Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration): Rules and Examples

Narration means reporting what someone said. In direct speech we repeat the speaker’s exact words inside inverted commas: Hari said, “I am tired.” In indirect speech (also called reported speech) we give the meaning in our own words, without inverted commas: Hari said that he was tired. Lok Sewa papers often ask students to change direct speech into indirect speech, so this note explains each rule with examples.

1. Parts of a direct speech sentence

Take the sentence: Sita said to me, “I like your song.”

• Reporting verb: the verb that introduces the speech (said to).
• Reported speech: the exact words inside the inverted commas (I like your song).

To change it into indirect speech we usually do five things:

1. Change the reporting verb if needed (said to becomes told).
2. Remove the comma and the inverted commas, and add a joining word such as that, if, whether or a wh-word.
3. Change the pronouns.
4. Change the tense if the reporting verb is in the past.
5. Change words of time and place such as now, today and here.

Result: Sita told me that she liked my song.

2. Reporting verbs

The reporting verb depends on the kind of sentence being reported.

Remember: said is used without an object, and told must have an object. “She said that…” and “She told me that…” are both correct, but “She told that…”, “She told to me that…” and “She said me that…” are wrong. Told takes its object directly, with no to.

3. Tense changes (backshift)

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked), the tense of the reported speech moves one step back into the past. This is called backshift.

Example: Bina said, “I am reading a novel.” becomes Bina said that she was reading a novel.

4. Pronoun changes and time and place words

4.1 Pronouns

A simple rule helps with pronouns:

• First person (I, me, my, we, our) changes to match the subject of the reporting verb.
• Second person (you, your) changes to match the object of the reporting verb.
• Third person (he, she, it, they) usually does not change.

Example: Ramesh said to Gita, “I will help you.” becomes Ramesh told Gita that he would help her. Here I becomes he (Ramesh) and you becomes her (Gita).

4.2 Time and place words

Example: Kiran said, “I came here yesterday.” becomes Kiran said that he had come there the previous day.

5. Statements

For statements, use said or told with that.

• Asha said, “I live in Hetauda.” becomes Asha said that she lived in Hetauda.
• The officer said to us, “You have done well.” becomes The officer told us that we had done well.

6. Questions

In indirect questions the question becomes a statement: the subject comes before the verb, the question mark is dropped, and helping words do, does, did are removed. The reporting verb becomes asked or enquired.

6.1 Yes/no questions

Questions that begin with a helping verb (is, are, do, did, can, will…) are joined with if or whether.

• Mohan said to me, “Are you ready?” becomes Mohan asked me if I was ready.
• The teacher said to Rita, “Did you finish the work?” becomes The teacher asked Rita whether she had finished the work.

6.2 Wh- questions

Questions that begin with what, where, when, why, who or how keep the wh-word as the joining word. No if and no that are added.

• Puja said to me, “Where do you live?” becomes Puja asked me where I lived.
• He said to Bimal, “Why are you late?” becomes He asked Bimal why he was late.

A common error is to keep the question order: “He asked me where did I live” is wrong. The correct form is “He asked me where I lived.”

7. Commands and requests

Commands and requests use reporting verb + object + to-infinitive. The imperative verb becomes to + base verb, and “please” is dropped when requested is used.

• The captain said to the soldiers, “Stand up.” becomes The captain ordered the soldiers to stand up.
• Rina said to her brother, “Please lend me your bicycle.” becomes Rina requested her brother to lend her his bicycle.
• The doctor said to Ram, “Take some rest.” becomes The doctor advised Ram to take some rest.

For a negative command, use not to: The teacher said to the boys, “Do not make a noise.” becomes The teacher told the boys not to make a noise.

Sentences starting with let’s are reported with suggested or proposed: Suman said, “Let’s go to Lumbini.” becomes Suman suggested that they should go to Lumbini.

8. Exclamations and wishes

Exclamations use exclaimed with joy, sorrow or surprise, and the exclamation becomes a statement.

• Gita said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” becomes Gita exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
• He said, “Alas! My friend has failed.” becomes He exclaimed with sorrow that his friend had failed.
• Mina said, “What a beautiful lake Rara is!” becomes Mina exclaimed that Rara was a very beautiful lake.

Wishes and greetings use verbs like wished or prayed: Father said to me, “May you live long!” becomes Father prayed that I might live long.

9. Exceptions: when the tense does not change

1. Reporting verb in the present or future tense: no backshift. Hari says, “I am busy.” becomes Hari says that he is busy.
2. Universal truths and scientific facts: the tense stays the same. The teacher said, “The earth moves round the sun.” becomes The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.
3. Habitual facts that are still true: Mother said, “I get up at five every day.” can become Mother said that she gets up at five every day.
4. The past perfect never changes, because there is no tense further back.

10. Worked examples

1. Sunil said, “I am going to Dharan tomorrow.”
   • Answer: Sunil said that he was going to Dharan the next day. Present continuous becomes past continuous; tomorrow becomes the next day.
2. Anita said to me, “Can you speak Newari?”
   • Answer: Anita asked me if I could speak Newari. Yes/no question uses if; can becomes could.
3. The principal said to the students, “Do not run in the corridor.”
   • Answer: The principal told (or ordered) the students not to run in the corridor. Negative command uses not to.
4. Deepak said to Laxmi, “What are you cooking now?”
   • Answer: Deepak asked Laxmi what she was cooking then. The wh-word is kept; now becomes then.
5. Our teacher said, “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”
   • Answer: Our teacher said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. A scientific fact keeps its tense.