Narrating, quoting, speaking out, or conveying someone’s exact words is called direct speech or narration. On the other hand, indirect narration refers to the act of conveying someone’s message in your own words.
This article covers:
- Why We Learn Direct to Indirect Speech Rules Apart from Scoring Higher in the Exams
- Direct/Indirect Speech Sentence Dissection
- 6 Easiest, Scientifically-derived Direct to Indirect Speech Rules – Class 10 and Higher Classes
- 100 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples with Answers
1. Why We Learn Direct to Indirect Speech Rules Apart from Scoring Higher in the Exams
In our routine (practical) life, we often have to convey someone’s message to other/s. While it is difficult for us to keep remembering (memorizing) others’ exact words every time they speak out, we generally use our own words to communicate the given message. This is called indirect narration.
That is why it is crucial for a successful practical communication that we learn and apply the direct to indirect speech rules.
2. Direct/Indirect Speech Sentence Dissection
There are usually two clauses in both the direct and indirect speech utterances.
In the case of direct narration, the exact words of the speaker are put inside inverted commas and are called “Reported Speech”. While the clause outside the inverted commas is called “Reporting Speech”. The “Reporting Speech” usually contains the messenger’s own words.
She said to me, “Are you unwell today?”
Reporting Speech: She said to me,
Reported Speech: “Are you unwell today?”
Note: The “Reporting Speech” part of the sentence may also come after the “Reported Speech” component.
3. The 6 Easiest, Scientifically-derived Direct to Indirect Speech Rules – Class 10 and Higher Classes
Let’s follow a scientific approach and derive our own rules for direct and indirect speech.
Just analyze the following example sentence for possible changes that may occur while you move from direct to indirect narration. This single example would be enough to highlight all the direct to indirect speech rules.
Direct Speech:
She said to me, “Are you unwell today?”
Indirect Speech:
She asked me if I was unwell that day.
The changes that you can observe in the example sentence have been listed and categorized in the following ‘direct to indirect speech rules’ chart.
6 Easiest Direct to Indirect Speech Rules Derivation Chart
| Sr. No. | Change from … | Change to … | Type of Change | Inference/Deriving Rules |
| 1. | Said | Asked | Change of verb of “Reporting Speech” | Rule 1: The verb of “Reporting Speech will change according to the mood of the verb or type of clause (semantically) enclosed within inverted commas. |
| 2. | “” (Inverted Commas) | If | Use of Conjunction | Rule 2: The inverted commas will be replaced by conjunction. |
| 3. | are | was | Change of tense | Rule 3: The tense of the reported speech may change depending on the tense of the reporting speech. |
| 4. | you | I | Change of Pronoun | Rule 4: The pronouns in the reported speech may change corresponding to the subject/object of the reporting speech. |
| 5. | today | that day | Change of certain words | Rule 5: The words depicting nearness will be replaced by those showing farness (distance). |
| 6. | Question | Statement | Change of sentence type | Rule 6: If inverted commas enclose an interrogative sentence, it will change into a statement. |
100 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples, Exercises with Answers
| Direct Narration | Indirect Narration |
| Afshan said, “I am sewing mother’s shirt”. (Repeat: 2016) | Afshan said that she was sewing mother’s shirt. |
| He said, “I completed my drawing half an hour ago”. | He said that he had completed his drawing half an hour before. |
| The teacher said, “I have often told you not to play with fire”. | The teacher said that he had often told me not to play with fire. |
| He said, “How well she sings!” | He exclaimed with wonder that she sang very well. |
| Rehana said, “Will you stop interfering in my work?” | Rehana asked if I would stop interfering in her work. |
| She said, “May you prosper!” | She prayed that I might prosper. |
| The stranger said, “Which is the way to Shalimar Garden?” | The stranger asked which way to Shalimar Garden was. |
| Roshan said, “Let us finish our work first”. (Repeat: 2016) | Roshan proposed that they should finish their work first. |
| She said, “I am doing my home task now”. (Repeat: 2016) | She said that she was doing her home task then. |
