Check the examples:
Direct : She said, „She can dance‟.
Indirect: She said that she could dance.
Direct: She said, „I may buy a dress‟.
Indirect: She said that she might buy a dress.
Direct: Rama said, „I must complete the assignment‟.
Indirect: Rama said that he had to complete the assignment.
4. There are Modals that do not change like (Could,Would,Should, Might,Ought to)
Direct: She said, „I should clean the house‟
Indirect: She said that she should clean the house.
Rule 6 - Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion - Pronoun
1. The first person in the direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech.
Direct speech to indirect speech examples
Direct: He said, “I am in class Twelfth.”
Indirect: He says that he was in class Twelfth.
2. The second person of direct speech changes as per the object of reporting speech.
Direct speech to indirect speech examples
Direct: She says to them, "You have done your work.”
Indirect: She tells them that they have done their work.
3. The third person of direct speech doesn't change.
Direct speech to indirect speech examples
Direct: He says, "She dances well.”
Indirect: He says that she dances well.
Rule 7 - Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion - Request, Command, Wish, Exclamation
1. Indirect Speech is supported by some verbs like requested, ordered, suggested and advised.
Forbid-forbade is used for the negative sentences. Therefore, the imperative mood in direct
speech changes into the Infinitive in indirect speech.
Direct: She said to her „Please complete it‟.
Indirect: She requested her to complete it.
Direct: Hamid said to Ramid, „Sit down‟.
Indirect: Hamid ordered Ramid to sit down.
2. In Exclamatory sentences that express (grief, sorrow, happiness, applaud) Interjections are
removed and the sentence is changed to an assertive sentence.
Direct: She said, „Alas! I am undone‟.
Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.
Rule 7 - Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion - Punctuations
1. In direct speech the words actually spoken should be in („‟) quotes and always begin with a
capital letter.
Example: She said, “I am the Best.”
2. Full stop, Comma, exclamation or question mark, are placed inside the closing inverted
commas.
Example: They asked, “Can we sing with you?”
3. If direct speech comes after the information about who is speaking, comma is used to
introduce the speech, placed before the first inverted comma.
Direct speech example: He shouted, “Shut up!”
Direct speech example: “Thinking back,” he said, “she didn't expect to win.” (Comma is used to
separate the two direct speeches and no capital letter to begin the second sentence).