direct and indirect speech exclamatory sentences rules

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Reported Speech: Exclamatory Sentences Practice Questions with Answers

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Learn how to change Exclamatory sentences into indirect speech. We are giving here rules of as well as some practice exercises to help learners master the direct and indirect transformation of sentences. watch the video tutorials also to learn how to change a direct speech exclamation into its indirect speech exclamation.

New exercises are added from time to time, so keep coming here .

Click here for rules of Reported Speech

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Narration: Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentences:.

Sentences which express some sudden feelings ( such as pleasure, anger, surprise ) about something which has been said or done, are called Exclamatory sentences.

Exclamatory sentences or expressions take a mark of exclamation (!) at their end.

Hurrah! we have won.
Alas! he is ruined.
What a lovely flower!
How foolish he is!

Exclamatory Sentences: General Rules

Use ‘exclaimed’ in place of ‘said’ in the reporting verb in the indirect speech: Sometimes Exclamatory sentences contain exclamations like Hurrah! Alas! Oh! Heavens! Bravo, etc. Such exclamatory words are removed in the indirect speech and we use ‘ exclaimed with sorrow’, exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with surprise, applaud, pray etc. instead of ‘said’.
Generally, Indirect speech begins with that the Conjunction ‘ that’
Use ‘wish’ and ‘pray to God’ in sentences involving wish and prayer.
Convert the exclamatory sentence to a statement i.e. end with a full stop dot ( . )
Direct: Kohli said, “Hurrah! We won the match.” Indirect: Kohli exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
Direct: Reena said, “Alas! Sheela’s mother is suffering from cancer.” Indirect: Reena exclaimed with sorrow that Sheela’s mother was suffering from cancer.
Direct: My mother said, “May God bless you!” Indirect: My mother prayed to God for my wellbeing.
Direct: He said, “What a pity!” Indirect: He exclaimed that it was a great pity.
Direct: I said, “How stupid he is!” Indirect: I exclaimed that it was a very stupid of him.

Solved Exercises -1

Q. Change the following sentences into Indirect narration.

He said, “Alas! I am undone.”
She said, “Hoe clever I am!”
He said, “Bravo! You have done well.”
“Oh, help me, Heaven!” he cried, “I will never steal again.”
She said, “May you succeed, my son.”
He said, “What a great misery!”
The captain said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”
Sita said, “Goodbye, my friend!”
The spectators said, “Bravo! Well played, Rahul!”
The merchant said, “Alas! I am ruined.”
He exclaimed sadly (with sorrow) that he was undone.
She exclaimed that she was very clever.
He applauded him saying that he had done well.
He called upon Heaven to witness his resolve never to steal again.
She wished success for her son. OR She prayed for the success of her son.
He exclaimed that it was a great misery.
The captain exclaimed with joy that they had won.
She bade her friend goodbye.
The spectators applauded Rahul saying that he had played well.
The merchant exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

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Active and passive voice practice questions cbse/icse english grammar, cbse class 10 english paper 2022-23 grammar portion solutions, gap filling: cloze test exercises english grammar for school classes, analytical paragraph practice questions class 10 english grammar, this post has 7 comments.

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Exclamatory Sentences-Direct & Indirect speech

An Exclamatory Sentence is a type of Sentence that must have some strong feelings, e.g; joy, sorrow, grief, wonder, etc.

Characteristics of Exclamatory Sentences

with a word that expresses some grief (ha, alas),
with a word that expresses the joy (aha, hurrah),
or it may have a word that expresses the wonder (what, how)
After the Exclamatory Word, always places “Mark of Exclamation (!)”, e.g; Hurrah!
An exclamatory Sentence is always ended with a full stop(.).
The sentences that started with how and what have the Mark of Exclamation at the end.

Exclamatory Sentences- Direct & Indirect Narration

To convert the Direct Narration of Exclamatory Sentences into Indirect Narration, the following rules must be followed.

The words of sorrow can be replaced with the words “exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed with great grief, exclaimed sorrowfully”.
The words of joy and happiness can be replaced with the words “exclaimed with great joy, exclaimed joyfully”.
Exclamatory Sentences that have some wonderful feelings can be converted into Indirect Speech by replacing the words wonderful with the words “exclaimed in wonder, exclaimed in astonishment” and the words ” very” or “very great” would be added with the quality of wonder.
Make the word arrangement as of Assertive Sentence that ends with a full stop (.).

Pronouns, other words, and tenses can be changed by following the following rules:

General Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech
Pronouns Changing Rules
Other Words Changing Rules
Rule # 1, Rule # 2, and Rule # 3 of Changes in the Tenses

Exclamatory Sentences with Sorrow feelings

Exclamatory Sentences that have some sorrowful feelings can be converted into Indirect Speech by replacing the words of sorrow with the words “exclaimed with sorrow, exclaimed with great grief, exclaimed sorrowfully”.

He exclaimed with sorrow that his brother had met with an accident.
She exclaimed with grief that you had failed in science by two marks only.
She exclaimed with great sorrow that her cousin had died in a bus accident.
They exclaimed with great grief that the house of their friends had caught fire.
She exclaimed with great grief that her prize bonds had been stolen by her servant.
She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her purse.
They exclaimed with great sorrow that they had not been able to win the prize.
The old man exclaimed with sorrow that he had no hut to protect himself from that rain.
The poor man exclaimed with great grief that his only son had been kidnapped by somebody.
They exclaimed with great grief that they had been ruined.
He exclaimed with great sorrow that his watch had been stolen.
He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed in science by only two marks.
The captain exclaimed with great grief that he had failed to kick the ball through the goalposts.
They exclaimed with great sorrow that their shop had been looted by those bad characters.
He exclaimed with great grief that his friends had cheated him.
She exclaimed with great sorrow that her uncle’s car had met with an accident.
He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his passport.
She exclaimed with great grief that a plane carrying a group of tourists had crashed near Hyderabad.
She exclaimed with sorrow that they had taken her servant to the police station.
The little girl exclaimed with great sorrow that her doll had been stolen by her brother.
She exclaimed with sorrow that she had missed the first bus for Rawalpindi that day.
She exclaimed with sorrow that her brother had failed in English by five marks only.
He exclaimed with great sorrow that her brother had been run over in a taxi.

Exclamatory Sentences with Joy feelings

Exclamatory Sentences that have some joyful feelings can be converted into Indirect Speech by replacing the words of joy and happiness with the words “exclaimed with great joy, exclaimed joyfully”.

Exclamatory Sentences with Wonder feelings:

They exclaimed with great joy that they had defeated our team in that match.
He exclaimed with great joy that his father had returned from Saudi Arabia.
My sister exclaimed with great joy that she had won the first prize in sports.
We exclaimed with great joy that father had bought a plot of land for us in Faisalabad.
He exclaimed with great joy that his brother stood first in English.
They exclaimed with great joy that they would go to Mecca the next day to perform the Hajj.
The baby exclaimed with joy that the father would bring many toys for him the next day.
These girls exclaimed with great joy that they had all been declared successful by the headmistress.
She exclaimed with great joy that her father was taking her to Murree the next day.
She exclaimed with great joy that her brother had won a scholarship.
The boys exclaimed loudly that the question paper was very easy.
Children exclaimed loudly that their school would remain closed for two days.
She exclaimed with great joy that her father had bought a television set for her.
They exclaimed with joy that their son had reached home quite safe and sound.
I exclaimed with joy that the bullet did not hit him.
He exclaimed with great joy that his brother would perform the Hajj the next day.
He exclaimed with joy that he would leave for Madina the next day.
He exclaimed with great joy that his college had won the match by two goals.
They exclaimed with great joy that the thief had been arrested by the police.
They exclaimed with great joy that their forces had defeated the enemy.
The child exclaimed with great joy that his mother had returned from Iran.
They exclaimed with great joy that their team had won the match.
The child exclaimed with joy that his mother had come.
They exclaimed with great joy that the case against their leader had been dismissed by the magistrate.
The boys exclaimed with great joy that their school had won that match.

Exclamatory Sentences With Wonder feelings

If Reported Speech is started with the words “how” or “what”, then the Exclamatory Sentences would have wonderful feelings. And such Exclamatory Sentences that have some wonderful feelings can be converted into Indirect Speech by replacing the words wonderful with the words “exclaimed in wonder, exclaimed in astonishment” and the words ” very” or “very great” would be added with the quality of wonder.

She exclaimed in wonder that her mother was very lucky to win that prize.
We exclaimed in great astonishment that that woman was very old.
I exclaimed in wonder that I had been very foolish.
They exclaimed in great wonder that those mangoes were very sweet.
He exclaimed in great wonder that he had bought a very beautiful horse.
They exclaimed that that girl was very foolish.
You exclaimed in wonder that he was telling you a very strange story that day.
We exclaimed in wonder that you had told us a very strange story.
She exclaimed in great wonder that those apples were very sweet.
He exclaimed that those robbers had done a very cruel deed.
They exclaimed in great wonder that it was very heavily raining there those days.
She exclaimed in great wonder that that bird sang very sweetly.
We exclaimed in great astonishment that our leader had been a very great man.
The fox exclaimed loudly that that bird was very beautiful.
The patient exclaimed that health is a very great blessing of Allah.
She exclaimed with sorrow that she was in a very pitiable condition.
He exclaimed in great wonder that that old man was running very fast.
They exclaimed in great wonder that they had to deal with a big fool.
She exclaimed that that doll was very beautiful.
We exclaimed in wonder that that well was very deep.
She exclaimed in great wonder that her servant was very brave.
She exclaimed in wonder that those snakes were very poisonous.
He exclaimed in great wonder that she had painted very beautiful scenery.
She exclaimed that her wound was causing very great pain.
He exclaimed in great wonder that the Minar-i-Pakistan was indeed very grand and majestic.
She exclaimed in great wonder that you had bought a very beautiful carpet.
She exclaimed in great wonder that their neighbor was a very notorious smuggler.
Arif exclaimed that he was very glad to meet his old friends there in that exhibition.
She exclaimed in wonder that those clothes were very beautiful.
He exclaimed with great astonishment that it was a very big lie.
Tim exclaimed in wonder that that painting was very beautiful.
He exclaimed in great wonder that he had to deal with a very big fool.

