This document discusses the rules for changing direct speech to reported or indirect speech in English. It states that when the reporting verb is in the past tense, the present tenses in the direct speech change to the corresponding past tenses. It also covers exceptions when tenses do not change, such as for habitual actions or with future/present reporting verbs. The document outlines the specific tense changes that occur and how to handle interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in indirect speech.

1. REPORTED SPEECH

2.  SHE SAID , “ I AM EATINGCHOCOLATE”.
 SAID: Is reported verb.
 I AM EATING CHOCOLATE: reported speech

3. RULES
 When the reporting verb of direct speech is in
past tense then all the present tenses are
changed to corresponding past tense in indirect
speech.
 If direct speech sentences is already in past tense
it will be converted into past perfect in indirect
speech.
 E.g. Direct : She said, ‘i am happy’
 Indirect : She said (that) she was happy
 E.g She said, “she took a bath”
 She said that she had taken a bath.

4.  2. In indirect speech, tenses do not change if
the words used within the quotes (‘’) talk of a
habitual action or universal truth.
 Direct to indirect speech example:
 Direct: He said, ‘we cannot live without air’.
 Indirect: He said that we cannot live without
air.

5.  3.The tenses of direct speech do not
change if the reporting verb is in the future
tense or present tense.
 If reporting verb is in present or future tense
then the sentence in inverted commas will
remain in present or future tense only. It
wont change into past tense
 Direct to indirect speech example:
 Direct: She says/will say, ‘she is going’
 Indirect: She says/will say she is going.

6. 4.Check the tenses
 Direct speech
 Have been
 I am + ing
 Had
 Arrived
 Were + ing
 Will be
 Be + ing
Indirect speech
Had been
s/he was + ing
Had
Had arrived
Had been + ing
Would be
Would be + ing

12. INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
 5. No conjunction is used, if a sentence in direct
speech begins with a question
(what/where/when) as the “question-word” itself
acts as a joining clause.
 Direct: “Where do you live?” asked the boy.
 Indirect:The boy enquired where I lived.
 If it is a yes/no question then use ‘whether/ if ’in
Indirect speech
 Direct: She said, ‘will you come for the party’?
 Indirect: She asked whether we would come for
the party.

13. IMPERATIVE SENTENCE
(Request,command,order,sugge
st)
 If the sentences is imperative then use
infinitive to+verb in Indirect speech
 To+verb: to eat, to read, to sleep etc
 Direct: She said to her ‘Please complete it’.
 Indirect: She requested her to complete it.
 Direct: Hamid said to Ramid, ‘Sit down’.
 Indirect: Hamid ordered Ramid to sit down.

14. EXCLAMATORY
 In Exclamatory sentences that express (grief,
sorrow, happiness, applaud) Interjections are
removed and the sentence is changed to an
assertive sentence.
 When it is exclamatory sentence use ‘that’ as
a conjunction in Indirect speech.
 Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone’.
 Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was
broke.

15. CHANGE IN TIME
 Now becomes then
 Here becomes there
 Ago becomes before
 Thus becomes so
 Today becomes that day
 Tomorrow becomes the next day
 This becomes that
 Yesterday becomes the day before
 These become those
 Hither becomes thither
 Come becomes go
 Hence becomes thence
 Next week Or month becomes following week/month