Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

In Indirect speech, commands and requests statement carry words like told, asked, requested, ordered followed by an infinitive.

Direct: The principal said, "Turn off the lights."

Indirect: The principal told us to turn off the lights.

Direct: Reema said, "Please help me."

Indirect: Reema requested me to help her.

In indirect speech, questions are changed to statements without any question mark. If the question starts with a WH-word, it remains as is. If it is a Yes/No question, we use if or whether.

For example:

Direct: Maya asked, "Where are you going?"

Indirect: Maya asked where I was going.

Direct: Pinto asked, "Do you like coffee?"

Indirect: Pinto asked if I liked coffee.

In Indirect Speech, pronouns change according to the perspective of the speaker and listener.

Direct: Pinky said to me, "I will help you."

Indirect: Pinky told me that she would help me.

Here, 'I' becomes 'she', and 'you' becomes 'me'.

Sentences with Direct speech reports the exact words of the speaker, as spoken by him/her, within quotation marks, while indirect sentences conveys the meaning of the message without quotation marks.

For example:

Direct: She said, "I am happy."

Indirect: She said that she was happy.