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3. If the reporting speech is in present or future tense, no change would take place

in the tense of the reported speech while changing it into indirect speech. But
the pronouns will undergo changes as per the rules.

The teacher says to the boys, ‘‘I shall not teach you this lesson.’’ (direct speech)

The teacher tells the boys that he will not teach them that lesson. (indirect speech)

Rules regarding change of pronouns

1. The first person in the reported speech changes according to the subject of the

reporting speech.
Mohan says to me, ‘‘I am going to play.’’
O
Mohan tells me that he is going to play.
O
2. The verb has been changed because it must agree with the subject of the
sentence.

3. The second person in the reported speech changes according to the object of
the reporting speech.

She said to me, ‘‘You should not tell a lie.’’
O
She told me that I should not tell a lie.
O
4. The third person in the reported speech does not change in the indirect speech.

She says to me, ‘‘They are playing cricket.’’
O
She tells me that they are playing cricket.
O
(a) Direct Speech: Aniket says to my brother, ‘‘We are singing a song.’’

Indirect Speech: Aniket tells my brother that they are singing a song.

(b) Direct Speech: Ahmed says, ‘‘I shall write a letter to my mother.’’

Indirect Speech: Ahmed says that he will write a letter to his mother.

(c) Direct Speech: Timmy says to me, ‘‘I draw a picture on the drawing sheet.”

Indirect Speech: Timmy tells me that she draws a picture on the drawing sheet.

Difference between Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct Speech Indirect Speech

The reported speech is enclosed within No inverted commas are used.
inverted commas, and the first word of the

reported speech begins with a capital letter.

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