| He said, “I have returned the pen”. | He said that he had returned the pen. |
| She said, “The patient had recovered”. | She said that the patient had recovered. |
| The mother said, “Didn’t I ask you not to go there?” | The mother asked if she had not asked me not to go there. |
| The master said to the servant, “Go and fetch me glass of water”. | The master ordered the servant to go and fetch him a glass of water. |
| The teacher said, “Who is next on the list?” | The teacher asked who next on the list was. |
| The teacher said, “The earth is round”. | The teacher said that the earth is round. |
| He said, “Alas! We have lost the match”. | He exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost the match. |
| My father said to me, “Obey your elders”. | My father advised me to obey my elders. |
| He said, “What a beautiful piece of art!” (Repeat: 2016) | He exclaimed with wonder that it was a beautiful piece of art. |
| Zahid said to his friends, “Please lend me your bike for a day.” | Zahid requested his friends to lend him their bike for a day. |
| The king said, “Alas! We cannot defeat our enemies.” | The king exclaimed with sorrow that they couldn’t defeat their enemies. |
| The doctor said to the patient, “Did you take a bath?” | The doctor asked the patient if he had taken a bath. |
| The master said to his servant, “Do not sit here.” | The master ordered his servant not to sit there. |
| He said to me, “Which is your book?” | He asked me which my book was. |
| He said, “I have returned the books”. | He said that he had returned the books. |
| He said to the stranger, “I do not recognize you.” | He told the stranger that he didn’t recognize him. |
| He said to me, “What are you looking for?” | He asked me what I was looking for. |
| He said, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” | He asked if I was not ashamed of myself. |
| He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” | He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. |
| She said, “Would that my father were alive.” (Repeat: 2016) | She wished that her father had been alive. |
| He said, “How many chapters have you done already?” | He asked how many chapter I had done already. |
| She said to me, “Please lend me your camera for a day.” (Repeat: 2016) | She requested me to lend her my camera for a day. |
| The judge said, “Call the next witness.” (Repeat: 2016) | The judge ordered to call the next witness. |
| He said, “Alas! We cannot defeat our enemy.” | He exclaimed with sorrow that they could not defeat their enemy. |
| He says, “I want to speak to you.” | He says that he wants to speak to me. |
| The father said to his son, “Get up early in the morning.” | The father advised his son to get up early in the morning. |
| He said to me, “What do you want me to do?” (Repeat: 2016) | He asked me what I wanted him to do. |
| The teacher said, “Do not make a noise.” | The teacher ordered the students not to make a noise. The teacher ordered not to make a noise. |
| The teacher said, “Don’t make a noise.” | The teacher ordered the students not to make a noise. The teacher ordered not to make a noise. |
| She said to me, “Tell the truth.” | She advised me to tell the truth. |
| They say, “We have done our duty.” | They say that they have done their duty. |
| He said, “Alas! I am ruined.” (Repeat: 2016) | He exclaimed with sorrow that he had been ruined. |
| She said, “I like clouds in the sky.” | She said that she liked clouds in the sky. |
| She said, “I do not agree with you.” (Repeat: 2016) | She said that she did not agree with me. |
| She said, “They have not eaten their meals.” | She said that they had not eaten their meals. |
| He said, “Do you agree with me?” | He asked if I agreed with him. He asked whether I agreed with him. |
| He said, “Have you ever visited Murree Hills?” | He asked if I had ever visited Murree Hills. |
| The doctor said to the patient, “Take complete rest and follow my direction.” | The doctor advised the patient to take complete rest and follow his direction. |
| He said to her, “Please fetch me a glass of water.” | He requested her to fetch him a glass of water. |
| The mother said to her daughter, “May God bless you with a son!” | The mother prayed for her daughter that God might bless her with a son. |
| They said, “Our teacher is on leave.” | They said that their teacher was on leave. |
| She said, “I am working hard.” (Repeat: 2016) | She said that she was working hard. |
| He said to her, “I live in this building.” | He said to her that he lived in that building. |
