1.

     He said, “I am fine.”
He said that he was fine.
2.     He said to me, “I am fine.”
He told me that he was fine.
3.     He says, “I am fine.”
He says that he is fine.
4.     He says to me, “I am fine.”
He tells me that he is fine.
5.     He will say, “I am fine.”
He will say that he is fine.
6.     He will say to me, “I am fine.”
He will tell me that he is fine.
7.     He truly said, “No one can live without water.”
He truly said that No one can live without water.” {Universal Truth}
8.     He said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
He said that honesty is the best policy.” {Universal Truth}
9.     Ravi said, “I am reading this book.”
Ravi said that he was reading that book.
10.  Dad said to Pankaj, “I will not give you pocket money.”
Dad told Pankaj that he would not give him pocket money.
11.  My friend said, “I have been to England thrice.”
My friend said that he had been to English thrice.
12.  He said, “I will be in Mumbai tomorrow.”
He said that he would be in Mumbai the next/following day.
13.  He said, “I’ll be using the bike next Monday.”
He said that he would be using the bike next Monday.
14.  He said, “I can run faster than Ravi.”
He said that he could run faster than Ravi.
15.  He said, “I may buy a pen.”
He said that he might buy a pen.
16.  He said, “Seema must work hard.”
He said that Seema had to work hard.
17.  He said, “I should meet you in the evening.”
He said that he should meet me in the evening.
18.  He said to me, “What are you doing?”
He asked me what I was doing.
19.  He said to me, “What is Shilpa doing?”
He asked me what Shilpa was doing.
20.  He said to me, “What am I doing?”
He asked me what he was doing.
21.  He said to me, “Where do you live?”
He asked me where I lived.
22.  He said to me, “How much money do you have?”
He asked me how much money I had.
23.  He said to Rahul, “When will you come?”
He asked Rahul when he would come.
24.  He said to us, “Will you come for the meeting?”
He asked us if/whether we would come for the meeting.
25.  The teacher said to Rehman, “Stand up right now.”
The teacher ordered/instructed Rehman to stand up right then.
26.  Doctor said to the patient, “Change your food habits”.
Doctor suggested/advised the patient to change his food habits.
27.  She said to her husband, “Please speak the truth.”
She requested her husband to speak the truth.
28.  She said to Boby, “Please give me a glass of water.”
She requested Boby to give her a glass of water.
29.  Boss said, “Follow me”.
Boss ordered/instructed to follow him.
30.  Anjali said to her boss, “Please grant me leave for a day.”
Anjali requested her boss to grant her leave for a day.
31.  She said to her friends, “Please do not tell a lie.”
She requested her friends not to tell a lie.
32.  The Principal said to us, “Don’t make a noise.”
The Principal instructed/ordered us not to make a noise.
33.  Ayansh said, “Fantastic! We have won the match.”
Ayansh exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
34.  My uncle said, “Well done! You have done a good job.”
My uncle exclaimed with applause that I had done a good job.
35.  She said, “Oh! I lost my pen.”
She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her pen.
36.  Arnavi said, “Sorry for being late!”
Arnavi exclaimed with regret that she was late.
37.  He said, “I can’t believe this!”
He exclaimed with wonder/surprise that he couldn’t believe that.
38.  Arnavi said, “He is unbelievably a great player.”
Arnavi exclaimed with wonder/surprise that he was unbelievably a great player.
39.  She said to me, “Wow! What a pleasant weather it is!”
She exclaimed with joy that it was a very pleasant weather.
40.  Neha said, “Alas! I have lost my mobile.”
Neha exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her mobile.
41.  She said to me, “How could you be so foolish!”
She exclaimed with surprise/wonder how I could be so foolish.
42.  Arnavi said, “Unbelievable!”
Arnavi exclaimed with wonder/surprise that it was unbelievable.
43.  He said, “Good morning, Mom!”
He wished his Mom good morning.
44.  Arnavi said to her dad, “Good night!”
Arnavi bade her dad good night.
45.  He said, “Would that I were a girl!”
He wished that he had been a girl.
46.  Aman said, “I wish my friends were here!”
Aman wished that his friends had been there.
47.  He said to Mayank, “May you succeed in life!”
He prayed that Mayank might succeed in life.
48.  Aman said, “Good bye, friends!”
Aman bade his friends good bye.
49.  Sachin said to me, “Good evening, Sir!”
Sachin wished me good evening.
50.  She said to me, “Would that you were here at that time!”
She wished that I had been there at that time.
1.     He said to Ravi, “I need to go home with you.”
He told Ravi that he needed to go home with him.
2.     He said to me, “Does he go to school daily?”
He asked me if he went to school daily.
3.     He said to me, “I am your best friend.”
He told me that he was my best friend.
4.     He said, “Raveena had a car.”
He said that Raveena had a car.
5.     He said, “Who are you?”
He asked who I was.
6.     He said to Shweta, “Who are you to me?”
He asked Shweta who she was to him.
7.     My boss said to me, “Don’t go there.”
My boss ordered me not to go there.
8.     He said, “Would that I were a girl!”
He wished that he had been a girl.
