Examples of Indirect Speech

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 129 views

Introduction

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is a way of expressing what someone has said in their own words. It is used to report what someone has said, without using their exact words. In this article, we will discuss the rules and examples of reporting in indirect speech, with a focus on the given sentence: "The prime minister says India is a powerful democracy and will remain so."

What is Indirect Speech?

Indirect speech is a way of expressing what someone has said in their own words. It is used to report what someone has said, without using their exact words. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he was going to the store."

Rules of Indirect Speech

There are several rules to follow when reporting in indirect speech:

Tense change: When reporting in indirect speech, the tense of the verb may change. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he was going to the store." The tense of the verb "going" changes to "was going" in indirect speech.
Subject change: When reporting in indirect speech, the subject of the sentence may change. For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he was going to the store." The subject of the sentence changes from "I" to "he."
Modal verbs: When reporting in indirect speech, modal verbs such as "can," "could," "may," "might," "shall," "should," "will," and "would" may change. For example, if someone says, "I can speak English," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he could speak English."
Negative sentences: When reporting in indirect speech, negative sentences may change. For example, if someone says, "I don't like this," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he didn't like it."

Examples of Indirect Speech

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

Simple sentences: If someone says, "I am going to the store," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he was going to the store."
Negative sentences: If someone says, "I don't like this," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he didn't like it."
Modal verbs: If someone says, "I can speak English," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he could speak English."
Complex sentences: If someone says, "I went to the store because I needed to buy some milk," you can report it in indirect speech as, "He said he had gone to the store because he needed to buy some milk."

Reporting in Indirect Speech with the Given Sentence

Now, let's apply the rules of indirect speech to the given sentence: "The prime minister says India is a powerful democracy and will remain so."

Tense change: The tense of the verb "is" changes to "was" in indirect speech.
Subject change: The subject of the sentence changes from "The prime minister" to "he."
Modal verbs: The modal verb "will" changes to "would" in indirect speech.

The reported sentence in indirect speech is: "He said India was a powerful democracy and would remain so."

Conclusion

In conclusion, reporting in indirect speech is a way of expressing what someone has said in their own words. It is used to report what someone has said, without using their exact words. By following the rules of indirect speech, we can report what someone has said in a clear and concise manner. In this article, we discussed the rules and examples of reporting in indirect speech, with a focus on the given sentence: "The prime minister says India is a powerful democracy and will remain so."

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about reporting in indirect speech:

Q: What is indirect speech? A: Indirect speech is a way of expressing what someone has said in their own words.
Q: What are the rules of indirect speech? A: The rules of indirect speech include tense change, subject change, modal verbs, and negative sentences.
Q: How do I report in indirect speech? A: To report in indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb, the subject of the sentence, and the modal verbs, and also change negative sentences.

References

Grammarly: Reporting in Indirect Speech
English Central: Indirect Speech
BBC Learning English: Indirect Speech

Glossary

Indirect speech: A way of expressing what someone has said in their own words.
Tense change: The change in the tense of the verb when reporting in indirect speech.
Subject change: The change in the subject of the sentence when reporting in indirect speech.
Modal verbs: Verbs such as "can," "could," "may," "might," "shall," "should," "will," and "would" that may change when reporting in indirect speech.
Indirect Speech Q&A =====================

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about indirect speech:

Q: What is indirect speech?

A: Indirect speech is a way of expressing what someone has said in their own words. It is used to report what someone has said, without using their exact words.

Q: What are the rules of indirect speech?

A: The rules of indirect speech include tense change, subject change, modal verbs, and negative sentences.

Q: How do I report in indirect speech?

A: To report in indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb, the subject of the sentence, and the modal verbs, and also change negative sentences.

Q: What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?

A: Direct speech is when you quote someone's exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone has said in your own words.

Q: Can I use both direct and indirect speech in the same sentence?

A: Yes, you can use both direct and indirect speech in the same sentence. For example: "He said, 'I am going to the store,' and added that he would buy some milk."

Q: How do I change the tense of the verb in indirect speech?

