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Introduction
Direct Narration Indirect Narration

1. (Speaker)
i)

He said,"I am going to Delhi." (Direct Narration or Direct

Speech)
(speaker) he he
Inverted commas ".........."
ii) (Substance)

He said that he was going to Delhi.(Indirect Narration or

Indirect Speech)

I he am was
Indirect Speech Inverted commas

2. Direct Narration - Reporting Verb Reported

Part Reported Speech.
i) Reporting Verb - Reporting Part Finite Verb
Reporting Verb Invented Commas

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ii) Reported Speech - Reported Part

Reported Speech Inverted Commas

Reported Verb Reported Part Reported Speech

Ram said "Will you give me your pen?"

Direct Speech :
1. Direct Speech Inverted Commas

2. Reporting Verb comma(,)
3. Invered commas Capital letter

Direct Indirect :
1. Indirect Speech Inverted Commas "......."
2. Reporting Verb comma(,)
3. Reporting Verb tense
4. Reporting Verb Reported speech told,
requested, advised, ordered

Assertive Sentences Part 1

Tenses (Rules for the change of Tenses)
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Rule 1: Reporting Verb, Present Future Tense

Reported Speech Verb Tense
:

Direct - Ram says,"Hari has gone to Agra."

Indirect - Ram says that Hari has gone to Agra.
Direct - Sohan will say,"Asha is very intelligent."
Indirect - Sohan will say that Asha is very intelligent.
Direct - He has said to me," Ravi will join the camp."
Indirect - He has told me that Ravi will join the camp.

Note : say, says said Indirect Speech tell, tells told

, Object ( ) say, says said
Object

Rule 2: Reporting Verb, Past Tense , Reported Speech

Tense

a) Simple Present Tense Simple Past Tense :

Direct - Mohan said," Raman tells a lie."

Indirect - Mohan said that Raman told a lie.

b) Present Continuous Imperfect Past Continuous Imperfect

:

Direct - Sonu said to me, "Rakesh is writing a book."

Indirect - Sonu told me that Rakesh was writing a book.
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c) Present Perfect Tense Past Perfect Tense :

Direct - Ramesh said, "Raman has completed his work."

Indirect - Ramesh said that Raman had completed his work.

d) Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

:

Direct - He said," It has been raining since morning."

Indirect - He said that it had been raining since morning.

e) Past Indefinite Past Perfect -

Direct - He said,"The horse died in the night ."
Indirect - He said that the horse had died in the night.

f) Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous :

Direct - He said," The students were learning their lessons."

Indirect - He said that the students had been learning their lessons.

g) Past Perfect Tense Past Perfect Continuous

:

1. Direct - He said,"Uma had won the match."

Indirect - He said that uma had won the match.
2. Direct - She said,"Uma had been reading for two hours."
Indirect - She said that Uma had been reading for two hours.
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h) Reporting Verb (Past Tense) , Reported Speech

'shall' should 'will' would :

1. Direct - I said,"I shall play."

Indirect - I said that I should play.
2. Direct - She said,"Uma will see a picture."
Indirect - She said that Uma would see a picture.

i) Reporting Verb Past Tense , Reported Speech

'can' could 'may' might 'must', 'ought',
'could', 'would', 'might', 'had better' 'used to'
:

1. Direct - I said,"I can jump into the river."

Indirect - I said that I could jump into the river.
2. Direct - She said,"The boy may go."
Indirect - She said that the boy might go.
3. Direct - The teacher said,"Ram must be awarded."
Indirect - I said that Ram must be awarded.
4. Direct - She said to me,"I should have tried harder."
Indirect - She told me that I should have tried harder.

Tense (Exceptions)

Reporting Verb, Past Tense Reported

Speech Tense :

(1) (Universal Truth) ;

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1. Direct - The teacher said,"The earth moves round the sun."

Indirect - The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.
2. Direct - He said,"The sun rises in the east."
Indirect - He said that the sun rises in the east.

