There are two ways to report what someone has said:

A. Direct Speech (ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଉକ୍ତି)

This is the method of quoting the speaker's exact words.

• (Odia: ଏଥିରେ ବକ୍ତାର ମୂଳ କଥାକୁ ଅବିକଳ ଭାବେ କୁହାଯାଏ ।)
• Key Features (ମୁଖ୍ୟ ବୈଶିଷ୍ଟ୍ୟ):
1. The exact words are placed inside inverted commas ("...").
2. The first word of the direct speech begins with a capital letter.
3. A comma (,) is used to separate the reporting verb (e.g., said) from the quoted words.
• Example: The woman said to her husband, "I met the boy on the road today."

B. Indirect Speech (ପରୋକ୍ଷ ଉକ୍ତି)

This is the method of reporting the meaning of the speaker's words without using their exact words. It is also called Reported Speech.

• (Odia: ଏଥିରେ ବକ୍ତାର ମୂଳ କଥାକୁ ନକହି ତା’ର ଅର୍ଥ ବା ସାରାଂଶକୁ ରିପୋର୍ଟ କରାଯାଏ ।)
• Key Features (ମୁଖ୍ୟ ବୈଶିଷ୍ଟ୍ୟ):
1. Inverted commas are removed.
2. No comma is used after the reporting verb.
3. The conjunction that is generally used to introduce the reported statement.
4. The reported sentence always ends with a full stop (.), regardless of the original sentence type (question, exclamation, etc.).
• Example: The woman told her husband that she had met the boy on the road that day.

2. The Three Main Changes (ତିନୋଟି ମୁଖ୍ୟ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ)

When changing from Direct to Indirect speech, three main types of changes occur:

1. Change of Pronouns (ସର୍ବନାମରେ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ) (e.g., I → she)
2. Change of Tense (କାଳରେ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ) (e.g., met → had met)
3. Change of Adverbials (Time & Place) (ସମୟ ଓ ସ୍ଥାନ ସୂଚକ ଶବ୍ଦରେ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ) (e.g., today → that day)

3. Reporting Statements (Declarative Sentences) (ବିବୃତିମୂଳକ ବାକ୍ୟ)

Rule 1: Reporting Verb in Present or Future Tense

If the reporting verb (the verb outside the quotes) is in the Present or Future tense (e.g., he says, he will say), the tense of the verb inside the quotes does not change.

• (Odia: ଯଦି reporting verb (ଯେପରିକି says ବା will say) Present ବା Future Tense ରେ ଥାଏ, ତେବେ reported speech ର tense ବଦଳେ ନାହିଁ ।)
• Direct: The traveller says, "I am tired."
• Indirect: The traveller says that he is tired.

Rule 2: Universal Truth or Habitual Action

If the direct speech states a universal truth (ଚିରନ୍ତନ ସତ୍ୟ), a scientific fact (ବୈଜ୍ଞାନିକ ସତ୍ୟ), or a habitual action (ଅଭ୍ୟାସଗତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ), the tense does not change, even if the reporting verb is in the past.

• (Odia: ଯଦି ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଉକ୍ତିଟି ଏକ ଚିରନ୍ତନ ସତ୍ୟ, ବୈଜ୍ଞାନିକ ସତ୍ୟ, କିମ୍ବା ଅଭ୍ୟାସଗତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ବୁଝାଏ, ତେବେ reporting verb ଅତୀତ କାଳରେ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ tense ବଦଳେ ନାହିଁ ।)
• Direct: Father said, "The sun rises in the east." (Universal Truth)
• Indirect: Father said that the sun rises in the east.
• Direct: Tutu said, "I go for a walk every morning." (Habitual Action)
• Indirect: Tutu said that he goes for a walk every morning.

Rule 3: Reporting Verb in Past Tense (Main Rule)

If the reporting verb is in the Past Tense (e.g., said, told), the verb in the direct speech changes to its corresponding past form. This is called backshift.

(Odia: ଯଦି reporting verb (said) ଅତୀତ କାଳରେ ଥାଏ, ତେବେ direct speech ର verb ତାହାର ଅନୁରୂପ ଅତୀତ କାଳକୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତିତ ହୁଏ ।)

Tense Change Table:

Exceptions to Past Tense Change:

The Past Simple does not change in these cases:

1. Historical Facts: "The teacher said, 'India became independent in 1947.'" → "The teacher said that India became independent in 1947."
2. Time Clauses: "She said, 'When I left home, it began to rain.'" → "She said that when she left home, it began to rain."
3. Unreal Past (Conditionals): "He said, 'If I were the Prime Minister...'" → "He said that if he were the Prime Minister..."

