Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech Examples

It is very important to know all about direct and indirect speech. Similarly, if one reads more and more examples, he will learn completely. This article contains different examples. They are categorized into different scenarios. Different things are changed while we are changing direct speech into indirect speech. Similar examples are given according to the change.

To learn all about direct speech and indirect speech, you had better visit our site www.studyenglishpage.com.   

Change of Pronouns Examples

Direct	He said, “I am your younger brother.”
Indirect	He said that he was my younger brother.
Direct	He said to me, “You are twenty years old.”
Indirect	He told me that I was twenty years old.
Direct	She said, “They are disturbing me.”
Indirect	She said that they were disturbing her.

 

Indirect Speech Tense Changes Examples

Simple Present in Indirect Examples

Direct	John said, “He uses a calculator.”
Indirect	John said that he used a calculator.
Direct	John said, “I knock on her house’s door.”
Indirect	John said that he knocked on her house’s door.
Direct	John said to me, “Ali starts his class.”
Indirect	John said to me that Ali started his class.

 

Present Continuous in Indirect Examples

Direct	Diya said, “I am watering the plants.”
Indirect	Diya said that she was watering the plants.
Direct	Diya said, “My Mom is sewing my clothes.”
Indirect	Diya said that her Mom was sewing her clothes.
Direct	Diya said, “They are playing PUBG.”
Indirect	Diya said that they were playing PUBG.

 

Present Perfect in Indirect Examples

Direct	George said, “I have bought a storybook.”
Indirect	George said that he had bought a storybook.
Direct	George said, “She has circulated the new order.”
Indirect	George said that she had circulated the new order.
Direct	George said, “They have stored some water.”
Indirect	George said that they had stored some water.

 

Present Perfect Continuous in Indirect Examples

Direct	We said, “We have been going for two hours.”
Indirect	We said that we had been going for two hours.
Direct	We said, “She has been driving for three hours.”
Indirect	We said that she had been driving for three hours.
Direct	We said, “He has been fixing the car since morning.”
Indirect	We said that he had been fixing the car since morning.

 

Simple Past in Indirect Examples

Direct	You said, “I called them.”
Indirect	You said that you had called them.
Direct	You said, “They didn’t take care of you.”
Indirect	You said that they had not taken care of you.
Direct	You said, “She did everything for you.”
Indirect	You said that she had done everything for you.

 

Past Continuous in Indirect Examples

Direct	Mary said, “I was watching a movie at 11:30.”
Indirect	Mary said that she had been watching a movie at 11:30.
Direct	Mary said, “John was driving when I called him.”
Indirect	Mary said that John had been driving when she called him.
Direct	Mary said, “The baby was crying when I saw him.”
Indirect	Mary said that the baby was crying when she saw him.

 

Past Perfect in Indirect Examples

Direct	Emma said, “She had closed the door.”
Indirect	Emma said that she had closed the door.
Direct	Emma said, “They hadn’t informed me.”
Indirect	Emma said that they hadn’t informed her.
Direct	Emma said, “Mary had submitted her file.”
Indirect	Emma said that Mary had submitted her file.

 

Past Perfect Continuous in Indirect Examples

Direct	Sara said, “She had been writing a letter for five minutes.”
Indirect	Sara said that she had been writing a letter for five minutes.
Direct	Sara said, “I had been jumping for thirty minutes.”
Indirect	Sara said that she had been jumping for thirty minutes.
Direct	Sara said, “H had been working in the fields since morning.”
Indirect	Sara said that he had been working in the fields since morning.

 

Future Tenses in Indirect Examples

Direct	Lisa said, “He will distribute the money.”
Indirect	Lisa said that he would distribute the money.
Direct	Lisa said, “Emma will have arranged the party.”
Indirect	Lisa said that Emma would have arranged the party.
Direct	Lisa said, “Mary will be eating at 12 O’clock.”
Indirect	Lisa said that Mary would be eating at 12 O’clock.

 

No Back-shift in Indirect Examples

Direct	She said, “My husband is a teacher.”
Indirect	She said that her husband is a teacher.
Direct	She said, “They have bought a new house.”
Indirect	She said that they have bought a new house.
Direct	She said, “Their flight arrives tomorrow.”
Indirect	She said that their flight arrives tomorrow.

 

Indirect Examples without Tense Changes

Direct	Lisa says, “We are discussing something important.”
Indirect	Lisa says that they are discussing something important.
Direct	Lisa says, “They work day and night.”
Indirect	Lisa says that they work day and night.
Direct	Lisa will say, “I have washed the clothes.”
Indirect	Lisa will say that she has washed the clothes.

