Direct and Indirect Speech Rules
Direct Speech
The exact words spoken by a person are written in direct speech. It is put in quotation marks
Indirect Speech
The words are reported in a different manner and no quotation marks are used in it
Tenses change
|
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
|
Present simple |
Past simple |
|
Present progressive |
Past progressive |
|
Past simple |
Past perfect |
|
Past progressive |
Past perfect progressive |
|
Present perfect simple |
Past perfect simple |
|
Present perfect progressive |
Past perfect progressive |
|
Future-will |
Would |
|
Future-am/is/are going to |
Was/were going to |
|
Was/were going to |
Past perfect progressive |
|
Past perfect simple |
No tense change |
|
Past perfect progressive |
No tense change |
|
Can |
Could |
|
Shall |
Should |
“That” is used in the indirect speech
Change the pronouns
|
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
|
I |
He/She |
|
We |
They |
|
Our |
Their |
Changing references to time and place
|
Direct speech |
Indirect speech |
|
Tomorrow |
The next day |
|
Today |
That day |
|
Yesterday |
Previous day |
|
Last week |
Previous week |
|
Next week |
Following week |
|
Here |
There |
|
Now |
Then |