Optative Sentences-Direct & Indirect speech

Optative Sentence is that type of sentence that has a prayer, keen wish or curse, etc. Optative Sentences always…

Imperative Sentences- Direct & Indirect Speech

An Imperative Sentence is a type of Sentence that expresses some kind of command or an entreaty. It means…

Pronouns Changing Rules- Direct & Indirect Speech

Generally, “Personal Pronouns” are changed while converting the Direct Narration into Indirect Narration. These pronouns take their shape according…

Rule # 1 of Changes in the Tenses| Direct & Indirect Speech

All the tenses of the Reported Speech are changed while going from Direct Narration to Indirect Narration under a…

Rule # 3 of Changes in the Tenses| Direct & Indirect Speech

Rule # 3 of the Changes in the Tenses is all about the Future Tense in the Reporting…

Exclamatory Sentence

Definition and examples.

Exclamatory Sentences are the sentences those express a strong emotion, which could be anger, joy, sorrow, excitement, surprise etc. The emotional zeal in the sentences is represented by the exclamation mark (!); without it, any exclamatory sentence is only a Declarative Sentence. To represent a greater degree of emotion, exclamatory sentences may be terminated with more than one exclamation mark.

Do you remember texting your friend- “My father allowed me to go on picnic!” By putting an exclamation mark at the end of your statement you conveyed your level of excitement (happiness) to your friend. Now, what if you had texted- “My father allowed me to go on picnic”, to your friend.

Does it sounds similar to the previous sentence, or does it lack something? The latter sentence is just a Declarative Statement simply delivering a message, without any excitement or emotion; while the former reflects that the sender is happy and excited.

When conversing vocally, your tone decides whether the sentence is exclamatory or not. If you walked into a restaurant and said -“I need hot coffee!” said in a higher tone or raised voice it indicates your urgency; otherwise, you could have just stated “I need hot coffee” and waited for it to be delivered to you.

We will go through few exclamatory sentences below, also identifying the emotions they represent-

What have you done! (Anger)
Hurrah! The trophy is ours!! (Joy)
I lost my purse! (Sorrow)
I like ice creams! (Excitement)
Wonderful house you have got! (Excitement)
What a beautiful day!! (Excitement)
What is this!! (Surprise)
This is the last time I am warning you! (Anger)
We are going for a movie tonight! (Excitement/Joy)
Wish he had been with us!! (Sorrow)
What a beautiful house! (Excitement)
Ronny, we are selected for the tournament! (Excitement/Happiness)

Further we will go through the rules of forming and identifying Exclamatory Sentences and identifying the emotions they represent.

There are certain rules to be followed while forming or even identifying exclamatory sentences. Below we will go through the rules of Exclamatory Sentences-

Rule 1 – An Exclamatory Sentence Never Delivers a Command

Do keep in mind that exclamatory sentences cannot give command; as only imperative sentences give command. Therefore sentences like-

Get off my way! (Command)
Watch out your steps! (Instruction)
Do the work I gave you! (Instruction)

are not Exclamatory Sentences, even though they seem to deliver emotions of anger and frustration.

Rule 2 – An Exclamatory Sentence always has a subject

Given to the situation an Exclamatory Sentence always has a subject and a predicate.

Go through the following statement-

What a beautiful day!
Hurray, we won the match!
I love you!
There is a snake in the backyard!
I saw my favorite movie!
Oh No! He is not coming to the party!

All of the above sentences are exclamatory and have clear subjects.

Some sentences at first sight do look like exclamatory sentences but they are not.

Go through the below sentences-

Happy Birthday!
Merry Christmas!

The above sentences are not exclamatory, but imperative; it is making a wish and the subject (you) is not mentioned. Therefore, special care must be taken before deciding on whether the sentence is Exclamatory or not.

Rule 3 – Don’t over-use the Exclamatory Sentences

While it is ok to use more than one exclamation mark to express a strong emotion but the overuse of exclamation marks should be avoided in case of grouped statements.

For Example, go through the statement below-

I was late! I hurried up! I reached on time!

The above set of sentences seems a little inappropriate as the exclamation mark after every sentence makes the speaker looks like less serious. The most appropriate version of the above sentences should be-

I was late. I hurried up. I reached on time!

Therefore, while dealing with a set of statements, we must avoid the over formation of Exclamatory Sentences.

Exclamatory Sentences Beginning with Interrogative Clause (What/How)

It must be kept in mind that even though if the exclamatory sentence begins with What/How, it is not a question and is always terminated with an Exclamation (!).

Kindly go through the below examples-

What a precise plan!
What a gentle man he is!
What a lovely flower!
What a cute baby!
How beautiful it is!
How fast it went!
How slow the ship sailed!
How easy it was!
How interesting the match was!

Practice forming more Exclamatory Sentences beginning with interrogative clauses- Why/How.

Exclamatory Sentences with So/Such

‘So’ is an adverb and ‘Such’ is a determiner; also, in exclamatory sentences ‘so’ is paired with an adjective and ‘such’ is paired with a noun.

Go through the examples given below-

He is so cute!
The man was so huge!
It was so big!
I was so late!
It had been so tiring!
He is such a gentleman!
He was such a jerk!
It was such a beautiful day!
She is such a spoiler!

Use of Interjections in Exclamatory Sentences (Wow! /Alas! /Hurray! /Wow!/Ouch!)

The Exclamatory Sentences may begin with interjections- Alas! (Sorrow), Hurray! (Joy), Wow! (Surprise), Ouch! (Pain) etc, to provide more strength to the emotion, though, the interjection must also be terminated with an Exclamation (!).

Go through the below examples-

Alas! I forgot the keys! (Sorrow)
Hurray! We won the match! (Joy)
Wow! He presented me a watch! (Surprise)
Ouch! This chair hurts! (Pain)
Wow! What a beautiful tree! (Surprise)

Direct – Indirect Exclamatory Sentences

Converting Direct Exclamatory Sentences into Indirect Exclamatory Sentences

We will begin with converting a direct Exclamatory Sentence into an Indirect Exclamatory Sentence; and, further analyze the changes we made to define the set of rules for the conversion.

Let us begin with below give Direct Exclamatory Sentence-

She said, “We are going to the party!”

Now try converting the above sentence into an Indirect Sentence; try to form a sentence without comma (,) and an Exclamation (!). The best possible representation is the sentence given below-

She exclaimed that they were going to the party.

Note the changes that have been made-

1) Reporting verb ‘Said’ is replaced with ‘Exclaimed’.

2) Conjunction word ‘That’ is used.

3) Change the tense of the exclamatory verb to past tense i.e. ‘are’ changes to ‘were’.

4) Remove the commas (,), quotation marks (“ “) and exclamation marks (!).

We will further go through some more direct exclamatory sentences and their indirect forms given below-

Direct: She said,” What a wonderful surprise!”

Indirect: She exclaimed excitedly that the surprise was wonderful.

Direct: He said in the stadium,” Hurray! We won the match!”

Indirect: He exclaimed joyfully in stadium that they had won the match.

Direct: She said,” What! I don’t believe it!

Indirect: She exclaimed surprisingly that she didn’t believe it.

Direct: They said,” How Did it happen!”

Indirect: They exclaimed surprisingly that how did it happened.

Direct: The spectators said,” What a great movie!”

Indirect: The spectators applauded the movie by saying that it was great.

Direct: She said,” What! He is not coming.”

Indirect: She exclaimed with surprise that he is not coming.

Exclamatory Sentences to Assertive Sentences

An Assertive Sentence is a declarative sentence with a subject and a predicate. Therefore, while converting from Exclamatory to Assertive Sentences, the subject and the verbs remains the same with few changes as mentioned below-

1) Interrogative Clauses How/What are replaced by Very/Great.

Go through the following examples-

Exclamatory: How beautiful the flower is!

Assertive: The flower is very beautiful.

In the above transformation we note that the subject (flower) remains the same as well as the adjective (beautiful); but ‘how’ is replaced by ‘very’.

Now, go through a sentences beginning with What-

Exclamatory: What a king he is!

Assertive: He is a great king.

2) The interjections are replaced by – “It is a matter of + emotions that they represent”

While converting from Exclamatory to Assertive Sentences, the interjections are replaced by the sentence- “It is a matter of + emotion that the interjection represents”; as given below-

Alas! – “It is a matter of sorrow”

Hurray! – “It is a matter of joy”

Bravo! – “It is a matter of joy”

Please go through the examples given below-

Exclamatory: Hurray! We won the match!

Assertive: It is a matter of joy that we won the match.

Exclamatory: Bravo! He is up again!

Assertive: It is a matter of joy that he is up again!

Despite the above stated rules, the punch line to change any given exclamatory sentence into an assertive sentence is that you just have to use your basic grammatical knowledge of forming a sentence.

True/False Exercises with Answers

Determine whether the following rules about the exclamatory sentences are true or false. Also cross check your answers with those provided at the end of the exercise-

1) An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation (!).

2) An exclamatory sentence may give command sometimes.

3) Use of more than one exclamation mark is prohibited.

4) “Happy Birthday” is the shortest exclamatory sentence.

5) “Get off my way!” is an exclamatory sentence representing anger.

6) In a group of statements; the more the exclamations the better.

7) We should avoid the over use of exclamation (!) in a group of sentences.

8) Exclamatory sentences don’t begin with an interrogative clause.

