Direct Speech is what the speaker actually said ("I am happy").
Indirect Speech is reporting it to
someone else (He said that he was happy).
Rule: Present becomes Past. Past becomes Past Perfect.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| Simple Present (Play) | Simple Past (Played) |
| Present Continuous (Is Playing) | Past Continuous (Was Playing) |
| Present Perfect (Has Played) | Past Perfect (Had Played) |
| Simple Past (Played) | Past Perfect (Had Played) |
| Past Continuous (Was Playing) | Past Perfect Continuous (Had Been Playing) |
| Will / Can / May | Would / Could / Might |
| Direct | Reported |
|---|---|
| Now | Then |
| Here | There |
| Today | That day |
| Tomorrow | The next day |
| Yesterday | The previous day |
Example: He said, "I am busy."
=> He said that he
was busy.
Example (Wh): He said to me, "Where are you going?"
=> He asked me where
I was going.
Example (Yes/No): He said, "Are you happy?"
=> He asked if I was happy.
Example: The teacher said, "Sit down."
=> The teacher ordered him
to sit down.
Example: He said, "Please help me."
=> He requested me
to help him.
Subject -> 1st Person (I, We)
Object -> 2nd Person (You)
No Change -> 3rd Person (He, She, It, They)
Example: He said to me, "I like your dress."
=> He told me that he (Subject) liked my (Object) dress.
Q1 (2024): Adam asked Emma, "Why have you opted for a career in law?"
Ans: Adam asked Emma why she had opted for a career in law.
Q2 (2024): Customer: "I have to travel for work often."
Ans: The customer clarified that he had to travel for work often.