Learn direct and indirect speech with clear rules, real examples, and a 30-question practice quiz — everything an A1/A2 ESL beginner needs to understand how to report what someone said in English, including tense changes, pronoun shifts, and reporting verbs.
One of the most common problems for English learners is knowing how to report what someone else has said. Do you say "She said she is tired" or "She said she was tired"? This lesson explains the complete rules for converting direct speech into indirect speech (also called reported speech), step by step, with simple language and plenty of examples.
By the end of this lesson, you will understand the difference between direct speech and indirect speech, how tenses change when you report statements, questions, and commands, and which words like here, now, today must also change. Then you can test yourself with the interactive quiz below.
📌 Quick Answer: Direct and Indirect Speech at a Glance
- Direct Speech = the exact words someone said, inside quotation marks → She said, "I am tired."
- Indirect Speech = reporting what someone said without quotation marks, with tense changes → She said she was tired.
- Reporting Verb = the verb used to introduce reported speech (say, tell, ask, etc.) → He told me he was leaving.
Key Rule: When the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told), the verb inside the reported clause usually moves one tense back into the past.
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What Are Direct and Indirect Speech? Definition and Function for ESL Beginners
In English, when we want to report what another person said, we have two choices. We can repeat their exact words — this is called direct speech. Or we can report the meaning of what they said in our own words — this is called indirect speech (also known as reported speech). Both forms are extremely common in everyday English, in writing, and in exams.
Direct speech uses quotation marks (" ") and keeps the original words exactly as they were spoken. The sentence usually has a reporting verb like said or told, followed by a comma, and then the quoted words. Indirect speech removes the quotation marks, adds the conjunction that (which can sometimes be dropped), and changes the tense, pronouns, and time expressions to match the new reporting context.
Understanding this difference is essential for English learners because reported speech appears constantly in real life — in news reports, storytelling, academic writing, and everyday conversation. It is also a key grammar point tested in ESL exams at A1/A2 level and above.
| Feature | Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Quotation marks | ✅ Yes — always used | ❌ No — removed |
| Exact words | ✅ Exact original words | ❌ Paraphrased / reported |
| Tense change | ❌ No change | ✅ Verb moves one tense back |
| Pronoun change | ❌ No change | ✅ Pronouns shift perspective |
| Time words | ❌ No change | ✅ Words like "now" → "then" |
| Conjunction | ❌ Not needed | ✅ "that" added (optional) |
📘 Key Point: Both direct and indirect speech use a reporting verb (said, told, asked, etc.). The main difference is whether you repeat the exact words or report the meaning with grammatical changes.
The Core Rules: How to Use Direct and Indirect Speech Correctly in English
The most important rule in converting direct speech to indirect speech is the backshift of tenses. When the reporting verb (said, told, asked) is in the past tense, the verb inside the reported clause moves one step further into the past. This is called tense backshift and it is the heart of reported speech grammar.
Along with tense changes, you must also change pronouns and time/place expressions. For example, I becomes he/she, now becomes then, today becomes that day, and here becomes there. These changes are necessary because the speaker and the time of speaking have both shifted.
There is one important exception: if the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., She says...), no tense backshift is needed — the verb in the reported clause stays the same. This is common when reporting something that is still true or happening right now.
| Direct Speech Tense | Indirect Speech Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple (am/is/are) | Past Simple (was/were) | "I am tired." → She said she was tired. |
| Present Continuous (is going) | Past Continuous (was going) | "I am going." → He said he was going. |
| Past Simple (went) | Past Perfect (had gone) | "I went." → She said she had gone. |
| Present Perfect (have done) | Past Perfect (had done) | "I have finished." → He said he had finished. |
| Will | Would | "I will come." → She said she would come. |
| Can | Could | "I can help." → He said he could help. |
| May | Might | "It may rain." → She said it might rain. |
⚠️ Important Exception: Modal verbs would, could, should, might, and ought to do NOT change in indirect speech — they already carry a past or conditional meaning.
"You should rest." → She said I should rest. ✅ (No change needed)
✏️ Practice Tip: Every time you read a sentence in direct speech, ask yourself: What tense is the verb? Then move it one step back. Present → Past. Past → Past Perfect. Will → Would. This simple habit will make tense backshift automatic over time.
