Direct and Indirect Speech

Learn how to quote someone's words and report what they said.

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Topic

What do they mean?

Direct speech gives the exact words someone said. Indirect speech, or reported speech, tells someone else's words without quotation marks. We often change tense, pronouns, and time words.

"I am happy," she said.
She said that she was happy.
"Do you like tea?" he asked.
He asked if I liked tea.
Big idea

Ask: exact words or reported words?

Direct speechAli said, "I am tired."Exact words in quotes.
Indirect speechAli said that he was tired.Reported words, no quotes.
Reporting verbsaid, told, asked, orderedShows how the words are reported.
Direct

Direct speech uses quotation marks.

Exact words"I like apples," Sara said.Keep the speaker's words.
PunctuationShe said, "I am ready."Comma before the quote.
Speaker tag"Come here," said Dad.Who said it?
Indirect

Indirect speech reports the meaning.

No quotation marksSara said that she liked apples.Reported idea.
That is optionalHe said he was ready.That can be left out.
Change pronouns"I" may become he, she, I, or they.Match the speaker.
Tense

Backshift the tense when reporting past speech.

am/is/are -> was/were"I am busy." -> He said he was busy.Present to past.
present simple -> past simple"I play." -> She said she played.Backshift.
will -> would"I will help." -> He said he would help.Future to would.
Form reminder

Pronouns and possessives must match.

I -> he/she"I lost my pen," Ali said.
Ali said he had lost his pen.Speaker changes.
you -> me/us/them"I saw you," she said.
She said she had seen me.Listener changes.
my -> his/her"My bag is blue," Sara said.
Sara said her bag was blue.Possessive changes.
Form reminder

Time and place words often change.

now -> then"I am busy now." -> He said he was busy then.Time changes.
today -> that day"I work today." -> She said she worked that day.Reported later.
here -> there"I live here." -> He said he lived there.Place changes.
Compare

Reported questions use statement word order.

Yes/no question"Are you ready?" -> He asked if I was ready.Use if/whether.
Wh-question"Where do you live?" -> She asked where I lived.Keep the question word.
No question orderNot: where did I live.Use statement order.
Common mistake

Commands use told or asked + object + to.

Command"Open the door," she said.
She told me to open the door.to + base verb.
Negative command"Don't run," he said.
He told us not to run.not to + base verb.
Request"Please help me," she said.
She asked me to help her.Polite request.
Sentence completion 1

Choose the correct form.

Direct: "I am tired," Ali said. Indirect: Ali said that he ___ tired.

Sentence completion 2

Choose the correct form.

Direct: "I will help," Sara said. Indirect: Sara said that she ___.

Sentence completion 3

Choose the correct form.

Direct: "Are you ready?" he asked. Indirect: He asked ___ I was ready.

MCQ 1

Which sentence is correct?

Choose the best sentence.

MCQ 2

Which sentence reports a command?

Choose the best sentence.

Paragraph completion 1

Fill five blanks.

Choose the correct form. Think about tense, pronouns, questions, commands, and time words.

"I am busy," Lina said. Lina said that she busy.
"I lost my key," Ali said. Ali said that he his key.
"Do you play tennis?" she asked. She asked I played tennis.
"Wait here," Dad said. Dad told me there.
"I will visit today," Sara said. Sara said she would visit .
Test 1

Mixed question types of 5

Answer all five. Then tap Finish test to see your result sheet.

1. Sentence completion

"I am hungry," Omar said. Omar said that he ___ hungry.

2. MCQ

Which sentence correctly reports: "I like music," she said.

3. Type the answer

"Can you swim?" he asked. He asked ___ I could swim.

4. Type the answer

"Don't be late," Mum said. Mum told me ___ to be late.

5. MCQ

Which reported question is correct?

Cumulative result sheet

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