Change of Speech— Concepts, Formulas & Shortcuts
- Tense backshift: am/is → was, will → would, have → had, did → had done.
- Pronouns change to the reporter's viewpoint: I → he/she, you → me/him, we → they.
- Time and place shift: now → then, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, here → there, this → that.
- Statements use "said that"; questions use "asked" and drop the question mark and inversion.
- Commands use "ordered/told + to"; requests use "requested + to".
- A universal truth or scientific fact keeps its present tense even after "said that".
Change of Speech Practice Questions with Answers
Attempt each question first, then open the explanation. All 6 questions below are free to read and require no signup.
Q1.Change into indirect speech: He said, "I am busy."
Easy- AHe said that I am busy.
- BHe said that he was busy.
- CHe says that he is busy.
- DHe said that he is busy.
Change of Speech question 1 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. He said that he was busy.
Explanation: The pronoun I becomes he and the present "am" backshifts to "was".
Q2.Change into indirect speech: She said to me, "Where are you going?"
Moderate- AShe asked me where I was going.
- BShe asked me where was I going.
- CShe said me where I am going.
- DShe told me where I was going.
Change of Speech question 2 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: A. She asked me where I was going.
Explanation: Questions take "asked", the word order becomes a statement, and "are" backshifts to "was".
Q3.Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Please help me."
Moderate- AHe told me to help him.
- BHe requested me to help him.
- CHe said me to help him.
- DHe asked that I help him.
Change of Speech question 3 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. He requested me to help him.
Explanation: "Please" marks a request, so the reporting verb is "requested" followed by the infinitive.
Q4.Change into indirect speech: Ram said, "I will come tomorrow."
Moderate- ARam said that he will come tomorrow.
- BRam said that he would come the next day.
- CRam said that he would come tomorrow.
- DRam said that I would come the next day.
Change of Speech question 4 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. Ram said that he would come the next day.
Explanation: "Will" backshifts to "would" and "tomorrow" becomes "the next day".
Q5.Change into indirect speech: The teacher said, "The earth revolves around the sun."
Difficult- AThe teacher said that the earth revolved around the sun.
- BThe teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
- CThe teacher said that the earth had revolved around the sun.
- DThe teacher told the earth revolves around the sun.
Change of Speech question 5 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
Explanation: A universal truth keeps its present tense even after a past reporting verb.
Q6.Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Do it now."
Moderate- AHe requested me to do it then.
- BHe ordered me to do it then.
- CHe said me to do it now.
- DHe asked me to do it now.
Change of Speech question 6 of 6+Show Answer & Explanation
Answer: B. He ordered me to do it then.
Explanation: A command takes "ordered" (or "told") plus the infinitive, and "now" becomes "then".
Change of Speech — Frequently Asked Questions
When does the tense NOT change in reported speech?+
When the statement is a universal truth, a scientific fact or a habitual action. "The earth revolves around the sun" stays in the present tense even after "The teacher said that…".
How do I report a question?+
Use "asked", remove the question mark, and restore normal statement order. "Where are you going?" becomes "She asked me where I was going" — not "where was I going".
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