9.     He said, “May you succeed in life!”
He prayed that I might succeed in life.
10.  He said, “Oh no! I missed it.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that he had missed it.
11.  She said to Mayank, “Whom will you meet today?”
She asked Mayank whom he would meet that day.
12.  He said, “Ravi met me yesterday.”
He said that Ravi had met him the previous day.
13.  He said, “Am I at home?”
He asked if he was at home. (or) He asked whether he was at home.
14.  She said, “Would that she were at home!”
She wished that she had been at home.
15.  He said to Shabnam, “May you live long!”
He prayed that Shabnam might live long.
16.  He said, “How many people are here?”
He asked how many people there were.
17.  He said, “You can’t talk about me.”
He said that I couldn’t talk about him.
18.  He said to Meena, “I must consult a doctor.”
He told Meena that he had to consult a doctor.
19.  He said to me, “Please keep the door ajar.”
He requested me to keep the door ajar.
20.  He said, “May you earn lots of money!”
He prayed that I might earn lots of money.
21.  He said, “Ranveer is so handsome!”
He exclaimed with wonder that Ranveer was so handsome.
22.  He said, “Oh! I missed the chance.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that he had missed the chance.
23.  He said, “How tragic the situation is!”
He exclaimed with sorrow that the situation was so tragic.
24.  He said, “Who are we?”
He asked who they were.
25.  He said to Shweta, “May you pass the interview today!”
He prayed that Shweta might pass the interview that day.
26.  My boss said to me, “Don’t come inside the room.”
My boss ordered me not to come inside the room.
27.  He said, “Would that she were a teacher!”
He wished that she had been a teacher.
28.  He said, “May you score 99 percentile in CAT!”
He prayed that I might score 99 percentile in CAT.
29.  My friend said, “What a rapper Emiway is!”
My friend exclaimed with wonder that Emiway was a great rapper.
30.  She said to Mayank, “Good bye!”
She bade Mayank good bye. (or) She bade good bye to Mayank.
31.  She said to her dad, “Good morning, dad!”
She wished her dad good morning.
32.  She said, “Would that Raveena were here!”
She wished that Raveena had been there.
33.  He said to me, “May you live long!”
He prayed that I might live long.
34.  Doctor said to the patient, “Stop drinking.”
Doctor advised the patient to stop drinking.
35.  He said, “Sorry for being rude to you!”
He exclaimed with regret that he was rude to me.
36.  He said to Shweta, “Please speak the truth.”
He requested Shweta to speak the truth.
37.  He said to me, “Please keep the windows open.”
He requested me to keep the windows open.
 Table of Contents
 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples
o Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Present Tense Examples
o Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Past Tense Examples
o Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Interrogative Sentences Examples
o Direct and Indirect speech conversion- Modals Examples
o Direct and Indirect speech conversion- Pronoun Examples
 Direct and Indirect Speech Examples, Exercises with Answers

Direct Speech: Direct speech is exactly what it sounds like: text that records a person’s exact
words as they were spoken at the moment. In order for the reader to realise that the quoted
text is the speaker’s own story, it is frequently surrounded by quotation marks.
Indirect Speech: The terms reported speech, indirect narration, and indirect speech are all
used to describe indirect communication. Indirect speech is the term used in grammar to
describe when you describe someone else’s statement in your own words without changing
the statement’s meaning.
Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct and Indirect Speech Examples
Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Present Tense Examples
Simple Present to Simple Past
Direct: “I am happy”, he said.
Indirect: He said that he was happy.
Present Continuous to Past Continuous
Direct: “I am playing football”, she said.
Indirect: She said that she was playing football.
Present Perfect to Past Perfect
Direct: He said, “she has completed her work”.
Indirect: He said that she had completed her work.
Present Perfect Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “I have been to San Francisco”, She told me.
Indirect: She told me that she had been to San Francisco.
Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Past Tense Examples
Simple Past to Past Perfect
Direct: “I did the work”, he said.
Indirect: He said that he had done the work.
 Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct: “I was reading a novel”, she said.
Indirect: She said that she had been reading a novel.
Direct and Indirect speech conversion – Interrogative Sentences Examples
Direct: “Where do you stay?” asked the boy.
Indirect: The boy enquired where I stayed.
Note: While changing the interrogative sentence into indirect speech remove the
question mark ‘?’.
Direct: She said, “Will you come to the party?”
Indirect: She asked whether I would come to the party.
Note: While changing the interrogative sentence reporting verbs (verbs used in the first
part) such as ‘said/ said to’ changes to enquired, asked, or demanded.
Direct and Indirect speech conversion- Modals Examples
 Can becomes Could
 May changes to Might
 Must change to had to /Would have to
 Will changes would
1. Direct: She said, “Her sister can dance.”
2. Indirect: She said that her sister could dance.
3. Direct: They said, “We may go to the party.”
4. Indirect: They said that they might buy a dress.
5. Direct: Rahul  said, “I must complete the work on time.”
6. Indirect: Rahul said that he had to complete the work on time.
Note: Could, Would, Should, Might, and Ought to modal verbs do not change.
