Are you struggling with converting direct speech into indirect speech? Whether you’re a student, teacher, or language learner, mastering this grammar skill is essential for clear and effective communication. In this guide, we’ll explain all the important rules for converting direct to indirect speech—plus give you access to a free Direct to Indirect Speech Converter Tool you can use online!
📌 What Is Direct and Indirect Speech?
Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken by someone, using quotation marks.
Indirect speech (also called reported speech) conveys the same message without quoting word-for-word.
Examples:
- Direct: She said, “I am happy.”
- Indirect: She said that she was happy.
🛠️ How to Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech
Below are the key grammar rules you need to follow when converting direct to indirect speech.
1. Change in Verb Tense
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, change the tense of the reported speech.
| Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|
| “I am tired” | She said that she was tired. |
| “I will go” | He said that he would go. |
| “I ate” | She said that she had eaten. |
💡 Tip: Present simple becomes past simple, present continuous becomes past continuous, etc.
2. Change in Pronouns
Adjust the pronouns according to the subject of the reporting sentence.
- Direct: He said, “I love my dog.”
- Indirect: He said that he loved his dog.
3. Remove Quotation Marks and Use “That” (Optional)
In indirect speech, quotation marks are removed, and the word “that” is often used (but not always necessary).
- Direct: She said, “I like coffee.”
- Indirect: She said (that) she liked coffee.
4. Change Time and Place Words
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tomorrow | the next day |
| yesterday | the previous day |
| here | there |
Example:
- Direct: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”
- Indirect: He said that he would come the next day.
5. Question Sentences
Use if or whether for yes/no questions. Don’t use the question mark.
- Direct: He asked, “Do you like tea?”
- Indirect: He asked if I liked tea.
Use question words (who, where, what, etc.) directly in the sentence.
- Direct: She asked, “Where are you going?”
- Indirect: She asked where I was going.
6. Commands and Requests
Use “to” for commands and requests.
- Direct: She said, “Please sit down.”
- Indirect: She told me to sit down.
For negative commands, use not to.
- Direct: He said, “Don’t be late.”
- Indirect: He told me not to be late.
✅ Try Our Free Direct to Indirect Speech Converter Tool
Manually converting speech can be time-consuming, especially for longer texts. That’s why we created an easy-to-use Direct to Indirect Speech Converter Tool that helps you convert any sentence in seconds.
🎓 Who Is This Tool For?
- 🧑🎓 Students – Improve grammar for exams and assignments
- 🧑🏫 Teachers – Save time creating examples or exercises
- 🌍 ESL Learners – Understand English speech rules easily
- ✍️ Writers & Bloggers – Rewrite dialogues quickly
Final Thoughts
Mastering the rules of direct and indirect speech is crucial for writing and speaking clearly. This guide should help you understand the grammar rules step-by-step. And don’t forget, you can always use our free converter tool to speed things up!
🔗 Convert Direct to Indirect Speech Instantly
📢 Have questions or suggestions? Leave a comment below or contact us—we’d love to hear from you!