Direct and Indirect Speech

John said, “I am very busy now.”

• John said that he was very busy then.

• John said that he is very busy now.

• John said that he was very busy now.

He said, “The horse has been fed.”

• He said that the horse has been fed.

• He said he fed the horse.

• He said that the horse had been fed.

“It is too late to go out,” Alice said.

• Alice said it is too late to go out.

• Alice said that it was too late to go out.

• Alice is saying that it is too late to go out.

Roselle said, "Humans are mortals."

• Roselle said that humans were mortals.

• Roselle said that humans are mortals.

• Roselle says that humans were mortals.

He said to me, “What are you doing?”

• He asked me what I was doing.

• He said to me what I was doing.

• He said to me what I am doing.

He told me that he didn’t believe me.

• He said to me that “He didn’t believe me.”

• He said to me, “I don’t believe you.”

• He told me, “He doesn’t believe you.”

He asked me if I would listen to him.

• He was saying to me, “Will you listen to me?”

• He is saying, "Will you listen to him?"

• He said, “Will you listen to me?”

John ordered Peter to go away.

• John is telling Peter to “Go away”

• John is saying to Peter to “Go away.”

• John said to Peter, “Go away.”

The judge commanded them to call the witness.

• “Call the witness”, said the judge.

• The judge is telling them to “Call the witness.”

• The judge is saying to “Call the witness.”

The speaker urged them to be quiet and listen to him.

• The speaker said, “Be quiet and listen to my words.”

• The speaker said to them to, "Be quiet and listen to my words."

• The speaker is telling them to “Be quiet and listen to my words.”