri Lanka,” Ramesh declared.

Ramesh has stated that he will travel to Sri Lanka.

# “They’ll be watering plants,” Kareena said.

They would be watering plants, according to Kareena.

Changes in Place and Time

Also Read: How to be Fluent in English? Check Out the Best Cost-Effective Methods to Ace this Foreign Language

Changes of Interrogative Sentences

For interrogative sentence conversions, we’ll go over some rules.

# According to the nature of the sentence, the reporting verb said/said to is replaced with asked, demanded, ordered, or enquired.

# When a sentence begins with a reporting verb, if /whether is used as the joining clause during conversion.

# If the sentence begins with the question word “Why,” no additional conjunction is used.

In the exercise below, we’ll use the above rules to make changes to Direct and Indirect.

# “What is Tina doing?” Ravi inquired.

Ravi inquired as to what Tina was up to.

# “Will she come for lunch?” Anu inquired.

Anu inquired as to whether she could join us for lunch.

# “Where do you stay?” the boy inquired.

The young man wanted to know where I stayed.

Change of Pronouns

When switching between direct and indirect, one should be aware of the rules for changing pronouns.

# According to the subject of reporting speech, the first person in reported speech changes.

# The change of the second person in reported speech is determined by the object of the reporting speech.

# The third person is unaffected.

# “I am a good girl,” Vidya said.

Vidya described her as a good girl.

# “You have completed your work,” I told them.

I informed them that they had completed their task.

# “She is in Delhi,” he said.

He stated that she was currently in Delhi.

Also Read: What is Communication? Why is it Important? Let’s Learn Communication Skills for Perfection!

Speech Conversation

The first person in direct speech shifts depending on the topic.

Examples of direct and indirect-

“I am in Twelfth grade,” he said flatly.

Indirect: He claims to have been in Twelfth grade.

The object of reporting speech affects the second person of direct speech.

Examples of direct speech to indirect speech –

“You have completed your work,” she tells them flatly.

She tells them that they have completed their work in an indirect manner.

Direct speech’s third person does not change.

Examples of direct to indirect–

“She dances well,” he says flatly.

He says she dances well in an indirect way.

Hopefully this article gave you a clear view of how to use direct and indirect speech in your daily grammar.

We have gone over important rules of indirect and direct speech in this article, which are relevant to the English grammar of various competitive exams.

Because the English language is a part of the syllabus for most of these exams, aspirants for RRB, SSC, IBPS, Insurance, and other government exams should carefully review the concept and rules of direct – indirect speech.

Candidates studying for upcoming government exams should pay close attention to the concept of Direct and Indirect speech rules, as the English Language section of these exams is where candidates tend to score the lowest.

You also have the choice to download the Fluent Life app on your mobile phone for customized personal lectures where you get instant feedback on your performance and can resolve all your queries.

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Other stories, english stories to improve english speaking: learn english quickly and steadily, interjection in english grammar: let’s discuss some rules and usage in daily life.

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Reported Speech: Structures and Examples

Reported speech (Indirect Speech) is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say.

Reported Speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words

The structure of the independent clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question, or a command.

Table of Contents

Reported Speech Rules and Examples

Present tenses and reported speech, past tenses and reported speech, reported speech examples, reported speech and the simple present, reported speech and present continuous, reported speech and the simple past, reported speech and the past continuous, reported speech and the present perfect, reported speech and the past perfect, reported speech and ‘ can ’ and ‘can’t’, reported speech and ‘ will ’ and ‘ won’t ’, reported speech and could and couldn’t, reported speech and the future continuous, reported questions exercises online.

To turn sentences into Indirect Speech, you have to follow a set of rules and this is what makes reported speech difficult for some.

To make reported speech sentences, you need to manage English tenses well.

Present Simple Tense changes into Past Simple Tense
Present Progressive Tense changes into Past Progressive Tense
Present Perfect Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Progressive Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Past Simple Tense changes into Past Perfect Tense
Past Progressive Tense changes into Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense doesn’t change
Past Perfect Progressive Tense doesn’t change
Future Simple Tense changes into would
Future Progressive Tense changes into “would be”
Future Perfect Tense changes into “would have·
Future Perfect Progressive Tense changes into “would have been”

These are some examples of sentences using indirect speech

The present simple tense usually changes to the past simple

The present continuous tense usually changes to the past continuous.

The past simple tense usually changes to the past perfect

The past continuous tense usually changes to the past perfect continuous.

The present perfect tense usually changes to the past perfect tense

The past perfect tense does not change

‘ Can ’ and ‘can’t’ in direct speech change to ‘ could ’ and ‘ couldn’t ’

‘ Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

Could and couldn’t doesn’t change

Will ’ and ‘ won’t ’ in direct speech change to ‘ would ’ and ‘ wouldn’t ’

These are some online exercises to learn more about reported questions

Present Simple Reported Yes/No Question Exercise
Present Simple Reported Wh Question Exercise
Mixed Tense Reported Question Exercise
Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise
Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

What is Speech (Narration):

If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.

