100 Examples Of Direct And Indirect Speech: Better Grammar!

Practice your English grammar, conversation skills, and fluency with 100 examples of direct and indirect speech! Just read through and repeat all of them to become comfortable with the structures, and see the patterns in the sentences. That’s not all, we will also be looking at other things to boost our English with today, including indirect speech questions + more! Let’s begin!

100 examples of direct and indirect speech

Here are the first lot of sentences that will make up our 100 examples of direct and indirect speech – read and repeat them all to get comfortable with how to say them.

1. Lucas asked, “Are you coming?”
2. Lucas asked if I was coming.
3. Isabella said, “I enjoy painting.”
4. Isabella said that she enjoyed painting.
5. Mark exclaimed, “This is amazing!”
6. Mark exclaimed that it was amazing.
7. Lisa said, “I can’t believe it!”
8. Lisa said that she couldn’t believe it.
9. Tom asked, “What time is the meeting?”
10. Tom asked what time the meeting was.

Related: 50 Sentences Of Ought To: Better English Communication!

How to use direct speech and indirect speech

Direct and indirect speech serve different purposes in communication.

Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by someone, placed inside quotation marks. For example: Lisa said, “I love reading.” This form is useful when you want to convey someone’s exact words, capturing their tone and emotion. It makes dialogue more vivid and engaging, especially in storytelling. We can also make direct speech questions, too. We’ll take a look at them later on.

Indirect speech summarizes what someone said without quotes. The sentence structure changes slightly. For instance, you would say: Lisa said that she loved reading. This form is handy for summarizing, especially when the exact wording isn’t important. It’s often used in reporting or academic writing, allowing you to clarify information without lengthy quotes. We will talk about indirect speech questions, too today. It is more about reporting what someone has asked. We’ll take a look at them later on in this article!

Notice the difference in structure. In direct speech, the exact words are clear. In indirect speech, we focus on the meaning. Here are some examples:

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
John asked, “Are you waiting?”	John asked if I was waiting.
She said, “I will finish my homework.”	She said she would finish her homework.
He exclaimed, “What a beautiful day!”	He exclaimed it was a beautiful day.
They told me, “We are going to the park.”	They told me they were going to the park.
Maria said, “I can help you tomorrow.”	Maria said she could help me tomorrow.

Related: 56 Sentences With Enough: Better English Communication!

100 examples of direct and indirect speech: part 2

Here are the next set of examples that will make up today’s 100 examples of direct and indirect speech:

11. Emma said, “I will finish my homework.”
12. Emma said that she would finish her homework.
13. James shouted, “Watch out!”
14. James shouted to watch out.
15. Maria said, “I love this song!”
16. Maria said that she loved that song.
17. Gabriel asked, “Where is the library?”
18. Gabriel asked where the library was.
19. Rachel said, “I’m going to the store.”
20. Rachel said that she was going to the store.
21. Kevin asked, “Can you help me?”
22. Kevin asked if I could help him.
23. Ananya said, “This cake is delicious!”
24. Ananya said that the cake was delicious.
25. Paul asked, “When is your birthday?”
26. Paul asked when my birthday was.
27. Émilie said, “I love to travel.”
28. Émilie said that she loved to travel.
29. Mark said, “I finished my project.”
30. Mark said that he had finished his project.
31. Alice asked, “Why are you late?”
32. Alice asked why I was late.
33. Ryan said, “I want to play soccer.”
34. Ryan said that he wanted to play soccer.
35. Mia asked, “Did you see the movie?”
36. Mia asked if I had seen the movie.
37. Sam said, “I am tired.”
38. Sam said that he was tired.
39. Chloe asked, “Where are we going?”
40. Chloe asked where we were going.

Direct speech and indirect speech examples

Here is the next set of direct speech and indirect speech examples. Keep reading and repeating them all, you are doing well!

41. Ben said, “I have a new bike.”
42. Ben said that he had a new bike.
43. Olivia asked, “Can we go outside?”
44. Olivia asked if we could go outside.
45. Ethan said, “I need a break.”
46. Ethan said that he needed a break.
47. Anita asked, “What do you want for dinner?”
48. Anita asked what I wanted for dinner.
49. Jack said, “I love reading books.”
50. Jack said that he loved reading books.
51. Ava asked, “Is it going to rain?”
52. Ava asked if it was going to rain.
53. Leo said, “I finished my homework early.”
54. Leo said that he had finished his homework early.
55. Ella asked, “What’s your favorite sport?”
56. Ella asked what my favorite sport was.
57. Oliver said, “I want to learn guitar.”
58. Oliver said that he wanted to learn guitar.
59. Sophia asked, “Do you like ice cream?”
60. Sophia asked if I liked ice cream.
61. Noah said, “I saw a great show.”
62. Noah said that he had seen a great show.
63. Mia asked, “Can we go to the park?”
64. Mia asked if we could go to the park.
65. Aiden said, “I’m excited for the trip.”
66. Aiden said that he was excited for the trip.
67. Grace asked, “What are you doing this weekend?”
68. Grace asked what I was doing that weekend.
69. Isaac said, “I love my dog.”
70. Isaac said that he loved his dog.

Direct speech and indirect speech sentences

Here you will find the next lot of our 100 direct speech and indirect speech sentences. After that, we will check out some indirect speech questions, among other things.

