20/06/2025
Here is a complete and brief guide to Direct and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech) in all tenses — from high level to beginner level — with simple rules and examples.
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📘 What is Direct and Indirect Speech?
Direct Speech: Exact words of the speaker.
➤ Example: He said, "I am tired."
Indirect Speech: Report of what the speaker said, without quoting exact words.
➤ Example: He said that he was tired.
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📌 Basic Rules Before Tense Conversion:
1. Remove commas and quotation marks.
2. Use “that” to connect the sentence.
3. Change pronouns (I → he/she, you → I/he/she/they).
4. Change time words:
now → then
today → that day
yesterday → the previous day
tomorrow → the next day
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🔄 Tense-wise Conversion Table (Direct → Indirect)
Direct Speech Tense Change in Indirect Speech Example Conversion
Simple Present → Simple Past He said, "I eat rice." → He said that he ate rice.
Present Continuous → Past Continuous She said, "I am cooking." → She said that she was cooking.
Present Perfect → Past Perfect He said, "I have finished." → He said that he had finished.
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous She said, "I have been reading." → She said she had been reading.
Simple Past → Past Perfect He said, "I went home." → He said he had gone home.
Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous She said, "I was crying." → She said she had been crying.
Past Perfect → No change He said, "I had done it." → He said he had done it.
Past Perfect Continuous → No change She said, "I had been waiting." → She said she had been waiting.
Will / Shall (Future) → Would / Should He said, "I will come." → He said he would come.
Can → Could She said, "I can swim." → She said she could swim.
May → Might He said, "I may leave." → He said he might leave.
Must / Have to → Had to She said, "I must go." → She said she had to go.
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👥 Pronoun Change Examples
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
I → he/she "I am late." → He said he was late.
You → I / he/she "You are kind." → She told me I was kind.
We → they "We are ready." → They said they were ready.
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📅 Time Word Changes
Direct Word Indirect Word
now then
today that day
tomorrow the next day
yesterday the previous day
this that
here there
ago before
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🗣️ Common Reporting Verbs:
Said (کہا)
Told (بتایا)
Asked (پوچھا)
Requested (درخواست کی)
Advised (مشورہ دیا)
Ordered (حکم دیا)
Warned (خبردار کیا)
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🔁 Question Sentences (Direct to Indirect)
Rule:
Remove question format and use if/whether or WH-word.
Direct Question Indirect Speech
He said, "Are you fine?" He asked if I was fine.
She said, "What is your name?" She asked what my name was.
They said, "When will you come?" They asked when I would come.
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🔁 Imperative Sentences (Orders, Requests, Advice)
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
He said, "Please help me." He requested me to help him.
She said, "Don’t shout!" She told me not to shout.
The teacher said, "Read this book." The teacher told us to read that book.
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🎓 Summary for All Levels
Level Focus Area Example
Beginner Simple present/past tense "I play" → He said he played.
Intermediate Questions & imperatives "Are you OK?" → He asked if I was OK.
Advanced All tense types + modal verbs "I must leave" → He said he had to leave.