(2) (Habitual fact) ; :

1. Direct - Hari said to Ravi,"Dogs bark at the strangers."

Indirect - Hari told Ravi that dogs bark at the strangers.
2. Direct - The teacher said,"When the cat is away, the mice play."
Indirect - The teacher said that when the cat is away, the mice
play.

(3) (Proverb) ; :

Direct - Hari said,"Honesty is the best policy."

Indirect - Hari said that honesty is the best policy.

(4) (Historical fact) ; :

Direct - The History teacher said,"Samudra Gupta is called the

Napoleon of India."
Indirect - The History teacher said that Samudra Gupta is called
the Napoleon of India.

Assertive Sentences Part 2

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Persons (Rules for the change of Persons)

Rule 1: Direct Indirect Reported Speech First Person

Pronouns (I, me, my, mine, we, us, ours) Reporting Verb
Subject Person, Number Gender :

1. Direct - I said, " I do not like that book."

Indirect - I said that I did not like that book.
2. Direct - You said, "I am learning my lesson."
Indirect - you said that you were learning your lesson.
3. Direct - They said,"We want to go to Delhi."
Indirect - They said that they wanted to go to Delhi.

Rule 2: Direct Indirect Reported Speech

Second Person Pronouns(you, your, yours) reporting Verb
Object Person , Number Gender :

1. Direct - He said to me, "You are happy."

Indirect - He told me that I was happy.
2. Direct - You said to him, "You are very sad."
Indirect - You told him that you were very sad.
3. Direct - He said to them,"You are not doing any work."
Indirect - He told them that they were not doing any work."

Rule 3: Direct Indirect Reported Speech

Third Person Pronouns (he, she, it, they, his, her, its, their, him,
them) :
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1. Direct - He said, "He is a postman."

Indirect - He said that he was a postman.
2. Direct - You said , "She is not a good girl."
Indirect - You said that she was not a good girl.
3. Direct - Alam said to Kriya,"I shall always help you."
Indirect - He told them that he(Alam) would always help
her(Kriya).

Table of Changes in Pronouns :

Nominative or Objective Possessive

Person
Subjective form form form

First my, mine, our,

I, We me, us
Person ours

Second
You you your, yours
Person

He him his
Third She her her, hers
Person It it its
They them their, theirs

Assertive Sentences Part 3

(Rules for change
of words expressing nearness of time or position)
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Rule 1: Reported Speech

(nearness of time or position)
:

ago : before
come : go
hence : thence
hither : thither
here : there
just : then
now : then
this : that
these : those
thus : so
to-night : that night
today : that day
tomorrow : the next day or the following day
yesterday : the previous day or the day before
last night/week/year : the previous night/week/year
next week/month/year : the following week/month/year
yesterday morning : the previous morning or the morning
before

Example :
1. Direct - He said to them, "I will leave you now."
Indirect - He told them that he would leave them then.
2. Direct - Ritesh said to Komal, "I cannot go with you till next
Monday."
Indirect - Ritesh told Komal that he could not go with him till the
following Monday.
3. Direct - He said to me, "I came here yesterday."
Indirect - He told me that he had gone there the previous day.
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Rule 2: this, here now

Indirect
, :

1. Direct - He said to me, "This is my house."

Indirect - He told me that this was his house.
2. Direct - The leaders says, "I am glad to be here this morning.."
Indirect - The leaders says that he is glad to be here this morning.
3. Direct - He said to me, "I will do it now."
Indirect - He told me that he would do it now.

Rule 3: This these

Indirect that those this these
Adjectives Indirect that those
the Examples :

1. Direct - He said, "We are going for a party this week."

Indirect - He said that they were going for a party that week.
2. Direct - she said, "I am preparing for the test these days"
Indirect - The leaders says that he was preparing for the test
those days.
3. Direct - He said, "I have typed all these essays"
Indirect - He said that he had typed all the essays.

or

He said that he had typed all those essays.

(Some important changes):

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A. - Reported Speech Nouns, Vocative case ,

Indirect Narration Reporting Verb Object
:

1. Direct - Hemant said, "Ashok, I shall give you a book."

Indirect - Hemant told Ashok that he would give him a book.
2. Direct - "My sons" said the old farmer, "I am planting these trees
for you."
Indirect - The old farmer told his sons that he was planting those
trees for them.