Types of Speech

In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.

The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.

These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations.

Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.

Direct speech:

It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.

The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”

The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.

Indirect speech:

An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.

It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.

The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.

Reporting speech:

A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.

He says , “He cooks food”.

Reported speech:

Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.

It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.

He says, “He cooks food.”

Reporting verb:

The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.

Zoya said , “I want to go there.”

Reported verb:

The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.

Zoya said, “I want to go there.”

As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”

These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.

But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.

Examples of direct and indirect speech:

Indirect speech: John said that she was looking so beautiful.
Indirect : He said that he was not a culprit.
Indirect : He said that she was working on that project.
Indirect : The teacher asked if he completed his homework.
Indirect : She says that she is an artist.
Indirect : Sam told me that he was not coming with me.
Indirect : He says that she is working on that project.

Some basic rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech:

Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.

The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.

Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”

Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.

Rule 2: use of “that” conjunction

Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.

Example:

He said, “I have completed my assignment yesterday.”
He said that he had completed his assignment the previous day.

Rule 3: Change of tense

While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.

If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense , then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively.
Indirect : He says that he is going to school. (no change in tense)
Indirect : She says that she will not come with me. (no change in tense)
Indirect : He says that he wrote a letter. (no change in tense)

If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.

For the present tense:

Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..

Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.

Present continuous tense will change into past continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.

Present perfect tense will change into past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Present perfect continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

For the past tense:

Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.

Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”

Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”

For the future tense:

There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.

Direct: She said, “Can you come tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day

Direct: He said, “I will never forgive you.”

Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.

Rule 4: Changing the pronoun

The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.

The pronoun used for representing the first person in reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting speech in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the second person in reported speech changes based on the report’s object in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the third person remains the same in the reported speech.
Direct: He said, “ I am going to school.”
Indirect: He said that he is going to school.
Direct: She says, “ I will not come with you .”
Indirect: She says that she will not come with me .
Direct: They said, “ we are eating our tiffin box.”
Indirect: They said that they were eating their tiffin box.

Rule 5: Changing the time

The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like now becomes then, tomorrow becomes the next day, yesterday becomes the previous day, today becomes that day, later becomes soon.

Direct: He told, “He is coming from Tokyo today .”
Indirect: He told me that he was coming from Tokyo that day .
Direct: She asked, “Will the parcel reach by tomorrow or not?”
Indirect: She asked whether the parcel will reach by the next day or not.
Direct: “The teacher has given some assignments yesterday ”, he reminds me.
Indirect: He reminds me that the teacher had given some assignments on the previous day.

Conversion of statements from direct speech into Indirect speech:

Assertive sentences:.

Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.

If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.

Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.

Direct: He said to me, “she is working on this project.”

Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.

Direct: She said to me, “I’m going for a long drive.”

Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.

Imperative sentences:

Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.

It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.

Sit properly!
Stand by my side!
Come closer!

While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit properly!”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.

Direct: The Boss said to an office boy, “Bring one coffee for me.”

Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.

Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.

Direct: The bartender said to me, “try this drink.”

Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.

Interrogative sentences:

An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.

Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.

What is your name?
Can you do me a favor?
Why are you laughing in the classroom?

While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,

the reporting verb “said” in the direct speech is changed into “asked” in the indirect speech because it asks the question to another person.
If any reporting verb comes first in the reporting speech, then “If” is used despite “that.”
In a reporting speech, if any wh-type question words are present, then no other words will be used, and the sentence ends with a full stop sign instead of a question mark.
Indirect: He asked me what was my name.
Indirect: She asked if he could do her a favor.
Indirect: The teacher asked him why he was laughing in the classroom.

Exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!

Congratulations! You have a baby girl.
I am extremely sorry for your loss!
Most welcome!

If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.

The replacement of reporting verb “said” with exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)

Replace with very or very great , if words like how or what comes at the beginning of the reported speech.

Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that I had a baby girl.
Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she felt sorry for my loss.
Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that most welcome.

