a list of all the rules of changing assertive imperative, interrogative exclamatory sentence from direct to indirect speech with Examples

 Reported Speech

We use direct speech when we repeat someone’s words and

indirect speech when we use our own words to report what

someone else has said. We use an appropriate reporting verb,

When we want to report what people say, we use reporting verbs. Some of the reporting verbs are: tell, ask, reply, warn, say, report,

answer, explain, exclaim, mention, promise, suggest, order, etc. or example:

Harish complained that he was being ignored.

He asked if they could take the bat.

Rita told her not to stay back.



In indirect speech, we change the question to a statement.

For Example

Direct Speech: He said to his friend, ‘Where do you live?’

Indirect Speech: He asked his friend where he lived.


You can see how the question has been changed into a statement.


Direct Speech: She asked her mother, ‘What are you doing?’

Indirect Speech: She asked her mother what she was doing.

 Here in the indirect speech if we write _ ‘Was she  doing ‘ it is still a question so it will be wrong.

Indirect speech has only statements so we use a full stop at the end of the sentence.


Yes/no questions

In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question.

In yes/no questions, we use if or whether to report the question. If is more common.

‘Are you going to the fair?'

He asked me if I was going to the fair.

'Have you finished the work?'

She asked me whether I had  finished the work.

Questions with a question word

In what, where, why, who, when or how questions, we use the question word to report the question.


'What is the length of this slate?'

He asked me what the length of the slate was..

'Where did he go?' said she.

She asked where he went.

Reporting verbs

The most common reporting verb for questions is ask, but we can also use verbs like enquire, want to know or wonder.

Direct Speech to Indirect Speech conversion – Present Tense 

When the reporting verb of direct speech is in past tense then all the present tenses are changed to the corresponding past tense in indirect speech.  

Simple Present Changes to Simple Past

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: “I am overjoyed”, she said.

Indirect: She said that she was overjoyed.

Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect.

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: “I have been to Agra”, she told me.

Indirect: She told me that she had been to Agra.

Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

The tenses of direct speech do not change if the reporting verb refers to the future or is in present tense

  Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: She says/will say, ‘I like the painting’

Indirect: She says/will say she likes the painting.

In indirect speech, tenses do not change if the sentence in the Direct Speech is  of a habitual action or universal truth.

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: He said, ‘The Earth moves around the Sun.’

Indirect: He said that the Earth moves around the Sun. 

In indirect speech, tenses do not change if the sentence in the Direct Speech is  of a habitual action or universal truth.

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: He said, ‘The Earth moves around the Sun.’

Indirect: He said that the Earth moves around the Sun. 

Direct Speech to Indirect Speech conversion – Past Tense
  • Simple Past Changes to Past Perfect

  • Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: She said, “I sang loudly.”

Indirect: She said that she had sung loudly.

Direct: I said,’She did not know the way’

Indirect: I said that she had not known the way

(Did  not changes into   had not)

  • Past Continuous Changes to Past Perfect Continuous

Direct to indirect speech example

Direct: “We were playing outside”, they told me.

Indirect: They told me that they had been playing outside.


  • Present Continuous Changes to Past Continuous

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: “I am playing football”, she said

Indirect: She said that she was playing football.

  • Present Perfect Changes to Past Perfect

Direct to indirect speech example:

Direct: Namita said, “She has completed the assignment“.

Indirect: Namita said that she had completed the assignment.

 Past Perfect remains as Past Perfect it does not change

Direct Speech: He said,’ I had found a kite’

Indirect Speech: He said that he had found a kite

In the table, we are sharing some words which are changed in Indirect speech.

Direct Speech              Indirect speech

  • Can                                      could

  • May                                      Might

  • Must                                     Had to/ Would have to

  • Should                                 Should

  • Might                                    Might

  • Could                                   Could

  • will                                       Would

  •  Would                                  would

  • Ought to                               Ought to

  • Direct Speech                    Indirect Speech


    • Now                                       Then

    • Here                                       There

    • Today                                     That day

    • Tomorrow                              The next day

    • Last week                               The previous week

    • This                                                That

    • Tonight                                          That night

    • Ago                                                Before

    • Come                                             Go

    • Next                                               Following

    • Rewrite the following sentences in indirect speech :


       (I)Why did the bee save the dove?’ She asked her friend

       (ii) He said to me, "Don’t touch this wire. It's live."