Modal Verbs in Indirect Examples

Modals that Remain the Same

Direct	Bobby said, “I could type 60 words per minute.”
Indirect	Bobby said that he could type 60 words per minute.”
Direct	Bobby said, “You should start your own business.”
Indirect	Bobby said that I should start my own business.
Direct	Bobby said, “They had better stay for two days.”
Indirect	Bobby said that they had better stay for two days.

 

Modals That We Change

Direct	Sara said, “I can cook many dishes.”
Indirect	Sara said that she could cook many dishes.
Direct	Sara said, “I may be in Islamabad next year.”
Indirect	Sara said that she might be in Islamabad next year.
Direct	Sara said, “You must cover the electric wires.”
Indirect	Sara said that we had to cover the electric wires.

 

Time Words in Indirect Examples

Direct	Anna said, “I will translate it tomorrow.”
Indirect	Anna said that she would translate it the following day.
Direct	Anna said, “I am editing my CV now.”
Indirect	Anna said that she was editing her CV then.
Direct	Anna said, “Lisa sold her laptop yesterday.”
Indirect	Anna said that Lisa had sold her laptop the previous day.

 

Place Words in Indirect Examples

Direct	Lisa said, “I put my purse here.”
Indirect	Lisa said that she had put her purse there.
Direct	Lisa said, “This is my new car.”
Indirect	Lisa said that that was her new car.
Direct	Lisa said, “I have given an exam in this hall.”
Indirect	Lisa said that she had given an exam in that hall.

Questions in Indirect Examples

Yes/No Questions in Indirect Examples

Direct	Emma said, “Are you painting something?”
Indirect	Emma asked if I was painting something.
Direct	Emma said, “Did she marry Bobby?”
Indirect	Emma asked if she had married Bobby.
Direct	Emma said, “Will you marry Anna?”
Indirect	Emma asked whether I would marry Anna.

 

WH Questions in Indirect Examples

Direct	Sara said, “What have you composed so far?”
Indirect	Sara asked what I had composed so far.
Direct	Sara said, “When did Anna go on vacation?”
Indirect	Sara asked when Anna had gone on vacation.
Direct	Sara said, “Where has he left his bag?”
Indirect	Sara asked where he had left his bag.

 

Commands in Indirect Examples

Direct	John said, “Furnish the office.”
Indirect	John ordered me to furnish the office.
Direct	John said, “Stop talking loudly!”
Indirect	John told me to stop talking loudly.
Direct	John said, “Do not cross the road right now.”
Indirect	John warned me not to cross the road right then.

 

Exclamations in Indirect Examples

Direct	Lisa said, “Alas! My husband lost his mobile.”
Indirect	Lisa exclaimed with sorrow that her husband had lost his mobile.
Direct	Lisa said, “What a cute baby I saw at the park!”
Indirect	Lisa exclaimed that she had seen a cute boy at the park.
Direct	Lisa said, “Wow! It is so delicious.”
Indirect	Lisa exclaimed that it was so delicious.

 

Optative Sentences in Indirect Examples

Direct	Emma said, “May you have a cute baby!”
Indirect	Emma prayed that I might have a cute baby.
Direct	Emma said, “Wish you have a safe journey!”
Indirect	Emma wished that I had a safe journey.
Direct	Emma said, “May John go to hell!”
Indirect	Emma cursed that John might go to hell.

 

Reporting Verbs in Indirect Examples

Direct	The air host said, “We are going to land in 15 minutes.”
Indirect	The air host announced that we were going to land in 15 minutes.
Direct	The customer said, “The delivery took too much time.”
Indirect	The customer complained that the delivery had taken too much time.
Direct	Lisa said, “You should have more money.”
Indirect	Lisa advised me that I should have more money.
Direct	Lisa said to me, “Ali will check the paper.”
Indirect	Lisa told me that Ali would check the paper.
Direct	John said, “I will kill your son.”
Indirect	John threatened to kill my son.
Direct	John said to me, “Recall all your subordinates.”
Indirect	John reminded me to recall all my subordinates.
Direct	John said, “Let’s swim today.”
Indirect	John suggested swimming that day.

 

Passive Voice in Indirect Examples

Direct	John said, “Lisa is being called.”
Indirect	John said that Lisa was being called.
Direct	John said, “The meeting was canceled.”
Indirect	John said that the meeting had been canceled.
Direct	John said, “The party will be arranged well.”
Indirect	John said that the party would be arranged well.

 

 Related Topics"

                  Direct and Indirect Speech

                  Punctuating Direct Speech