9) Exclamatory sentences may use interjections to amplify emotions.

10) “Exclaimed” is used while converting a direct exclamatory sentence into an indirect one.

Answer- 1) True, 2) False, 3) False, 4) False – It is Imperative, 5) False, 6) False, 7) True, 8) False, 9) True, 10) True

Direct–Indirect Exclamatory Sentences Transformation Exercises/Worksheet/Activities with Answers:

Convert the given Direct Exclamatory Sentences into Indirect Exclamatory Sentences; also, verify your answer with those provided at the end of the exercise-

1) He said,” Bravo! Ronny is getting through!”

2) She said,” Hurray! We are going for the movie!”

3) They said,” Bravo! A wonderful performance!”

4) He said in the hotel,” Wow! They are offering my favorite complementary dish!

5) Ronny said,” Alas! I lost my purse!”

6) He said,” Nonsense! I didn’t believe that”.

7) He said, “Oh! It was you!”

8) She said, “Sorry! I didn’t intend to hurt you.”

9) He said, “Alas! I lost my watch.”

10) Ronny said,” Oh! The school is open!”

11) The officer said to the thief,” Pooh! You are caught again.”

12) He said,” Good Lord! The boy is saved again.”

13) She said,” Ouch! This seat hurts.”

14) The Principal said to Ronny,” Pooh! You have failed again!”

15) The man said to the officer,” What a gentleman you are!”

16) He said,” Oh! What a pleasant sunrise.”

17) She said in the bus,” Hurray! The school declared holiday.”

18) Ronny said,” Ha! I am going to party!”

19) She said,” Hurrah! I am selected in the dance.”

20) He said,” Ah! What a beautiful car it is.”

1) He applauded that Ronny was getting through. Or, He applauded Ronny for getting through.

2) She exclaimed joyfully that they were going for the movie. Or, She exclaimed with joy that they were going for the movie.

3) They applauded the performance as wonderful.

4) He exclaimed excitedly in the hotel that he was being offered his favorite complementary dish.

5) Ronny exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his purse.

6) He exclaimed with contempt that he didn’t believed it.

7) He exclaimed with surprise that it was me.

8) She exclaimed regretfully that she didn’t intend to hurt me.

9) He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his watch.

10) Ronny exclaimed surprisingly that the school was open.

11) The officer exclaimed with contempt that the thief was caught again.

12) He exclaimed with surprise that the boy was saved again.

13) She exclaimed with pain that the seat was hurting.

14) The principal exclaimed with disgust that Ronny had failed again.

15) The man exclaimed with appreciation that the officer was a gentleman.

16) He exclaimed with surprise that the sunrise was pleasant.

17) She exclaimed with joy in the bus that the school had declared a holiday.

18) Ronny exclaimed joyfully that he was going to the party.

19) She exclaimed joyfully that she was selected in the dance.

20) He exclaimed with surprise that the car was beautiful.

Exclamatory to Assertive Sentences Exercise with Answers

Convert the given Exclamatory Sentences into Assertive Sentences and also verify your progress with the answers provided at the end of the exercise.

1) Well done Captain!

2) Oh! It was him.

3) How big the building is!

4) What a car it is!

5) Alas! I lost my best watch.

6) Oh! He won again.

7) Pooh! He lost his watch again!

8) What an entertaining movie!

9) What a beautiful sunset!

10) Bravo! We won the match again.

11) What! He came back.

12) Well done! You scored well!

13) What a strange fellow!

14) How secretly he walks into the class!

15) How well she talks!

16) How well he dances!

17) What a beautiful house they have!

18) What a great leader he was!

19) Sorry! I hurt your feelings.

20) What a delicious cake!

1) The captain did well.

2) It is a matter of surprise that it was him.

3) The building is very big.

4) It is a great car.

5) It is a matter of sorrow that I lost my best watch.

6) It is a matter of surprise that he won again.

7) It is a matter of contempt that he again lost his watch.

8) The movie is very entertaining.

9) The sunset is very beautiful.

10) It is a matter of joy that we won the match again.

11) It is a matter of surprise that he came back.

12) It is a matter of applause that you scored well.

13) The fellow is very strange.

14) He walks very secretly into the class.

15) She talks very well.

16) He dances very well.

17) They have a very beautiful house/Their house is very beautiful.

18) He was a great leader.

19) It is a matter or regret that I hurt your feelings.

20) The cake is very delicious.

Direct and indirect speech: Exclamatory sentences

Sentences that express sudden emotions of joy, surprise, pain and sorrow are called exclamatory sentences.

In order to convert them into indirect speech just follow the directions below.

All the rules we have read in the previous chapter of simple sentences are applies, e.g.

Changes in the tense of reported speech. Changes in the modal operators. Changes in time and place.

direct and indirect speech exclamatory sentences rules

If you want to read again you must go to direct and indirect: simple sentences.

Other changes

Since exclamatory are the different sentences in function than simple affirmative and negative sentences so there will be some extra changes in them as explained below.

Change in the verb of reporting speech

It is important that the verb of reporting speech is changes in accordance with the nature of reported speech.

See the table below for more details.


Sentence expressing pleasure	exclaim with joy
Sentence expressing wonder	exclaim with wonder / surprise
Sentence expressing sorrow	exclaim with sorrow

He said, “Oh! It’s a bad news.” He exclaimed with sorrow that it was a bad news.

She said; “Alas! Those days are no more.” She exclaimed with sorrow that those days were no more.

Use our direct and indirect speech converter and try converting sentences here.

Direct to Indirect Speech Converter

For Universal truth sentences

Write your sentence: Reporting speech of your sentence: Reported speech of your sentence:

Interjection and sign of exclamation

Interjection and sign of exclamation is replaced in indirect speech because the verb of reporting speech is doing the same function and there is no need to use it now.

Above examples may be considered.

Conjunction

When commas are removed in indirect speech two clauses are joined by the conjunction [that].

That is also called demonstrative but here it functions as conjunction because it joins dependent clause (reporting speech) with independent clause (reported speech).

Note: Remember, when [that] acts like demonstrative, like; that book, that house, it is called determiner (as already explained in parts of speech section).

She said, “What a wonderful weather is this.” She exclaimed with joy that the weather was wonderful.

He said to me, “Wow! You too are here.” He exclaimed with joy that I too was there.

Jones said, “Oh God! I cannot expect this.” Jones exclaimed with sorrow that he could not expect that.

He said, “What a wonderful painting is this.” He exclaimed with wonder that the painting was wonderful.

Peter said, “Wow! Where have you been for ten long years?” Peter exclaimed with wonder that where had he been for ten long years.

Watch the video

Direct and Indirect speech
Direct and indirect narrations: Introduction
Direct and indirect narrations: Kinds
Direct and indirect narrations: Simple sentences
Direct and indirect narrations: Interrogatives
Direct and indirect narrations: Exclamatory sentences
Direct and indirect narrations: Imperative sentences
Direct and indirect narrations: Optative sentences
Direct and Indirect Narrations: Universal Truths

Digital English

Narration change of exclamatory sentences 100+ example, narration change of exclamatory sentences [direct and indirect speech].

Table of Contents

Narration change of exclamatory sentences is a very easy matter if you know some rules of narration change or follow the right step. I have presented the rules step by step so that the readers can learn it after going through the article one time. Finally, I have given 100+ exercises with answers.

How to Identify the Exclamatory Sentences

It is very easy to identify the exclamatory sentences. If you find the below points in the sentence, you will be quite sure that the sentence is an exclamatory sentence .

Basic Rules of Narration Change

Some rules are mandatory for all types of sentences at the time of narration change. The rules are below.

All the rules or points have been highlighted in the previous post. Click here………

Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech of Exclamatory Sentence

Narration Change of Exclamatory Sentences

We change the “Reporting Verb” of direct speech into indirect speech according to the tense at the time of narration change. I have mentioned the reporting verb below.


	Hurrah	Exclaim with joy
	Alas	Exclaim with sorrow/griefExclaim sorrowfully
	Surprise	Exclaim with surprise
	Greetings	Wish
	Desire	Strongly wish/desire
	Goodbye	Bid (Bade in past)

When we find greetings and goodbye in exclamatory sentences, we use “Wish/Bid”. After using those we do not use “That” but use an object.

Indirect: She wished me good morning.

Indirect: He bade me goodbye.

If the reported speech starts with “How/ What” and we find an “Adjective/ Noun”, we use “Very / Completely” before the adjective and “Great” before the noun at the time of changing narration.

Direct: They said, “How happy we are here!”

Direct: He said, “What a nice bird!”

Direct: Dipu said, “What a fool I am!”

Indirect: Dipu exclaimed with surprise that he was a great fool.

In case of happiness, gladness , sorrow, and surpris e :

Narration Change of Exclamatory Sentences

Indirect: The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

Direct: She said, “Alas! I have lost my phone.”

Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her phone.

Indirect: My friend exclaimed with grief that his grandfather was no more.

In case of desire:

Indirect: The old man strongly wished that he were a king.

Example of Exclamatory Sentences Direct to Indirect Speech

Indirect: You exclaimed with surprise that she was a very smart girl.

Indirect: The man exclaimed with sorrow that his grandmother was no more.

Indirect: She exclaimed with surprise me that I was very silly boy.

Direct: He said, “Alas! How helpless I am.”

Indirect: Bimal explained with surprise that you had done a good deed.

Indirect: He exclaimed with surprise that he has drawn a beautiful picture.

Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that it was a capital hit.

Indirect: He exclaimed with surprise that he had won the prize.

Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her ticket.

Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that it was pleasant weather there.

Indirect: The shopkeeper exclaimed with surprise that the cloth was very fine.