Direct and Indirect speech conversion- Pronoun Examples
The first person in the direct speech changes as per the subject of the sentence.
Direct: My brother said, “I am in class Twelfth.”
Indirect: My brother said that he was in class Twelfth.
The second person of direct speech changes as per the object of reporting speech.
Direct: She says to her students, “You have done your work.”
Indirect: She tells them that they have done their work.
The third person of direct speech doesn’t change.
Direct: My friend says, “She dances well.”
Indirect: My friend says that she dances well.
Direct and Indirect Speech Examples, Exercises with Answers
1. Direct: The weather is nice today, said George.
Indirect: George said that the weather was nice that day.
2. Direct: He asked her, “How often do you play?”
Indirect: He asked her how often she played.
3. Direct: She said, “I work in a bank.”
Indirect: She said that she worked in a bank.
4. Direct: My mother said, “I’m angry with you.”
Indirect: My mother said she was angry with me.
5. Direct: She said’ “I can help you tomorrow.”
Indirect: She said that she could help me tomorrow.
6. Direct: My son says, “I will not eat food.”
Indirect: My son says that he will not eat food.
7. Direct: “Dance with me!” Maria said to me
Indirect: Maria told me to dance with her.
8. Direct: Must I do the city?
Indirect: My sister asked if she had to do the city.
9. Direct: Please wash your hands!
Indirect: My father told me to wash my hands.
10. Direct: She said, “I went to the shopping center.”
Indirect: She said that she had gone to the shopping center.
11. Direct: I write poems.
Indirect: He says that he writes poems.
12. Direct: She said: “I would buy new house if I were rich”.
Indirect: She said that she would buy new house if she had been rich”.
13. Direct: May I go out?
Indirect: She wanted to know if she might go out.
14. Direct: She is American, she said.
Indirect: She said she was American.
15. Direct: My son, do the exercise.“
Indirect: Sh told her son to do the exercise.
16. Direct: I don’t know what to do.
Indirect: Samuel added that he didn’t know what to do.
17. Direct: I am reading a book, he explained.
Indirect: He explained that he was reading a book.
18. Direct: My father said, “I am cooking dinner.”
Indirect: My father said he was cooking dinner.
19. Direct: My sister said, “I had already eaten.”
Indirect: My sister said she had already eaten.
20. Direct: My boyfriend asked, “Do you like horror films?”
Indirect: Do you like horror films? my boyfriend asked.
21. Direct: I never get up late, my mother said.
Indirect: My mother said that she never got up late.
22. Direct: She said, “I might come early.”
Indirect: She said she might come early.
23. Direct: I am leaving home now.”
Indirect: He said that he left home then.
24. Direct: Are you living here?
Indirect: He asked me if I was living here.
25. Direct: I’m going to come.
Indirect: She said that she was going to come.
26. Direct: We can communicate smoothly.
Indirect: They said that they could communicate smoothly.
27. Direct: My mother isn’t very well.
Indirect: She said that her mother wasn’t very well.
28. Direct: I need help with my work.
Indirect: George said “I need help with my homework.”
29. Direct: I was walking along the Street.
Indirect: He said he had been walking along the Street.
30. Direct: I haven’t seen George recently.
Indirect: She said that she hadn’t seen George recently.
31. Direct: I would help, but…
Indirect: He said he would help but…
32. Direct: I’m waiting for Michael, she said.
Indirect: She said (that) she was waiting for Michael”.
33. Direct: They said, “They have taken exercise.”
Indirect: They said that they had taken exercise.
34. Direct: I can speak perfect Spanish.
Indirect: He said he could speak perfect Spanish.
35. Direct: I haven’t seen Mary.
Indirect: He said he hadn’t seen Mary.
36. Direct: What is your name? she asked me.
Indirect: She asked me what my name was.
37. Direct: I was sleeping when Mary called.
Indirect: He said that he had been sleeping when Mary called.
38. Direct: Please help me!
Indirect: He asked me to help his.
39. Direct: “I’ve found a new job,” my mother said.
Indirect: My mother said that she had found a new job.
40. Direct: Go to bed! mother said to the children.
Indirect: The mother told the children to go to bed.
41. Direct: Mark arrived on Sunday, he said.
Indirect: He said that Mark had arrived on Sunday.
42. Direct: I have been to France, she told me.
Indirect: She told me that she had been to France.
43. Direct: Michael said, “I have finished my lunch.”
Indirect: She said that she had finished his lunch.
44. Direct: My brother said, “I met Alex yesterday.’
Indirect: My brother said that he had met Alex yesterday.
45. Direct: The dentist said, “Your father doesn’t need an operation.”
Indirect: The dentist said that my father doesn’t need an operation.
46. Direct: He said, “Man is mortal.”
Indirect: He said that man is mortal.
47. Direct: Sansa said, “I am very busy now”.
Indirect: Sansa said that she was very busy then.
48. Direct: He said, “I am a football player.”
Indirect: He said that he was a football player.
49. Direct: Michael said, “I will buy a new car.”
Indirect: Michael said that she will buy a new car.
50. Direct: Mark said, “Bill needs a pencil.”
Indirect: Mark said that Bill needed a pencil.