| They said, “We have done our work.” | They said that they had done their work. |
| She said, “I did not go to school yesterday.” (Repeat: 2016) | She said that she had not gone to school the previous day. |
| She said, “I didn’t go to school yesterday.” | She said that she had not gone to school the previous day. |
| She said, “Are you going to Lahore today?” | She asked if I was going to Lahore that day. |
| The mother said to her son, “May you return successful!” | The mother prayed for her son that he might return successful. |
| He said, “She will go there.” | He said that she would go there. |
| She said to me, “You are a lazy boy.” | She told me that I was a lazy boy. |
| The teacher said, “Who is the next on list?” (Repeat: 2016) | The teacher asked who the next on list was. |
| He said, “I am unwell.” (Repeat: 2016) | He said that he was unwell. |
| You have said, “They are waiting outside.” | You have said that they are waiting outside. |
| The referee said, “Quiet, please.” | The referee requested to be quiet. |
| The teacher said, “Who is the author of this book?” | The teacher asked who the author of that book was. |
| The teacher said, “Whose is this book?” | The teacher asked whose that book was. |
| Farhan said to uncle, “Please help me in getting some job.” | Farhan requested his uncle to help him in getting some job. |
| The mother said, “Shall we invite the Qureshis also?” | The mother asked if they should invite the Qureshis also. |
| The doctor says, “The patient is still in a state of coma.” | The doctor says that the patient is still in a state of coma. |
| She says, “We love and respect our neighbours very much.” | She says that they love and respect their neighbours very much. |
| He said, “The patient died in the hospital.” (Repeat: 2016) | He said that the patient had died in the hospital. |
| He said, “They will wait for us for one hour only.” | He said that they would wait for them for one hour only. |
| The mother said to her daughter, “Please tidy up your room.” | The mother advised her daughter to tidy up her room. |
| He said to me, “Let us go for a walk.” | He suggested me that they should go for a walk. He suggested me that we should go for a walk. |
| She has said, “She is ready to accompany us to Karachi.” | She has said that she is ready to accompany them to Karachi. |
| She said, “Is this your book?” (Repeat: 2016) | She asked if that was my book. |
| The teacher said to me, “I have taught you and your sister.” | The teacher told me that he had taught me and my sister. |
| Amjad said, “I shall explain this point to you.” | Amjad said that he would explain that point to me. |
| The judge said, “Have you anything more to say?” | The judge asked if I had anything more to say. |
| She says, “We have shifted to another house.” | She says that they have shifted to another house. |
| You will say, “She is cranky.” | You will say that she is cranky. |
| The teacher says, “She has always been a good student.” | The teacher says that she has always been a good student. |
| She says, “I hope I am not late.” (Repeat: 2016) | She says that she hopes she is not late. |
| He said to me, “You are not running very fast.” | He told me that I was not running very fast. |
| He said, “I am watering the plants in the garden”. (2016) | He said that he was watering the plants in the garden. |
| He said, “I hope you will not repeat this mistake”. (2016) | He said that he hoped I would not repeat that mistake. |
| She said, “Where do you live?” (2016) | He enquired of me where I lived. |
| He said, “May God help me do my duty”. (2016) | He prayed that God might help him do his duty. |
| He said, “Will you listen to me?” (2016) | He asked me whether I would listen to him. |
| He said to his sister, “Please say something.” (2016) | He requested his sister to say something. |
| She said to them, “Let us not deceive ourselves.” (2016) | She suggested that they should not deceive themselves. |
| My brother said to me, “You have missed the point completely.” (2016) | My brother told me that I had missed the point completely. |
| She said to her father, “May you live long!” (2016) | She prayed that her father might live long. |
| He said, “Hurrah! I have won the medal.” (2016) | He exclaimed with joy that he had won the medal. |
Request to Readers:
Readers/learners are requested to give their precious feedback about direct to indirect speech rules and other topics covered here. Your suggestions will be highly welcome and valued. Thanks!