      (iii) The stranger said to me, "Can you tell me the way to a good

             hotel ?"

       (iv) He asked me, "Where is the station ?"

       (v) He said to me, "Hard work is the key to success.

       (vi) My father said to me, "Why are you late?"

       (vii) He said to me, "Slow and Steady wins the race."

       (viii) He said to his friend "Please lend me your book."

      (ix) The man said to Vishal, "Get me the form."

       (x) He said, "I don't like coffee."

       

    • xi) My mother said to me, "Have you done your homework ?

      (xii)"We have had no rain since  January”, Ramu said

      (xiii)She said, "What a lovely baby !"

      (xiv) "No, he said, "I won't go there."

      (xv) "Can you tell me where she stays?" he asked me.

      (xvi) My father said, "You must do well in this examination."

      (xvii) The teacher said, "Rita, please write this on the book.’’

      (xviii)They child said to his friend “Will you please wait?” 

      (xix) Kumar said to Anitha, “Do you think I am a warrior ?”

      (xx) He said to his friend, “How foolish of you to say that !”

    • .She asked her friend why the bee had saved the dove.

      2 He advised me not to touch the wire as it was live.

      3 The stranger asked me if I could tell him the way to any good hotel.

      4.He asked me where the station was.

      5.He told me that hard work is the key to success.

      6.My asked me why I was late.

      7. He told me slow and steady wins the race.

      8.He requested his friend to lend him his book.

      9.The man told Vishal to get him the form.

      10.I said that I did not like coffee.


    • 11.My asked me if I had done my homework.

      12.Ramu said that they had no rain since January.

      13.She exclaimed that it was a lovely baby.

      14.He said no he would not go there. OR He replied in negative and said he would not go there.

      15.He asked me if I could tell him where she stayed.

      16 My father advised me to do well in that examination. OR My father said that I must do well in that examination.

      17 The teacher requested Rita to write that on the book.

      18.The child asked his friend politely if he would wait.

      19.Kumar asked Anitha if she thought he was a warrior.

      20He told his friend that it was very foolish of him to say that.

      An imperative sentence expresses ideas such as advice, order, request, suggestion, instruction, permission, allowance etc.

      In order to change an imperative sentence into the indirect speech, we use a to-infinitive  and with reporting verb.

      Reporting Verbs

      Advise, command, request, suggest, threaten, order, forbid, propose,  prompt etc

      Direct: The man said to the boy, ‘Please keep the book on the table.’

      Indirect: The  man requested the boy to keep the book on the table..
      Direct: I said to him, ‘ Obey your elders.’
      Indirect: I advised him to obey his elders. 
      Direct: The teacher said to the students, ‘Sit straight.’
      Indirect: The teacher advised the students to sit straight
      Direct: Ruhi said to me, ‘Please lend me your box.’
      Indirect: Ruhi requested me to lend her my box.


      Exclamatory sentences express a sudden emotions such as joy, sorrow, regret, surprise etc. Common explanatory phrases are given below:

      Hurrah! Ha! 

      Alas! Oh! 
      Bravo! 
      What! Oh! How! 
       

      An exclamatory sentence has a sign of exclamation after it which changes into a full stop in the indirect speech.

      In indirect speech, the exclamatory phrase or word (interjection) is replaced by ‘exclaimed with joy, sorrow,  surprise etc.’

      The word 'that' is added  in the indirect speech.

      Examples are given below:

      Direct: The girl said, ‘Hurrah! I have stood first.’
      Indirect: The girl exclaimed with joy that she had come first. 
      Direct: The old woman said, ‘Alas! He is no more.’
      Indirect: The old woman exclaimed with sorrow that he was no more.
      Direct: Ruhi said, ‘What a beautiful bird!’
      Indirect: Ruhi exclaimed with delight that it was a very 
      beautiful sight. OR Ruhi exclaimed with delight that the sight was very beautiful.


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