English

ALLEN
REPORTED SPEECH
You already know –
1. What a Direct Speech is.
2. What an Indirect or Reported speech is.
3. What a Reporting verb is.
Tuhina said, “My brother is going to office.”
In the above sentence, the actual words of the speaker are quoted within inverted commas. This is called
Direct Speech.
When someone reports what the speaker (here Tuhina) said the sentence becomes —
Tuhina said that her brother was going to office.
This is called indirect or reported speech.
When we transform a direct speech into an Indirect speech the following changes are made —

N
1. The comma after the reporting verb is omitted.
2. A Subordinating conjunction (that, if/whether) is placed after the Reporting Verb.

E
3. The inverted commas are withdrawn.
4. The Possessive Pronouns change according to the gender of the speaker. (in the given example)
5. The verb changes (from present tense to past tense) because the reporting verb is in the past tense.

L
So when you transform direct into indirect speech you must change the personal pronouns, tenses and the
Adverbs denoting time and distance according to the following rules.

L
A. Rules for change of pronouns and possessive adjectives
The pronouns of the direct speech are changed in the followings ways :
1. Direct — She says to me, "I am reading."

A
Indirect — She says to me that she is reading.
The pronouns of the first person (I, we, my, mine, me, us, our, ours) of the Direct Speech change according
to the person of the subject of the reporting verb. This is why I changes to she in the above sentence.
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2. Direct — You say to me, "You are reading."

Indirect — You say to me that I am reading.
The Pronouns of second person (you, your, yours) of the Direct speech change according to the person of
the object of the Reporting Verb. This is why you changes to I.
3. Direct — You say to me, “He is reading.”
Indirect — You say to me that he is reading.
The pronouns of the third person (he, him, his, she, her, hers) or any name remain unchanged. This is why
'he' of the direct speech remains 'he' in indirect speech as well.
B. Rules for Change of Tenses
(i) If the reporting verb is in Present or Future Tense, the tense of the Verb in the reported speech is not
changed at all.
Direct — She says, “Tuhina is a good girl.”
Indirect — She says that Tuhina is a good girl.
Direct — He will say, “The story was interesting.”
Indirect — He will say that the story was interesting.
(ii) If the Reporting verb is in Past Tense, the Tense of the verb in the Reported Speech must be changed
as follows.
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(a) Simple Present changes to Simple Past
Direct — Alok said, "I am fine. Indirect — Alok said that he was fine.
(b) Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous
Direct — He said, "I am reading." He said that he was reading.
(c) Present Perfect changes to Past Perfect
Direct — He said, "I have done my work." He said that he had done his work.
(d) Present Perfect Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous
Direct — He said, "I have been reading for two hours." He said that he had been reading for two hours.
(iii) The Simple Past Tense in the Reported Speech is usually changed to Past Perfect.
Direct — Anu said, "I talked to him after lunch."
Indirect — Anu said that she had talked to him after lunch.
Direct — Lata said, "Her father reached last night."
Indirect — Lata said that her father had reached the previous night.
(iv) The Past Continuous Tense in the Reported Speech must be changed to Past Perfect Continuous.
Direct — Joy said, "Sunil was reading."

N
Indirect — Joy said that Sunil had been reading.
Exception to Rule B (ii) — If the reported speech expresses some universal truth or habitual fact
the Simple Present Tense in the reported speech does not change.

E
Direct — Our teacher said, "Man is mortal."
Indirect — Our teacher said that man is mortal.
Direct — Rita said, "I go to bed at 10 p.m."

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Indirect — Rita said that she goes to bed at 10 p.m.
C. Rules for change of adverbs or words denoting time or place

L
In the reported speech, the words expressing nearness are changed into words expressing distance.
Now becomes then
This becomes that
These becomes those

