Direct & Indirect Speech
🔒 Log in to trackTwo narration items per shift, all built from four moving parts: reporting verb, backshift ladder, pronoun anchors and the time/place word table. Statement, question, command, request and exclamation each have one fixed skeleton — learn the skeletons plus the exceptions (universal truths, frozen modals) and narration becomes a formula topic, both directions.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
3 exam-level questions worked step by step.
66 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Questions per shift in recent SSC CGL papers.
Test difficulty mix (66 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Direct to indirect: statement
very commonA statement in quotes after 'said' or 'said to'.
Join with 'that'. Move the verb one step back in time (am → was, bought → had bought).
Change pronouns and time words (yesterday → the previous day).
Change to indirect: He said, "I bought a car yesterday."
'I' becomes 'he' (the speaker)
'bought' becomes 'had bought'
'yesterday' becomes 'the previous day'
Answer: He said that he had bought a car the previous day.
Direct to indirect: question
very commonThe quote ends with a question mark.
Yes/no question: use 'asked' + if/whether. Wh-question: use 'asked' + the wh-word.
Write in statement order, drop do/does/did, and end with a full stop.
Change to indirect: The stranger said to me, "Can you show me the way to the station?"
'said to' becomes 'asked'; yes/no question, so use 'if'
Statement order; 'can' becomes 'could'
'you' becomes 'I' and 'me' becomes 'him'
Answer: The stranger asked me if I could show him the way to the station.
Direct to indirect: order, request, advice
very commonThe quote is an order, a 'please' request, or advice.
Order: told/ordered + person + to + verb. Negative: not to + verb.
Request: requested. Advice: advised.
Change to indirect: Mother said to me, "Do not go out in the rain."
It is an order, so use 'told' + person
A 'Do not' order becomes 'not to'
The verb stays in its base form
Answer: Mother told me not to go out in the rain.
Indirect to direct
commonThe sentence is already reported (told / asked + that / if) and the options are quoted sentences.
Bring back the quotes and comma, and remove 'that' or 'if'.
Move the verb one step forward, turn pronouns back, and bring back question order.
Change to direct: He asked me if I was hungry.
'asked me' becomes 'said to me'
'if' goes; we get a question
'was' becomes 'are'; 'I' becomes 'you'
Answer: He said to me, "Are you hungry?"
Said or told?
commonThe options keep 'said to', or drop the listener after 'told'.
'Said to' + person becomes 'told' + person.
'Tell' always has a listener; 'say' never does.
Change to indirect: She said to me, "I am very busy today."
'said to me' becomes 'told me'
'am' becomes 'was'; 'I' becomes 'she'
'today' becomes 'that day'
Answer: She told me that she was very busy that day.
Tense change and the exceptions
very commonThe options differ only in the verb form, or the quote is a general truth.
After a past reporting verb move one step back: is → was, was → had been, will → would.
Do not change a general truth, e.g. the earth revolves around the sun.
Change to indirect: The teacher said, "The earth revolves around the sun."
The quote is a universal truth
Universal truths keep the present tense
So 'revolves' does not change
Answer: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
Pronouns and time words
very commonThe options differ only in pronouns (me / you / him) or time words (tomorrow / the next day).
First person follows the speaker, second person follows the listener, third person stays.
Now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, yesterday → the previous day.
Change to indirect: She said to him, "I will meet you tomorrow."
'I' follows the speaker: 'she'
'you' follows the listener: 'him'
'will' → 'would'; 'tomorrow' → 'the next day'
Answer: She told him that she would meet him the next day.