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Direct & Indirect speech | English


  • If the reporting verb is in the Present or Future Tense , the tense of the reported speech does not change
  • He says, “ I am reading”
  • He says that he is reading
  • She will say, "I wash my hair every day."
She will say that she washes her hair every day

  • In reported speech the tense of the verb changes as follows
  • Simple present - simple past
  • Leela said, “I write a letter”.
    Leela said that she wrote a letter.

  • Present continuous - past continuous
  • John said, “I am going to church”.
    John said that he was going to church

  • Present perfect - past perfect
  • John said, “I have done my homework ”.
    John said that he had done his homework.

  • Present perfect  continuous - past perfect continuous
  • He said, “I have been reading a novel”.
    He said that he had been reading a novel

  • Simple past - past perfect
  • Angel said, “I brought a pen yesterday”.
    Angel said that she had bought a pen the day before

  • Past continuous - past perfect continuous
  • Nelson said, “I was playing cricket”.
    Nelson said that he had been playing cricket.

  • Past perfect - Past perfect
  • Past perfect continuous- Past perfect continuous

  • Will - would
  • Shall - should
  • Can - could
  • May - might
  • Must - had to
  • Here - There
  • Today - that day
  • Yesterday -the day before
  • Last Night - the night before
  • Tomorrow - the next day
  • next week - the following week
  • next month - the following month
  • Now - Then
  • Ago - Before
  • Thus - So
  • This - That
  • These - Those
  • Come - Go

  • If the direct speech states a universal truth or fact , the tense of the reported speech remains the same
  • Teacher said, “ The sun rises in the east”
Teacher said that the sun rises in the east

  • When reporting a question, the reporting verb is 'asked’,'enquired’
  • Suresh said ,” who can help me?”
Suresh asked who could help him.
  • If a question that has answer as yes/no report using ‘if’ or 'whether’
  • He said to me , “ Have you finished the work?”
He asked me if/whether I had finished my work.


  • When reporting a command or request , the reporting verb becomes 'requested’ , 'advised’ , 'ordered’  . Use the preposition ‘to’ before the indirect statement. Words like 'please’ ,'kindly’ etc are omitted
  • The beggar said to her ,”Please give me some food.”
The beggar requested her to give him some food.



Questions
1.She said, "Anu will be in England on Monday"(Report the Sentence)
(Fireman Driver NCA 2020)
-She said that Anu would be in England on Monday

2.Who opened the door?(change the voice)
(Fireman Driver NCA 2020)
-By whom was the door opened?

2018
1.Teacher to the boy “consults a dictionary”.
The indirect form of the sentence is:
The teacher asked the boy _________.
(STORE KEEPER-KSFDC 2018)
- to consult a dictionary

2.Arun said, “charity begins at home”. Report the speech.
(Beat Forest Officer 2018)
- Arun stated that charity begins at home

3.Change into indirect speech. My mother said, "will you be back before lunch ?"
(Caretaker Male 2018)
-My mother enquired whether I would be back before lunch

4.The reported speech of “Mary said, I am watching television” is : 
(WOMEN POLICE CONSTABLE NCA 2018) 
-Mary said that she was watching Television

5.Change the sentence into indirect speech “What is your name ?” asked the policeman.
(Civil Police Officer 2018)
-The policeman asked me what my name was


6.Change into indirect speech.
He said, “I wish to learn English.”
(Lab Assistant in HSE 2018)
-He said that he wished to learn English.

7.Nick said, “I will start tomorrow”. The sentence can be reported as : 
Nick said that _______
(Assistant Prison Officer 2018)
-he would start the next day. 

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