A
Here becomes there
Thus becomes so
Come becomes go

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Today becomes that day
Tomorrow becomes the next day
Yesterday becomes the previous day
Last night becomes the previous night
Ago becomes before
Note: If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, no change is necessary in the adverbs of time
or place.
Direct — Sudha says, "My father will go now."
Indirect — Sudha says that her father will go now.
Again, if the Direct Speech expresses a universal truth or a habitual fact or a statement still relevant, the
tense in the Indirect Speech remains unchanged. We can change also if we choose to do so.
Direct — My father said, "Man is mortal."
Indirect — My father said that man is mortal.
Direct — "I know her address," said Rita.
Indirect — Rita said she knows / knew her address.
Keep in mind that now, this, here etc. refer to things present before the person during the delivery of the
speech, so no change is made in the Reported speech.
Direct — My mother said, "I will speak here."
Indirect — My mother said that she would speak here.
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The report is made at the same place. So here does not change into there.
Now we will learn how Direct Speech is changed to Indirect speech in different sentences – Assertive, Interrogative,
Imperative and Exclamatory.
Assertive Sentences (Statements)
Statements or assertions in the Indirect Speech are usually introduced by that.
Direct – He said, "I shall finish my work as quickly as possible."
Indirect – He said that he would finish his work as quickly as possible.
Direct – She said, "I have never seen such a lazy boy as you are."
Indirect – She said that she had never seen such a lazy boy as he was.
Direct – The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun."
Indirect – The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.
Direct – He said to me, "You are dull and lazy."
Indirect – He told me that I was dull and lazy.
Interrogative Sentences (Questions)
1. When we report questions, the indirect speech is introduced by such verbs as: asked, enquired, demanded,
or some such verbs.

N
2. If the answer of the direct question is either, 'yes' or 'no' we have to use 'whether' or 'if' after such verbs.
3. The question mark is omitted in the indirect speech.
Direct - The traveller said to me, “Do you know the way to the station?”

E
Indirect - The traveller asked me if I knew the way to the station.
Direct - He said to her, “What are you doing?”
Indirect - He asked her what she was doing.

L
Direct - My mother said, “When will you come back?”
Indirect - My mother asked me when I would come back.

L
Direct - Soma said to me, "Why did you scold my sister?"
Indirect - Soma demanded of me why I had scolded her sister.
Direct - She said, "Hari, do you like tea or coffee?"
Indirect - She asked Hari whether he liked tea or coffee.

A
Imperative Sentences (Commands and Requests)
In reporting a command or request in the Indirect Speech —
(i) The introductory verb is changed into requested, begged, asked, implored, entreated, ordered, commanded,
advised, threatened, forbade and proposed.
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All these verbs, excepting propose, need to be followed by an object.

(ii) The verb in Reported Speech is put in the infinitive.
Direct — She said to me, "Give me your pen."
Indirect — She asked me to give her my pen.
Direct — "Don't disturb the class," the teacher said to Joy.
Indirect — The teacher forbade Joy to disturb the class.
Direct — Joy said to the teacher, "Kindly explain the topic."
Indirect — Joy requested the teacher to explain the topic.
Direct — "Be respectful to your parents," said the visitor to me.
Indirect — The visitor advised me to be respectful to my parents.
(iii) When 'Let' in the direct speech conveys a proposal or suggestion, we may use 'should' and change the
reporting verb into propose or suggest.
Direct — He said to me, "Let us go for a walk."
Indirect — He proposed (suggested) to me that we should go for a walk.
But when let does not convey a proposal, it should be changed into 'might' or 'might be' allowed.
Direct — Jaba said, "Let me have a cold drink."
Indirect — Jaba wished that she might have a cold drink.
Direct — Sarita said to Vinita, "Let me do my work, please."
Indirect — Sarita requested Vinita that she might be allowed to do her work.

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Exclamatory sentence

Sentence that express strong feeling or emotions (like joy, sorrow, surprise, hatred etc.) are called exclamatory
sentence. It ends with exclamation mark (!).
In indirect speech the exclamatory word is replaced by exclaimed with joy, sorrow, regret surprise etc.
(a) The connective 'that' has to be supplied in the indirect speech.
(b) When 'What or 'How' is followed by an adjective use 'very', but when 'what' is followed by a noun use 'great'.
(c) Change of personal pronoun. Tense and adverb remain same.
Direct – The emperor said, "Alas! our foes are too strong."
Indirect – The emperor exclaimed with sorrow that their foes were too strong.
Direct – "Hurrah!" cried the boy, "I have won a prize."
Indirect – The boy exclaimed with delight he had won a prize.
Direct – The students said to the teacher, "Good morning, teacher!"

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Indirect – The students respectfully wished their teacher good morning.
Direct – "How glad I am!", said Alice, "to meet my friend here."

E
Indirect – Alice exclaimed with delight that she was very glad to meet her friend there.
SOLVED EXERCISE

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1. Change the following into indirect speech.
(a) The policeman said to the thief, "I have caught you red-handed."

L
Ans. The policeman told the thief that he had caught him red-handed.
(b) The man said, "This is the most beautiful picture I have painted."
Ans. The man reflected that that was the most beautiful picture painted by him / he had painted.

A
(c) She told me, "You have made a serious mistake."
Ans. She told me that I had made a serious mistake.

