Direct and indirect speech: statements
Report statements with correct tense, pronoun and time-word changes.
When you tell someone what another person said, you rarely repeat the exact words. This lesson shows how a statement changes as it moves from direct speech into indirect speech.
Indirect speech reports the meaning of someone's words without quotation marks, adjusting tense, pronouns and words of time and place to the reporter's point of view.
Examples
- Farhan said, "I live in Lucknow." → Farhan said that he lived in Lucknow.
- Mira said, "I can fix it." → Mira said that she could fix it.
- Dad said to me, "I am proud of you." → Dad told me that he was proud of me.
- Sita said, "We met here last week." → Sita said that they had met there the week before.
- Grandpa said, "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius." → Grandpa said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
How it works
Choose the reporting verb
Keep said when no listener is named. When a listener is named, change said to into told and drop to. The word that may follow.
Leela said to her friend, "I am ready." → Leela told her friend that she was ready.
Move the tense back
If the reporting verb is in the past, move each verb one step back: present to past, past to past perfect, will to would, can to could. If the reporting verb is present (says), keep the original tense.
Ajay says, "I am busy." → Ajay says that he is busy.
Change the pronouns
Pronouns change to fit who is speaking now. First-person words usually match the speaker, and second-person words match the listener.
Gita said to me, "You helped me." → Gita told me that I had helped her.
Shift time and place, keep truths
Words of nearness turn into words of distance, because the moment has passed. Universal truths keep the present tense.
He said, "I am leaving now." → He said that he was leaving then.
Quick reference
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| is / are / does | was / were / did |
| did / have done | had done |
| will / can / may | would / could / might |
| must (duty) | had to |
| now / today | then / that day |
| here / this | there / that |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day |
Common mistakes
✕Nikhil said me that he was hungry.
✓Nikhil told me that he was hungry.
Said cannot take the listener directly; use told me.
✕She said that she will come tomorrow.
✓She said that she would come the next day.
After a past reporting verb, will becomes would and tomorrow shifts too.
✕The guide said that the sun rose in the east.
✓The guide said that the sun rises in the east.
A permanent truth keeps the present tense.
Worked example
Exercise 1
Tap the reporting verb.
Anil said, "I am tired."
✓said,
Said introduces the spoken words, so it is the reporting verb.
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