Exercise Direct to Indirect Speech Interrogative Sentence

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50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

In this useful lesson, we’ll explore direct and indirect speech through 50 simple examples. These two ways of speaking help us share what someone else said. Think of direct speech as using the speaker’s exact words, like quoting a friend. Indirect speech , on the other hand, involves changing the original words a bit, as if you’re telling a story about what was said. This lesson is great for anyone looking to get better at English, offering clear examples to make learning easier.

Rules to Make Direct and Indirect Speech

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, it’s important to follow specific rules to ensure the sentence still conveys the original meaning. Here are the key rules:

Change in Pronouns : Pronouns often need to be changed according to the context and the point of view of the reporting verb. For example, “ I am going ” (direct) might become “ He said he was going ” (indirect).
Tense Shifts : The tense of the verb in direct speech usually changes when converting to indirect speech. If the reporting verb is in the past tense , the tense in the reported speech shifts back as well. For instance, “ She said, ‘I am eating ‘” changes to “ She said she was eating “.
Time and Place Words : Words indicating time and place in direct speech are often adjusted in indirect speech. “Here” may change to “there,” “today” to “ that day ,” “tomorrow” to “ the next day ,” etc.
Question Form : If the direct speech is a question, the indirect form does not use a question format. Instead, it integrates the question into a statement, often using “if” or “whether” for yes/no questions, and ‘wh’ words ( what, when, where, why, who ) for questions that require more detailed answers. For example, “ He asked, ‘Are you coming? ‘” becomes “ He asked if I was coming .”
No Quotes : In indirect speech, quotation marks are not used. The sentence is integrated into a larger statement, which often starts with verbs like said, asked, or told.
Exclamations and Commands : Exclamatory sentences and commands in direct speech are transformed into statements or requests in indirect speech. For instance, “He said, ‘How beautiful!'” becomes “He exclaimed that it was beautiful.” Commands like “He said, ‘Sit down!'” change to “He ordered me to sit down.”
Modal Verbs : Modal verbs can also change in indirect speech, especially might, could, would, and should, depending on the context and the necessity to maintain the original sentence’s meaning.

Remember, the goal of these changes is to maintain the essence of the original statement while adapting it to the grammatical and contextual framework of indirect speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

1. Direct: “I am busy,” she said.

Indirect: She said that she was busy.

2. Direct: “We will go tomorrow,” they said.

Indirect: They said that they would go the next day.

3. Direct: “He can play the guitar,” Mike said.

Indirect: Mike said that he could play the guitar.

4. Direct: “Do you like chocolate?” she asked me.

Indirect: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

5. Direct: “Please open the window,” John requested.

Indirect: John requested that the window be opened.

6. Direct: “I have finished my homework,” he announced.

Indirect: He announced that he had finished his homework.

7. Direct: “Don’t touch that,” she warned.

Indirect: She warned not to touch that.

8. Direct: “How are you?” he inquired.

Indirect: He inquired how I was.

9. Direct: “I will help you,” she promised.

Indirect: She promised that she would help me.

10. Direct: “I didn’t see him yesterday,” Tom confessed.

Indirect: Tom confessed that he hadn’t seen him the day before.

11. Direct: “I am going to the market,” Alex said.

Indirect: Alex said that he was going to the market.

12. Direct: “We saw a movie last night,” they told me.

Indirect: They told me that they had seen a movie the night before.

13. Direct: “Can you drive a car?” she questioned.

Indirect: She questioned whether I could drive a car.

14. Direct: “Please pass the salt,” he requested.

Indirect: He requested that the salt be passed.

15. Direct: “I have been to Spain,” she mentioned.

Indirect: She mentioned that she had been to Spain.

16. Direct: “Stay away from the dog,” he cautioned.

Indirect: He cautioned to stay away from the dog.

17. Direct: “Where did you buy this?” she inquired.

Indirect: She inquired where I had bought that.

18. Direct: “I’ll call you tonight,” he promised.

Indirect: He promised that he would call me that night.

19. Direct: “I didn’t take your book,” Sarah insisted.

Indirect: Sarah insisted that she hadn’t taken my book.

20. Direct: “Let’s meet at the café,” they suggested.

Indirect: They suggested meeting at the café.

21. Direct: “I’m feeling sick,” he said.

Indirect: He said that he was feeling sick.

22. Direct: “I won the match,” she exclaimed.

Indirect: She exclaimed that she had won the match.

23. Direct: “Could you please help me?” he asked.

Indirect: He asked if I could please help him.

24. Direct: “Turn off the lights,” she commanded.

Indirect: She commanded that the lights be turned off.

25. Direct: “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

Indirect: He said that he would see me the next day.

26. Direct: “We’re moving to a new city,” they announced.

Indirect: They announced that they were moving to a new city.

27. Direct: “Do not disturb me,” she warned.

Indirect: She warned not to disturb her.

28. Direct: “Why are you late?” he questioned.

Indirect: He questioned why I was late.

29. Direct: “I’ll handle the situation,” she assured.

Indirect: She assured that she would handle the situation.

30. Direct: “I’ve never been to Asia,” he stated.

Indirect: He stated that he had never been to Asia.

31. Direct: “Let’s go for a walk,” she proposed.

Indirect: She proposed going for a walk.

32. Direct: “I am learning Spanish,” he mentioned.

Indirect: He mentioned that he was learning Spanish.

33. Direct: “Please close the door,” she asked.

Indirect: She asked that the door be closed.

34. Direct: “I will join you later,” he promised.

Indirect: He promised that he would join me later.

35. Direct: “I lost my wallet,” she declared.

Indirect: She declared that she had lost her wallet.

36. Direct: “Keep the secret,” he urged.

Indirect: He urged to keep the secret.

37. Direct: “Where is the nearest bank?” she inquired.

Indirect: She inquired where the nearest bank was.

38. Direct: “I might go to the concert,” he speculated.

Indirect: He speculated that he might go to the concert.

39. Direct: “Please be quiet,” she implored.

Indirect: She implored to be quiet.

40. Direct: “I will finish the project by Monday,” he assured.

Indirect: He assured that he would finish the project by Monday.

41. Direct: “Don’t forget to lock the door,” she reminded.

Indirect: She reminded to not forget to lock the door.

42. Direct: “How do you solve this problem?” he pondered.

Indirect: He pondered how to solve that problem.

43. Direct: “I can’t believe I won!” he exclaimed.

Indirect: He exclaimed that he couldn’t believe he had won.

44. Direct: “Would you like some coffee?” she offered.

Indirect: She offered if I would like some coffee.

45. Direct: “I must leave now,” he stated.

Indirect: He stated that he must leave then.

46. Direct: “We’re adopting a puppy,” they shared.

Indirect: They shared that they were adopting a puppy.

47. Direct: “Never speak to me again,” she commanded.

Indirect: She commanded never to speak to her again.

48. Direct: “When will you return the book?” he asked.

Indirect: He asked when I would return the book.

49. Direct: “I’ll think about your offer,” she considered.

Indirect: She considered that she would think about the offer.

50. Direct: “Please bring me a glass of water,” he requested.

Indirect: He requested that a glass of water be brought to him.

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

“I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
“It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
“Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
“I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
“We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

Sarah said that she was going to the store.
John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
Mom told me to turn off the lights.
Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules

We often convey a message or give information about what someone said, thought or felt to somebody else. In order to do this you can use the grammar structure named direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech. Indeed this structure can be a source of confusion for ESL learners because they mix it with active and passive voice . Read the whole article to know about direct and indirect speech rules.

To learn more about direct and indirect speech click here.

Initially we will look at direct and indirect speech, then look at how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

Direct Speech / Quoted Speech Saying or quoting exactly what someone has said is called direct speech (sometimes called quoted speech) Here what a person says appears within quotation marks (“…”) a nd should be word for word.

She said, “Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.” or
“Today’s lesson is about direct and indirect speech.”, she said.

Indirect Speech / Reported Speech Saying or reporting what someone said without quoting his exact words is called indirect speech. Here we don’t use quotation marks to enclose what the person said and does not have to be word for word.

He said that yesterday’s lesson was about direct and indirect speech.

Reporting Verb The verb in the first part of sentence (i.e. say, said, tell, admit, complain, explain remind, reply think, hope, offer, refuse etc.) before the statement of a person in sentence is called reporting verb.

How to Change Direct Speech into Indirect Speech?

Rule 1. (Adverbs of Time and Place)

If the reported sentence contains an expression of time, you must change it to fit in with the time of reporting, and adverb of nearness should be put into those of distance.

Today => y esterday/ that day
This evening => t hat evening
These (days) => those (days)
Now => then
(A week) ago => (a week) before
Last weekend => the previous weekend
Here => there
Here after => there after
Next (week) => the following (week)/ a week after
Tomorrow => the next/following day
Thus => so
Last night => the previous night
Yesterday => the day before / the previous day
Hither => thither
Hence => thence

Note: If something is said and reported at the same time, then the time expression can remain the same.

He told me today, “ I will go to Karachi tomorrow.”
He told me today he would go to Karachi tomorrow.
She told me this week, “ we gave our exam last week.”
She told me this week, they had given their exam last wee.

Rule 2. Tenses

A) If the reporting verb is in present or future (i.e say, says or will say) then don’t change the tense that you can find within the quotation marks.

He says,”I was a fool then.”
He says that he was a fool then.
I will say, “ He loves his mom.”
I will say that he loves his mom.

B) If reporting verb is in the past tense. the tense of the verbs in the reported speech or indirect speech must be generally changed. This is because when we use reported speech, we are usually talking about a time in the past (because obviously the person who spoke originally spoke in the past). The verbs therefore usually have to be in the past too.

He said,”I am going to the cinema.”
He said he was going to the cinema.

Tense Change As a rule when you report something someone has said you go back a tense. Present Simple › Past simple

She said, ”it is cold,”
She said it was cold.

Present continuous › Past continuous

She said, “I’m teaching Math online.”
She said she was teaching Math online.

