DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED SPEECH)

General Rules for Conversion (Direct to Indirect)

Rule 1: Change of Reporting Verb

The reporting verb (e.g., `said`, `told`) changes based on the type of sentence being reported.

• `said to` often changes to `told` (for statements).
• `said` can remain `said` or change to `asked`, `ordered`, `exclaimed`, etc.

Rule 2: Change of Pronouns

Pronouns are changed according to the perspective of the reporter.

Rule 3: Change of Tense (Backshift)

If the reporting verb is in the past tense (e.g., `said`), the tense of the reported speech is shifted back.

Rule 4: Change of Time and Place Adverbs

Rule 5: Punctuation Changes

• Quotation marks ("...") are removed.
• A conjunction like `that`, `if`, or `whether` is usually added after the reporting verb.

Rules for Different Sentence Types

1. Statements (Assertive Sentences)

• The reporting verb `said to` changes to `told`. `said` remains `said`.
• The conjunction `that` is used to connect the reporting clause with the reported speech.

2. Questions (Interrogative Sentences)

• The reporting verb `said to` changes to `asked`, `inquired`, or `demanded`.
• For Yes/No questions, the conjunction is `if` or `whether`.
• For Wh-questions (what, where, why), the Wh-word itself acts as the conjunction.
• The question format is changed to a statement format (Subject + Verb).

3. Commands & Requests (Imperative Sentences)

• The reporting verb changes to `ordered`, `commanded`, `requested`, `advised`, `forbade`, etc., based on the meaning.
• The main verb of the reported speech is changed to an infinitive (`to + V1`). For negative commands, use `not to + V1`.

4. Exclamations & Wishes (Exclamatory Sentences)

• The reporting verb changes to `exclaimed with joy`, `exclaimed with sorrow`, `wished`, etc.
• The exclamatory sentence is changed into an assertive statement using the conjunction `that`.

10 Examples: Direct to Indirect Speech

• Direct: He said to me, "I am writing a letter now."
  Indirect: He told me that he was writing a letter then.
  
  Explanation: `said to` -> `told`. `that` is added. `I` (1st person) -> `he` (subject). `am writing` (Present Cont.) -> `was writing` (Past Cont.). `now` -> `then`.
• Direct: She said, "My brother will arrive tomorrow."
  Indirect: She said that her brother would arrive the next day.
  
  Explanation: `that` is added. `My` (1st person) -> `her` (subject 'she'). `will arrive` (Future) -> `would arrive` (Conditional). `tomorrow` -> `the next day`.
• Direct: The teacher said to the students, "Are you listening to me?"
  Indirect: The teacher asked the students if they were listening to her.
  
  Explanation: `said to` -> `asked`. It's a Yes/No question, so `if` is used. `you` (2nd person) -> `they` (object 'students'). `me` (1st person) -> `her` (subject 'teacher'). `Are listening` (Present Cont.) -> `were listening` (Past Cont.). The question is changed to a statement.
• Direct: He said, "Where do you live?"
  Indirect: He asked where I lived.
  
  Explanation: `said` -> `asked`. The Wh-word `Where` is the conjunction. `you` changes to `I` (assuming he asked me). `do live` (Simple Present) -> `lived` (Simple Past). The question becomes a statement.
• Direct: The captain said to the soldiers, "March forward."
  Indirect: The captain commanded the soldiers to march forward.
  
  Explanation: `said to` -> `commanded`. It's a command, so the verb `March` becomes an infinitive `to march`.
• Direct: She said to him, "Please help me."
  Indirect: She requested him to help her.
  
  Explanation: `said to` -> `requested` (due to 'Please'). The verb `help` becomes `to help`. `me` -> `her`.
• Direct: They said, "Alas! We have lost the match."
  Indirect: They exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost the match.
  
  Explanation: `said` -> `exclaimed with sorrow` (due to 'Alas!'). `We` -> `they`. `have lost` (Present Perfect) -> `had lost` (Past Perfect).
• Direct: My friend said, "I bought this car yesterday."
  Indirect: My friend said that he had bought that car the previous day.
  
  Explanation: `I` -> `he`. `bought` (Simple Past) -> `had bought` (Past Perfect). `this` -> `that`. `yesterday` -> `the previous day`.
• Direct: The teacher says, "Honesty is the best policy."
  Indirect: The teacher says that honesty is the best policy.
  
  Explanation: No change in tense because the reporting verb `says` is in the present tense, and the reported speech is a universal truth.
• Direct: He said, "I can solve this puzzle."
  Indirect: He said that he could solve that puzzle.
  
  Explanation: `I` -> `he`. `can` -> `could`. `this` -> `that`.

10 Examples: Indirect to Direct Speech

• Indirect: He told me that he was busy then.
  Direct: He said to me, "I am busy now."
  
  Explanation: Invert the rules: `told` -> `said to`. Add quotation marks. `he` -> `I`. `was busy` (Past Cont.) -> `am busy` (Present Cont.). `then` -> `now`.
• Indirect: She asked me if I could help her.
  Direct: She said to me, "Can you help me?"
  
  Explanation: `asked` -> `said to`. Remove `if`. `I could` -> `Can you`. `her` -> `me`. Add a question mark.
• Indirect: The teacher advised the students not to waste their time.
  Direct: The teacher said to the students, "Do not waste your time."
  
  Explanation: `advised` -> `said to`. The infinitive `not to waste` becomes a negative command `Do not waste`. `their` -> `your`.
• Indirect: He asked me where I lived.
  Direct: He said to me, "Where do you live?"
  
  Explanation: `asked` -> `said to`. The statement `I lived` becomes a question `do you live`. The tense shifts from past back to present.
• Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that they had won the game.
  Direct: They said, "Hurray! We have won the game."
  
  Explanation: `exclaimed with joy` is represented by `Hurray!`. `they had won` (Past Perfect) -> `We have won` (Present Perfect).
• Indirect: My father ordered me to go to my room.
  Direct: My father said to me, "Go to your room."
  
  Explanation: `ordered` -> `said to`. The infinitive `to go` becomes the base verb `Go` in a command.
• Indirect: She said that her mother would arrive the next day.
  Direct: She said, "My mother will arrive tomorrow."
  
  Explanation: `her` -> `My`. `would arrive` -> `will arrive`. `the next day` -> `tomorrow`.
• Indirect: He said that the Earth moves around the Sun.
  Direct: He said, "The Earth moves around the Sun."
  
  Explanation: Since it's a universal truth, the tense remains the same in both forms. Just add punctuation.
• Indirect: She requested him to wait there.
  Direct: She said to him, "Please wait here."
  
  Explanation: `requested` implies `Please`. `to wait` becomes `wait`. `there` becomes `here`.
• Indirect: I told them that they had to finish that work.
  Direct: I said to them, "You have to finish this work."
  
  Explanation: `told` -> `said to`. `they had to` -> `You have to`. `that work` -> `this work`.