The 3 Types of Indirect Speech Every Beginner Must Know
Indirect speech is not just used for statements. We also use it to report questions and commands or requests. Each type has its own rules, structure, and reporting verb. Knowing all three types is essential for using reported speech correctly in English.
| Type | Original (Direct) | Reported (Indirect) | Key Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statements | "I live in London." | She said she lived in London. | Tense backshift + that |
| Yes/No Questions | "Are you ready?" | He asked if I was ready. | Use if/whether, no question mark |
| Wh- Questions | "Where do you work?" | She asked where I worked. | Use wh- word, normal word order |
| Commands | "Close the door." | He told me to close the door. | Use tell/ask + to + infinitive |
| Requests | "Please help me." | She asked me to help her. | Use ask + to + infinitive |
Type 1: Reporting Statements
When you report a statement (something someone said as a fact or opinion), use the structure: said/told + (that) + reported clause. The word that is optional and can be left out in informal English. Remember to apply tense backshift and change pronouns.
- Direct: "I love pizza." → Indirect: She said (that) she loved pizza.
- Direct: "We are watching a film." → Indirect: They said they were watching a film.
- Direct: "He has arrived." → Indirect: She said he had arrived.
Position Rule: Use said when there is no indirect object. Use told when you mention who was spoken to: She told me... / He told his teacher... Never say said me — this is wrong. ❌
Common Mistake: ❌ "She said me she was tired." ✅ "She told me she was tired."
Type 2: Reporting Questions
When you report a question, the structure changes significantly. You do NOT use a question mark. You do NOT use inverted word order (question word order). Instead, you use normal statement word order inside the reported clause.
- Yes/No question → use if or whether: "Do you like tea?" → He asked if I liked tea.
- Wh- question → keep the wh- word: "Where is she?" → He asked where she was.
- Reporting verb for questions: asked (not said or told)
Common Mistake: ❌ "She asked where was he." ✅ "She asked where he was." — Word order must be normal (subject before verb), not inverted as in a question.
Type 3: Reporting Commands and Requests
When you report a command (an order) or a request, do not use a reported clause with that. Instead, use: told/asked + object + to + infinitive. For negative commands, use not to + infinitive.
- Command: "Sit down!" → The teacher told the students to sit down.
- Request: "Please open the window." → She asked him to open the window.
- Negative command: "Don't be late!" → He told me not to be late.
Common Mistake: ❌ "She said me to go." ✅ "She told me to go." — Always use told or asked with an object for commands and requests.
Key Differences: Direct and Indirect Speech — The Confusing Pairs Beginners Always Get Wrong
Said vs Told — Which One Do I Use?
This is the number one mistake beginners make. Said is used without mentioning who you spoke to. Told is used when you name or refer to the person who was spoken to — it always needs an object after it.
- ✅ She said she was busy. (no object after "said")
- ✅ She told me she was busy. (object "me" after "told")
- ❌ She said me she was busy. (WRONG — said cannot take an object)
- ❌ She told she was busy. (WRONG — told must have an object)
Tense Backshift vs No Backshift — When Do I Change the Tense?
Tense backshift is needed when the reporting verb is in the past tense. When the reporting verb is in the present tense, or when the situation is still true now, backshift is optional or not needed.
- ✅ She said she was hungry. (past reporting verb → backshift needed)
- ✅ She says she is hungry. (present reporting verb → no backshift)
- ✅ He said the Earth is round. (permanent truth → no backshift needed)
If vs Whether — Which Word Introduces a Reported Yes/No Question?
Both if and whether can be used to introduce reported yes/no questions — they are usually interchangeable. However, whether sounds slightly more formal and is preferred in writing and in structures like whether or not.
- ✅ He asked if she was coming.
- ✅ He asked whether she was coming.