Present perfect › Past perfect

She said, “I’ve lived in Pakistan since 1999.”
She said she had lived in Pakistan since 1999.

Present perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I’ve been teaching English for seven years.”
She said she had been teaching English for seven years.

Past simple › Past perfect

She said, “I taught active and passive yesterday.”
She said she had taught active and passive yesterday.

Past continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I was teaching the lesson.”
She said she had been teaching the lesson.

Past perfect › Past perfect

She said, “The lesson had already started when he arrived.”
NO CHANGE – She said the lesson had already started when he arrived.

Past perfect continuous › Past perfect continuous

She said, “I’d already been teaching for five minutes.”
NO CHANGE – She said she’d already been teaching for five minutes.

Modal verb forms also sometimes change: Will › would

She said, “I’ll teach English online tomorrow.”
She said she would teach English online tomorrow.

Can › could

She said, “I can teach English online.”
She said she could teach English online.

Must › had to

She said, “I must have a computer to teach English online.”
She said she had to have a computer to teach English online.

Shall › › should/ would

She said, “What shall we learn today?”
She asked what we should learn today.
He said, ”I shall appreciate it.”
He said he would appreciate it.

May › might

She said, “May I open a new browser?”
She asked if she might open a new browser.

Note – There is no change to; could, would, should, might and ought to.

“I might go to the cinema”, he said.
He said he might go to the cinema.

Rule 3. (After wish, would rather, had better , it is time)

Ali said, ”I wish they were in Pakistan.”
Ali said he wished they were in Pakistan.
Hussain said, “ I would rather fly.”
Hussain said he would rather fly.
Zahra said, ” they had better go.”
Zahra said they had better go.
Ahmed said, “It is time I got up.”
Ahmed said it was time he got up.

If indirect speech the words within quotation marks talk of a universal truth or habitual action or when a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true then the tense inside the quotation marks is not changed at all.

He said,”My name is Ali.”
He said his name was Ali Or He said his name is Ali.
The teacher said,” the sun rises in the east.”
The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
Shazia said, “ I am thirsty.”
Shazia said she is thirsty.

You can also use the present tense if you are talking about a future event.

She said,”next week’s lesson is on reported speech.”
She said next week’s lesson will be on reported speech.

Rule 6. (Pronouns)

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence.

Ali said, “ We are the best players.”
Ali said they were the best players.

Note: Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing consider the examples below:

Mohammad said, “He killed them.”
Mohammad said that the man had killed them.

(If we only make mechanical changes, then the new sentence can have different meaning)

Mohammad said he had killed them. (Mohammad himself killed them)

Rule 7. Reported Speech In If-Clauses.

Hussain: “If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy.”
Hussain said that if he tidied his room, his dad would be happy.
Teacher: “If you concentrate, you will learn about direct and indirect speech.”
Teacher said if we concentrate we would learn about direct and indirect speech.

Rule 8. Reported Speech of Time-Clauses.

Ali: “When I was staying in Quetta I met my best friend.” –
He said that when he was staying in Quetta he met his best friend.

Rule 9. Reported Speech of Interrogative Sentences 1. Remove the quotation marks and question mark in the interrogative sentence. 2. Use ‘if’ or ‘whether’ if the sentence inside the quotation marks begins with a helping verb (Auxiliary verb). 3. Use the given interrogative word (what, when, where, why, who, whom, whose, which, now etc.) if it does not begin with the helping verb. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Changing the reporting verb (say, said) into ‘ask, want to know wonder or inquire’ in its correct tense. 6. Omit helping verb like ‘do, does, did’. But don’t omit them when they are with ‘not’.

Said I to my teacher,” won’t you help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules?”
I asked my teacher if he would not help me to learn about direct and indirect speech complete rules.
“ How often do you go to the cinema?” Ali said to Ahmed,
Ali asked Ahmed how often he went to the cinema.
“Where have you been?” he said.
He asked me where I had been.
“What time did it start?” he said.
He wanted to know what time it had started.
“Why won’t he do it?” she said.
She wondered why he wouldn’t do it.

Rule 10. Reported Speech of Yes/ No Questions

In yes/no questions we use if or whether in questions. If is more common and whether is more formal.

“Will you go?” she asked me.
She asked me if/whether I would go.
“Did he buy a car?” she said.
She wondered if/whether he had bought a car.

Rule 11. Reported Speech of Commands and Requests

1. Remove the quotation mark in an Imperative sentence. 2. Use ‘to’ if it is an affirmative sentence. (without don‘t) 3. Use ‘not to’ if the sentence begins without Don‘t. 4. Don‘t use ‘that’ 5. Omit the word ‘please’. Use the word ‘request’ instead of ‘say’. 6. If the direct speech contains a request or a command, the reporting verb (say, said) change to tell, request, order, command etc. in its correct tense. 7. The commands, requests and advice mostly have the same form in English: verb + object + infinitive (advise, ask, beg, forbid, order, persuade, recommend, tell, urge, warn etc.).

“Get up!” he said.
He warned me to get up.
“Please, revise for the test,” he said.
He requested me to revise for the test.
“Bring me a cup of tea” said Zahra to Sara.
Zahrs asked Sara to bring her a cup of tea.

Negative: + object + not + infinitive.

“Don’t hesitate,” he said.
He persuaded me not to hesitate.
“Don’t smoke,” the doctor warned my father.
The doctor warned my father not to smoke.

Rule 12. Reported Speech of Advice If it contains advice the reporting verb changes into advised.

“Put on your coat,” I said.
I advised him to put on his coat.

Rule 13. Reported Speech of Exclamatory Sentences

1. Change the exclamatory sentence into statement or assertive 2. Remove the quotation marks and exclamatory mark. 3. Use the conjunction ‘that’ 4. Omit the interjections such as Oh, O, Alas, how, what, hurrah. 5. Add the word ‘very’ to the adjective or adverb if necessary. 6. If the verb is not given, use ‘Be’ form verb (is, was, are, were, am) in its correct tense according to the subject. 7. Change the reporting verb (say, said) to ‘exclaim joyfully’ 8. Use ‘exclaim’ sorrowfully for sorrowful incidents.

She said ,” Wow, What a beautiful car that is!”
She exclaimed joyfully that was a verb beautiful car.
He said,” Alas! I have missed the paper.”
He exclaimed sorrowfully that he had missed the paper.

Rule 14. Use of ‘That’ in Reported Speech

In reported speech, the word that is often used, however it is optional. We recommend you no to use it because in some cases we don’t use ‘That’ in reported speech like: question, command request and order, so its better not to use it.

He told me that he lived in Hazara Town.
He told me he lived in Hazara Town.

Rule 15. Punctuation in Direct Speech

In direct speech, various punctuation conventions are used to separate the quoted words from the rest of the text: this allows a reader to follow what’s going on. Here are the basic rules: A) We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (“) are preferred in American English, while single quotes (‘) are more common in British English:

“I’m coming home late tonight,” she said. (American English)
‘I’m coming home late tonight,’ she said. (British English)

B) Every time a new speakers says something, you should start a new paragraph:

“They think it’s a more respectable job,” said Ali.
“I don’t agree,” I replied.

C) There should be a comma, full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of a piece of speech. This is placed inside the closing inverted comma or commas.

He asked, “ Can I go outside?”
She shouted, “ Sit down!”
We said, “ They are wrong.”

D) If the direct speech is broken up by information about who is speaking, you need a comma (or a question mark or exclamation mark) to end the first piece of speech and a full stop or another comma before the second piece (before the inverted comma or commas):

“You’re right,” he said. “It feels strange.”
“Thinking back,” she said, “he didn’t expect to win.”
“No!” he cried. “You can’t leave now!”

Conclusion: I hope that the points that I have mentioned above about direct and indirect speech may prove beneficial for people learning English. All you need to do is to understand the crucial rules of direct and indirect speech, and don’t mix it with passive and active voice.

Check out Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises With Answers

If you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

Direct and Indirect Speech

Table of Contents

What is Speech (Narration):

If we want to describe the speech of some other people with other people in our own words, that speech is called a Reported speech or Narration.

Types of Speech

In the English language, there are certain ways to express the spoken words between two people.

The speech has two main types, Direct speech , and Indirect speech , respectively.

These two ways of narration of spoken words are also called Direct and Indirect speech, also known as Direct and Indirect narrations.

Direct and indirect speech is majorly used in any conversations, scripts, or any biographies, etc. where one or more than one person converses with each other.

Direct speech:

It is also called straight speech or quoted speech, which is spoken or written directly in the text by the speaker, writer, or the first person, who is going to speak with anyone with him.

The spoken statements of the speaker normally come under the inverted commas notation, and a speaker who speaks these sentences may come like “he said/he said that.”

The speaker’s words or statements are mentioned in a single phrase pattern or direct discussion.

Indirect speech:

An Indirect speech is also called a reported speech, or secondary speech means the speech, which has spoken indirectly.

It is simply an overlook statement that is used to say about the incident that has happened in the past time.

The actual words of the speaker changed into the past tense and the sentence, and hence the reported speech of the direct speech does not come inside the inverted commas.

Reporting speech:

A person who is going to report the speech or a speech that comes in the first part of the direct speech is called a reporting speech.

He says , “He cooks food”.

Reported speech:

Reported speech is a speech that is always in an inverted comma or quotation marks.

It is a second part of the direct speech sentence.

He says, “He cooks food.”

Reporting verb:

The verb, which is used in a reporting speech to report something in a direct speech, is called a reporting verb.

Zoya said , “I want to go there.”

Reported verb:

The verb which comes inside the reported speech is called reported verb, respectively.

Zoya said, “I want to go there.”

As we start writing any direct and indirect conversation, we often use reported verbs like “say, tell, ask, inform, instruct, claim, suggest, enquire, etc.”

