Grammar - Direct and Indirect

Direct And Indirect Speech

Orders / Requests
Example : He said,”Please drive your car carefully!”. (DS)
He told me to drive my car carefully. (IDS)

Questions words

Example : He said,”Where do you live in this town?”. (DS)
He told me where I lived in the town. (IDS)

Questions without Question marks

Example : He said,”Do you know the big hotel here?” (DS)
He told me whether / if I knew the big hotel there. (IDS)

Statements

Example : He said,”I have to come early in the school”. (DS)
He told me that he had to come early in the school. (IDS)

Remarks (Direct / Indirect Speech)

If the first sentence / main clause is in Past Form, so the tenses should be changed as follows (This is not valid for Orders/Request forms):

Simple Present Past Tense
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Future Past Future
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Past Tense Past Perfect

Example :
1. She said,”I want to come here early!”. (DS)
She told me that she wanted to come there early. (IDS)
2. He said,”Where did you stay in this city?”. (DS)
He told me where I had lived in the city (DS)

If the first / main sentence is in a Present Form (simple present, present future, present continuous, present perfect), so it is NOT necessary for us change the tenses.

Example :
1. She says,”I want to come here on time!”. (DS)
She tells me that she wants to come there on time. (IDS)
2. They say,”When do you give the speech?” (DS)
They tells me when I give the speech. (IDS)