- ✅ He asked whether or not she was coming. (more formal)
🚫 Common Mistakes in Indirect Speech — Never Make These Errors
- ❌ "She said me..." → ✅ "She told me..." — never use said me
- ❌ "He asked where was she." → ✅ "He asked where she was." — normal word order in reported questions
- ❌ "She told to go." → ✅ "She told me to go." — told always needs an object
- ❌ "He said he will come." → ✅ "He said he would come." — will → would after past reporting verb
- ❌ "She asked if was he ready?" → ✅ "She asked if he was ready." — no inversion, no question mark
- ❌ "They said they can help." → ✅ "They said they could help." — can → could after past reporting verb
Practice Quiz: Direct and Indirect Speech for Beginners — 30 Questions with Answers (A1/A2)
Now that you have studied the rules, test your understanding with this direct and indirect speech practice quiz. It includes 30 multiple choice questions covering tense backshift, reporting verbs (said/told/asked), reported questions, reported commands, pronoun changes, and time expression changes. Each question includes a detailed explanation so you learn from every answer.
Quiz Instructions: Read each question carefully and select the best answer. After you click, you will see an explanation telling you exactly why the answer is correct.
Finished the quiz? Review every question you got wrong before moving on. If you scored below 70%, re-read the tense backshift rules and the said vs told section above before retaking the quiz.
Frequently Asked Questions about Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar
What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?
Direct speech repeats the exact words someone said, placed inside quotation marks, with a reporting verb like said or told. Indirect speech (also called reported speech) reports what someone said without using their exact words or quotation marks, and usually requires changes to tense, pronouns, and time expressions.
For example: Direct — She said, "I am tired." Indirect — She said she was tired. The core difference is that direct speech is a precise quotation, while indirect speech is a paraphrase that fits grammatically into the reporter's sentence.
Does the tense always change in indirect speech?
Not always. Tense backshift is required when the reporting verb is in the past tense (said, told, asked). However, when the reporting verb is in the present tense (says, tells, asks), no tense change is necessary. Additionally, if the reported information is a universal truth or permanent fact, the tense usually stays the same even after a past reporting verb.
Example of no change needed: The teacher said the Earth is round. (permanent fact — no backshift required). Example with backshift: She said she was tired. (personal statement at a point in the past — backshift required).
When do I use "said" and when do I use "told" in reported speech?
Said is used when you do NOT mention who was spoken to: She said she was busy. Told is used when you DO mention who was spoken to — it must be followed immediately by a personal object: She told me she was busy. Never use said me — this is always incorrect in English.
A simple test: Can you remove the person's name from the sentence? If yes → use said. If you need to say who was told → use told + person. Other reporting verbs like asked, explained, warned, promised, and suggested each have their own grammar patterns and are used for more specific reporting situations.
How do I report a yes/no question in indirect speech?
To report a yes/no question, use asked + if/whether + subject + verb in normal statement word order. Do NOT use inverted word order (as in a real question), and do NOT use a question mark at the end of the reported question.
Example: Direct — "Are you ready?" → Indirect — He asked if I was ready. A common mistake is to write "He asked if was I ready?" — this is wrong. The subject (I) must come before the verb (was), and there is no question mark because the sentence is now a statement, not a question.
What time expressions change in indirect speech?
When the reporting context is different from the original speaking moment, several time and place words must change. The most common changes are: now → then, today → that day, yesterday → the day before / the previous day, tomorrow → the next day / the following day, here → there, this → that, these → those, ago → before.
However, if the time of reporting is very close to the original speech (e.g., you are reporting something said just moments ago), these changes may not always be necessary. Use your judgment about whether the time reference still makes sense in the reporting context.
Related Grammar Lessons for Beginners
- Present Simple vs Present Continuous — understand how these tenses work before learning how they change in reported speech
- Modal Verbs (can, will, may, must) — learn how each modal verb changes in indirect speech (can→could, will→would, may→might)
- Question Formation in English — learn how to form yes/no and wh- questions correctly so you understand why word order changes in reported questions
- Tense Review: Past Simple and Past Perfect — master these two tenses which are central to all tense backshift rules in reported speech
Understanding direct and indirect speech is one of the most valuable grammar skills for A1/A2 ESL learners — it appears in everyday conversation, reading, writing, and exams, so mastering these rules will give your English a major boost. Keep practising with the quiz above until every tense backshift, pronoun change, and reporting verb feels natural and automatic.
About the Author
About the Author: Dharma Poudel has completed an MA and MEd in English and has been teaching English for 20 years. He specializes in creating simple, clear grammar lessons for ESL/EFL learners at all levels. His mission is to help learners build confidence through structured explanations and interactive practice materials.