B. Inverted Commas (Terms of address)

, objects address....as
:

Direct - "Naughty boy" said his mother, "You have been fighting
again."
Indirect - Addressing her son as a naughty boy the mother said that
he had been fighting again.

C. Needn't Indirect speech :

Direct - He said to his wife, " I needn't go there now."

Indirect - He told his wife that he needn't go there then.

D. Inverted Commas "well" "you see" Indirect

:

1. Direct - Hemant said, "Well Ashok, I shall give you a book."

Indirect - Hemant told Ashok that he would give him a book.
2. Direct - The mother said, "You see, I am planting these trees for
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you."
Indirect - The mother said that he was planting those trees for
them.

E. (conditional)
, (Unreal past tense)
Indirect Speech :

Direct - He said, " If my college was near the house I would always
be in time."
Indirect - He said that if her college was near the house she would
always be in time.

F. Reported Speech thank you Indirect Speech

Reporting verb thanked Reported Speech
hope, feel Reporting Verb -

1. Direct - The pupil said to the teacher, "Thank you, sir, for your
help."
Indirect - The pupil respectfully thanked the teacher for his help.
2. Direct - She said,"I hope my mother will come tomorrow."
Indirect - She hoped that my mother would come the next day.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences ,
sentences Indirect
:
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Rule 1: Reporting Verb 'said to' asked enquired of

Rule 2 : 'That' conjuction

Rule 3 : Indirect (Assertive

Sentence) (?) ,
Full Stop(.)

Rule 4 : Reported Speech Pronoun, Verb

Assertive sentences

Rule 5 : Direct Speech "Yes" "No"

Reported Speech (Auxiliary verb)
- is, are, am, was, were, do, does, did, shall, will, has, have, had,
can, may Indirect Speech Connective word 'if'
'whether'
-

1.Direct - Aksay said to me, " Are you reading a newspaper?"

Indirect - Aksay asked me if I was reading a newspaper.
2. Direct - I said to him, " Can you tell me what the time is ?"
Indirect - I asked him whether he could tell me what the time was.

Rule 6 : Reported Speech Do Does

not Indirect ,
Simple Past Tense -
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1.Direct - She said to me, "Do you know Hemant?"

Indirect - She asked me whether I knew Hemant.
2. Direct - I said to him, "Do you tell me the matter?"
Indirect - I asked him if he told me the matter.

Rule 7 : Reported Speech Do Does not do

does 'did' Reported Speech
verb Past Tense -

1.Direct - Father said to me, "Do you not obey me?"

Indirect - Father asked me if I did not obey him.
2. Direct - I said to him, "Don't you go to college today?"
Indirect - I asked him if he didn't go to college that day.

Rule 8 : Reported Speech 'did' helping verb

Past perfect tense -

Direct - He said to me, "Did you give me your phone?"

Indirect - He asked me whether I had given him my phone.

Rule 9 : Reported Speech (what, who, which, whom,

whose, when, why, how ) Indirect Speech
connective connective
-

1.Direct - I said to her, "Who are you?"

Indirect - I asked her who she was.
2. Direct - He said to him, "Where do you live?"
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Indirect - He asked him where he lived.

Rule 10 : 'yes', 'no' answer to questions -

1.Direct - I said to her, "Can you give me this book?" She said, "Yes."
Indirect - I asked her if she could give me that book. She replied
that she could.
2. Direct - He said to Ashok, "Are you attending the class?" Ashok
said, "No."
Indirect - He asked Ashok if he was attending the class. Ashok said
that he was not.

Imperative Sentences

(order), (advice) (request)

Imperative Sentence you
finite verb

Rule 1: Reporting Verb 'said' :

a) order -ordered, commanded

b) advice - advised, urged
c) request - requested, begged, implored, entreated

Rule 2 : Reported Speech verb 'to' infinitive

For Example :

Direct : The Teacher said to me, "Sit in your class and learn your
lesson."
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Indirect : The teacher ordered me to sit in my class and learn my

lesson.