These reported verbs, whenever used in direct or indirect speech, change into the past simple form like said, told, asked, informed, instructed, claimed, suggested, enquired, etc.

But the verbs used in a speech between the inverted commas will remain as it is.

Examples of direct and indirect speech:

Indirect speech: John said that she was looking so beautiful.
Indirect : He said that he was not a culprit.
Indirect : He said that she was working on that project.
Indirect : The teacher asked if he completed his homework.
Indirect : She says that she is an artist.
Indirect : Sam told me that he was not coming with me.
Indirect : He says that she is working on that project.

Some basic rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech:

Rule 1 : “no inverted commas.”.

The reported speech does not come into inverted commas or quotation in an indirect speech.

Example: Direct: He said, “I have completed my assignments yesterday.”

Indirect: He said that he had completed his assignments the previous day.

Rule 2: use of “that” conjunction

Using the conjunction word “that” in-between the reporting speech and reported speech in an indirect speech.

Example:

He said, “I have completed my assignment yesterday.”
He said that he had completed his assignment the previous day.

Rule 3: Change of tense

While writing a direct speech into an indirect speech, we have to change the tense of the reported speech because whatever we are writing in indirect speech has already happened in the past timing.

If the tense of a reporting speech of direct speech is in the present tense or future tense , then the tense of the reported speech in indirect speech will not change. It may be in the present tense, past tense, or future tense, respectively.
Indirect : He says that he is going to school. (no change in tense)
Indirect : She says that she will not come with me. (no change in tense)
Indirect : He says that he wrote a letter. (no change in tense)

If the tense of the reporting verb of direct speech is in the past tense, then the tense will change according to these criteria.

For the present tense:

Simple present tense will change into simple past tense..

Direct: He said, “They come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they came to meet him.

Present continuous tense will change into past continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They are coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they were coming to meet her.

Present perfect tense will change into past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They have come to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Present perfect continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They have been coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

For the past tense:

Simple past tense will change into the past perfect tense.

Direct: He said, “They came to meet me.”

Indirect: He said that they had come to meet him.

Past continuous tense will change into past perfect continuous tense.

Direct: She said, “They were coming to meet me.”

Indirect: She said that they had been coming to meet her.

Past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense will remain the same.

Direct: He said, “They had come to meet me.”

Direct: She said, “They had been coming to meet me.”

For the future tense:

There are no changes in the future tense sentences; only shall/will may change into would, can change into could.

Direct: She said, “Can you come tomorrow.”

Indirect: She said that could he come on the next day

Direct: He said, “I will never forgive you.”

Indirect: He said that he would never forgive me.

Rule 4: Changing the pronoun

The pronoun used as an indirect subject speech sometimes needs to be changed accordingly in indirect speech as of the reported verb of the direct speech.

The pronoun used for representing the first person in reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting speech in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the second person in reported speech changes based on the report’s object in a direct speech.
The pronoun used for representing the third person remains the same in the reported speech.
Direct: He said, “ I am going to school.”
Indirect: He said that he is going to school.
Direct: She says, “ I will not come with you .”
Indirect: She says that she will not come with me .
Direct: They said, “ we are eating our tiffin box.”
Indirect: They said that they were eating their tiffin box.

Rule 5: Changing the time

The mentioned time (not the timing) in a direct speech sentence will have to change in indirect speech like now becomes then, tomorrow becomes the next day, yesterday becomes the previous day, today becomes that day, later becomes soon.

Direct: He told, “He is coming from Tokyo today .”
Indirect: He told me that he was coming from Tokyo that day .
Direct: She asked, “Will the parcel reach by tomorrow or not?”
Indirect: She asked whether the parcel will reach by the next day or not.
Direct: “The teacher has given some assignments yesterday ”, he reminds me.
Indirect: He reminds me that the teacher had given some assignments on the previous day.

Conversion of statements from direct speech into Indirect speech:

Assertive sentences:.

Assertive sentences are simple statements that may be affirmative or negative.

If we are going to convert assertive sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, we have to replace “said” with “told” sometimes.

Here, the subject in direct speech refers to someone in his talk.

Direct: He said to me, “she is working on this project.”

Indirect: He told me that she was working on that project.

Direct: She said to me, “I’m going for a long drive.”

Indirect: She told me that she was going for a long drive.

Imperative sentences:

Imperative sentences are statements that deliver a command, order, request, appeal, or advice.

It depends on the speaker, how he delivers the message to the other person.

Sit properly!
Stand by my side!
Come closer!

While converting these types of sentences cum statements from direct speech to indirect speech, we have to check the type of sentence, whether it is a command, order, request, or else.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Sit properly!”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me to sit properly.

Direct: The Boss said to an office boy, “Bring one coffee for me.”

Indirect: The Boss commanded an office boy to bring a coffee for him.

Indirect: The teacher requested me to sit properly.

Direct: The bartender said to me, “try this drink.”

Indirect: The bartender advised me to try that drink.

Interrogative sentences:

An interrogative sentence is a sentence which interrogates or ask questions.

Each interrogative sentence ends with an interrogative sign or a question mark sign “?”.

What is your name?
Can you do me a favor?
Why are you laughing in the classroom?

While writing interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech,

the reporting verb “said” in the direct speech is changed into “asked” in the indirect speech because it asks the question to another person.
If any reporting verb comes first in the reporting speech, then “If” is used despite “that.”
In a reporting speech, if any wh-type question words are present, then no other words will be used, and the sentence ends with a full stop sign instead of a question mark.
Indirect: He asked me what was my name.
Indirect: She asked if he could do her a favor.
Indirect: The teacher asked him why he was laughing in the classroom.

Exclamatory sentences:

Exclamatory sentences are those sentences that show emotions, feelings and ends with an exclamation mark!

Congratulations! You have a baby girl.
I am extremely sorry for your loss!
Most welcome!

If any interjection comes in an exclamation sentence, then the exclamation sign removes in an indirect speech, and an exclamatory sentence gets converted into an assertive sentence.

The replacement of reporting verb “said” with exclaimed with (great wonder, sorrow, joy) exclaimed (joyfully, sorrowfully)

Replace with very or very great , if words like how or what comes at the beginning of the reported speech.

Indirect: He exclaimed with joy that I had a baby girl.
Indirect: She exclaimed with sorrow that she felt sorry for my loss.
Indirect: They exclaimed with joy that most welcome.

10 New Words in English with Meaning

Present Perfect Tense: Definition, Examples, Formula & Rules

Future Simple Tense: Definition, Examples, Rules & Formula

Past Simple Tense: Definition, Examples, Rules & Formula

Alphabetical List of contractions

Wh-type Question Words | Wh Question Words

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Direct Indirect

Exclamatory Sentences

Definition:- Sentences describing feelings of joy, surprise, disgust or contempt, regret, grief or sorrow and applause are called Exclamatory Sentences. Interjections like hurrah, alas, wow, sorry, bravo, ah, ouch, pooh, what (sometimes used as Interjection to show surprise), well done, nonsense, good god are mostly used to describe different feelings of joy, disgust, surprise or grief.

There are two types of exclamatory sentences.

Sentences with joy, sorrow, regret, applause and contempt
Sentences with surprise

Sentences with Joy and Sorrow

Replacement of 'said' in sentences with joy, sorrow etc.

Wow!	exclaimed with joy
Well Done!	exclaimed with applause
Sorry!	exclaimed with regret
Pooh!	exclaimed with contempt
Nonesense!	exclaimed with contempt
Hurrah!	exclaimed with joy
Alas!	exclaimed with sorrow
Ah!	exclaimed with sorrow/grief

Model Sentences

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
1. The players said."Hurrah!We have won the match."	The players exclaimed with joy or exclaimed joyfully that they had won the match.
2.The machinic said to me,"Sorry!I have broken your mirror."	The machinic exclaimed with regret to me that he had broken my mirror.
3. The teacher said to participants, "Bravo!You have won competition."	The teacher applauded participants saying that they had won competition.
4. Master said to the slave,"Pooh!You have spoiled the decoration of my house ."	Master exclaimed with contempt to the slave that he had spoiled the decoration of his house.
5. He said,"Hurrah!I have won the tournament."	He exclaimed with joy that he had won the tournament.
6. Coach said to player,"Well Done!You have saved an almost lost match."	Coach exclaimed with applause to player that he had saved an almost lost match.

Rules of Conversion:- To convert these sentences into indirect narration following instructions must be observed.

Change said into exclaimed with joy or exclaimed joyfully , sorrow , regret , contempt or applause according to the sense of sentence.
Replace inverted commas with conjunction that .
Change pronouns of reported speech according to rules stated in change of pronouns lesson.
Change tenses of reported speech according to rules stated in change of tenses lesson.
Remove Hurrah, Alas, pooh etc from reported speech.

Exercise No.10

Change the voice..

They said,"Hurrah!We have won the match."
She said in Murree,"Hurrah!The weather is very pleasant."
The spectator said,"Hurrah!Our team has scored a classical goal."
She said,"Alas!I lost my mobile."
Ali said,"Oh!Aayan has come from London."
The principal said to him,"Pooh!You have failed again in the examination."
Neha said,"Alas!I have lost my necklace."
He said,"Good God!The fellow has come to life again."
She said to her servant,"Alas!You have broken my window pane."
The coach said,"Well done!boys."
"Alas!The patient breathed his last."said the nurse.
The young lady said,"Alas!My husband is no more."
He said,Hurrah!My friend has come."
The boy said,"Ah!I have received low grades in one subject."
She said,"Alas!I am undone."

Sentences with Surprise or Wonder

Difference between exclamatory sentences with surprise and interrogative sentences.

Exclamatory sentences with wonder and some interrogative sentences start with What and How and students consider exclamatory sentences with wonder as interrogative sentences. So they apply conversion rules of interrogative sentences to exclamatory sentences and their learning does not work for them.

