Direct And Indirect Speech Rules and Exercises: In the general conversion, we usually use direct and indirect speech for expressing our thoughts or sharing the thoughts said by someone. When we need to repeat a remark or action of someone via written or verbal communication, we employ both direct and indirect speech. It is employed to provide a direct-indirect description of what someone stated. Depending on the nature of the talk, one of the two methods is employed (formal or informal). If you are studying for any government or bank exam, it is imperative that you learn both direct and indirect speech. Aspirants in search of direct to indirect speech rules PDF, direct to indirect speech rules and examples, direct to indirect speech tense rules, direct to indirect speech exercises, direct to indirect speech rules with examples PDF, direct and indirect speech examples, direct indirect speech rules PDF, etc., can refer to the in depth details provided here related to the direct to indirect speech rules examples, definition and exercises. Students can achieve good grades in both direct and indirect communication with practice, as direct and indirect speaking is relatively simpler.

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Direct To Indirect Speech Rules With Examples PDF

Direct Indirect Speech Rules PDF: Knowing the direct indirect speech rules in depth is indispensable for anyone who is willing to convert from one form to another impeccably. Now, to help you understand the direct to indirect speech rules and to remember the concepts easily, we have curated the direct indirect speech rules in PDF format for easy understanding. Aspirants preparing for competitive exams might come across this topic in the English language section. Have a look at the direct indirect speech rules through the PDF given and ace the exams with good scores.

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What is Direct Speech?

Direct speech is used to quote exactly the same phrases. When writing in direct speech, we simply leave the words "said" alone and enclose them in quotation marks (" "). We could be recording what is being said (during a phone call, for example) or asking later about a previous discussion inverted commas.

Direct Speech Examples

• “Where do they live?”
• You asked me where they lived.
• “When are you leaving?”
• He asked us when we were leaving.
• “How will they get here?”
• She asked me how they would get here.

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What is Indirect Speech?

When discussing the past, indirect speech, also known as reported speech, typically involves changing the tense of the words stated. Reporting verbs like "tell," "say," and "ask" are employed, and the word "that" might be used to begin the reported instead of (" ") The concepts of "Reported speech" and "Reported verb" are also introduced through direct and indirect speech.

Indirect Speech Examples

• You said you’d had a headache the day before yesterday.
• He said it’d been raining since that afternoon.
• She said she hadn’t seen them since the previous week.
• You asked me where they lived.
• He asked us when we were leaving.
• She asked me how they would get here.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rules: Complete Details

Direct And Indirect Speech Conversion: The complete set of rules to convert from direct to Indirect speech is given below. Aspirants who need to learn about the direct and indirect speech rules and to know the direct to indirect speech conversion rules, in general, must proceed further.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 1: Instead Of Inverted Commas, Use 'That'

Remove the inverted commas when converting direct speech to indirect speech, and use it instead of commas.

Direct To Indirect Speech Examples

• Direct: Rani said, 'I am thirsty'.
• Indirect: Rani said that she was thirsty.

In Indirect Speech, Tense Does Not Change For,

• Whether the reported speech (the portion of the phrase enclosed in inverted commas) represents universal truth or habitual behavior.
• The tense will not change if the reporting verb is in the present tense.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 2: Change In Tense

Indirect speech will shift reported speech into the past tense when the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Direct To Indirect Speech Examples

• Hari said, “He will do the homework.” (Direct Speech)
• Hari said that he would do the homework. (Indirect Speech)

Learn how to change tenses by reading the table below.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 3: Change In Pronoun

Depending on the subject or the pronoun of the reporting verb (initial part of the phrase), the pronoun or the subject of the reported speech changes. The possessive pronouns (his, hers, and mine) can also alter depending on whether the pronoun is personal or object.

Direct to Indirect speech Example

• He said, “I am happy.” (Direct Speech)
• He said that he was happy. (Indirect Speech)

In the above example ‘I’ is changed into ‘he’ according to the reporting verb (first part) and the tense is also changed because the reporting verb (first part) is in the past tense.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 4: Change In Place And Time

Depending on the subject or the pronoun of the reporting verb (initial part of the phrase), the pronoun or the subject of the reported speech changes. The possessive pronouns (his, hers, and mine) can also alter depending on whether the pronoun is personal or object.

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 5: Interrogative Sentences

If a direct speech sentence begins with a question word (what, where, when), there is no need for a conjunction because the "question word" itself functions as a conjunction. Remove the question mark "?" while converting the interrogative sentence into indirect speech.

Direct to Indirect speech Example

• “Where is the temple?” asked the boy. (Direct Speech)
• The boy asked where was the temple. (Indirect Speech)

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 6: Yes/No Interrogative Sentences

If an auxiliary verb or helping verb comes first in a direct speech sentence, the joining clause will become either if or whether. Reporting verbs (verbs used in the first part) like "said/said to" change to "enquired," "asked," or "demanded" while changing the interrogative sentence.

Direct to Indirect speech Example

• He asked me “Are you angry with me?” (Direct Speech)
• He enquired whether/if I was angry with him. (Indirect Speech)

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 7: Request, Command, Wished, Enquired

Some verbs are used in indirect speech, including requested, ordered, urged, and advised. The word forbidden is used to describe the negative statements. As a result, in indirect communication, the infinitive word takes the place of the imperative mood that is present in direct speech.

Direct to Indirect speech Example

• She said to her, “Please complete the homework.” (Direct Speech)
• She requested her to complete the homework. (Indirect Speech)

Direct To Indirect Speech Rule 8: Exclamatory Sentence

Exclamatory sentences that express (grief, sorrow, delight, or applaud) are changed into assertive sentences by eliminating the interjections.

Direct to Indirect speech Example

• Students said, “Hurrah! India has won the match.” (Direct Speech)
• Students exclaimed with joy that India had won the match (Indirect Speech)

Difference Between Direct And Indirect Speech

Here we have added the important differences between direct and indirect speech for the reference of the candidates preparing for competitive exams. 

FAQs - Direct To Indirect Speech Rules

Q. What are the rules for changing direct to indirect speech?

The complete set of rules for changing from direct to indirect speech is mentioned here in this article.

Q. What is direct speech?

Direct speech is used to quote exactly the same phrases. When writing in direct speech, we simply leave the words "said" alone and enclose them in quotation marks (" "). We could be recording what is being said (during a phone call, for example) or asking later about a previous discussion inverted commas.

Q. What is indirect speech?

When discussing the past, indirect speech, also known as reported speech, typically involves changing the tense of the words stated. Reporting verbs like "tell," "say," and "ask" are employed, and the word "that" might be used to begin the reported instead of (" ") The concepts of "Reported speech" and "Reported verb" are also introduced through direct and indirect speech.

Q. What are the examples of direct speech?

Some of the examples of direct speech are “Where do they live?”, You asked me where they lived, “When are you leaving?”, He asked us when we were leaving, and “How will they get here?”.

Q. What are the examples of indirect speech?

Some of the examples of indirect speech are You said you’d had a headache the day before yesterday, He said it’d been raining since that afternoon, She said she hadn’t seen them since the previous week, You asked me where they lived.