Rule 3: Reported Speech Vocative Case noun Reporting Verb

(Object) For Example :

Direct : He said, "Work hard, friends."

Indirect : He advised his friends to work hard.

Rule 4: Reported Speech 'Do not' ,

:

a) Reporting Verb forbade Reported Speech

'do not' to :

Direct : The teacher said to the boy, "Do not abuse anyone."
Indirect : The teacher forbade the boy to abuse anyone.

b) Reporting Verb 'said' ordered, advised

requested Reported Speech 'do'
'not' 'to' infinitive :

Direct : Your father said to the boy, "Do not waste your time."
Indirect : Your father advised the boy not to waste his time.

Rule 5 : Reported Speech never Reporting verb

advised never to
-

Direct : Your father said to the boy, "Never waste your time."
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Indirect : Your father advised the boy never to waste his time.

Rule 6 : Reported Speech 'Sir', 'Please', 'Kindly'

Reported Verb requested -

Direct : She said to Reena, "Kindly help me."

Indirect : She requested Reena to help me.

Rule 7 : Reported Speech If clause

Indirect Speech should -

Direct : The father said, "If you suffer from cold and cough, consult a
doctor surely."
Indirect :The father said if i suffered from cold and cough, i should
consult a doctor surely.

Some more examples :

Direct : She said, "Could i use your pen?"

Indirect : She requested me to use my pen.

Direct : She said, "Would you like to have lunch with me?"
Indirect : She invited me to have lunch with her.

Direct : "Would you please give me your bag?" she said to me.
Indirect : She requested me to give her my bag.

Imperative sentences Let

A) For Proposal ()
i) Reporting verb proposed suggested
ii) Inverted commas that
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iii) Objective case (us) Nominative case (we or they) reporting

verb subject person
iv) Let should we or they
a) Direct : Sam said, "Let us go for a party."
Indirect : Sam proposed that they should go for a party.

b) Direct : I said to Reena, "Let us play a game."

Indirect : I suggested to Reena that we should play a game.

c) Direct : "Let's go to the market," said Asha, "Let's not," said Neha.
Indirect : Asha suggested to Neha that we should go to the market
but Neha objected.

or

Asha suggested to Neha that we should go to the market but Neha

was against it.

Note : For reporting Let's not as answer to affirmative

suggestion we have to use objected or was against it.

B) For Request ()
i) Reporting verb requested
ii) Let to let let that noun
pronoun might be allowed to first form

Note : If request or advice is started with 'Let there be' then we

have to report it with 'that there should be'.
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a) Direct : He said, "Let me go home."

Indirect : He requested to let him go home.

or

He requested that he might be allowed to go home.

b) Direct : I said to Kanika, "Let there be no talk about you."

Indirect : I advised to Kanika that there should be no talk about you.

C) For Command ( )
i) Reporting verb ordered
ii) Let that noun pronoun should

Direct : The policeman said, "Let the man go."
Indirect : The policeman ordered that the man should go.

Optative Sentences

Reported Speech request or wish May

Optative sentence

Rule 1 : Reporting verb 'said' 'wished', 'cursed' 'prayed'

sentence assertive , connective word 'that'
Interjection (!) |

Note a) wish curse

|
Note b) Request to God prayed |

a) Direct : He said to me, "May you live long !"

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Indirect : He wished that I might live long.

b) Direct : She said, "May your enemy go to hell !"

Indirect : She cursed that my enemy mightgo to hell.

c) Direct : Seema said to me, "May God bless you with children !"
Indirect : Seema prayed that God mightbless me with children.

Rule 2 : Reported speech Good night Good bye

said bade Good morning
said wished |

a) Direct : He said to her, "Good bye, my sister !"

Indirect : He bade good bye to his sister.

or

He bade his sister good bye.

b) Direct : My friend said to me, "Good morning, I am happy to see

you !"

Indirect : My friend wished good morning to me and said that he is

happy to see me.

c) Direct : The son said, "Good night, Mom !"

Indirect : The son bade good night to his Mom.