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(d) He said to us, "I advise you all to do your work regularly."
Ans. He advised us all to do our work regularly.
(e) The father said to his son, "Tapas, you are now a grown-up boy. Try to earn your living."
Ans. The father told his son Tapas that he was now a grown up boy and that he must try to earn his living.
(f) The traveller said to me, "Thank you."
Ans. The traveller thanked me.
(g) Bina said, "Our brother arrived yesterday."
Ans. Bina said that their brother had arrived the previous day.
(h) Soma said to me, "I am very sad to hear that you have lost your purse."
Ans. Soma told me that she was very sad to hear that I had lost my purse.
(i) My friend wrote to me, "I will send you a good camera tomorrow."
Ans. My friend wrote to me that he / she would send a good camera for me the next day.
(j) My father said to me, "Take care of the household, I will be away from home for a week."
Ans. My father informed me that he would be away from home for a week and asked me to take care of the
household.
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 English
ALLEN
EXERCISE
REPORTED SPEECH GAP FILLING
1. Look at the picture given below and read the conversation among the family members at dinner.
Then report it by completing the sentences that follow using appropriate expressions. Choose
from the choices given below.

N
Speaking to his daughter affectionately, father asked her to (a) ...................... The daughter quickly passed

E
the salt to him and praised her (b) ...................... But the mother told her (c) ...................... as (d) ......................
a proper diet.

L
(a) (1) dear, please pass some salt. (b) (1) mother for the delicious apple pie.

(2) pass some salt. (2) here it was papa the apple pie is really yummy.

L
(3) passed some salt. (3) that apple pie was yummy.

(c) (1) don’t skip your meal. (d) (1) she needs to take

A
(2) not to skip her meal. (2) she will need to take

(3) did not skip her meal. (3) she required

2. Read the following conversation and complete the paragraph that follows using the correct choice
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from the alternatives given below.

Employer : Why did you leave your previous job ?

Applicant : That didn’t meet my requirement.
Employer : What salary do you expect here ?
Applicant : I am expecting Rs 5000 per month.
Employer : We can pay you just Rs 3000 per month.
An applicant went for an interview in an office. The employer asked him why he had left his previous job.
The applicant replied that (a) ...................... The employer further enquired (b) ...................... The applicant
told him (c) ...................... The employer concluded by saying (d) ......................
(a) (1) that didn’t meet my requirement (b) (1) what salary he expects there
(2) that had not met his requirement (2) what salary do you expect from here
(3) that do not meet his requirement (3) what salary he expected from there
(c) (1) I am expecting Rs 5000/- per month (d) (1) I will pay you Rs 3000/- per month
(2) he was expecting Rs 5000/- per month (2) I can pay you Rs 3000/- per month
(3) he will expect Rs 5000/- per month (3) he could pay him just Rs 3000/- per month
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ALLEN
3. Read the following conversation carefully. Complete the report given below with suitable words
and expressions based on the conversation from the choices given below.

During the meeting, one of the members asked the fellow members (a) ...................... The first colleague
replied (b) ...................... He then inquired Mr Jones about his opinion of the same. Mr Jones expressed
his doubts saying (c) ...................... The staff secretary then suggested that (d) ......................

N
(a) (1) what do you think about the company's plan for restructuring ?
(2) what they thought about the company's plans for restructuring.

E
(3) what do they think about the company's plan for restructuring ?
(b) (1) well’ the plans seem to be quite 'interesting'.

L
(2) that the plans seemed to be quite interesting,
(3) the plans seeming to be quite interesting.

L
(c) (1) I have my doubts. The cost of implementation may be too high.
(2) that the cost of implementation might be too high.

A
(3) that he had his doubts. The cost of implementation might be too high.
(d) (1) they should note down all suggestions and forward them to the Chairman the next day.
(2) let's note down all our suggestions and forward them to the Chairman tomorrow.

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(3) let noted down all their suggestions and forwarded them to the Chairman next day.

EXERCISE ANSWER KEY

REPORTED SPEECH GAP FILLING
1. (a) (2) pass some salt (b) (3) that apple pie was yummy

(c) (2) not to skip her meal (d) (3) she required

2. (a) (2) that had not met his requirement. (b) (3) what salary he expected from there.

(c) (2) he was expecting Rs. 5000/- per month. (d) (3) he could pay him just Rs. 3000/- per month.

3. (a) (2) what they thought about the company's plans for restructuring.

(b) (2) that the plans seemed to be quite interesting.

(c) (3) that he had his doubts. The cost of implementation might be too high.
(d) (1) they should note down all suggestions and forward them to the Chairman the next day.

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