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Unit 3: Functional English Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

7. Direct : You said, “They were busy the whole day.” Notes
Indirect : You said that they had been busy the whole day.
8. Direct : I said, “She was waiting for us at her uncle’s.”
Indirect : I said that she had been waiting for us at her uncle’s.
Exception to Rule II
If there is a Universal Truth or Habitual Fact in the Reported Speech, the Tense of the Verb is never changed ;
as—
1. Direct : He said, “Face is the index of mind.” (Proverbial truth)
Indirect : He said that face is the index of mind.
2. Direct : The teacher said, “The earth rotates round its axis.” (Geographical truth)
Indirect : The teacher said that the earth rotates round its axis.
3. Direct : Horatious said, “Death comes sooner or later.” (Universal truth)
Indirect : Horatious said that death comes sooner or later.
4. Direct : Her uncle said, “Two and two make four and not five.” (Factual truth)
Indirect : Her uncle said that two and two make four and not five.
5. Direct : I said, “I am an early bird.” (Habitual fact)
Indirect : I said that I am an early bird.
The Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech does not change in the following cases:
Direct Indirect
1. The teacher said, “He had better pay his dues.” The teacher said that he had better pay his
dues.
2. He said, “Her father lived at Lahore for ten He said that her father lived at Lahore for
years.” ten years.
3. The teacher said, “Akbar defeated Hemu in The teacher said that Akbar defeated
the second Battle of Panipat.” Hemu in the second Battle of Panipat.
4. The mother said, “He ought to have obeyed The mother said that he ought to have obeyed
the teacher.” the teacher.
Self-Assessment
1. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(i) I said, “Ashok may come back in the evening.”
(ii) My father said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
(iii) The teacher said, “The Sikhs defeated the English in the battle.”
(iv) You said, “They were solving sums on Arithmetic.”
(v) She said, “Mother does not eat meat at all.”
Note. In statements, if the Reporting Verb has an Object after it, it generally changes into ‘told’.
(B)
3.3.3 Rules for the Change of Pronouns

Rule I. Pronouns of the First Person in the Reported Speech are changed into the Persons of the Subject of
the Reporting Verb ; as—
1. Direct : I said to her, “I shall bring my camera with me.”
Indirect : I told her that I should bring my camera with me.
2. Direct : He said to me, I haven’t got my glasses with me.”
Indirect : He told me that he hadn’t got his glasses with him.

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