Rule 4: Changes in Adverbials and Modals (Time, Place & Modals)

Adverbials of Time and Place (ସମୟ ଓ ସ୍ଥାନ ସୂଚକ ଶବ୍ଦ):

Modals (ସହାୟକ କ୍ରିୟା):

4. Reporting Questions (Interrogatives) (ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚକ ବାକ୍ୟ)

When reporting questions:

1. The reporting verb changes to ask, enquire, wonder, or want to know.
2. The conjunction that is NOT used.
3. The question form is changed into a statement form (Subject + Verb).
4. The question mark (?) is replaced with a full stop (.).

A. Yes/No Questions

• (Odia: 'ହଁ/ନା' ପ୍ରଶ୍ନଗୁଡ଼ିକ if କିମ୍ବା whether ଦ୍ୱାରା ଯୋଡ଼ି ହୁଅନ୍ତି ।)
• Rule: Use the conjunction if or whether.
• Direct: He said to me, "Do you know him?"
• Indirect: He asked me if I knew him.
• Direct: The teacher said, "Have you done your homework?"
• Indirect: The teacher asked if I had done my homework.

B. Wh- Questions

• (Odia: Wh-ପ୍ରଶ୍ନଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସେହି Wh-ଶବ୍ଦ (what, where, when ଇତ୍ୟାଦି) ଦ୍ୱାରା ହିଁ ଯୋଡ଼ି ହୁଅନ୍ତି ।)
• Rule: Use the Wh-word itself as the conjunction.
• Direct: Rakesh said, "Where are you going?"
• Indirect: Rakesh asked where he was going. (Note: The order is he was, not was he.)
• Direct: My friend said, "When did you return?"
• Indirect: My friend asked when I had returned.
• Direct: She said, "What happened?"
• Indirect: She asked what had happened.

5. Reporting Imperatives (ଆଦେଶ/ଅନୁରୋଧ/ଉପଦେଶମୂଳକ ବାକ୍ୟ)

When reporting commands, requests, advice, or suggestions:

1. The reporting verb changes to order, request, advise, tell, remind, warn, etc., based on the meaning.
2. The main verb of the direct speech changes to the to-infinitive (to + V1).
3. For negative commands, use the not to-infinitive (not to + V1).

• Direct: The teacher said, "Move out of the class silently." (Command)
• Indirect: The teacher ordered the students to move out of the class silently.
• Direct: He said, "Please help me cross the road." (Request)
• Indirect: He requested the policeman to help him cross the road.
• Direct: Mother said to me, "Don't go to bed late." (Advice)
• Indirect: Mother advised me not to go to bed late.
• Direct: "Remember to bring the umbrella," said my sister. (Reminder)
• Indirect: My sister reminded me to bring the umbrella.
• Direct: "Let's go on a picnic," she said. (Suggestion)
• Indirect: She suggested going on a picnic. (Uses a gerund: verb + ing)

6. Reporting Exclamations & Wishes (ବିସ୍ମୟସୂଚକ ବାକ୍ୟ)

When reporting exclamations or wishes:

1. The reporting verb changes to exclaim, wish, congratulate, applaud, call, greet, etc.
2. The exclamatory sentence becomes a declarative statement (a simple statement).
3. The exclamation mark (!) is replaced with a full stop (.).

• Direct: "What a splendid sunset this is!" he said.
• Indirect: He exclaimed that it was a splendid sunset.
• Direct: "Bravo! You have done wonders!" said the General.
• Indirect: The General applauded them, saying they had done wonders.
• Direct: "Good luck!" he said.
• Indirect: He wished me good luck.
• Direct: "Congratulations!" he said to me.
• Indirect: He congratulated me.
• Direct: "Liar!" he said.
• Indirect: He called me a liar.
• Direct: "Hello! Where do you live?" he said.
• Indirect: He greeted me and asked where I lived.

Reporting "Yes" and "No"

Short answers like "Yes" or "No" are reported using the subject + appropriate auxiliary verb.

• Direct: "Can you go?" "Yes," I replied.
• Indirect: He asked if I could go, and I replied that I could.
• Direct: "Can you work this sum?" "No," I said.
• Indirect: My teacher asked if I could work out that sum, and I replied that I could not.