A: When changing the tense of the verb in indirect speech, you need to consider the time of the reported speech. For example: "I said I was going to the store" (past tense) or "I said I will go to the store" (future tense).

Q: What is the difference between "was" and "were" in indirect speech?

A: "Was" is used with singular subjects, while "were" is used with plural subjects. For example: "He said he was going to the store" (singular subject) or "They said they were going to the store" (plural subject).

Q: Can I use modal verbs in indirect speech?

A: Yes, you can use modal verbs in indirect speech. For example: "He said he could speak English" or "She said she would be there tomorrow."

Q: How do I change negative sentences in indirect speech?

A: When changing negative sentences in indirect speech, you need to change the word order and the verb form. For example: "I don't like this" becomes "He said he didn't like it."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in formal writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in formal writing. However, it is often used in informal writing, such as in emails or text messages.

Q: How do I know when to use direct or indirect speech?

A: You can use direct speech when you want to quote someone's exact words, and indirect speech when you want to report what someone has said in your own words.

Q: Can I use indirect speech in academic writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in academic writing. However, it is often used in informal academic writing, such as in research papers or essays.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in academic writing?

A: When citing indirect speech in academic writing, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to John Smith (2020), 'India is a powerful democracy and will remain so' (Smith, 2020, p. 12)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in business writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in business writing. However, it is often used in informal business writing, such as in emails or memos.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in business writing?

A: When citing indirect speech in business writing, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our CEO, 'We will continue to invest in our employees and their development' (CEO, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in creative writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in creative writing. However, it is often used in informal creative writing, such as in short stories or poetry.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in creative writing?

A: When citing indirect speech in creative writing, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "As my grandmother once said, 'The most important thing in life is to follow your heart' (Grandmother, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in technical writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in technical writing. However, it is often used in informal technical writing, such as in user manuals or instruction guides.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in technical writing?

A: When citing indirect speech in technical writing, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our technical expert, 'The new software will be released next quarter' (Expert, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in social media?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in social media. However, it is often used in informal social media, such as in tweets or Facebook posts.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in social media?

A: When citing indirect speech in social media, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our CEO, 'We will continue to invest in our employees and their development' (@CEO, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in online content?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in online content. However, it is often used in informal online content, such as in blog posts or articles.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in online content?

A: When citing indirect speech in online content, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our expert, 'The new software will be released next quarter' (Expert, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in academic presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in academic presentations. However, it is often used in informal academic presentations, such as in lectures or seminars.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in academic presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in academic presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to John Smith (2020), 'India is a powerful democracy and will remain so' (Smith, 2020, p. 12)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in business presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in business presentations. However, it is often used in informal business presentations, such as in meetings or conferences.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in business presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in business presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our CEO, 'We will continue to invest in our employees and their development' (CEO, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in creative presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in creative presentations. However, it is often used in informal creative presentations, such as in art exhibitions or performances.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in creative presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in creative presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "As my grandmother once said, 'The most important thing in life is to follow your heart' (Grandmother, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in technical presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in technical presentations. However, it is often used in informal technical presentations, such as in workshops or training sessions.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in technical presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in technical presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our technical expert, 'The new software will be released next quarter' (Expert, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in social media presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in social media presentations. However, it is often used in informal social media presentations, such as in tweets or Facebook posts.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in social media presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in social media presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our CEO, 'We will continue to invest in our employees and their development' (@CEO, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in online presentations?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in online presentations. However, it is often used in informal online presentations, such as in webinars or online courses.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in online presentations?

A: When citing indirect speech in online presentations, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to our expert, 'The new software will be released next quarter' (Expert, 2020)."

Q: Can I use indirect speech in academic writing?

A: Yes, you can use indirect speech in academic writing. However, it is often used in informal academic writing, such as in research papers or essays.

Q: How do I cite indirect speech in academic writing?

A: When citing indirect speech in academic writing, you need to include the source of the information and the person who said it. For example: "According to John Smith (2020), '