What Is Direct and Indirect Speech?
Direct speech quotes the exact words someone said, using quotation marks: She said, “I am studying for my exam.”
Indirect speech (also called reported speech) reports what someone said without quoting their exact words: She said that she was studying for her exam.
SPM English tests this topic in Paper 1 Section A (grammar questions) and it’s useful in essay writing — particularly narrative essays where you report conversations.
The Basic Transformation Rules
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, three things change:
- Tenses shift back one step
- Pronouns change to match the reporter’s perspective
- Time and place expressions change
Tense Changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| Simple present → | Simple past |
| Present continuous → | Past continuous |
| Simple past → | Past perfect |
| Present perfect → | Past perfect |
| Will → | Would |
| Can → | Could |
| May → | Might |
| Must → | Had to |
Examples:
- Direct: He said, “I am happy.” → Indirect: He said that he was happy.
- Direct: She said, “I will come tomorrow.” → Indirect: She said that she would come the next day.
- Direct: They said, “We have finished the project.” → Indirect: They said that they had finished the project.
Pronoun Changes
Pronouns change to reflect who is reporting:
- I → he/she
- we → they
- my → his/her
- our → their
- me → him/her
- us → them
Example:
- Direct: She said, “I love my school.”
- Indirect: She said that she loved her school.
Time and Place Expression Changes
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| yesterday | the day before / the previous day |
| now | then / at that time |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
| ago | before / earlier |
| next week | the following week |
| last week | the previous week |
Reporting Different Sentence Types
Reporting Statements
Use “said (that)” or “told (someone) (that)”:
- Direct: He said, “The exam is difficult.”
- Indirect: He said (that) the exam was difficult.
Note: “Said” doesn’t need an object. “Told” always needs one:
- He said the exam was difficult. ✓
- He told me the exam was difficult. ✓
- He told the exam was difficult. ✗
Reporting Questions
Yes/No questions — use “if” or “whether”:
- Direct: She asked, “Are you coming to school?”
- Indirect: She asked if/whether I was coming to school.
Wh- questions — use the question word, but change to statement word order:
- Direct: He asked, “Where do you live?”
- Indirect: He asked where I lived. (NOT “where did I live”)
Important: In indirect questions, do NOT use question mark or question word order:
- Wrong: He asked where did I live?
- Right: He asked where I lived.
Reporting Commands and Requests
Use “told/asked/ordered + someone + to + infinitive”:
- Direct: The teacher said, “Open your books.”
- Indirect: The teacher told us to open our books.
For negative commands:
- Direct: She said, “Don’t be late.”
- Indirect: She told me not to be late.
Reporting Suggestions
Use “suggested + gerund” or “suggested + that… should”:
- Direct: He said, “Let’s go to the library.”
- Indirect: He suggested going to the library. OR He suggested that we should go to the library.
Exceptions: When Tenses Don’t Change
Tenses stay the same when:
1. The reporting verb is in present tense
- Direct: She says, “I am tired.”
- Indirect: She says that she is tired. (No tense change)
2. The statement is a general truth or fact
- Direct: The teacher said, “The Earth revolves around the Sun.”
- Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
3. The situation is still true
- Direct: She said, “I work at a bank.”
- Indirect: She said that she works at a bank. (If she still works there)
Common SPM Mistakes
1. Keeping direct speech word order in indirect questions
Wrong: She asked where was the library. Right: She asked where the library was.
2. Using “that” with questions
Wrong: He asked that whether I was free. Right: He asked whether I was free.
3. Forgetting to change time expressions
Wrong: He said he would come tomorrow. Right: He said he would come the next day.
4. Using “say” with an object
Wrong: She said me to sit down. Right: She told me to sit down.
5. Double tense shifting
Wrong: He said he had had been sick. Right: He said he had been sick.
Using Reported Speech in Essays
In narrative essays, indirect speech makes your writing flow better than constant direct quotes:
Too many direct quotes: She said, “I am going to the shop.” I said, “Can I come?” She said, “Sure, let’s go.”
Better with a mix: She mentioned that she was going to the shop and invited me to join her. We decided to walk there together.
Use direct speech for dramatic or emotional moments. Use indirect speech for everyday conversations that move the plot forward.
Practice Exercise
Convert to indirect speech:
- “I have never been to Penang,” she said.
- “Where did you buy this book?” he asked me.
- “Please submit your assignment by Friday,” the teacher said.
- “We will organise a charity event next month,” they announced.
Answers:
- She said that she had never been to Penang.
- He asked me where I had bought that book.
- The teacher asked us to submit our assignment by Friday.
- They announced that they would organise a charity event the following month.
Need Grammar Practice with Feedback?
Direct and indirect speech requires practice with corrections to master. At SPMEnglish.com.my, we provide targeted grammar exercises with detailed feedback so you understand not just the what but the why. WhatsApp us to start building your grammar confidence.
Related Resources
- Grammar & Sentence Structure — Complete grammar guide
- Active vs Passive Voice — Another key transformation
- Tenses Complete Guide — Essential for reported speech
- Common Grammar Mistakes — Avoid frequent errors