71. Zoe asked, “Have you tried sushi?”
72. Zoe asked if I had tried sushi.
73. Caleb said, “I want to be a doctor.”
74. Caleb said that he wanted to be a doctor.
75. Hannah asked, “What time does the concert start?”
76. Hannah asked what time the concert started.
77. Nathan said, “I need to study.”
78. Nathan said that he needed to study.
79. Stella asked, “Can you believe it?”
80. Stella asked if I could believe it.
81. Daniel said, “I’m learning French.”
82. Daniel said that he was learning French.
83. Chloe asked, “Where did you buy that?”
84. Chloe asked where I had bought that.
85. Julian said, “I finished my book.”
86. Julian said that he had finished his book.
87. Layla asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
88. Layla asked if I was coming to the party.
89. Théo said, “I like playing video games.”
90. Théo said that he liked playing video games.
91. Charlotte asked, “What’s your favorite movie?”
92. Charlotte asked what my favorite movie was.
93. Lucas said, “I’m going for a run.”
94. Lucas said that he was going for a run.
95. Sophie asked, “Can I borrow your pen?”
96. Sophie asked if she could borrow my pen.
97. Adam said, “I just got a new phone.”
98. Adam said that he had just gotten a new phone.
99. Emma asked, “Are you ready for the test?”
100. Emma asked if I was ready for the test.

Indirect speech questions

Indirect speech questions report what someone asked without using their exact words. Instead of quoting the question directly, you change it into a statement format. This often involves changing the verb tense and removing the question marks.

To form an indirect speech question, start with the question word (if there is one), then follow with the subject and the verb.

Here are 10 examples of indirect speech questions:

1. She asked, “Where is the library?”
   → She asked where the library was.
2. He wondered, “When will the movie start?”
   → He wondered when the movie would start.
3. They asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
   → They asked if I was coming to the party.
4. I inquired, “Why did you choose that book?”
   → I inquired why he had chosen that book.
5. She asked, “Who is your favorite artist?”
   → She asked who my favorite artist was.
6. He wanted to know, “Can I join the team?”
   → He wanted to know if he could join the team.
7. They wondered, “What time does the train arrive?”
   → They wondered what time the train arrived.
8. She asked, “Did you finish your homework?”
   → She asked if I had finished my homework.
9. He inquired, “Where did you go on vacation?”
   → He inquired where I had gone on vacation.
10. They asked, “Will you help us?”
    → They asked if I would help them.

Direct speech questions

Direct speech questions are the exact words someone uses when asking a question. They are enclosed in quotation marks and maintain the original tone and structure of the question. When writing them, you usually start with a question word or an auxiliary verb and end with a question mark. To form a direct speech question, just quote the speaker’s words directly.

Here are 10 examples of direct speech questions:

1. She asked, “Where is the library?”
2. He wondered, “When will the movie start?”
3. They asked, “Are you coming to the party?”
4. I inquired, “Why did you choose that book?”
5. She asked, “Who is your favorite artist?”
6. He wanted to know, “Can I join the team?”
7. They wondered, “What time does the train arrive?”
8. She asked, “Did you finish your homework?”
9. He inquired, “Where did you go on vacation?”
10. They asked, “Will you help us?”

Direct speech questions help us capture the exact feelings and intentions of the speaker. Just remember to keep the quotation marks in place.

Direct speech paragraph

Here is a fictional paragraph featuring “direct speech”. Feel free to use it as inspiration for any writing assignments that you have! How many times can you spot direct speech?

As the sun began to set, Maria turned to her friend, Jake. “Are you ready for tonight?” she asked. Jake nodded but added, “I hope the new restaurant is as good as everyone says” Maria laughed and replied, “It’s supposed to be amazing! What’s the worst that could happen?” Just then, their friend Lisa arrived, panting slightly. “Did I miss anything?” she exclaimed. Maria smiled and said, “Not yet! We were just talking about dinner.” Lisa frowned. “What time do we need to leave?” she asked. “In about thirty minutes,” Jake replied. Maria checked her watch. “We should hurry then! I don’t want to be late.” The three friends exchanged glances, a mix of anticipation and nerves in the air. “Let’s go! It’ll be fun,” Maria urged, her enthusiasm infectious. They gathered their things and headed out, ready for an evening filled with laughter and good food.

Indirect speech paragraph

Here is a fictional paragraph featuring “indirect speech”. Feel free to use it as inspiration for any writing assignments that you have! How many times can you spot indirect speech?

On a chilly autumn afternoon, Tom mentioned that he had seen a beautiful park nearby. His friend Sarah asked if he wanted to check it out together. Tom replied that he thought it would be a great idea. As they walked, Sarah pointed out the vibrant leaves and said how much she loved this time of year. Tom agreed, adding that the colors reminded him of his childhood. When they arrived at the park, Sarah remarked that it looked even better in person. Tom suggested they take some pictures to remember the day. Sarah laughed and said she couldn’t wait to share them with everyone. As they strolled along the path, they talked about their favorite seasons. Tom confessed that autumn was his favorite, while Sarah revealed she loved spring. The air was filled with laughter and the scent of fallen leaves, making it a perfect afternoon.

100 examples of direct and indirect speech: stronger English overall!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading through and repeating all of today’s 100 examples of direct and indirect speech! Practicing both direct and indirect forms correctly is super helpful if you are learning English. Direct speech shows exact words spoken, which helps with understanding conversation. It builds listening skills. Indirect speech reports what someone said without quotes. This helps learners grasp the main idea and improve their summarizing skills. Both forms are used in everyday communication. Mastering them boosts confidence in speaking and writing. It also prepares learners for different contexts, like storytelling or reporting. By practicing these forms, students can express themselves more clearly and accurately, making their English stronger and more versatile.