How to recognise difference:- Both of these kinds of sentences start with 'how' 'what' but main verb or helping verb is always placed at the end of the sentence in exclamatory sentences with wonder and in interrogative sentences helping verb is placed just after question word.

What a tall tree it is! (Wonder)
What is your name? (Interrogative)
How beautiful scene it is! (Wonder)
How are you? (Interrogative)

So recognise the sentences and apply rules of conversion accordingly. Rules of conversion for exclamatory sentences with wonder are given below.

Replacement of 'Said' in sentences with surprise

What!	exclaimed with surprise
Oh!	exclaimed with surprise
How!	exclaimed with surprise
Good God!	exclaimed with surprise

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
1. Teacher said to student,"What an idea you have presented!"	Teacher exclaimed with wonder to student that he had presented a great idea.
2.She said,"What a pretty this child was!"	She exclaimed with surprise that that child had been very pretty.
3. He said to his friend,"What a classical and precise sentence he has written!"	He exclaimed with surprise to his friend that he had written a very classical and precise sentence.
4. I said to him,"What a beautiful advice you have shared!"	I exclaimed with surprise to him that he had shared a very beautiful advice.
5. He said to me,"What a hot and strong tea I have had!"	He exclaimed with surprise to me that he had had a very hot and strong tea.
6. Coach said to player,"How difficult this catch was!"	Coach exclaimed with surprise to player that that catch had been very difficult.

Change said into exclaimed with surprise or wonder .
Replace inverted commas with that .
Remove what, how etc from reported speech.
Change reported speech in positive sense .
Add very or great in reported speech.
If there is no subject in reported speech we suppose it as a subject. (sentence no.3)

Advance Exercise No.11

She said,"What a happy ending!"
He said to me,"How marvelous painting it is!"
He said,"What a lovely fish is it!"
They said to him,"How strange person you are!"
The boy said,"How well does he listen!"
I said to my brother,"What a tasty meal you have bought!"
He said to us,"What a goal!"
I said to him,"How intelligent you are!"
Our master said,"What a fine picture you have bought!"
She said,"What a lovely bouquet it was!"
I said to my friend,"How fast you ran!"
My sister said,"What an adorable girl she is!"
His younger brother said to him,"What a long black car you have!"
They said to me,"How beautifully she sings!"
My father said,"What an exciting football match it is!"

Irritating Concepts of Grammar

Why we don't add s or es in verbs with singular subjects in Present Indefinite Tense
Why we use HAVE with I despite I is a singular subject
What is difference between He-She and That, It and This, These-Those and They
Strong and weak verbs
Finite and non-finite verbs

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Reported Speech Requests Commands/Exclamations

Reported requests/commands, indirect speech exclamations, try our latest video exercises.

GrammarBank Video Exercises (New!)

Reported Speech – Rules, Examples

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

They say gossip is a natural part of human life. That’s why language has evolved to develop grammatical rules about the “he said” and “she said” statements. We call them reported speech.

Every time we use reported speech in English, we are talking about something said by someone else in the past. Thinking about it brings me back to high school, when reported speech was the main form of language!

Learn all about the definition, rules, and examples of reported speech as I go over everything. I also included a worksheet at the end of the article so you can test your knowledge of the topic.

What Does Reported Speech Mean?

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162134.388

Reported speech is a term we use when telling someone what another person said. You can do this while speaking or writing.

There are two kinds of reported speech you can use: direct speech and indirect speech. I’ll break each down for you.

A direct speech sentence mentions the exact words the other person said. For example:

Kryz said, “These are all my necklaces.”

Indirect speech changes the original speaker’s words. For example:

Kryz said those were all her necklaces.

When we tell someone what another individual said, we use reporting verbs like told, asked, convinced, persuaded, and said. We also change the first-person figure in the quotation into the third-person speaker.

Reported Speech Examples

We usually talk about the past every time we use reported speech. That’s because the time of speaking is already done. For example:

Direct speech: The employer asked me, “Do you have experience with people in the corporate setting?”

Indirect speech: The employer asked me if I had experience with people in the corporate setting.

Direct speech: “I’m working on my thesis,” I told James.

Indirect speech: I told James that I was working on my thesis.

Reported Speech Structure

A speech report has two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. Read the example below:

Harry said, “You need to help me.”

The reporting clause here is William said. Meanwhile, the reported clause is the 2nd clause, which is I need your help.

What are the 4 Types of Reported Speech?

Aside from direct and indirect, reported speech can also be divided into four. The four types of reported speech are similar to the kinds of sentences: imperative, interrogative, exclamatory, and declarative.

Reported Speech Rules

The rules for reported speech can be complex. But with enough practice, you’ll be able to master them all.

Choose Whether to Use That or If

The most common conjunction in reported speech is that. You can say, “My aunt says she’s outside,” or “My aunt says that she’s outside.”

Use if when you’re reporting a yes-no question. For example:

Direct speech: “Are you coming with us?”

Indirect speech: She asked if she was coming with them.

Verb Tense Changes

Change the reporting verb into its past form if the statement is irrelevant now. Remember that some of these words are irregular verbs, meaning they don’t follow the typical -d or -ed pattern. For example:

Direct speech: I dislike fried chicken.

Reported speech: She said she disliked fried chicken.

Note how the main verb in the reported statement is also in the past tense verb form.

Use the simple present tense in your indirect speech if the initial words remain relevant at the time of reporting. This verb tense also works if the report is something someone would repeat. For example:

Slater says they’re opening a restaurant soon.
Maya says she likes dogs.

This rule proves that the choice of verb tense is not a black-and-white question. The reporter needs to analyze the context of the action.

Move the tense backward when the reporting verb is in the past tense. That means:

Present simple becomes past simple.
Present perfect becomes past perfect.
Present continuous becomes past continuous.
Past simple becomes past perfect.
Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous.

Here are some examples:

The singer has left the building. (present perfect)

He said that the singers had left the building. (past perfect)

Her sister gave her new shows. (past simple)
She said that her sister had given her new shoes. (past perfect)

If the original speaker is discussing the future, change the tense of the reporting verb into the past form. There’ll also be a change in the auxiliary verbs.

Will or shall becomes would.
Will be becomes would be.
Will have been becomes would have been.
Will have becomes would have.

For example:

Direct speech: “I will be there in a moment.”

Indirect speech: She said that she would be there in a moment.

Do not change the verb tenses in indirect speech when the sentence has a time clause. This rule applies when the introductory verb is in the future, present, and present perfect. Here are other conditions where you must not change the tense:

If the sentence is a fact or generally true.
If the sentence’s verb is in the unreal past (using second or third conditional).
If the original speaker reports something right away.
Do not change had better, would, used to, could, might, etc.

Changes in Place and Time Reference

Changing the place and time adverb when using indirect speech is essential. For example, now becomes then and today becomes that day. Here are more transformations in adverbs of time and places.

This – that.
These – those.
Now – then.
Here – there.
Tomorrow – the next/following day.
Two weeks ago – two weeks before.
Yesterday – the day before.

Here are some examples.

Direct speech: “I am baking cookies now.”

Indirect speech: He said he was baking cookies then.

Direct speech: “Myra went here yesterday.”

Indirect speech: She said Myra went there the day before.

Direct speech: “I will go to the market tomorrow.”

Indirect speech: She said she would go to the market the next day.

Using Modals

Grammarist Article Graphic V3 2022 10 25T162624.255

If the direct speech contains a modal verb, make sure to change them accordingly.

Will becomes would
Can becomes could
Shall becomes should or would.
Direct speech: “Will you come to the ball with me?”

Indirect speech: He asked if he would come to the ball with me.

Direct speech: “Gina can inspect the room tomorrow because she’s free.”

Indirect speech: He said Gina could inspect the room the next day because she’s free.

However, sometimes, the modal verb should does not change grammatically. For example:

Direct speech: “He should go to the park.”

Indirect speech: She said that he should go to the park.

Imperative Sentences

To change an imperative sentence into a reported indirect sentence, use to for imperative and not to for negative sentences. Never use the word that in your indirect speech. Another rule is to remove the word please . Instead, say request or say. For example:

“Please don’t interrupt the event,” said the host.

The host requested them not to interrupt the event.

Jonah told her, “Be careful.”
Jonah ordered her to be careful.

Reported Questions

When reporting a direct question, I would use verbs like inquire, wonder, ask, etc. Remember that we don’t use a question mark or exclamation mark for reports of questions. Below is an example I made of how to change question forms.

Incorrect: He asked me where I live?

Correct: He asked me where I live.

Here’s another example. The first sentence uses direct speech in a present simple question form, while the second is the reported speech.

Where do you live?

She asked me where I live.

Wrapping Up Reported Speech

My guide has shown you an explanation of reported statements in English. Do you have a better grasp on how to use it now?

Reported speech refers to something that someone else said. It contains a subject, reporting verb, and a reported cause.

Don’t forget my rules for using reported speech. Practice the correct verb tense, modal verbs, time expressions, and place references.

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Home / English Grammar / Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

Discover how to change the direct and indirect speech of Imperative sentences into statements while maintaining proper punctuation. In addition, the use of reporting verbs , changing word orde r, and at the same time using appropriate tone to convey the meaning of the original sentence for the direct and indirect speech of Imperative sentences.

Imperative Sentence

An imperative sentence is a type of sentence that gives a command or makes a request. It typically takes the form of a subjectless verb , and the tone is often forceful, direct, and commanding.

For examples,

“Close the door.”
“Please pass the salt.”

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Imperative Sentences of Direct Speech and Indirect Speech.

(a) Basically, the subject will be “you” and it is not written in the sentence, but it remains in understood condition.

(b) On the other hand, such sentences imply someone to advise, to order, or to request.

