Direct and indirect speech is one of the important topics in the English language section of the SSC (Staff Selection Commission) exam. Being familiar with the rules and patterns of transforming direct speech into indirect speech is essential for aspirants to score well in this section. Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken bysomeone, enclosed within quotation marks.Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, involves reporting someone's words or thoughts without using their exact words.It requires transforming the original sentenceto reflect the meaning or content of the original statement.
Conversion of sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:
I. A sentence in Simple Present Tense in Direct Speech changes to Simple Past Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
"I always eat chicken", Tamanna said. (Simple Present Tense)
Tamanna said that she always ate chicken. (Simple Past Tense)
II. A sentence in Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech changes to Past Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
"I am creating a model", he explained. (Present Continuous Tense)
He explained that he was creating a model. (Past Continuous Tense)
III. A sentence in Present Perfect Tense in Direct Speech changes to Past Perfect Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
The teacher said, "He has finished his work." (Present Perfect Tense)
The teacher said that he had finished his work. (Past Perfect Tense)
IV. A sentence in Present Perfect Continuous Tense in Direct Speech changes to Past Perfect Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
"I have been to Japan", my friend told me. (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
My friend told me that he had been to Japan. (Past Perfect Continuous Tense)
V. A sentence in Simple Past Tense in Direct Speech changes to Past Perfect Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
"Hareesh arrived on Saturday", Dhananjaya said. (Simple Past Tense)
Dhananjaya said that Hareesh had arrived on Saturday. (Past Perfect Tense)
VI. A sentence in Past Continuous Tense in Direct Speech changes to Past Perfect Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech.
Example:
"We were living in Bengaluru", they told me. (Past Continuous Tense)
They told me that they had been living in Bengaluru. (Past Perfect Continuous Tense)
VII. A sentence in Past Perfect Tense in Direct Speech remains as Past Perfect Tense Indirect Speech. There is no change in Tense here.
Example:
"I had just turned out the fan," he explained. (Past Perfect Tense)
He explained that he had just turned out the fan. (Past Perfect Tense)
Model Questions
Directions (Qs. 1 - 5): Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
1. "I am not going to let anyone bring me down," the female leader declared.
A) The female leader declared that she was not going to let anyone bring her down.
B) The female leader declared that she was not going to let anyone bring her down.
C) The female leader declared that he was not going to let anyone bring his down.
D) The female leader declared that she was not going to let anyone bring them down.
Explanation: Here, the sentence is in Present Continuous Tense in Direct Speech. So, it changes to Past Continuous Tense in Indirect Speech. So, we change the noun "female leader" to "she" and the verb tense "am" to"was", to reflect the reported speech.
Ans: A
2. "I have never seen such a breathtaking view before," he exclaimed.
A) I exclaimed that he had never seen such a breathtaking view before.
B) He exclaimed that he had never seen such a breathtaking view before.
C) He exclaimed that I had never seen such a breathtaking view before.
D) I exclaimed that I had never seen such a breathtaking view before.
Explanation: Here, the sentence is in Present Perfect Tense in Direct Speech. So, it changes to Past Perfect Tense in Indirect Speech. The pronoun "I" changes to "he," and the present perfect tense "have seen" changes to the past perfect tense "had seen."
Ans: B
3. "I won't tolerate any form of discrimination," she stated firmly.
A) She stated firmly that they would not tolerate any form of discrimination.
B) They stated firmly that she would not tolerate any form of discrimination.
C) She stated firmly that she would not tolerate any form of discrimination.
D) I stated firmly that she would not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Explanation: The Modals such as would, should, could, might, ought to do not change in Indirect Speech. The pronoun "I" changes to "she," and the future tense "won't" changes to the conditional "would not." So, the correct sentence should be: She stated firmly that she would not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ans: C
4. "I can't believe I made such a silly mistake," he confessed.
A) I confessed that he couldn't believe he had made such a silly mistake.
B) He confessed that I couldn't believe he had made such a silly mistake.
C) He confess that he couldn't believe he had made such a silly mistake.
D) He confessed that he couldn't believe he had made such a silly mistake.
Explanation: Here, The pronoun "I" changes to "he," and the present tense "can't" changes to the past tense "couldn't." The reporting verb "confessed" remains unchanged.
Ans: D
5. "I must apologize for my behavior," she admitted.
A) She admitted that she had to apologize for her behavior.
B) I admitted that she had to apologize for her behavior.
C) She admitted that I had to apologize for her behavior.
D) I admitted that I had to apologize for her behavior.
Explanation: Here, the pronoun "I" changes to "she," and the modal verb "must" changes to the past tense "had to" in the Indirect speech.
Ans: A
Directions (Qs. 6 - 9): Select the correct direct form of the given sentence.
6. He told me that he had never seen such a magnificent movie before.
A) "I have never seen such a magnificent movie before," he said.
B) "He have never seen such a magnificent movie before," he said.
C) "I have never seen such a magnificent movie before," I said.
D) "He had never seen such a magnificent movie before," he said.
Explanation: Here, the sentence is in Past Perfect Tense in the reported speech. So, it changes to Present Perfect Tense in the Direct Speech. So, we change the pronoun "He" to "I" and the verb tense "had" to "have", to reflect the Direct speech. Ans: A
7. She said that she would be willing to help if she had more time.
A) "She would be willing to help if I had more time," she said.
B) "I would be willing to help if I had more time," she said.
C) "I would be willing to help if she had more time," she said.
D) "I would be willing to help if I had more time," I said.
Explanation: In the indirect speech, the reporting verb "said" is used to introduce the reported statement. The pronoun "she" indicates the person speaking in the indirect speech. It should be changed to "I" in the Direct Speech.The Modals such as would, should,
could,might, ought to do not change.
Ans: B
8. They told us not to go near the edge of the cliff.
A) "Don't went near the edge of the cliff," they told us.
B) "Don't go near the edge of the cliff," they tell us.
C) "Don't go near the edge of the cliff," I told us.
D) "Don't go near the edge of the cliff," they told us.
Explanation: Here, the sentence is in SimplePast Tense in the reported speech. So, itchanges to Simple Present Tense in the DirectSpeech. So, we use the verb " Don't go", toreflect the Direct speech.
Ans: D
9. The teacher explained that the Earth orbitsaround the Sun.
A) "The Earth orbit around the Sun,"explained the teacher.
B) "The Earth orbit around the Sun," explainthe teacher.
C) "The Earth orbits around the Sun,"explained the teacher.
D) "The Earth is orbiting around the Sun,"explained the teacher.
Explanation: Here, the sentence is a Universaltruth in the reported speech. We know thatevery Universal truth should be represented inSimple Present Tense.
Ans: C
Examples
Direct Speech:
* Sarojini said, "I love to read novels."
* He exclaimed, "What a beautiful sunset!"
* "I will be there at 6 o'clock," said Jagadeesh.
* "Please don't disturb me," she pleaded.
* "I have finished my homework," said Satish
Indirect Speech:
* Sarojini said that she loved to read novels.
* He exclaimed (with wonder) that it was a beautiful sunset.
*Jagadeesh said that he would be there at 6 o'clock.
* She pleaded not to be disturbed (by anyone).
* Satish said that he had finished his homework.In the examples above, the first set of sentences represents direct speech, where the exact words spoken are enclosed within quotation marks. The second set of sentences demonstrates the corresponding indirect speech, where the reported statements are transformed to reflect the meaning or content of the original speech.