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Exclamatory Sentences

joy, sorrow, surprise

Rule 1 : Interjections Reporting

verb
Interjection - Hurrah joy, Alas sorrow, what a how
surprise bravo approval
Rule 2 : Inverted commas that
Rule 3 : Note of exclamation (!) full stop (.)
Rule 4 : Person Tense Assertive
Rule 5 : Reporting verb 'said'
:

i) , exclaimed with joy exclaimed with

delight

Direct : He said, "Hurrah ! I have passed the examination."

Indirect : He exclaimed with delight that he had passed the
examination.

ii) , exclaimed with sorrow exclaimed with

grief

Direct : The student said, "Alas ! My friend is dead."

Indirect : The student exclaimed with sorrow that his friend was
dead.
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iii) , praised applauded

Direct : The soldiers said,"Bravo ! We have won."

Indirect : The soldiers applauded they they had won.

iv) What a How very

great

what a how noun great

Adjective very Reporting
verb said exclaimed

a) Direct : The child said, "How beautiful the flower is !"

Indirect : The child exclaimed that the flower was very beautiful.

b) Direct : The master said, "What a lazy fellow you are !"
Indirect : The master exclaimed that I was very lazy fellow.

v) Good Heavens Reporting verb

exclaimed with surprise

Direct : The old man said, "Good Heavens ! The hut has caught fire."
Indirect : The old man exclaimed with surprise that the hut had
caught fire.
Chart of changes in Indirect Speech (with past tense)
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Kind of the Nature of the Reporting

Conjunction
sentence sentence verb

1. Assertive General Statement said/told that

Question(?) mark in
the end of sentence.
(i)Starting with (i)No different
who, which, what, connective;
2. why, when, where, asked/ Question word
Interrogative how etc. question enquired of use as
words. (ii)Starting conjunction. (ii)
with do, did, is, was, if or whether
can, shall, will, have
etc helping verbs.

requested,
request, order,
begged, Do not use
advise etc. Sentence
commanded, conjunction
3. Imperative starts with verb.
ordered, after Reporting
Subject 'you'
advised, verb.
remains hidden.
forbade

Wish cognitive or Wished or

4. Optative that
pray to God prayed
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surprise, sorrow, joy

indicator. exclaimed,
5.
Exclamation (!) cried out, that
Exclamatory
mark in the end of shouted etc.
sentence.

Mixed Sentences and Dialogues

Mixed Sentences

If there are different types of sentences in Reported Speech then for

making indirect rules must be used according to the type of
sentence. Firstly make the indirect of every part of sentences
differently. There should be a use of particular Reporting Verb before
every type of sentence and in the end there must be a combination
of all sentences.

(Hindi translation) reported speech

Indirect
Reporting Verb

Direct : The teacher became angry with the student and said, "Why
have you again disturbed the class in this way ? I have told you
before, that when I am speaking , you should be silent. Leave the
room and do not return today."

Indirect : The teacher became angry with the student

and asked why he had again disturbed the class in that way.
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He reminded him that he had told him before that he should be

silent when he was speaking. He therefore ordered him to leave the
room and not to return again that day.
Dialogues

(i) Dialogues are direct but sometimes they use without inverted
commas. So we must watch that conversation is going between
whom and what the relation is between them. Generally the one who
speaks known as subject of Reporting Verb and whom talking to
known as Object.

(ii) Sometimes Reporting Verb does not remain present. In these

conditions Reporting Verb (told, asked, requested, ordered etc)
should be used according to aspect or notion.

(iii) when Reporting verb is not available then make it in the past
tense.

(Hindi Translation)

(i) Dialogues Direct , Inverted commas

-
Reporting Verb
object

(ii) - Reporting verb

Reporting Verb (told, asked, requested, ordered etc)

(iii) Reporting verb past tense

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Direct : Seema said to Reema, "Will you go to school today?"

Reema said, "No."

Seema said, "Why ?"

Reema said, "Because I am not feeling well."

Indirect : Seema asked Reema whether she would go to school that

day. Reema replied that she would not go. Seema asked her why
she would not go. Reema replied that she would not go because she
was not feeling well.