DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH (NARRATION)
Complete Notes for Competitive Exams
By Home Academy
DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH (NARRATION)
Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration) is one of the most important topics in English Grammar. Questions from this topic are frequently asked in JKSSB, SSC, Banking, Railway, UPSC, JKPSC, Police, Teaching Exams, NDA, CDS, CUET, State PSCs, and other competitive examinations.
A student can easily score full marks if they understand the reporting verb, reporting speech, tense changes, pronoun changes, and time/place changes correctly.
What is Narration?
Narration means reporting or conveying someone's words either exactly or in a changed form.
There are two types:
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
1. Direct Speech
When the exact words spoken by a person are written within quotation marks (" "), it is called Direct Speech.
Structure
Reporting Subject + Reporting Verb + "," + "Quoted Speech"
Examples
Riya said, "I am happy."
Teacher said, "Work hard."
Father said, "Honesty is the best policy."
Parts of Direct Speech
Example
Ali said, "I am busy today."
Reporting Subject = Ali
Reporting Verb = said
Comma = ,
Quotation Marks = " "
Reported Speech = I am busy today.
2. Indirect Speech
When the speaker's words are reported without quotation marks and with necessary grammatical changes, it is called Indirect Speech.
Example
Direct:
Ali said, "I am busy today."
Indirect:
Ali said that he was busy that day.
Difference Between Direct and Indirect
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| Uses quotation marks | No quotation marks |
| Exact words | Reported meaning |
| Original tense | Tense may change |
| Original pronouns | Pronouns change |
| Original time words | Time words often change |
Important Terms
Reporting Verb
The verb outside quotation marks.
Examples
said
told
asked
requested
ordered
advised
warned
Reported Speech
The words inside quotation marks.
Steps to Convert Direct into Indirect Speech
Step 1
Identify the sentence type.
• Assertive
• Interrogative
• Imperative
• Exclamatory
• Optative
Step 2
Remove quotation marks.
Step 3
Add suitable conjunction.
Assertive → that
Question → if/whether
WH Question → same WH word
Imperative → to/not to
Step 4
Change Pronouns
Step 5
Change Tense (if required)
Step 6
Change Time and Place words
RULE 1
Change of Reporting Verb
Different sentence types require different reporting verbs.
| Sentence | Reporting Verb |
|---|---|
| Statement | said/told |
| Question | asked |
| Order | ordered |
| Request | requested |
| Advice | advised |
| Suggestion | suggested |
| Warning | warned |
| Prayer | prayed |
| Exclamation | exclaimed |
RULE 2
Change of Pronouns
This is one of the most important rules.
Remember
First Person
Changes according to Subject.
Example
He said, "I am tired."
He said that he was tired.
Second Person
Changes according to Object.
She said to me,
"You are intelligent."
She told me that I was intelligent.
Third Person
Generally remains unchanged.
He said,
"They are playing."
He said that they were playing.
Shortcut
First Person → Subject
Second Person → Object
Third Person → No Change
RULE 3
Change of Tense
This rule is applied only when the reporting verb is in the Past Tense.
Present Indefinite
changes into
Past Indefinite
"I play cricket."
↓
He said that he played cricket.
Present Continuous
↓
Past Continuous
"I am writing."
↓
He said that he was writing.
Present Perfect
↓
Past Perfect
"I have completed the work."
↓
He said that he had completed the work.
Present Perfect Continuous
↓
Past Perfect Continuous
"I have been working."
↓
He said that he had been working.
Past Indefinite
↓
Past Perfect
"I wrote a letter."
↓
He said that he had written a letter.
Past Continuous
↓
Past Perfect Continuous
"I was sleeping."
↓
He said that he had been sleeping.
Past Perfect
No Change
"I had finished."
↓
He said that he had finished.
Future Indefinite
↓
Would
"I will come."
↓
He said that he would come.
Future Continuous
↓
Would be
"I will be working."
↓
He said that he would be working.
Future Perfect
↓
Would have
"I will have completed."
↓
He said that he would have completed.
Tense Conversion Table
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| Present Indefinite | Past Indefinite |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Past Indefinite | Past Perfect |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous |
| Past Perfect | No Change |
| Future | Would |
When Tense Does NOT Change
If Reporting Verb is Present
He says,
"I am ready."
↓
He says that he is ready.
Universal Truth
Teacher said,
"The Earth revolves around the Sun."
↓
Teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
Historical Fact
The guide said,
"Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri."
↓
The guide said that Akbar built Fatehpur Sikri.
Scientific Fact
The doctor said,
"Water boils at 100°C."
