The verbs ‘says’ and ‘will say’ in the above sentences are reporting verbs. After a present tense the reporting verb or a reporting verb indicating future time (sentence-2), there is no change in the verb (tense) in indirect speech.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
Simple Present
Simple Past
Present Progressive
Past Progressive
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Present Perfect Progressive
Past Perfect Progressive
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.He said,”I like mangoes.”
He said (that) he liked mangoes.
2.He sad,”I am going to school.”
He said (that) he was going to school.
NOTE: The past perfect and the past perfect progressive do not change.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.Reeta told me, “Meeta had already gone when I phoned her this morning.”
Reeta told me (that) Meeta had already gone when she phoned her that morning.
2. He said, “I had been reading a lot in my teens.”
He said (that) he had been reading a lot in his teens.
¶ The modal must is changed to had to only because must is used in Direct Speech to talk about obligations.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.”You must eat all the cakes”, Mother told us.
Mother told us that we had to eat all the cakes.
2.”He must be ill”,his friend said.
His friend said that he must be ill.
¶ Generally the present tense in direct speech is not changed into past tense if the sentence spoken expresses a universal truth or a habitual action or a scientific truth.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.He said,”Puri is famous for lord Jagannath.”
He said (that) Puri is famous for lord Jagannath.
2.The teacher said,”Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.”
The teacher said (that) water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
REMEMBER THIS TABLE
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
this
that
these
those
here
there
now
then
today
that day
tonight
that night
tomorrow
the next day/the following day
yesterday
the day before/the previous day
thus
in that way
ago
before
next year/week etc.
the following year/week etc.
last year/week etc.
the previous year/week etc.
INTERROGATIVE:Yes-No Ques.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1. He said, “Is it raining heavily?.”
He asked whether/if it was raining heavily.
2.I said to the postman,”have you brought any letter for me?”
I asked the postman if/whether he had brought any letter for me.
INTERROGATIVE:Wh- Ques.
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.Siwani said, “How old are you?”
Siwani asked/wanted to know that how old I was.
2.My friend said,”When do the holidays begin ?”
My friend asked/wanted to know when the holidays began.
IMPERATIVE
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.A police man said,”Please move this car.”
A police man asked/told me to move the car.
2.The teacher said,”Don’t move,boys.”
The teacher told the boys not to move.
3.The captain said,”Go away.”
The captain told me to go away.
4.He said,”Please post the letter for me.”
He requested me to post the letter for him.
EXCLAMATIONS
DIRECT SPEECH
INDIRECT SPEECH
1.He said,”What a beautiful girl !”
He said (that) she was a very beautiful girl.
2.She said to me, “Congratulations.”
She congratulated me.
3.My friend said,”Good morning.”
My friend wished me a good morning.
4.She said,”Thank you.”
She thanked me.
😔 Exception 😔
Plural first person pronoun ‘we’ remains unchanged when
(i) it denotes mankind or all human beings
(ii) includes hearer
Direct
Indirect
• He said,”we must all die.”
He said that we must all die.
• The scientist said, “We all live by air and water.
The scientist said that We all live by air and water.
• He said, “We must work hard to succeed.
He said that We must work hard to succeed.
• He said, “We are all sinners.”
He said that We are all sinners.
When the editor of a magazine or a newspaper uses: we, us our, these will be changed in ‘it’ ‘its’.
Direct
Indirect
• The Hindu says, “Our office will remain closed on Monday next.
The Hindu says that its office will remain closed on Monday next.
• The Indian Express says, “We shall issue a cartoon section in our Saturday’s paper.
The Indian Express says that it will issue a cartoon section in its Saturday’s paper.
• The London Timnes says, “We are trying our best to keep you well informed.
The London Timnes says that it is trying its best to keep us well informed.