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Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense
For direct and indirect speech complete rules click: Direct and indirect speech complete rules. Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense. Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense, therefore, when we report what someone is saying in present continuous we go one tense back. Instead we use past ...
Direct and Indirect Speech Present Tense Examples
Direct and Indirect Speech Simple Present Tense Examples. If reported verb is in Past Tense, reported speech will change from Present Indefinite Tense to Past Indefinite Tense. Direct Speech. Indirect Speech. Virat said, "I play cricket.". Virat said that he played cricket. Grandma said to me, "You are a good boy.".
Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense
Original Direct Speech: "I am studying for the exam.". Present Time: "He says, 'I am studying for the exam right now.". Past Time: "He said, 'I was studying for the exam yesterday.". Future Time: "He will say, 'I am studying for the exam tomorrow.'". Present Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech: Indirect speech, which is ...
Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples
Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.
Direct and Indirect Speech (Grammar Rules and Great Examples)
Direct Speech: He says, "I am watching a new TV series.". Indirect Speech: He says that he is watching a new TV series. Of course, you have to consider the correlation between the report and the idea on the quoted text. Sometimes, a change in tense is not needed even if the reporting verb is in the past tense. Examples:
Reported Speech
Reported Speech — Present Continuous — Exercise 1. Next . Change the direct speech into reported speech. Show example. 1. Justin, "Tom is writing an email to his friend.". Justin said (that). Tom was writing an email to his friend. 2.
Present Continuous Tense
The present continuous tense normally requires a dynamic verb. Verbs that instead describe a state of being such as emotion, belief, perception, or possession are called stative verbs. Some examples include "prefer," "appear," "exist," and "own.". Stative verbs should not be used in the present continuous tense.
Reported speech
1) Let's say If someone is giving a speech or presentation, I want to mix their speech, indirect-direct and past tense- present tense. Below are three examples:-He said, their company makes excellent profit every year OR their company made excellent profit every year ( can both be correct? As the sentence) - Roger had given his speech yesterday.
Reported speech: direct speech
Reported speech: direct speech - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Direct and Indirect Speech
(The verb in the direct speech 'am' is converted into 'was'.) Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech. Example: He said to me, "I was happy" changes into He told me that he had been happy. Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech.
Reported speech: statements
Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said. direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said. indirect speech: ... Present simple, present continuous and present perfect. When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to ...
Reported speech and direct speech
We can see that I'm going in direct speech changes to I was going in reported speech. All tenses change to one step further in the past. In the above example, present continuous to past continuous. In this next example, we can see how present perfect changes to past perfect: Dave: I have seen that film. Dave said that he had seen that film.
He Said, She Said: Mastering Reported Speech in English (Both Direct
Direct speech: "I don't want to enter the water, ever," she says. "If everyone's going in the ocean, I'm like, no.". Here, the speech is reported as though it's in the present tense ("she says") instead of in the past ("she said"). In writing of all kinds, direct reported speech is often split into two or more parts, as ...
Present Continuous Tense: Definition, Useful Rules and Examples
The present progressive is used: 1. To describe something which is happening at the exact moment of speech. Example: Jim is watching television at the moment. 2. To describe an action that is taking place now but not at the exact moment of speech. Example: John is working in London.
Reported speech
Ella, "It's not raining." Ella remarked (that) . Jacob, "Riley is checking the computer." Jacob said (that) . Owen, "They aren't watching TV." Owen told me (that) . Nora, "He is learning Spanish words." Nora said (that) . Sentences in Reported speech in the Present Progressive in English in an Online Exercise.
Reported Speech
Here are some examples. Direct speech: "I am baking cookies now." Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then. Direct speech: "Myra went here yesterday." Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before. Direct speech: "I will go to the market tomorrow." Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.
Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration) Rules and Examples
Direct and Indirect speech Examples for Tense. 1. Simple Present to Simple Past. Direct: He said, "The boy goes home.". Indirect: He said that the boy went home. 2. Present Continuous to Past Continuous. Direct: Ram said, "I am reading a book.". Indirect: Ram said that he was reading a book.
Direct Indirect of Present Continous
Exclusive offer: Get an ad-free learning experience on Teachoo for ₹199 ₹29 per day. Join Now - Limited Time Offer. No commitment, cancel anytime. Note:-. In Direct Speech,we use "am going" (Present Continous) In Indirect Speech,we use "was going" (Past Continuous)
Reported Speech
The direct question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with 'do' or 'does' so I need to take that away. Then I need to change the verb to the past simple. Another example: Direct speech: Where is Julie? Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was. The direct question is the present simple of 'be'.
Direct Speech Vs Reported Speech: Differences, Rules, Examples, and
The table below represents the important differences between direct and reported speech that will help you to understand the structure of speech in a better way: Direct Speech. Indirect Speech. Conveys the direct words of the speaker. Highlights the essence of the speaker's message. Reported Speech is written in the Quotation Marks.
Direct and Indirect Speech: Get to Know the Rules and Application with
Examples of direct and indirect-. "I am in Twelfth grade," he said flatly. Indirect: He claims to have been in Twelfth grade. The object of reporting speech affects the second person of direct speech. Examples of direct speech to indirect speech -. "You have completed your work," she tells them flatly. She tells them that they have ...
Reported Speech: Structures and Examples
March 29, 2024. Reported speech (Indirect Speech) is how we represent the speech of other people or what we ourselves say. Reported Speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. The structure of the independent clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question, or a command.
Direct and Indirect Speech Rules and Examples
If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense, then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively. Example: Direct: He says, "I am going to school." Indirect: He says that he is going to school. (no ...

Direct and Indirect of Present Continuous Tense

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