↓
The doctor said that water boils at 100°C.
RULE 4
Change of Time and Place Words
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| ago | before |
| last night | the previous night |
| next week | the following week |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
| come | go |
Example
"I will come tomorrow."
↓
He said that he would come the next day.
ASSERTIVE SENTENCES
Use
said → said that
said to → told
Examples
Direct
She said,
"I am hungry."
Indirect
She said that she was hungry.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
Rules
Remove question mark.
Use asked.
Use if/whether for Yes-No questions.
Keep WH words.
Sentence becomes Statement.
Example 1
He said,
"Are you ready?"
↓
He asked if I was ready.
Example 2
She said,
"Where do you live?"
↓
She asked where I lived.
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
Reporting Verb depends upon meaning.
| Meaning | Verb |
|---|---|
| Order | ordered |
| Request | requested |
| Advice | advised |
| Command | commanded |
| Warning | warned |
| Suggestion | suggested |
Use
to + Verb
Negative
not to + Verb
Examples
Father said,
"Study hard."
↓
Father advised me to study hard.
Teacher said,
"Don't make noise."
↓
Teacher ordered the students not to make noise.
EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES
Use
exclaimed with joy
exclaimed with sorrow
exclaimed with surprise
etc.
Examples
"What a beautiful flower!"
↓
She exclaimed with admiration that it was a very beautiful flower.
"Alas! I failed."
↓
He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed.
OPTATIVE SENTENCES
Use
prayed
wished
blessed
Examples
"May God bless you."
↓
He prayed that God might bless me.
"Long live India."
↓
They wished that India might live long.
MODAL VERBS
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| can | could |
| may | might |
| shall | should/would |
| will | would |
| must | had to (obligation) / remains "must" (necessity) |
| could | could |
| might | might |
| should | should |
Common Reporting Verbs
said
told
asked
requested
ordered
commanded
advised
warned
begged
prayed
wished
exclaimed
suggested
promised
offered
refused
agreed
explained
announced
declared
Common Mistakes in Competitive Exams
Mistake 1
❌ He said me.
✅ He told me.
Mistake 2
❌ He told that.
✅ He said that.
Mistake 3
❌ He said to that.
✅ He said that.
Mistake 4
❌ Asked that.
✅ Asked if.
Mistake 5
❌ Do not forget pronoun change.
Mistake 6
❌ Wrong tense conversion.
Mistake 7
❌ Keeping question order.
Correct
He asked where I lived.
NOT
He asked where did I live.
Mistake 8
❌ Forgetting time-word changes.
today → that day
tomorrow → the next day
Solved Examples
Example 1
Direct
Ram said,
"I play football."
Indirect
Ram said that he played football.
Example 2
Direct
She said,
"I have finished."
Indirect
She said that she had finished.
Example 3
Direct
Teacher said,
"Open your books."
Indirect
Teacher ordered the students to open their books.
Example 4
Direct
Mother said,
"Don't waste food."
Indirect
Mother advised me not to waste food.
Example 5
Direct
He said,
"Can you help me?"
Indirect
He asked if I could help him.
Example 6
Direct
She said,
"What a wonderful idea!"
Indirect
She exclaimed with admiration that it was a wonderful idea.
Competitive Exam Tips
Identify the sentence type before converting.
Check the tense of the reporting verb first.
Apply the First Person–Subject, Second Person–Object, Third Person–No Change rule for pronouns.
Remember the tense change table and the time/place word conversions.
Convert questions into statement word order.
Use the correct reporting verb according to the meaning (asked, advised, ordered, requested, warned, etc.).
Read the converted sentence once to ensure it is grammatically correct and meaningful.
Home Academy Quick Revision
✅ Two Types: Direct & Indirect Speech
✅ Six Conversion Steps:
Identify sentence type.
Remove quotation marks.
Change reporting verb/conjunction.
Change pronouns.
Change tense (if required).
Change time/place words.
✅ Conjunctions:
Statement → that
Yes/No Question → if / whether
WH Question → same WH word
Command/Request → to / not to
✅ No Tense Change:
Reporting verb in Present/Future
Universal truths
Scientific facts
Historical facts
Expected Questions in Competitive Exams
Identify the correct indirect form of a direct sentence.
Choose the correct reporting verb.Convert interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, and optative sentences.
Spot errors in narration.
Fill in the blanks with the correct indirect speech.
Multiple-choice questions on tense, pronoun, and time-word changes.
Mastering these rules and practicing regularly will help you score full marks in Narration questions in competitive examinations.
— Home Academy