Direct and indirect speech, also known as direct and indirect narration, represent two methods of conveying a message, not only in English but in any language. One method is termed as direct, while the other is referred to as indirect. For instance, if you express something to someone, or someone communicates something to you, and the identical content is presented in inverted commas, it is classified as direct speech. However, if the same information is articulated in a different manner, it is called indirect speech.
Now, let’s consider examples of direct and indirect speech:
Direct Speech: Afan said, “I brought a hat for you.”
Indirect speech: Afan said that he had brought a hat for you.

Note: It’s important to recall that a sentence in direct speech comprises two essential components. The initial part, denoted before the comma as “Afan said,” is recognized as the reporting verb. The subsequent section encapsulated within inverted commas, denoting “I brought a hat for you,” is identified as the reported speech. This division into reporting verb and reported speech is a characteristic feature of direct speech sentences.

Now, upon examining the distinction between these two sentences, it becomes evident that in the reported speech segment of the direct speech, the message is conveyed in an identical manner. In contrast, in indirect sentences, the message retains its essence, but it is presented in a distinctive manner.
Note: In indirect speech, the significance lies not in the specific words used, but in the essence of the message.
Rules for converting direct speech sentences into indirect speech:
1: When converting a direct speech sentence into indirect speech, bear in mind that the reporting verb must be in the past tense. This is crucial because the tense of the reporting verb determines whether changes can be made to the reported speech. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, alterations can be applied to the reported speech. However, if the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, such as replacing “Afan said” with “Afan says” or “Afan will say,” the reported speech remains unaltered except for the pronoun. In simpler terms, “He bought a cap for you” will stay unchanged. Further elaboration on this point is available in the video lecture. Therefore, the primary rule is to adjust the tenses in the reported speech.
2: The second rule stipulates that when transforming direct speech into indirect speech, the use of inverted commas is avoided. This decision is motivated by the intention to present the message in our own style within the context of indirect speech.
3: The third rule dictates that we must consistently employ “that” as a conjunction. As illustrated in the aforementioned example, this serves as a connector in the conversion from direct to indirect speech.
4: The fourth rule necessitates a modification of pronouns. In the provided example, the transformation involves replacing “I” with “he.”
5: The final principle, equally significant, involves the adjustment of time. This entails altering the words related to the time period mentioned in your message. The table below provides some examples of time changes, and a detailed discussion can be found in my video lecture.
Note: The video lecture includes examples of both direct and indirect speech encompassing all tenses.