100 examples of direct and indirect speech
Table of Contents
Direct And Indirect Speech Examples
While using English, we use direct and indirect speeches quite often. If a sentence is expressed exactly as it came out of the mouth of the person who said it, it becomes a direct speech. However Indirect Speech (also called reported speech) refers to transmitting a sentence that someone has said. It is often used in daily language.
For example,
- Susan told me she ate pizza yesterday. (Indirect Speech)
Susan said, “I ate pizza yesterday.”. (Direct Speech)
- Mathilda told me she had to go out. (Indirect Speech)
Mathilda said: “I have to go out.”. (Direct Speech)
- Julie asked if the train had left when she arrived at the ticket office. (Indirect Speech)
Julie asked: “Did the train leave?” (Direct Speech)
100 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech
| Direct | She says, “I am ill.” |
| Indirect | She says that she is ill. |
| Direct | I will study”, Mary said. |
| Indirect | I will study”, said Mary. |
| Direct | She said; “The exam is difficult. |
| Indirect | She said the test was difficult. |
| Direct | I bought a car. |
| Indirect | He said he bought a car. |
| Direct | My parents are very well. |
| Indirect | Alex said that his parents were very well. |
| Direct | Please don’t be late. |
| Indirect | He asked their not to be late. |
| Direct | I’m living in Texas now. |
| Indirect | Her father said that he was living in London now. |
| Direct | I am living in Paris. |
| Indirect | He said that he was living in Paris. |
| Direct | My mother isn’t very well. |
| Indirect | She said that her mother wasn’t very well. |
| Direct | I need help with my work. |
| Indirect | George said “I need help with my homework.” |
| Direct | I was walking along the Street. |
| Indirect | He said he had been walking along the Street. |
| Direct | I haven’t seen George recently. |
| Indirect | She said that she hadn’t seen George recently. |
| Direct | I would help, but… |
| Indirect | He said he would help but… |
| Direct | I’m waiting for Michael, she said. |
| Indirect | She said (that) she was waiting for Michael”. |
| Direct | They said, “They have taken exercise.” |
| Indirect | They said that they had taken exercise. |
| Direct | I can speak perfect Spanish. |
| Indirect | He said he could speak perfect Spanish. |
| Direct | I haven’t seen Mary. |
| Indirect | He said he hadn’t seen Mary. |
| Direct | What is your name? she asked me. |
| Indirect | She asked me what my name was. |
| Direct | I was sleeping when Mary called. |
| Indirect | He said that he had been sleeping when Mary called. |
| Direct | Please help me! |
| Indirect | He asked me to help his. |
| Direct | It is too late. |
| Indirect | I said it was too late. |
| Direct | I had taken Spanish lessons before. |
| Indirect | He said he had taken Spanish lessons before. |
| Direct | Did you do your homework? |
| Indirect | He asked me if I did (had done) my homework. |
| Direct | Please help me carry this! |
| Indirect | My mother asked me to help her carry that. |
| Direct | I like ice cream. |
| Indirect | He said that he liked ice cream. |
| Direct | I’II see you later. |
| Indirect | He said he would see me later. |
| Direct | I could swim when I was four. |
| Indirect | He said he could swim when he was four. |
| Direct | I should call my mother. |
| Indirect | He said he should call her mother. |
| Direct | I might be late. |
| Indirect | He said he might be late. |
| Direct | He said, “I was teaching earlier.” |
| Indirect | He said he had been teaching earlier. |
| Direct | Mary said, “I have been writing this essay.” |
| Indirect | Mary said that he had been writing that essay. |
| Direct | Michael said, “I may go there.’ |
| Indirect | Michael says that she may go there. |
| Direct | We can´t go the zoo next week. |
| Indirect | They said they couldn’t go to the zoo next week. |
| Direct | George is said, “I write a letter”. |
| Indirect | George is said that she wrote a letter. |
| Direct | I said, “He is driving a car” |
| Indirect | I said that he was driving a car. |
| Direct | I am reading a book, he explained. |
| Indirect | He explained that he was reading a book. |
| Direct | My father said, “I am cooking dinner.” |
| Indirect | My father said he was cooking dinner. |
| Direct | My sister said, “I had already eaten.” |
| Indirect | My sister said she had already eaten. |
| Direct | My boyfriend asked, “Do you like horror films?” |
| Indirect | Do you like horror films? my boyfriend asked. |
| Direct | I never get up late, my mother said. |
| Indirect | My mother said that she never got up late. |
| Direct | She said, “I might come early.” |
| Indirect | She said she might come early. |
| Direct | I am leaving home now.” |
| Indirect | He said that he left home then. |
| Direct | Are you living here? |
| Indirect | He asked me if I was living here. |
| Direct | I’m going to come. |
| Indirect | She said that she was going to come. |
| Direct | We can communicate smoothly. |
| Indirect | They said that they could communicate smothly. |
| Direct | I often enjoy myself. |
| Indirect | Mary will say that that she often enjoys herself. |
| Direct | Everything is going fine. |
| Indirect | The news says that everything is going fine. |
| Direct | My father was born in 1962. |
| Indirect | My father told us that he was born in 1962. |
| Direct | She said, “I’ve missed my train.” |
| Indirect | She said that she’d missed her train. |
| Direct | I’m sorry for the accident. |
| Indirect | Georger told Samuel (that) he was sorry for the accident. |
