What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect Speech, also called Reported Speech, is used to report what someone else said without quoting their exact words. Instead of repeating the speaker’s words directly, we express their message using our own sentence structure.
Example:
Direct Speech: He said, “I am tired.”
Indirect Speech: He said that he was tired.
In indirect speech, we use reporting verbs like say, tell, ask to introduce the reported information.
1. Using “Say” in Indirect Speech
Say is a general reporting verb. It is often used to express what someone said, especially without mentioning the listener.
Rules with “say”:
Do not use an object after “say” (i.e., no direct person mentioned).
Common pattern:
say + (that) + reported clause
Examples:
She said (that) she was happy.
They said (that) the train had already left.
He said he didn’t know the answer.
(Note: “That” is optional in spoken English)
Incorrect Example:
She said me that she was coming.
Correct: She told me that she was coming.
(Use tell when you mention the person being spoken to)
2. Using “Tell” in Indirect Speech
Tell is more specific than “say” and is used when you mention the person being spoken to (i.e., it requires an object).
Rules with “tell”:
Must include the person who was spoken to.
Common pattern:
tell + object + (that) + reported clause
Examples:
She told me that she was busy.
I told him that the meeting was cancelled.
They told us they would arrive late.
Important Note:
Use tell with people only, not things or events.
Incorrect: He told the truth to me.
Correct: He told me the truth.
OR: He said the truth.
3. Using “Ask” in Indirect Speech
Ask is commonly used to report questions or requests in indirect speech.
Types of Questions Reported with “Ask”:
a) Yes/No Questions
Use if or whether in the reported clause.
Direct: She asked, “Are you free?”
Indirect: She asked if I was free.
b) WH-Questions
Keep the question word (what, when, why, how, etc.) and change the structure into a statement.
Direct: He asked, “Where do you live?”
Indirect: He asked where I lived.
c) Requests/Commands
Use “ask + object + to + verb” when reporting polite requests.
Direct: He said, “Please help me.”
Indirect: He asked me to help him.
More Examples:
The teacher asked what the students were doing.
He asked me to close the window.
They asked if I had seen the movie.
Summary Table:
| Verb | Person Mentioned? | Common Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| say | No | General statements | He said (that) he was tired. |
| tell | Yes | Statements with listener | She told me (that) she was happy. |
| ask | Yes (usually) | Questions & requests | He asked me where I lived. |
Tip:
Always change the tense, pronouns, and time expressions when shifting from direct to indirect speech.
Direct: She said, “I will call you tomorrow.”
Indirect: She said she would call me the next day.
This completes the detailed explanation of reporting verbs: say, tell, and ask in indirect speech. Practice with examples and convert direct sentences to indirect for fluency.