Examples:

Direct: Mother said to me, “(You) Don’t run in the sun.”
Indirect: Mother advised me not to run in the sun.
Direct : Bina said to me, “Bina said to me go and fetch a glass of water.”
Indirect: Bina told ( asked/ordered/requested ) me to go and fetch a glass of water.

Reporting Verbs for Imperative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech.

An imperative sentence always indicates a command, request, or advise. In order that we have to use appropriate Verbs according to command, request, or advise. A list of verbs used to change direct speech into indirect speech provides in the table below:

	tell, order, command, change, bid, require. (‘Forbid’) is the negative verb of command.
	ask, request, desire, beg, solicit, beseech, pray, entreat, implore.
	advice, exhort, urge, persuade.
	Tell and ask.

Another key point is that ‘Tell ’ may often be used to express a ‘request’, ‘order, or ‘command’. As a result, it is often safer to use ‘ tell ’ in the indirect form when there is doubt about the proper word to introduce the Reported Speech.

Rules: Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences.

In indirect narration imperative sentence rules , the introductory or the Reporting Verb of an Imperative sentence expressing command, request, or desire transforms into an appropriate verb that expresses the intended meaning – tell, ask, request, order, command, beg, entreat, advise, implore.

First, look at the sentence given in the reported speech under Direct Narration.

In Indirect Narration, the Verb of the Reported Speech in an Imperative Sentence is changed into the Infinitive [ to + V( Base Form ) ]

Changes of Verbs for Imperative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech.

Rule 3:

If the Reported Speech is Negative, the word “ not ” is used in Indirect Narration before the Infinitive ( not + to )

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences Negative Forms

Expressions like ‘Please, Sir, Madam, etc are omitted in Indirect Narration, and their sense is expressed by adding adverbs like ‘politely’, ‘kindly’, ‘respectfully’, etc.

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences for Polite Expression

A Nominative of Address or a Vocative is omitted in indirect narration. The verb is followed by the person addressed and the Infinitive.

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences for Nominative or Vocative Sentences

When “Let” in the Direct Speech expresses a Proposal or Suggestion we may use “Should” or “Let” and change the Reporting Verb into proposing or suggest. [ It indicates Proposal or Suggestion]

When the Plural Form of Pronouns ( us etc ) is used after “Let”, [ Infinitive ( to + V)] is not used in Imperative Sentences beginning with “ Let.”

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences Proposal or Suggestion

Rule 7:

But when “ Let ” does not express a proposal, it should be changed into might or might be allowed to or into some other form and the Reporting Verb in Indirect Speech might be a wish, request, told, ordered, say, etc. according to the meaning or sense of the sentence.

[ It does not indicate Proposal or Suggestion When Singular Form of Pronoun ( me, him, etc ) is used after “Let” ] [ Infinitive ( to + V) is not used in Imperative Sentence beginning with “ Let.”

Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences expressing wish

Changes of Persons in indirect narration have already been discussed on the previous page. Should be carefully studied.

Changes in Reporting Verb in Indirect Narration and the Verb of the reported speech in indirect narration also have been discussed in the General Rules section on the previous page. Should be carefully studied.

Direct and Indirect Speech Imperative Sentences Examples 2024

Note carefully the Changes in Imperative Sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

Direct: Father said to me, “Go home at once.”

Indirect: Father ordered me to go home at once.

Direct: The teacher said to me, “Don’t come here.”

Indirect: The teacher ordered me not to go there. Or, The teacher forbade me to go there.

Direct: He said to me, ‘Please open the door.”

Indirect: He requested me to open the door. Or, He told me politely to open the door.

Direct: He said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.”

Indirect: He requested me to wait there till he returned.

Direct: I said to him, “Please explain the passage.”

Indirect: I requested him to explain the passage.

Direct: mother said to him, “Don’t run in the sun.”

Indirect: The mother advised him not to run in the sun. Or. Mother forbade him to run in the sun.

Direct: He said, “Ram, go there.”

Indirect: He told Ram to go there.

Direct: He said, “Friends, lend me your ears.”

Indirect: Addressing them as friends, he requested them to lend him their ears.

Direct: He shouted, “Stop, you villain !”

Indirect : He shouted to the villain to stop. Or, He ordered the villain to stop. Or, Calling the man a villain, he ordered him to stop.

Narration of imperative sentences exercise and Answers

Change the narration from direct to indirect speech.

Direct: “Shut the window,” she commanded. Indirect: She commanded to shut the window.

Direct: “Please bring me a glass of water,” he requested. Indirect: He requested to bring him a glass of water.

Direct: “Don’t touch that,” she warned. Indirect: She warned not to touch that.

Direct: “Help me with this assignment,” he asked. Indirect: He asked for help with that assignment.

Direct: “Pass me the salt,” she said. Indirect: She asked to pass her the salt.

Direct: “Please don’t disturb him,” she requested. Indirect: She requested not to disturb him.

Direct: “Open the door,” he ordered. Indirect: He ordered to open the door.

Direct: “Don’t be late for the meeting,” she advised. Indirect: She advised not to be late for the meeting.

Direct: “Pass me the book,” he requested. Indirect: He requested to pass him the book.

Direct: “Don’t forget to call me tomorrow,” she reminded. Indirect: She reminded not to forget to call her the next day.

Imperative Sentences Narration Change Examples with ‘Let’

Direct: “Let’s go to the park,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested going to the park.

Direct: “Let her finish the presentation,” she proposed. Indirect: She proposed that she finish the presentation.

Direct: “Let’s not waste any more time,” he insisted. Indirect: He insisted on not wasting any more time.

Direct: “Let me help you with that,” she offered. Indirect: She offered to help with that.

Direct: “Let’s have dinner together,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested having dinner together.

Direct: “Let’s not forget to send the email,” she reminded. Indirect: She reminded not to forget to send the email.

Direct: “Let him borrow your book,” he suggested. Indirect: He suggested allowing him to borrow your book.

Direct: “Let’s finish the project by Friday,” she urged. Indirect: She urged to finish the project by Friday.

Direct: “Let’s try a different approach,” he proposed. Indirect: He proposed trying a different approach.

Direct: “Let’s take a break,” she suggested. Indirect: She suggested taking a break.

Workout Examples of Imperative Sentences

Direct: I said to him, “Excuse me, sir.”

Indirect: I begged him to excuse me.

Direct: I said to him, “Let us have some music.”

Indirect: I proposed or suggested to him that we should have some music.

Direct: He said to his companions, “Let us not miss this chance.”

Indirect: He proposed (suggested) to his companions that they should not miss that chance.

Direct: We said, “Let him tell the story.”

Indirect: We said that he might (or might be allowed to) tell the story.

Direct: She said, Let him eat whatever he likes.”

Indirect: She said that he might (or might be allowed to) eat whatever he liked.

Direct: He said, “Let me come in.”

Indirect: He requested that he might be allowed to come in.

Exercises : Direct and Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentences

Change the following from Direct to Indirect Speech of Imperative Sentence

1. He said to me. “Put out the light.”

2. Mother said, “Don’t idle away your time.”

3. The beggar said to the man, “Please help me with money.”

4. The teacher said, “Boys, don’t make noise in the class.”

5. “Be not afraid, noble prince”, said the philosopher.

6. The old man said, “Take care of yourself, little girl.”

7. He said to me, “Let me do my work.”

8. He said, “Lie down, Tom.”

9. He said, “Oil your own machine.”

10. The general said to his troops, “Capture the fort.”

11. The teacher said to me, “Don’t read so fast.”

12. The girl said to the woman, “Please excuse me, madam.”

13. Kaberi said to Raman, “Let me live in peace.”

14. He said, “Let me have my own way.”

15. The thirsty man said to the woman, “Bring me a glass of water.”

16. Mother said to the boy, “Come here soon.”

17. You said to me, “Follow me cautiously.”

18. He said to you, “Don’t look behind.”

19. Madam said to Della, “Take off your hat.”

20. Father said to Casabianca, “Do not leave the deck till I come back,”

Worksheet Imperative Sentence

Turn the following sentences into Indirect Speech :

(1) Father said, My son, “Don’t give up hope.”

(2) Mother said to the daughter, “Get ready to receive the guests.”

(3) The sergeant said to the constables, “Run after the miscreants.”

(4) The boy said to the pedestrian, “Please help me to get out of the trap.”

(5) The teacher said to the boys, “Read silently.”

(6) The secretary of the club said to the members, “Let us raise a fund to help flood victims.”

(7) The students said, “Let us play a friendly football match.”

(8) The grandmother said to the grandchildren, “Let me tell you a folk tale.”

(9) He said, “Let me do this sum.”

(10) You said to me, “Let me go with you.”

(11) She said, “Let me try it again.”

(12) They said, “Let us pray for Mother Teresa.”

(13) The monk said to us, “Give up bad habits.”

(14) Father said to me, “Do not tell a lie.”

(15) The master said to the servant, “Pack up the things in the bag.”

(16) The girl said to her mother, “Please forgive me for my misbehavior.”

(17) You said to me, “Let us take a holy dip in the Ganges.”

Phrasal Verbs Meaning and Examples with Sentences

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Direct and Indirect Speech

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

Change of Pronouns

Change of Tenses

Change of Time and Place References

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct Speech Examples

Indirect Speech Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules

Rule 1. (Adverbs of Time and Place)

Rule 2. Tenses

Past continuous › Past perfect continuous

Shall › › should/ would

Rule 3. (After wish, would rather, had better , it is time)

Rule 6. (Pronouns)

Rule 7. Reported Speech In If-Clauses.

Rule 8. Reported Speech of Time-Clauses.

Rule 10. Reported Speech of Yes/ No Questions

Rule 11. Reported Speech of Commands and Requests

Rule 13. Reported Speech of Exclamatory Sentences

Rule 14. Use of ‘That’ in Reported Speech

Rule 15. Punctuation in Direct Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech