english grammar test direct indirect speech

Direct vs. Indirect Speech Quiz

Preview 20 Quizzes about Direct vs. Indirect Speech

He said, ” I went to school yesterday.”

A. He said that he had gone to school yesterday. B. He said that he had gone to school the day after. C. He said that he had gone to school the previous day. D. He said that he had gone to school the next day.

He said to me, ” I must win this game.”

A. He told me that he must win this game. B. He told me that he had to win that game. C. He told me that he had to win this game. D. He told me that he must win that game.

She said to me, ” I can sleep alone.”

A. She said to me that she can sleep alone.” B. She told me that she can sleep alone.” C. She said to me that she could sleep alone.” D. She told me that she could sleep alone.”

June said,” It is my car.”

A. June said that it is my car B. June said that it is her car. C. June said that it was my car D. June said that it was her car

Nan said, ” I have finished my homework.”

A. Nan said that she had finished her homework.” B. Nan said that she had finished my homework.” C. Nan said that she has finished her homework.” D. Nan said that she has finished my homework.”

Jim said,” I work here everyday.”

A. Jim said that he worked here yesterday.” B. Jim said that he worked there everyday.” C. Jim said that he worked here everyday.” D. Jim said that he worked everyday.”

Mary says, ” I am coming here.”

A. Mary says that she is coming there. B. Mary says that she is coming here. C. Mary says that she was coming there. D. Mary says that she was coming here.

John said, ” My friend may come tonight.”

A. John said that his friend might come tonight. B. John said that his friend might come that night. C. John said that his friend might go that night. D. John said that his friend might go tonight.

He said, ” I am a man.”

A. He said that he was a man. B. He said that he is a man. C. He said that I am a man. D. He said that I was a man.

How to use : Read the question carefully, then select one of the answers button.

Tips : If this page always shows the same questions, make sure you correct the question first by pressing the "check answer" button.

GrammarQuiz.Net - Improve your knowledge of English grammar, the best way to kill your free time.

Direct And Indirect Speech: Grammar Lesson

Lesson overview, introduction to speech: direct and indirect lesson, what is speech, how to convert direct speech to indirect speech, how to convert indirect speech to direct speech.

• Learning Objectives
• Introduction to Direct and Indirect Speech
• What is Speech?
• How to Convert Direct Speech to Indirect Speech 
• Exercise 1: Conversion of Direct Speech To Indirect Speech
• Exercise 2: Conversion of Indirect Speech To Direct Speech

Step into the world of storytelling with direct and indirect speech! Speech is a powerful tool that allows us to share our thoughts, ideas, and emotions with others. In this lesson, we will explore how people use speech to communicate exactly what someone else has said or to put it into their own words. We will learn how to switch between quoting someone directly and summarizing what they've said. Through practical exercises, we will practice these skills by converting sentences from one form to another, enhancing our ability to communicate effectively in both writing and speaking. Let's dive in and learn how to use speech to make our conversations, communication, skills and stories more engaging!

Speech refers to the act of talking or verbal communication. It involves expressing thoughts, feelings, or information through spoken words. Speech can occur between two people, within a group, or even to an audience. It is the primary method humans use to communicate with one another, enabling the exchange of ideas and the building of relationships. Speech varies in formality, tone, and purpose, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.

There are two main types of speech: direct and indirect.

Direct Speech: Direct speech involves quoting the exact words spoken by someone, indicated by quotation marks. This form preserves the original phrasing and tone as it was uttered.

For example: She said, "I am going to the market." The teacher asked, "Did you complete your homework?" "It's raining outside," he observed. "We won the game!" exclaimed the team captain. The doctor advised, "Take these pills twice a day."

Indirect Speech: Indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone said without quoting their exact words. It involves paraphrasing the original speech and often requires changes in tense, pronouns, and time expressions.

For example: She said that she was going to the market. The teacher asked if they had completed their homework. He observed that it was raining outside. The team captain announced that they had won the game. The doctor advised taking the pills twice a day.

Take this quiz on Direct and Indirect Speech

Converting direct speech to indirect speech involves changing the exact words of the speaker into a report of what they said. Here are key rules and examples to understand this process:

Rule 1: Omission of Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used in direct speech to denote the exact words spoken. In indirect speech, these are removed, and the sentence is typically introduced by a conjunction like 'that', although it can be omitted if the sentence remains clear without it.

Direct: Jane said, "It is hot today." Indirect: Jane said that it was hot that day.

Rule 2: Change in Pronouns

Pronouns in direct speech are expressed from the speaker's viewpoint, but when converting to indirect speech, they should be adjusted to align with the perspective of the person reporting the speech.

Direct: He said, "I am busy now. Indirect: He said that he was busy then.

Rule 3: Change in Tense

When shifting from direct to indirect speech, the verb tense usually moves one step back in time. This means present tenses change to their past forms to reflect that the action was ongoing or completed in the past.

Present Simple to Past Simple Expresses a shift from a general truth or current action to a statement in the past.

Direct: He says, "I eat breakfast." Indirect: He said that he ate breakfast.

Present Continuous to Past Continuous Indicates that an ongoing action in the present was happening in the past.

Direct: She says, "I am reading a book." Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.

Present Perfect to Past Perfect Shows that an action completed at some point in the past was completed before another time in the past.

Direct: They say, "We have finished our homework." Indirect: They said that they had finished their homework.

Simple Past to Past Perfect Used to backshift actions that were completed before another past action.

Direct: He said, "I bought a car." Indirect: He said that he had bought a car.

Will to Would

Future statements or predictions are often shifted to their past form.

Direct: She says, "I will visit Paris." Indirect: She said that she would visit Paris.

Can to Could

Ability or possibility is expressed as being relevant to a past time.

Direct: They say, "We can speak Spanish." Indirect: They said that they could speak Spanish.

Must to Had to (for necessity)

When indicating obligation in indirect speech, "had to" or "must" can be used to convey the necessity.

Direct: "I must review these documents before the meeting," she said. Indirect: She said that she had to review the documents before the meeting. Or Indirect: She said that she must review the documents before the meeting.

Rule 4: Change in Time and Place Words

Temporal and locative expressions are adjusted to suit the time and place from the perspective of the reporter, not the original speaker, to ensure the context remains clear and logical.

Direct: "I will go tomorrow," he said. Indirect: He said that he would go the next day.

Rule 5: Questions, Commands, and Exclamations

When you turn questions into reported speech, you change the question format into a normal statement and usually add helping verbs. Commands in reported speech need to begin with "to" followed by the main verb. For expressing strong feelings or exclamations, use "that" to start the reported speech. This way, the original meaning is kept while the structure is adjusted for reporting.

Direct (Question): He asked, "Where are you?" Indirect (Question): He asked where she was. Direct (Command): The officer said, "Leave the room!" Indirect (Command): The officer ordered them to leave the room. Direct (Exclamation): She said, "What a beautiful flower!" Indirect (Exclamation): She exclaimed that it was a beautiful flower.

Converting indirect speech to direct speech involves rephrasing reported speech back into the speaker's original words. Here are key rules and examples to facilitate this process:

Rule 1: Insertion of Quotation Marks

Remove conjunctions like 'that' and reintroduce quotation marks to denote the speaker's exact words.

Indirect: John noted that it was extremely hot outside. Direct: John said, "It is extremely hot outside."

Rule 2: Revert Pronouns

In indirect speech, pronouns are used based on the viewpoint of the person reporting the speech. When changing indirect speech back to direct speech, these pronouns need to be adjusted to match the perspective of the original speaker.

Indirect: She mentioned that she could attend the meeting. Direct: She said, "I can attend the meeting."

Rule 3: Revert Tense Changes

Verb tenses in indirect speech are usually shifted forward to their original form as used by the speaker in direct speech.

Past Simple to Present Simple

Reverts a past statement to a general truth or current action.

Indirect: He mentioned that he played soccer. Direct: He said, "I play soccer."

Past Continuous to Present Continuous

Indicates reverting a past ongoing action to a current ongoing action.

Indirect: They were saying that they were studying for exams. Direct: They said, "We are studying for exams."

Past Perfect to Present Perfect

Changes a completed action referenced in the past back to its present perfect form.

Indirect: He said that he had completed the report. Direct: He said, "I have completed the report."

Past Perfect to Simple Past

Used to indicate a past action that was completed.

Indirect: She explained that she had visited London the previous year. Direct: She said, "I visited London last year."

Would to Will, Could to Can, Had to to Must

Future predictions or abilities shift back to their original modal forms.

Indirect: She said that she would visit Paris. Direct: She says, "I will visit Paris." Indirect: She said that she could help with the project. Direct: She said, "I can help with the project." Indirect: She said that she had to finish the report by Friday. Direct: "I have to finish the report by Friday," she said. Indirect: She said that she must finish the report by Friday. Direct: "I must finish the report by Friday," she said.

Rule 4: Revert Changes in Time and Place Words

Expressions of time and place are modified back to their original terms as stated by the speaker.

Indirect: The teacher mentioned that the exam would be the following week. Direct: The teacher said, "The exam is next week."

Rule 5: Reformat Questions, Commands, and Exclamations

Convert the reported forms of questions, commands, and exclamations back into their original direct speech structures.

Indirect (Question): She asked if I had been to the new cafe. Direct (Question): She asked, "Have you been to the new cafe?" Indirect (Command): The coach demanded that the players start practicing at 6 AM. Direct (Command): The coach said, "Start practicing at 6 AM." Indirect (Exclamation): They exclaimed that it was an amazing performance. Direct (Exclamation): They said, "That was an amazing performance!"

Exercise 1: Rewrite the following sentences from direct to indirect speech

Direct: "I can solve this math problem," said John. John said that he could solve that math problem.

Direct: "We are going to the beach this weekend," they announced. They announced that they were going to the beach that weekend.

Direct: "She must apply before Friday," the counselor advised. The counselor advised that she had to apply before Friday.

Direct: "I am meeting my friends tonight," he told her. He told her that he was meeting his friends that night.

Direct: "You should start preparing for your exams now," the teacher said. The teacher said that they should start preparing for their exams then.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the following sentences from indirect to direct speech

Indirect: Maria said that she would be visiting her parents the following week. Maria said, "I will be visiting my parents next week."

Indirect: The manager explained that the meeting had been rescheduled to Monday. The manager said, "The meeting has been rescheduled to Monday."

Indirect: He thought that he might go to the cinema later that evening. He thought, "I might go to the cinema later this evening."

Indirect: She mentioned that she had seen that movie the previous day. She mentioned, "I saw that movie yesterday."

Indirect: They were informed that the concert would start at nine o'clock. They were informed, "The concert will start at nine o'clock."

Congratulations on completing the journey through direct and indirect speech! In this lesson, we have explored the fascinating aspects of direct and indirect speech. We learned how to accurately quote someone using direct speech and how to rephrase their words in indirect speech while maintaining the original meaning. Through various exercises, we practiced converting statements from direct to indirect speech and vice versa, sharpening our understanding of how to handle pronouns, verb tenses, and expressions of time and place.

These skills are vital for effective communication, allowing us to share stories and information more clearly and engagingly. We encourage everyone to continue practicing these techniques to become more proficient and confident in using direct and indirect speech in daily conversations and writing.

Featured Quizzes

Create a Quiz

Wait! Here's an interesting quiz for you.

Direct and Indirect Speech Online Test

• This is an online quiz to test your knowledge of Direct and Indirect Speech in English.
• This Online Test is useful for academic and competitive exams .
• Multiple answer choices are given for each question in this test. You have to choose the best option.
• After completing the test, you can see your result .
• There are 10 questions in the test.
• There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
• There is no specified time to complete this test.

Which one best expresses the given sentence in Indirect/Direct speech?

My friend said to me, “Beware of cheats.”

My friend said to me, “Beware of cheats.” My friend told me to beware of cheats. Change ‘said to’ into ‘told, use infinitive ‘to’.

The boys are sure to say, “We are going by ourselves.”

The boys are sure to say, “We are going by ourselves.” The boys will say that they were going by themselves. Use conjunction ‘that’. Change ‘we’ into ‘they’.

“If you don’t keep quiet I shall shoot you”, he said to her in a calm voice.

“If you don’t keep quiet I shall shoot you”, he said to her in a calm voice. He warned her calmly that he would shoot her if she didn’t keep quiet.

I told him that he was not working hard.

I told him that he was not working hard. I said to him, “you are not working hard.”

He said to his friends, “let us go out.”

He said to his friends, “let us go out.” He proposed to his friends that they should go out. Change ‘said to’ into ‘proposed to’, ‘us’ into ‘they’.

His father ordered him to go to his room and study.

His father ordered him to go to his room and study. His father said, “go to your room and study.”

Monica said, “I will watch a horror movie tonight”.

Monica said, “I will watch a horror movie tonight”. Monica said that she would watch a horror movie that night. Use conjunction ‘that’, change pronoun ‘I’ into ‘she’, and ‘tonight’ into ‘that night’.

“Are you alone, my son?” asked a soft voice close behind me.

“Are you alone, my son?” asked a soft voice close behind me. A soft voice behind me asked If I was alone.

She said to him, “Why don’t you go today?”

She said to him, “Why don’t you go today?” She asked him why he did not go that day.

“What did you eat for breakfast today?” the doctor asked the patient.

“What did you eat for breakfast today?” the doctor asked the patient. The doctor asked the patient what he had eaten for breakfast that day.

Now check your Result..

Your score is

Share This Page!

Home / English Grammar / Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers (2024)

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers (2024)

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers (2024) help learners understand how to change direct statements into reported speech, improving their comprehension and speaking skills.

We often use direct and indirect speech to clearly convey what someone said or to summarize information. Improve your knowledge with over 200 exercises and answers focused on Direct and Indirect Speech.

By practicing changing quotes into reported speech, you’ll learn the rules and improve your ability to tell the difference between direct and indirect speech. Strengthen your understanding of English with our detailed set of direct and indirect speech exercises and answers, designed to enhance your language proficiency.

Understanding Direct Speech in English

Direct speech is when the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. It provides a direct representation of what was said, maintaining the original wording and tone. Direct speech adds authenticity and immediacy to the narrative.

For example,

• Direct Speech: My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’
• Direct Speech: Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’

English Indirect Speech examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, conveys someone else’s words without quoting them directly. Indirect speech offers a concise summary, enabling effective communication and storytelling.

• Indirect Speech: My aunt said that every mother loves her child.
• Indirect Speech: Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

Before delving into the direct and indirect speech exercises, consider how Tense , Pronouns , Time , and Place change when transitioning from direct to indirect speech and vice versa.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and answers, along with examples are given in the following for practice. It’s important for students as well as for competitive Exams. For practice and easy comprehension, Direct and indirect speech Exercises and answers have been arranged according to different rules in the following.

Change of Tenses : Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers with tense alterations facilitate practice and comprehension of verb tense transformations.

Exercise 1:

Change the mode of narration from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) He said , ‘I need some money.’ Ans: He said that he needed some money.

(2) She said, ‘I am waiting for him.’ Ans: She said that she was waiting for him.

(3) The boy said , ‘I have done my homework.’ Ans: The boy said that he had done his homework.

(4) You said, ‘The baby has been sleeping .” Ans: You said that the baby had been sleeping .

(5) You say, ‘I am always busy.’ Ans: You say that you are always busy.

(6) The child will say , ‘Mum knows everything.’ Ans: The child will say that Mum knows everything.

(7) He said , ‘I did it.’ Ans: He said that he had done it.

(8) She said, ‘He was talking .’ Ans: She said that he had been talking .

(9) The monk said , ‘Man will die .’ Ans: The monk said that man will die.

(10) He said , ‘The sun gives us light.’ Ans: He said that the sun gives us light.

Exercise 2:

Switch the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “I can’t recall your name.” Ans: He told me that he could not recall my name.

(2) Poulami says , “I am fine.” Ans: Poulomi says that she is fine.

(3) He said, “I did it.” Ans: He said that he had done it.

(4) “I know her address,” said Gopi. Ans: Gopi said that he knew her address.

(5) Ram said, “The earth is round.” Ans: Ram said that the Earth is round.

(6) “We planted it ourselves,” said the grandfather. Ans: The Gran Father said that they had planted it themselves.

(7) Debu said, “I have been playing rugby.” Ans: Debu said that he had been playing rugby.

(8) Purbasha said to me,” I am afraid of ghosts.” Ans: Purbasha told me that she was afraid of ghosts.

People Also Ask

Exercise 3:

Turn the following sentences from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) The boys said , “It has been raining since morning. We cannot play today.” Ans: The boys said that it had been raining since morning so they could not play that day.

(2) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.” Ans: Anjan’s mother said that my father had left for Mumbai.

(3) My teacher said , “Practice makes a man perfect.” Ans: My teacher said that practice makes a man perfect.

(4) He says, “I go to the temple every morning.” Ans: He says that he goes to the temple every morning.

(5) He said to me, “I will not get down from the bus.” Ans: He told me that he would not get off the bus.

(6) Rita says to Mita, “I will go with you.” Ans: Rita tells Mita that she w ill go with her.

(7) The boy said to his friend, “I went to school yesterday.” Ans: The boy told his friend that he had gone to school the previous day.

(8) You said, “I was right.” Ans: You said that you had been right.

(9) “I ‘ll go to the top,” said the young lady. Ans: The young lady said that she would go to the top.

(10) I ‘ ve got my rules,” the conductor said to me. Ans: The conductor told me that he had got his rules.

Change of Pronouns in Direct and Indirect Speech: Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers incorporating pronouns in direct and indirect speech facilitate learners’ understanding and application of pronoun changes in reported speech structures.

Exercise 4:

(1) You said, ‘ I never smoked.” Ans: You said that you never smoked.

(2) I said, ‘ I am always busy.” Ans: I said that I was alway busy

(3) I said to you , ‘ You look tired.” Ans: I said to you that you looked tired.

(4) You said to me , ‘ You are dependable.” Ans: You said to me that I was dependable.

(5) You said, “ He is right.” Ans: You said that he was right.

(6) I said, “ They will be late. Ans: I said that they w ould be late.

(7) He said to (Deep) , ‘ You told it so.” Ans: He said to Deep that he (Deep) had told it so.

(8) Mon said to Moon , “ You are naughty.” Ans: Mon said to Moon that she (Moon) was naughty.

Exercise 5:

Alter the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “ I have done the job.” Ans: He told me that he had done the job.

(2) Rohit said, “ I was absent yesterday.” Ans: Rohit said that he (Rohit) had been absent the previous day.

(3) The boy said, “ My father died two years ago.” Ans: The boy said that his father had died two years before.

(4) He said, “ My goal is to climb Mt Everest. “ Ans: He said that his goal was to climb Mount Everest.

(5) “ I shall certainly do nothing of this kind”, the woman. Ans: The woman said that she would certainly do nothing of that kind.

(6) The man said, “ I am exhausted.” Ans: The man said that he was exhausted.

(7) He said, “ I am washing my hands.” Ans: He said that he was washing his hands.

(8) Mother bird said to her little ones, “Today I will teach you how to fly.” Ans: Mother bird told her little ones that that day, she would teach them how to fly.

(9) Rita’s father says. “ I have done this for you. Ans: Rita’s father says that he had done that for her.

(10) Sumana said to her sister, “ I want to play with you.” Ans: Sumana told her sister that she wanted to play with her.

Time and Place Expressions in Direct and Indirect Speech: Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers on time and place expressions in direct and indirect speech aid learners in accurately conveying temporal and spatial information while mastering reported speech conventions.

Exercise 6:

Turn the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) I said to you, “I wish to start business next year. “ Ans: I said to you that I wished to start business the following years.

(2) You said to them, “ Now I shall tell you a nice story.” Ans: You told them that then you would tell them a nice story.

(3) She said to him, “I bought the book yesterday. “ Ans: She told him that she had bought the book the previous day .

(4) He said to me, “I saw your sister two years ago . Ans: He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.

(5) He said to his son, “You may come with me tomorrow. Ans: He told his son that he (his son) might go with him the next day.

(6) He said to her, I’m talking to you now for your good.” Ans: He told her that he was talking to her then for her good.

(7) The girl said to me, My father died two years ago. “ Ans: The girl told me that her father died two years before.

Exception: But if ‘ now ‘, ‘ here ‘, ‘ this ‘ refer to things present before the speaker at the time of reporting, no change is needed.

(8) He said to me, ‘I have no friend here. ‘ Ans: He told me that he had no friend here.

(9) I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world.’ Ans: I said that we cannot be happy in this world.

(10) She said, “ This is the house where I was born.” Ans: She said that this was the house where she was born.

Exercise 7:

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

(1) The boy said to his father, “I had my tiffin in school yesterday. “ Ans: The boy told his father that he had had his tiffin in school the previous day .

(2) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last year. “ Ans: The captain informed us that the tournament was postponed the previous year .

(3) She said, “We have been living here for two years.” Ans: She said that they had been living there for two years.

(4) Arnab said to Ajit,” I am happy today .” Ans: Arna told Ajit that he was happy that day.

(5) My friend said to me, “We went to the zoo yesterday. “ Ans: My friend told me that they had gone to the zoo the previous day.

(6) The clerk said, “I’ll do the work now. “ Ans: Clark said that he would do the work then.

(7) Hiten said to Mihir, “I received this letter yesterday. “ Ans: Hiten told me that he had received that letter the previous day.

(8) Rajib said to me. “I shall go to the picture today. “ Ans: Rajiv told me that he would go to the picture that day.

(9) He said, “We are very happy here. “ Ans: He said that they were very happy there.

(10) The farmer said, “I’ll sow the seeds now. “ Ans: The farmer said that he will show the seats then.

(12) The man said to me, “I received your gift yesterday. “ Ans: The man told me that he had received my gift the previous day.

(15) I said to my friend, “You were present in the class yesterday. “ Ans: I told my friend that he had been present in the class the previous day.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Assertive Sentences

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers focusing on assertive sentences enable learners to grasp the nuances of reporting statements confidently and accurately.

Exercise 8:

Transform the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’ Ans: My aunt said that every mother loves her child.

(2) Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’ Ans: Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

(3) He said to his father, ‘I shall always carry out your order.’ Ans: He told his father that he would always carry out his order.

(4) She said, ‘I sang a song at today’s function.’ Ans: She said that she had sung a song at today’s function.

(5) He said to me, ‘You are wicked, so I shall not mix with you.’ Ans: He told me that I was wicked, so he would not mix with me.

Exercise 9:

Change the following sentences converting the direct speeches into indirect speeches.

(1) The teacher said to the boy, “You have forgotten the lesson.” Ans: The teacher told the boy that he had forgotten the lesson.

(2) The boy said, “I shall go out and play.” Ans: The boy said that he would go out and play.

(3) He said, “I am happy to be here today.” Ans: He said that he was happy to be there that day.

(4) They said, “We shall play the game again tomorrow.” Ans: They said that they would play the game again the next day.

(5) The boy said, “Two and two make four.” Ans: The boy said that two and two make four.

Exercise 10:

Change the form of narration from indirect speech into direct speech.

(1) She told them that she had lost her books and theirs too. Ans : “I have lost my books and yours too”, she told them.

(2) The princess says that she has lost her way. Ans: The princess says, “I have lost my way.”

(3) They say that they must keep their locality clean. Ans: They say, “We must keep our locality clean.”

(4) The girl says that those books are theirs, but that one is hers. Ans: The girl says, “These books are theirs, but this one is mine.”

(5) The Happy prince said that he had led the dance in the Great Hall. Ans: The Happy Prince said, “I led the dance in the great hall.”

Interrogative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Engage with interrogative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers to sharpen your ability to convey questions effectively within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 11:

(1) Mother said to her, ‘Are you feeling feverish?’ Ans: Mother inquired of her if she was feeling feverish.

(2) ‘Was it not a piece of luck?’ said Slavator. Ans: Salvtor wanted to know if that was not a piece of luck.

(3) The host said to me, ‘Have all the guests arrived?’ Ans: The host asked me whether all the guests had arrived.

(4) I said, ‘Do you know who will preside over the meeting?’ Ans: I asked whether he knew who would be presiding over the meeting.

(5) I said to the boy, ‘Did you pass the examination?’ Ans: I asked the boy if had passed the examination.

(6) She said to him, ‘Which of the books do you want to buy? Ans: She asked him which of the books he wanted to buy.

(7) The king said, ‘Who is not ready to due for his land, my countryman?’ Ans: The king asked his countrymen who was not ready to due for his land.

(8) He said to her, ‘Whose type writer are you using? Ans: He inquired of her whose type- writer she was using.

(9) The girl said to the strang ‘Whom do you want to see? Ans: The girl asked the stranger whom he wanted to see.

(10) The teacher said to the student, ‘Why are you late regularly? Ans: The teacher asked the student why he was late regularly.

Exercise 12:

Turn the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) Bulbuli said to her friend, “Will you come tomorrow?” Ans: Bulbuli asked her friend if she would on the next day.

(2) The policeman said to the stranger, “What are you looking for?” Ans: The police asked the stranger what he was looking for.

(3) Nikhil said to me, “Why do you look sad? Ans: Nikhil asked me why I looked sad.

(4) I said to her, “Did you take tea ?” Ans: I asked her if she had taken tea.

(5) The girl said to her mother, “Will you give me your bangles ?” Ans: The girl asked her mother if she would give her her bangles.

(6) Father said to me, “Why are you so upset?” Ans: Father asked me why I was so upset.

Exercise 13:

Change the following indirect speech into Direct speech.

(1) She asked me if I had called her. Ans: She said to me, “Did you call me ?”

(2) He asked me if I was writing a letter. Ans: He asked me, “Are you writing a letter ?”

(3) The man asked the child how he had got there. Ans: “How did you get here, child ?”, the man said.

(4) The police asked me if I could show my identity card. Ans: The police said to me, “Can you show your identity card ?”

(5) He asked us if we were attending the meeting that day. Ans: He said to us, “Are you attending the meeting today?”

(6) I asked her if she had taken medicine. Ans: I said to her, “Did you take medicine ?”

(7) Raja asked Dipu if he would go to school that day. Ans: Raja said to Dipu, “Will you go to school today?

Imperative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Master imperative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers, refining your skill in conveying commands and requests within diverse linguistic contexts.

Exercise 14:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) The teacher said, ‘Boys, go to your classes.’ Ans: The teacher ordered the boys to go to their classes.

(2) She said to him, ‘Please lend me your pen.’ Ans: She requested him to lend her his pen.

(3) The mother said to her son, ‘Wait here for me.’ Ans: The mother told her son to wait there for her.

(4) He said to me, ‘Go home at once.’ Ans: He advised me to go home at once.

(5) I said to my teacher, ‘Please explain the passage. Ans: I requested my teacher to explain the passage.

(6) The student said to the teacher, “Excuse me, sir.’ Ans: The student begged the teacher to excuse him.

(7) He said, ‘Friends, lend me your ears. Ans: Addressing them as friends, he requested them to lend him their ears.

Exercise 15:

(1) The teacher said to the students, “Keep quiet.” Ans: The teachers ordered the students to keep quiet.

(2) My teacher said to me. “Do not neglect your studies.” Ans: My teacher advised me not to neglect my studies.

(3) The man said to his son, “Always try to be honest.” Ans: The man advised it’s on to always try to be honest.

(4) Mother said to Raju, “Do not run in the sun.” Ans: Mother ordered Raju not to run in the sun.

(5) The man said to me, “Brother, please help me.” Ans: Addressing as a brother, the man requested me to help him.

(6) The students said, “Please allow us to play in the field.” Ans: The students requested to allow them to play on the field.

(7) He said to me, “Please give me some money.” Ans: He requested me to give him some money.

Exercise 16:

Change the following sentences from Indirect speech to Direct Speech of narration.

(1) He advised me not to waste my valuable time. Ans: He said to me, “Don’t waste your valuable time.”

(2) The grandson advised the children not to pluck flowers. Ans: The gardener said to the children, “Do not pluck flowers.”

(3) Tom forbade Sid to shake him. Ans: Tom said to Sid, “Don’t shake me.”

(4) The master ordered the servant to sort the door. Ans: The master said to the servant, “Shut the door.”

(5) The commander ordered the soldiers to stand at ease. Ans: The commander said to the soldiers, “Stand at ease.”

(6) Addressing as sethji, the vendor told him not to rob the poor. Ans: “Sethji, don’t rob the poor”, said the vendor.

(7) The doctor advised the patient to take proper vitamins to stay healthy. Ans: The doctor said to the patient, “Take proper vitamins to stay healthy.”

(8) The teacher ordered the students to do it then. Ans: The teacher said to the students, “Do it now.”

Direct and indirect speech Exercises and Answers with “Let”

Enhance your understanding of direct and indirect speech through exercises and answers featuring the usage of “let,” allowing you to effectively report permissions, suggestions, or proposals in various contexts

Exercise 17:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech mode of narration.

(1) He said to her, ‘Let us go out for a walk,’ Ans: He proposed to her that they should go out for a walk.

(2) Mon said to Mohan, ‘Let us dis- cuss the matter,’ Ans: Mon suggested to Mohan that they should discuss the matter.

(3) The chairman said, ‘Let us put the motion to vote. Ans: The chairman proposed that they should put the motion to vote.

(4) I said to her, ‘Let us have some music,’ Ans: I proposed to her that we should have some music.

(5) ‘Let us hurry or we may miss the bus,’ said he, Ans: He urged all to hurry or they might miss the bus.

(6) She said, ‘Let me come in.’ Ans: She requested that she might be allowed to come in.

(7) He said, ‘Let her say whatever she likes.’ Ans: He said that she might say whatever she liked.

(8) He said, ‘Let me have a cup of coffee.’ Ans: He wished that he might have a cup of coffee.

(9) The player said to the captain, ‘Let me have a chance, please.’ Ans: The player requested the captain to let him have a chance.

(10) I said, ‘Let him work ever so hard, he cannot win the prize.’ Ans: He said that the visitor might be allowed to wait outside.

Exercise 18:

(1) Rahim said, “Let us decide the matter together.” Ans: Rahim suggested that they should decide the matter together.

(2) The boy said to me, “Let us play cricket.” Ans: The boy proposed that they should play cricket.

(3) He said, “Let me go home.” Ans: He wished that he might go home.

(4) He said to me, “Let him say whatever he likes.” Ans: He wished me that he might say whatever he liked.

(5) He shouted, “Let me go out. Ans: He shouted at me to go out.

Exercise 19:

Change the following sentences from indirect speech to direct speech mode of narration.

(1) She proposed that they should go to the cinema. Ans: She said, “Let us go to the cinema.”

(2) He suggested that they should drop the matter. Ans: He said, “Let us drop the matter”

(3) They suggested that they should make him give them their fears back. Ans: “Let’s make him give us our fares back,” they said.

(4) Shabnam proposed Chandni that they should go for a walk. Ans: “Let us go for a walk.” said Shabnam to Chandni.

(5) The leader suggested that they should hold a meeting the next day. Ans: The leader said, “Let’s hold a meeting tomorrow.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Optative Sentences

Practice direct and indirect speech with exercises and answers focusing on optative sentences, enabling you to accurately report wishes, prayers, or blessings while honing your linguistic proficiency.

Exercise 20:

Change the following from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

(1) Mother said, ‘May you be happy.’ Ans: Mother wished that I might be happy.

(2) He said to you, ‘May God bless you.’ Ans: He prayed that God might bless you.

(3) She said, ‘Had I been there!’ Ans: She wished that she had been there.

(4) He said to me, ‘May you succeed.’ Ans: He wished that I might succeed.

(5) They said, ‘Long live the leader.’ Ans: They prayed that the leader might live long.

(6) He said to me, ‘May your mother recover soon. Ans: He wished that my mother might recover soon.

(7) The monk said, ‘May peace prevail.’ Ans: The monk hoped that peace would prevail.

(8) The boy siad, ‘Had I the wings of a bird.’ Ans: The boy wished that he could have the wings of a bird.

Exercise 21:

(1) I said to him, “May you be happy.” Ans: I wished that he might be happy.

(2) Mother said to me, “May God bless you.” Ans: Mother prayed that God might bless me.

(3) He said, “May his soul rest in peace.” Ans: He prayed that his soul might rest in peace.

(4) The girl said, “Oh, had I the wings of a dove.” Ans: The girl wished that she could have the wings of a dove.

(5) I said to him, “May you live long.” Ans: I wished him that he might live long.

Exercise 22:

Change the following from Indirect Speech to Direct Speech.

(1) Nilima wished me that I might recover soon. Ans: Nilima said to me, “May you recover soon.”

(2) Mother wished him that God might grant him a long life. Ans : Mother said to him, “May God grant you a long life.”

(3) The holy man wished that peace might prevail. Ans: The holy man said, “May peace prevail.”

(4) She wished that Mother Teresa might recover from illness soon. Ans: She said, “May Mother Teresa recover from illness soon.”

(5) He wished that he could bring his departed friend back to life. Ans: He said, “Oh, if I could bring my departed friend back to life.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises of Exclamatory Sentences

Engage in direct and indirect speech exercises focusing on exclamatory sentences to refine your ability in reporting strong emotions or exclamations accurately within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 23:

(1) The supporters said, ‘Hurrah! we have won?’ Ans: The supporter exclaimed in joy that they had won.

(2) The girl said, ‘How wonderful love is!’ Ans: The girl exclaimed in joy that love is wonderful.

(3) The teacher said, ‘Bravo! Well done!’ Ans: The teacher applauded his students by saying that they had done well.

(4) ‘Alas! I am undone’, said the women. Ans: They women cried out in sorrow that she was undone.

(5) He said, ‘Good bye, my friends !’ Ans: He bade his friends good bye.

(6) The old man said to the youth, ‘Fie! You are such a coward.’ Ans: The old man exclaimed that it was shameful for the youth to be such a coward.

(7) ‘How dirty the house is!’ he observed. Ans: He exclaimed in irritation that the house was very dirty.

(8) ‘Good God! I am saved’, said he. Ans: He exclaimed in the name of merciful God that he was saved.

Exercise 24:

(1) The boys triumphantly said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” Ans: The boys exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.

(2) The old man said to the girl, “May you be happy !” Ans: The old man wished the girl that she might be happy.

(3) He said, “What good news!” Ans: He exclaimed in joy that it was very good news.

(4) The children said, “How happy we were there!” Ans: The children gloomily said that they had been very happy there.

(5) He said to you. “May God bless you.” Ans: He wished you that God might bless you.

(6) My friend said to me. “What a fool you are!” Ans: My friend exclaimed in despair that she was a big fool.

Exercise 25:

(1) Piyali exclaimed in sorrow that she had lost her phone. Ans: “Alas! I have lost my phone”, said Piyali.

(2) Mother wished Roy that his dreams might come true. Ans: Mother said to Roy, “May your dreams come true.”

(3) The girl exclaimed that she had been very sensible. Ans: How insensible I have been!”, said the girl.

(4) The girl exclaimed in sorrow that she had torn her frock. Ans: The girl said, “Oh dear! I have torn my frock.”

(5) She exclaimed in sorrow that she was undone. Ans: She said, “Alas! I am undone.”

(6) They wished me happy birthday. Ans: They said to me. “Happy birthday!”

(7) The students bade their teacher good morning. Ans: “Good morning, Madam!”, said the students to the teacher.

Unsolved Worksheets for Direct and Indirect Speech

A . Change the following into reported speech .

1. Rita says, “Kishore sang a song”.

2. The saint said, “Man is mortal”

3. You said, “we are learning our lesson’.

4. He said to me, “My father went to Mumbai last week.

5. I said to her, “Are you leaving tonight?”

6. He said to her, “Can you lend me your umbrella?”

7. She said, “I saw a tiger here’.

8. The principal said, “well done! my boys”.

9. She said, “Let them play.”

10. I said to Harsh, “Please help me.”

B. Change the direct speech into Indirect Speech

1. He asked me, “Where has he gone?”

2. The Prime Minister said, “National Integrity will be preserved at all costs.

3. She said, “My uncle came yesterday.”

4. Sheela said to us, “You must work hard.”

5. They said, “We trust in God.”

6. The officer said to him. “You will be dismissed if you do not attend the office in time.'”

7. He said to me “I am reading a book.”

8. He said, “Thanks for reminding me.’

9. She said,” Keep this room open.’

10. I said to him, “I went there on Tuesday.”

C. Choose the correct option .

1. I advised him ____________ it.

(a) to not do

(b) not to do

2. She told me ____________ careful.

(c) that be

3. She asked me if I ____________ my lunch.

(b) have eaten

(c) had eaten

4. She asked me ____________ going to the movies

(a) that I was

(b) if was I

(c) if I was

5. The dentist suggested ____________  get a new toothbrush.

(b) that I should

(c) me that I should

6. She said that no one ____________ me

(c) had called

7. He asked me ____________  to deserve such a cruel punishment.

(a) what had he done

(b) what he had done

(c) that he had done

8. He promised he ____________  do it by the end of the week.

9. She said that ____________  me before.

(a) she hadn’t met

(b) she did not meet

(c) she will not meet

10. I requested her____________  me.

(b) to help

(c) that help

D. Complete the sentences in the reported speech.

1. The girl said that it ___________ to be there that evening.

(a) gave her great pleasure

(b) gives her great pleasure

(c) gives her great pleasure

2. The man said that he ___________ as soon as possible.

(a) must go

(b) had gone

(c) should be gone

3. She said that she ___________ to se any of them.

(a) does not want

(b) did not want

(c) had not wanted

4. The teacher says that if you work hard you ___________

(a) would pass

(b) will pass

5. He said that he  ___________

(b) has won

(c) had won

6. He proposed that they ___________ for her return.

(a) shall wait

(b) will wait

(c) should wait

7. Alice exclaimed how clever ___________

(a) she was

(b) was she

(c) she has been

8. The young man asked which way she ___________

(a) has gone

(c) would go.

9. He asked me where ___________ going.

10. She requested them to wait there till she ___________

(a) returns

(b) returned

(c) will return

E. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. Ravi said, “I love this place”.

Ravi said _______________ 

2. “Do you like football?” He asked me.

He asked me_______________ 

3. “I can’t drive a lorry”, he said.

He said _______________ 

4. “Be nice to your brother”, he said

He asked me _______________ 

5. “Don’t be nasty, “he said

He urged me _______________ 

6. “Don’t waste your money “she said,

She told the boys _______________ 

7. “What have you decided to do? “she asked

him. She asked him _______________ 

8. “I always wake up early”. he said,

He said_______________ 

9. “You should revise your lessons’, he said,

He advised the students _______________ 

10. “Where have you been? “he asked me

He wanted to know _______________ 

F. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. She said, “I went to cinema yesterday,”

She said _______________ 

2. You said, “I will do this for him.”

You said _______________ 

3. He said, “I am writing a test tomorrow,

4. She said, “I am not hungry now”,

5. They said, “We have never been here before.”

They said _______________ 

6. They said, “We were in London last week.”

7. He said, “They won’t sleep.”

8. “Have you been shopping?” he asked us.

9. She said, “It is very quiet here.

10. “I don’t speak Italian”, she said.

She said_______________ 

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage.

Susan: Why have you not brought my party dress? Jenny: I haven’t brought it because I had gone to my uncle’s house with my parents, so I forgot to keep it. Susan: Don’t give me silly excuses. I want to know the truth. Jenny: I am sorry Susan. I was chatting with my friends till late. I forgot that you needed it urgently today.

Susan asked Jenny (a) …………… Jenny said that she (b) …………… . Susan (c) …………… . Jenny said that she was sorry and further added that she was chatting with her friends till late and she had forgotten that Jenny needed it urgently that day.

H. Read the following conversation and complete the passage that follows.

Dilip: I’ve been watching the sea and there hasn’t been any trace of a ship. Ralph: I told you yesterday too that we’ll be rescued, so have patience. Dilip: Why do you ask me to keep quiet whenever I say something? Ralph: Have you ever said anything sensible?

Dilip said (a) ………… . Ralph replied (b) ………… and so asked him to have patience. Dilip angrily asked Ralph (c) ………… to which Ralph wanted to know (d) …………

Direct and Indirect Speech Answers Key

1. Rita says that Kishore sang a song.

2. The saint said that the man is mortal.

3. You said that you were learning your lesson.

4. He hold me that his father had gone to Mumbai the previous week.

5. I asked her if she was leaving that night.

6. He asked her if she could lend him her umbrella.

7. She said that she had seen a tiger there.

8. The principal exclaimed with applause that the boys had done well.

9. She suggested that they should be allowed to play.

10. I requested Harsh to help me.

1. He asked me where he had gone.

2. The Prime Minister declared that the National Integrity would be preserved at all costs.

3. She said that her uncle had come the previous day.

4. Sheela told us that we must work hard.

5. They said that they trusted in God.

6. The officer warned him that he would be dismissed

if he did not attend the office in time.

7. He told me that he was reading a book.

8. He thanked me for reminding him.

9. She ordered to keep that room open.

10. I told him that I had gone there on Tuesday.

1. (b) not to do

2. (b) to be

3. (c) had eaten

4. (c) if I was

5. (b) that I should

6. (c) had called

7. (b) what he had done

8. (b) would

9. (a) she hadn’t met

10. (b) to help

D. Complete the sentences in reported speech.

1. (a) gave her great pleasure.

2. (a) must go

3. (b) did not want

4. (b) will pass

5. (c) had won

6. (c) should wait

7. (a) she was

8. (b) had gone

9. (a) I was

10. (b) returned

E. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that he loved that place

2. whether I liked football

3. that he couldn’t drive a lorry

4. to be nice to my brother

5. not to be nasty

6. not to waste their money

7. what he had decided to do

8. that he always wake up early

9. to revise their lessons

10. where I had been

F. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that she had gone to cinema the previous day.

2. that you would do that for him.

3. that he will be writing a test the next day.

4. that she was not hungry then.

5. that they had never been there before.

6. that they had been in London the previous week.

7. that they wouldn’t sleep.

8. whether we had been shopping.

9. that it was very quiet there.

10. that she didn’t speak Italian.

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage

(a) why she had not brought her party dress

(b) hadn’t brought it as she had gone to her uncle’s house with her parents; so she had forgotten to keep it

(c) told her not to give silly excuses and further said that she wanted to know the truth.

(a) that he had been watching the sea and that there had not been any trace of a ship

(b) that he had told him the day before that they would be rescued

(c) why he asked him to keep quiet whenever he said something

(d) if he had ever said anything sensible

FAQs on Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Q: what’s the purpose of the indirect speech.

A: Indirect speech allows us to convey someone else’s words without quoting them verbatim. It’s useful for summarizing and paraphrasing.

Q: Are tense changes mandatory in indirect speech?

A: Yes, tense changes are often necessary to accurately reflect the timing of the original statement.

Q: Can reporting verbs be used interchangeably?

A: While reporting verbs can be interchangeable to some extent, their nuances can impact the meaning of the reported speech.

Q: Is it possible to transform any direct speech into indirect speech?

A: Yes, most direct speech can be converted into indirect speech, although some cases may require adjustments.

Q: How can I identify indirect speech in a sentence?

A: Look for keywords like “said,” “asked,” or other reporting verbs, as well as changes in pronouns, tenses, and time expressions.

Q: Why is mastering direct and indirect speech important?

A: Mastering these skills enhances communication clarity, adds variety to language use, and fosters effective expression.

Conclusion:

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers are invaluable tools for effective communication. By honing this skill, you’ll not only convey information accurately but also showcase your language expertise. Remember that practice makes perfect, and the more you engage in these exercises, the more naturally you’ll incorporate them into your everyday language use.

Related Posts:

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

This website is AMNAZING

MY NAAMEE IS KISHU AND I WANTED TO TELL THERE ARE NO EXERCISES AVAILLABLEE BY YOUR WEBSITE PLEASE ADD THEM SSOON FOR OUR STUDENTS CONVIENCE IM A EIGHT GRADER LOVED YOUR EXPLABATIO

sure cries l miss my friend

he saiad,” we are all sinners”. convert into indirect speech

He said that they were all sinners.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.

1.    John said, ‘I am very busy now.’ 2.    He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’ 3.    ‘I know her name and address,’ said John. 4.    ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said. 5.    He said, ‘I am writing letters.’ 6.    ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said. 7.    He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’ 8.    He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’ 9.    He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’ 10.    ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger. 11.    He said, ‘Will you listen to me?’ 12.    John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ 13.    She said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ 14.    ‘Call the witness,’ said the judge. 15.    The speaker said, ‘Be quiet and listen to my words.’

1.    John said that he was very busy then. 2.    He said that the horse had been fed. 3.    John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.) 4.    She said that German is/was easy to learn. 5.    He said that he was writing letters. 6.    Alice said that it was too late to go out. 7.    He told me that he didn’t believe me. OR He said he didn’t believe me. 8.    He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9.    He asked me what I was doing. 10.    The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11.    He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.    John ordered Peter to go away. 13.    She asked me to wait there till she returned. 14.    The judge commanded them to call the first witness. 15.    He urged them to be quiet and listen to them.

Search Articles

Recent articles.

• Prepositions Quiz
• General Grammar Exercise
• Pronouns Exercise
• Proper Nouns Exercise
• General Vocabulary Exercise
• Identify the Adverbs Exercise
• Grammar Exercise (Intermediate Level)
• Intermediate Level Grammar Exercise
• General Grammar Worksheet
• Vocabulary Exercise
• Gap Filling Tenses Exercise
• Gap Filling Grammar Exercise
• More resources

EnglishPractice.com © 2024 - All rights Reserved.

• Phrases and Clauses
• Parts of a Sentence
• Modal Verbs
• Relative Clauses
• Confusing Words
• Online Grammar Quizzes
• Printable Grammar Worksheets
• Courses to purchase
• Grammar Book
• Grammar Blog

Reported Speech Quiz

In this reported speech quiz you get to practice online turning direct speech into indirect speech.

Remember that to turn direct speech to reported speech you need to use backshifting with the tenses. So for example, the present simple turns to the past simple and the past simple turns to the past perfect. Pronouns can also change.

It can be difficult if you are new to it, so if you are unsure of how to do it, before taking the quiz check out the reported speech tense conversion rules . 

• John said, "I want to see a film".
• Tina said, "I am tired".
• He said, "Tom hit me very hard".
• I said, "I feel happy".
• She said, "We are learning English".
• Sandra said, "I liked him a lot".
• He said, "We all eat meat".
• Max said, "I will help".
• Gene said, "I must leave early".
• She said, "I had tried everything".

More on Reported Speech:

To vs Too Quiz - Test yourself on the Differences

In this to vs too quiz you can practice online the difference between these words. While to is a preposition used in various ways, too is an adverb.

Types of Adjective Exercise: Multiple Choice

In this types of adjective exercise you need to choose which type the word in capitals represents. It's a multiple choice exercise with answers.

Past Perfect Exercises - Affirmative: Gap Fill

These Past Perfect Exercises focus on the affirmative, interrogative and negative forms. This first quiz is for the affirmative.

Affect Vs Effect Quiz - English Grammar

In this affect vs effect quiz you can test yourself on the difference between these two confusing words. One is a verb whilst the other is a noun.

Modal Verbs Multiple Choice Quiz

In this modal verbs multiple choice quiz, choose which of the three choices of verbs should go into the gap to make a grammatically correct sentence.

Substitution Quiz for English Grammar: Choose the Correct Word

This Substitution Quiz tests your ability to replace words or phrases already used in a sentence with a different word or phrase.

New! Comments

Any questions or comments about the grammar discussed on this page?

Post your comment here.

Sign up for free grammar tips, quizzes and lessons, straight into your inbox

Grammar Rules

Subscribe to grammar wiz:, grammar ebook.

This is an affiliate link

Recent Articles

Gerund or infinitive quiz.

Aug 11, 24 04:34 AM

Use of the Bare Infinitive

Aug 09, 24 01:59 AM

Future Continuous Tense Quiz: Yes/No Questions

Jun 29, 24 11:04 AM

Important Pages

Online Quizzes Grammar Lessons Courses Blog

Connect with Us

Search Site

Privacy Policy  / Disclaimer  / Terms of Use

Direct and indirect speech exercises PDF

• English grammar PDF
• PDF worksheets
• Mixed PDF tests
• Present tenses
• Past tenses
• Future tenses
• Present perfect
• Past perfect
• Future perfect
• Irregular verbs
• Modal verbs
• If-conditional
• Passive voice
• Reported speech
• Time clauses
• Relative clauses
• Indirect questions
• Question tags
• Imperative sentence
• Gerund and infinitive
• Direct | indirect object

Direct and indirect speech

• Online exercises
• Grammar rules PDF

English grammar books PDF

PDF book 1: English grammar exercises PDF

PDF book 2: English grammar rules PDF

Direct and indirect speech exercises

Reported speech exercises PDF

• Learn how to change tenses, pronouns, expressions of time and place in the reported speech.

Reported questions + commands exercises PDF

• Practise the difference between the direct and indirect speech in questions, commands and requests.

Online exercises with answers:

Direct - indirect speech exercise 1 Rewrite sentences in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 2 Report a short dialogue in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 3 Find and correct mistakes in the reported speech.

Direct - indirect speech exercise 4 Choose correct answers in a multiple choice test.

Indirect - direct speech exercise 5 Rewrite sentences from the reported speech to direct speech.

Reported questions, commands and requests:

Reported questions exercise 6 Change the reported questions and orders into direct questions and orders.

Reported questions exercise 7 Change direct questions into reported questions.

Reported commands exercise 8 Make reported commands and requests.

Grammar rules PDF:

Reported speech rules PDF Changes of tenses, pronouns, time and place in reported statements, questions and commands.

English grammar PDF All PDF rules with examples on e-grammar.org.

Direct + indirect speech

See also: Reported questions + commands

The direct and indirect speech are used to say what other people said, thought or felt. "I like it," he said. - He said that he liked it. "Dan will come," she hoped. - She hoped Dan would come.

The reported (indirect) speech is typically introduced by verbs such as say, tell, admit, complain, explain, remind, reply, think, hope, offer, refuse etc. in the past tense. He said (that) he didn't want it. She explained that she had been at the seaside.

If these verbs are in the past tense, we change the following: a) verb tenses and verb forms b) pronouns c) the adverbs of time and place

A) Verb tenses

We change the tenses in the following way:

• Present - past "I never understand you," she told me. - She told me she never understood me. "We are doing exercises," he explained. - He explained that they were doing exercises.
• Present perfect - past perfect "I have broken the window," he admitted. - He admitted that he had broken the window. "I have been waiting since the morning," he complained. - He complained that he had been waiting since the morning.
• Past - past perfect "She went to Rome," I thought. - I thought that she had gone to Rome. "He was thinking of buying a new car," she said. - She said he had been thinking of buying a new car.
• Will - conditional Will changes into the conditional. I will come on Sunday," he reminded me. - He reminded me that he would come on Sunday.

As you can see, both the past tense and the present perfect change into the past perfect.

Notes 1. I shall, we shall usually become would . "I shall appreciate it," he said. - He said he would appreciate it. 2. I should, we should usually change into would . "We should be really glad," she told us. - She told us they would be really glad. 3. May becomes might . "I may write to him," she promised. - She promised that she might write to him.

The verb forms remain the same in the following cases:

• If we use the past perfect tense. Eva: "I had never seen him." - Eva claimed that she had never seen him.
• If the reporting verb is in the present tense. Bill: "I am enjoying my holiday." - Bill says he is enjoying his holiday. Sandy: "I will never go to work." - Sandy says she will never go to work.
• When we report something that is still true. Dan: "Asia is the largest continent." - Dan said Asia is the largest continent. Emma: "People in Africa are starving." - Emma said people in Africa are starving.
• When a sentence is made and reported at the same time and the fact is still true. Michael: "I am thirsty." - Michael said he is thirsty.
• With modal verbs would, might, could, should, ought to, used to. George: "I would try it." - George said he would try it. Mimi: "I might come." - Mimi said she might come. Steve: "I could fail." - Steve said he could fail. Linda: "He should/ought to stay in bed." - Linda said he should/ought to stay in bed. Mel: "I used to have a car." - Mel said he used to have a car.
• After wish, would rather, had better, it is time. Margo: "I wish they were in Greece." - Margo said she wished they were in Greece. Matt: "I would rather fly." - Matt said he would rather fly. Betty: "They had better go." - Betty said they had better go. Paul: "It is time I got up." - Paul said it was time he got up.
• In if-clauses. Martha: "If I tidied my room, my dad would be happy." - Martha said that if she tidied her room, her dad would be happy.
• In time clauses. Joe: "When I was staying in Madrid I met my best friend." - He said that when he was staying in Madrid he met his best friend.
• We do not change the past tense in spoken English if it is clear from the situation when the action happened. "She did it on Sunday," I said. - I said she did it on Sunday. We must change it, however, in the following sentence, otherwise it will not be clear whether we are talking about the present or past feelings. "I hated her," he said. - He said he had hated her.
• We do not usually change the modal verbs must and needn't . But must can become had to or would have to and needn't can become didn't have to or wouldn't have to if we want to express an obligation. Would/wouldn't have to are used to talk about future obligations. "I must wash up." - He said he must wash up/he had to wash up. "I needn't be at school today." - He said he needn't be/didn't have to be at school that day. "We must do it in June." - He said they would have to do it in June. If the modal verb must does not express obligation, we do not change it. "We must relax for a while." (suggestion) - He said they must relax for a while. "You must be tired after such a trip." (certainty) - He said we must be tired after such a trip.

B) Pronouns

We have to change the pronouns to keep the same meaning of a sentence. "We are the best students," he said. - He said they were the best students. "They called us," he said. - He said they had called them. "I like your jeans," she said. - She said she liked my jeans. "I can lend you my car," he said. - He said he could lend me his car.

Sometimes we have to use a noun instead of a pronoun, otherwise the new sentence is confusing. "He killed them," Kevin said. - Kevin said that the man had killed them. If we only make mechanical changes (Kevin said he had killed them) , the new sentence can have a different meaning - Kevin himself killed them.

This and these are usually substituted. "They will finish it this year," he said. - He said they would finish it that year. "I brought you this book," she said. - She said she had brought me the book. "We want these flowers," they said. - They said they wanted the flowers.

C) Time and place

Let's suppose that we talked to our friend Mary on Friday. And she said: "Greg came yesterday."  It means that Greg came on Thursday. If we report Mary's sentence on Sunday, we have to do the following: Mary: "Greg came yesterday." - Mary said that Greg had come the day before. If we say: Mary said Greg had come yesterday , it is not correct, because it means that he came on Saturday.

The time expressions change as follows. now - then, today - that day, tomorrow - the next day/the following day, the day after tomorrow - in two days' time, yesterday - the day before, the day before yesterday - two days before, next week/month - the following week/month, last week/month - the previous week/month, a year ago - a year before/the previous year

Bill: "She will leave tomorrow." - Bill said she would leave the next day. Sam: "She arrived last week." - Sam said she had arrived the previous week. Julie: "He moved a year ago." - Julie said he had moved a year before.

Note If something is said and reported at the same time, the time expressions can remain the same. "I will go on holiday tomorrow," he told me today. - He told me today he would go on holiday tomorrow. "We painted the hall last weekend," she told me this week. - She told me this week they had painted the hall last weekend. On the other hand, if something is reported later, the time expressions are different in the indirect speech. Last week Jim said: "I'm playing next week." If we say his sentence a week later, we will say: Jim said he was playing this week.

Here usually becomes there . But sometimes we make different adjustments. At school: "I'll be here at 10 o'clock," he said. - He said he would be there at 10 o'clock. In Baker Street: "We'll meet here." - He said they would meet in Baker Street.

• All PDF exercises and grammar rules from this website.

Home of English Grammar

Direct And Indirect Speech Exercise

Test your understanding of indirect speech with this grammar exercise.

1. I asked how old you ..............................

Although the reporting verb is in the past tense, a present tense is possible in the reported speech if the original speaker and the reporter are in the same situation.

2. She told me that she .............................. to my father.

The original speaker's present perfect and past tenses are often reported using past perfect tenses.

3. I asked him what ........................................

In reported questions constructed with who, what or which, be can go before or after the complement.

4. She asked which ...............................................

5. the ancient greeks and romans thought that the sun ........................................... around the earth..

The original speaker's simple present is often reported using simple past.

6. I want to know if I ............................................ be needed tomorrow.

When the reporting verb is in the present tense, the original speaker's simple future is reported using simple future.

7. He said that he ..................................... to go home and left.

When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech will also be in the past tense.

8. I asked where ...................................... staying.

In reported questions, the auxiliary verb goes after the subject.

9. I knew how .......................................

The auxiliary do is not used in reported questions.

10. He suggested ....................................... quit.

Infinitive structures cannot be used after suggest.

11. The doctor said ........................................... smoking.

Infinitive structures cannot be used after say.

12. He said that he .................................. Maria at the club a few days before.

1. I asked how old you are / were. 2. She told me that she had just spoken to my father. 3. I asked him what the matter was / was the matter. 4. She asked which her seat was / was her seat. 5. The ancient Greeks and Romans thought that the sun went around the earth. 6. I want to know if I will be needed tomorrow. 7. He said that he wanted to go home and left. 8. I asked where the minister was staying. 9. I knew how she felt. 10. He suggested that I should quit. 11. The doctor said that I must quit smoking. 12. He said that he had seen Maria at the club a few days before.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Reported speech: indirect speech

Indirect speech focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words. In indirect speech , the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Indirect speech: reporting statements

Indirect reports of statements consist of a reporting clause and a that -clause. We often omit that , especially in informal situations:

The pilot commented that the weather had been extremely bad as the plane came in to land. (The pilot’s words were: ‘The weather was extremely bad as the plane came in to land.’ )

I told my wife I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday. ( that -clause without that ) (or I told my wife that I didn’t want a party on my 50th birthday .)

Indirect speech: reporting questions

Reporting yes-no questions and alternative questions.

Indirect reports of yes-no questions and questions with or consist of a reporting clause and a reported clause introduced by if or whether . If is more common than whether . The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She asked if [S] [V] I was Scottish. (original yes-no question: ‘Are you Scottish?’ )

The waiter asked whether [S] we [V] wanted a table near the window. (original yes-no question: ‘Do you want a table near the window? )

He asked me if [S] [V] I had come by train or by bus. (original alternative question: ‘Did you come by train or by bus?’ )

Questions: yes-no questions ( Are you feeling cold? )

Reporting wh -questions

Indirect reports of wh -questions consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a wh -word ( who, what, when, where, why, how ). We don’t use a question mark:

He asked me what I wanted.

Not: He asked me what I wanted?

The reported clause is in statement form (subject + verb), not question form:

She wanted to know who [S] we [V] had invited to the party.

Not: … who had we invited …

Who , whom and what

In indirect questions with who, whom and what , the wh- word may be the subject or the object of the reported clause:

I asked them who came to meet them at the airport. ( who is the subject of came ; original question: ‘Who came to meet you at the airport?’ )

He wondered what the repairs would cost. ( what is the object of cost ; original question: ‘What will the repairs cost?’ )

She asked us what [S] we [V] were doing . (original question: ‘What are you doing?’ )

Not: She asked us what were we doing?

When , where , why and how

We also use statement word order (subject + verb) with when , where, why and how :

I asked her when [S] it [V] had happened (original question: ‘When did it happen?’ ).

Not: I asked her when had it happened?

I asked her where [S] the bus station [V] was . (original question: ‘Where is the bus station?’ )

Not: I asked her where was the bus station?

The teacher asked them how [S] they [V] wanted to do the activity . (original question: ‘How do you want to do the activity?’ )

Not: The teacher asked them how did they want to do the activity?

Questions: wh- questions

Indirect speech: reporting commands

Indirect reports of commands consist of a reporting clause, and a reported clause beginning with a to -infinitive:

The General ordered the troops to advance . (original command: ‘Advance!’ )

The chairperson told him to sit down and to stop interrupting . (original command: ‘Sit down and stop interrupting!’ )

We also use a to -infinitive clause in indirect reports with other verbs that mean wanting or getting people to do something, for example, advise, encourage, warn :

They advised me to wait till the following day. (original statement: ‘You should wait till the following day.’ )

The guard warned us not to enter the area. (original statement: ‘You must not enter the area.’ )

Verbs followed by a to -infinitive

Indirect speech: present simple reporting verb

We can use the reporting verb in the present simple in indirect speech if the original words are still true or relevant at the time of reporting, or if the report is of something someone often says or repeats:

Sheila says they’re closing the motorway tomorrow for repairs.

Henry tells me he’s thinking of getting married next year.

Rupert says dogs shouldn’t be allowed on the beach. (Rupert probably often repeats this statement.)

Newspaper headlines

We often use the present simple in newspaper headlines. It makes the reported speech more dramatic:

JUDGE TELLS REPORTER TO LEAVE COURTROOM

PRIME MINISTER SAYS FAMILIES ARE TOP PRIORITY IN TAX REFORM

Present simple ( I work )

Reported speech

Reported speech: direct speech

Indirect speech: past continuous reporting verb

In indirect speech, we can use the past continuous form of the reporting verb (usually say or tell ). This happens mostly in conversation, when the speaker wants to focus on the content of the report, usually because it is interesting news or important information, or because it is a new topic in the conversation:

Rory was telling me the big cinema in James Street is going to close down. Is that true?

Alex was saying that book sales have gone up a lot this year thanks to the Internet.

‘Backshift’ refers to the changes we make to the original verbs in indirect speech because time has passed between the moment of speaking and the time of the report.

In these examples, the present ( am ) has become the past ( was ), the future ( will ) has become the future-in-the-past ( would ) and the past ( happened ) has become the past perfect ( had happened ). The tenses have ‘shifted’ or ‘moved back’ in time.

The past perfect does not shift back; it stays the same:

Modal verbs

Some, but not all, modal verbs ‘shift back’ in time and change in indirect speech.

We can use a perfect form with have + - ed form after modal verbs, especially where the report looks back to a hypothetical event in the past:

He said the noise might have been the postman delivering letters. (original statement: ‘The noise might be the postman delivering letters.’ )

He said he would have helped us if we’d needed a volunteer. (original statement: ‘I’ll help you if you need a volunteer’ or ‘I’d help you if you needed a volunteer.’ )

Used to and ought to do not change in indirect speech:

She said she used to live in Oxford. (original statement: ‘I used to live in Oxford.’ )

The guard warned us that we ought to leave immediately. (original statement: ‘You ought to leave immediately.’ )

No backshift

We don’t need to change the tense in indirect speech if what a person said is still true or relevant or has not happened yet. This often happens when someone talks about the future, or when someone uses the present simple, present continuous or present perfect in their original words:

He told me his brother works for an Italian company. (It is still true that his brother works for an Italian company.)

She said she ’s getting married next year. (For the speakers, the time at the moment of speaking is ‘this year’.)

He said he ’s finished painting the door. (He probably said it just a short time ago.)

She promised she ’ll help us. (The promise applies to the future.)

Indirect speech: changes to pronouns

Changes to personal pronouns in indirect reports depend on whether the person reporting the speech and the person(s) who said the original words are the same or different.

Indirect speech: changes to adverbs and demonstratives

We often change demonstratives ( this, that ) and adverbs of time and place ( now, here, today , etc.) because indirect speech happens at a later time than the original speech, and perhaps in a different place.

Typical changes to demonstratives, adverbs and adverbial expressions

Indirect speech: typical errors

The word order in indirect reports of wh- questions is the same as statement word order (subject + verb), not question word order:

She always asks me where [S] [V] I am going .

Not: She always asks me where am I going .

We don’t use a question mark when reporting wh- questions:

I asked him what he was doing.

Not: I asked him what he was doing?

Word of the Day

put something off

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

To add ${headword} to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

What is your motivation to learn English? Puedes elegir más de una opción

What is Direct Speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

How is Direct Speech usually written? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What is Indirect Speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What is a key rule when changing direct to indirect speech regarding tenses? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What changes are necessary regarding pronouns when converting direct speech to indirect speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What are reporting verbs? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What is a common mistake in using direct and indirect speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

Are direct and indirect speech different from reported speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What is the main difference between direct and indirect speech? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

What is the purpose of understanding direct and indirect speech according to the article? Selecciona la respuesta correcta:

More helpful articles

Reported Speech in English Grammar

What is reported speech, changing direct speech to reported speech, changing the tense (backshifting), no change of tenses, questions in reported speech, demands/requests, expressions with who/what/how + infinitive, typical changes to time and place markers.

• Exercises – Reported Speech

Reported speech is when we repeat what another person has said but instead of using their exact words in quotation marks (direct speech), we use subordinate clause introduced by a reporting verb like the ones below:

Often, we have to change the tense, pronouns and time markers in reported speech.

Learn the rules for writing indirect speech in English with Lingolia’s simple explanation. In the exercises, you can test your grammar skills.

When turning direct speech into reported speech, we may have to change all or some of the following:

• the pronouns
• information about time and place (see the table at the end of this page)
• the tense (backshift)

If the reporting verb is in the simple past (e.g. said, told, asked, replied … ), the tense has to be set back by one degree (see the table below). This is known as backshifting .

The verbs could, should, would, might, must, needn’t, ought to, used to normally do not change.

If the reporting verb is in the simple present (e.g. says, tells, asks, replies … ), then the tense remains unchanged.

While the tense remains unchanged, we often still have to change the verb form to match the new pronouns.

that after a reporting verb

We often omit the word that after a reporting verb, especially in spoken language and informal contexts.

When turning questions into reported speech, we follow the same rules as for declarative sentences: we change the pronouns as well as the time and place markers and backshift the tense as needed.

In addition, we also have to bear in mind the following:

• instead of that , we use a question word after the reporting verb; if there is no question word, we use whether / if instead
• questions in reported speech follow declarative sentence word order (subject + verb)
• we don’t use the auxiliary verb do/did for questions in reported speech; instead, the main verb appears in the simple past without an auxiliary verb
• put the verb directly after who or what in subject questions.

Questions in reported speech do not end in a question mark.

When turning orders, demands and requests into reported speech, we only need to change the pronouns and the time and place information.

We don’t have to pay attention to the tense – we simply use an infinitive rather than a conjugated verb.

If the imperative is negated, then we use not + infinitive .

To express what someone should or can do in reported speech, we leave out the subject and the modal verb and instead we use the construction who/what/where/how + infinitive .

say vs. tell

The words say and tell are not interchangeable.

• say = say something
• tell = say something to someone

Head over to the vocabulary section to learn more about the difference between say and tell .

How good is your English?

Find out with Lingolia’s free grammar test

Take the test!

Maybe later

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

Exercises on reported speech.

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

→ more on statements in reported speech

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative or if / whether

→ more on questions in reported speech

→ more on requests in reported speech

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

• main clauses connected with and / but
• tense of the introductory clause
• reported speech for difficult tenses
• exeptions for backshift
• requests with must , should , ought to and let’s

→ more on additional information and exeptions in reported speech

Statements in Reported Speech

• no backshift – change of pronouns
• no backshift – change of pronouns and places
• with backshift
• with backshift and change of place and time expressions

Questions in Reported Speech

Requests in reported speech.

• Exercise 1 – requests (positive)
• Exercise 2 – requests (negative)
• Exercise 3 – requests (mixed)

Mixed Exercises on Reported Speech

• Exercise on reported speech with and without backshift

Grammar in Texts

• „ The Canterville Ghost “ (highlight direct speech and reported speech)

• All Lessons
• business english
• comprehension
• culture & tips
• expressions
• pronunciation

Learn English Grammar: DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH (REPORTED SPEECH)

Test your understanding of this English lesson

16 comments.

I will keep learning.

I made one mistake in quiz Thanks Mrs.Gill for this top-notch clarification of the difference between direct and indirect/reported speech

I made one mistake in this quiz Thank Mrs.Gill for this lesson My mistake was when he asked me to suggest the direct speech and I saw in indirect speech (past perfect), so what I should choose ( the present perfect or past perfect too) for the right as a direct speech

I have 100% accuracy of quiz. Thanks. This was a very interesting lesson.

Thanks Gill ! I got 10 correct out of 10.

Thank you Gill! this was so useful for me. i got 9 out of 10.

10/10 thanks

Thank you Mrs Gill, I’ve got 7 out of 10. I’ve got 2 wrong answer. I did not give my answer for the 1st question but I wrote the correct answer in my paper.

This is going to be a big help for me in improving my English grammar.

By the way, I am a non native English speaker. I hope to see more of you videos about paraphrasing, how to begin to answer questions like how, why identify, describe, outline etc.

Thank you and God bless

I made 1 mistake in the quiz.

Thank you I have got a problem of speaking confidently I always doubt myself 😭

Mrs. Gill, I just want to thank you for these very helpful explanations, Thanks to you, I already know what’s the difference between what we call “Direct speech” and ” Indirect speech. What I keep in mind is: in direct speech, we use quotations and the right personal pronoun whereas, in Indirect, we don’t them, however, we use the third personal pronoun, we use the verb in the past tense as well

Thanks Gill I got 10 correct. I love grammar, without grammar we wouldn’t speak correctly.

Good lesson thank you.

8 out of 10 hehehe

Thank you Gill,this lesson helps me understand the difference between Direct speech and indirect speech.This is going to be a big help for me to improve my grammar in English

Hello, Gill and everyone! Thank you for the lesson. Is it possible that answer “She said “I hadn’t decided when to go swimming.”” in question №7 also right? Because, as I think, in that situation there is no specific context.

about engVid

Learn English for free with 2095 video lessons by experienced teachers. Classes cover English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, IELTS, TOEFL, and more. Join millions of English learners worldwide who are improving every day with engVid.

• 2-Intermediate

• Privacy Policy

© 2024 LearnVid Inc.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

English Grammar & Vocabulary

Lessons & Practice Tests

Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

• The comma ( , )after the reporting verb is removed and the conjunction that is added in the indirect speech.
• If the direct speech contains ‘said to’ , it will be converted into ‘told’ in the indirect speech.
• The quotation marks (Inverted commas) are to be removed in the indirect speech.
• I becomes He/ She
• We becomes they
• You becomes He / She/ They
• Me becomes Him/ he r (Depending on the gender in the direct speech)
• My becomes His/ Her .
• Our becomes their
• Us becomes them
• Your becomes His/ her/ their .

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

• Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech

Example: He said to me, “I am happy”   becomes  He told me that he was happy

(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)

• Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: He said to me, “I was happy”   changes into  He told me that he had been happy

• Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom”   changes into  The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom. 

• Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.

• Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change of tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.

Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

• Rule 6: While converting interrogative sentences, the verb ‘said to’ becomes ‘asked’ and if/ whether will come in the place of ‘that’. The connecting word ‘that’ will not be used in indirect speech. Also, the interrogation mark (?) is not repeated in the indirect speech.

Example:   He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

• Rule 7: During the conversion of imperative sentences, the verb “said to” is changed into ordered, advised, requested, suggested, proposed, etc. depending on the situation.  Also, the connecting word ‘that’ is not used. Instead of that, ‘ to’ is used before the reporting verb.

Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

• Rule 8: For exclamatory sentences, the verb is converted into: exclaimed with joy or sorrow or with surprise, wished, prayed, applauded,/ etc. The exclamatory words and the exclamation are not mentioned anymore in the indirect speech. For example,

Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech

Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.

Changes in Time and Place 

Cha nges in pronoun s

The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.

• Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb.

Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.

Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.

• Rule 2: The second person in reported speech changes based on the object of the reporting verb.

Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.

• Rule 3 : The third person in the reported speech remains unchanged.

Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

Follow us on Facebook

Share this:

Subscribe to blog via email.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Reported speech

Direct and indirect speech

Direct and indirect speech can be a source of confusion for English learners. Let's first define the terms, then look at how to talk about what someone said, and how to convert speech from direct to indirect or vice-versa.

You can answer the question  What did he say?  in two ways:

• by repeating the words spoken (direct speech)
• by reporting the words spoken (indirect or reported speech).

DIRECT SPEECH

Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing, we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words. We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation), or telling someone later about a previous conversation.

• She says, "What time will you be home?"
• She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "
• "There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.
• John said, "There's an elephant outside the window."

INDIRECT SPEECH

Reported or indirect speech is usually used to talk about the past, so we normally change the tense of the words spoken. We use reporting verbs like 'say', 'tell', 'ask', and we may use the word 'that' to introduce the reported words. Inverted commas are not used.

She said, "I saw him." (direct speech) = She said  that she had seen him . (indirect speech)

'That' may be omitted: She told him that she was happy. = She told him she was happy.

'SAY' AND 'TELL'

Use 'say' when there is no indirect object: He said that he was tired.

Always use 'tell' when you say who was being spoken to (i.e. with an indirect object): He told me that he was tired.

'TALK' AND 'SPEAK'

Use these verbs to describe the action of communicating: He talked to us. She was speaking on the telephone.

Use these verbs with 'about' to refer to what was said: He talked (to us) about his parents.

Course Curriculum

• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Literary English

Direct and Indirect Speech in English | A Complete Guide

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone else has said. In direct speech, the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. In indirect speech, the words of the speaker are reported without using their exact words and without using quotation marks. Instead, the reported speech is often introduced by verbs such as “said,” “told,” “asked,” etc. Indirect speech allows us to convey what someone else said without necessarily repeating their exact words, often to provide a summary or to integrate it into a larger narrative.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is also called reporting speech. There are two parts in a sentence in direct speech first part is known as reporting speech (in this sentence we know about reporting person) and the second part which is known as reported speech (indirect narration “example”, or indirect discourse). When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use  direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:

• Saif came in and said, “I’m really happy”.

As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ and ‘to says’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’.

Indirect Speech

In grammar, when we want to report what someone said, without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we use indirect speech. It is also known as reported speech. Look at the following sentences:

• Direct speech:  he says, “I am going to school.”
• Indirect speech:  he says that he is going to school.

In above sentences, the reporter delivers the message of the boy using his real words (e.g.“I am going to school.”) In the indirect speech sentence, the reporter delivers his message but in his own words without any change in the meaning. Thus, both direct and indirect speeches are two different ways of reporting a statement of person. In simple words, quoting a person using your own words is called an indirect speech.

Basic Rules for Direct and Indirect Speeches

• When we change direct speech to indirect speech always we will replace inverted commas with word ‘ that’ .
• When we combine reporting and reported speech we use  that  between these sentences.
• If the first part of the sentence does not include word  said  then tense will not be changed.
• At the end of reporting speech if there is a comma then it will be removed.
• Say  always will be changed into  tell .
• Says  always will be changed into  tells .
• Said  will be changed into  told  only in one condition when there is object in reporting speech.
• Direct : You said to Saif, “you are going to Lahore”.
• Indirect : you told Saif that he was going to Lahore. 

Changes in the Person of Pronouns

1 st  person                             2 nd  person                             3 rd  person

Subject                                  Object                                    No change

I, we,                                       you                                         he, she, it,

My, our, us, me                     your                                        they and noun.

• 1 st person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the subject of the reporting speech.
• 2 nd person pronouns in reported speech are always changed according to the object of the reporting speech.
• 3 rd person pronouns in reported speech are not changed.

Important word changes

The above rules are mandatory for converting direct speech into indirect speech. Hence, they should be memorized thoroughly. The following examples cover all the aforementioned rules. So, focus on every sentence to know how the above-mentioned rules have been used here.

Some special words will be changed when direct speech changes into indirect speech

• Now into then
• Today into that day
• Yesterday into the previous day
• This into that
• Last night into the previous night
• Tomorrow into the next day
• These into those
• Here into there
• Next day into the following day
• Ago into before
• Come into go
• Will into would
• Shall into should
• May into might
• Can into could
• Good Morning, into greeted
• Good Evening, into greeted
• Good Day into greeted
• Madam into Respectfully
• Sir into Respectfully

Changes in Verbs

If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech.

Direct Speech:  he says, “I live in Pakistan”.

Indirect Speech:  he tells that he lives in Pakistan.

Direct Speech:  you say to me, “you will go to Lahore”.

Indirect Speech:  you tell me that I shall go to Lahore.

Direct Speech:  I say, “she was ill”.

Indirect Speech:  I tell that she was ill.

How to Make Direct and Indirect Speeches in Different Tenses

Present indefinite  will be changed into past into  past indefinite  tense.

(First form  into  second form)

• Direct:  I said, “I go to school”.
• Indirect:  I said that I went to school.

Present continues  will be changed into  past continues  tense.

(is, am, are  into  was, were)

• Direct:  Raza said, “I am a boy”.
• Indirect : Raza said that he was a boy.

Present perfect  will be changed into  past perfect  tense.

(has, had  into  had)

• Indirect : You told Saif that he was going to Lahore. 

Present perfect continues  will be changed into  past perfect continues  tense.

(has been, have been  into  had been)

• Direct : The guard said to the passenger, “the train has come”
• Indirect : The guard told to the passenger that the train had come.

Past indefinite will be changed into  past perfect  tense.

(second form  into  had)

• Direct : Aslam said, “They played cricket”.
• Indirect:  Aslam said that they had played cricket.

Past continues  will be changed into  past perfect continues  tense.

(was, were  into  had been)

• Direct : The policeman said, “The thief has been stealing for two year”.
• Indirect : The policeman told that the thief had been stealing for two year.

Note :  Past perfect, past perfect continues, future indefinite, future continues, future perfect, future perfect continues tense will not be changed.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Assertive Sentences

Sentences that make a declaration are called assertive sentences. These sentences may be positive, negative, false, or true statements. To convert such sentences into indirect speech, use the rules as declared above except  said  is sometimes replaced with  told . Look at the following examples:

Direct Speech:  She says, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech:  She says that she is writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech:  She says, “I was not writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech:  She says that she was not writing a letter to her brother.

Direct Speech:  She said to me, “I am writing a letter to my brother.”

Indirect Speech:  She told me that she was writing a letter to her brother.

Direct and Indirect Speech in Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are sentences that give an order or a direct command. These sentences may be in the form of advice, appeal, request, or order. Mostly, it depends upon the forcefulness of the presenter. Thus, a full stop (.) or sign of exclamation (!) is used at the end of the sentence.

When we will be convert these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

• Both sentences will be joined with the conjunction
• If in the reported sentence has word do not,  then it will be changed with the word  not to.
• Direct speech : Aslam said, “Do not beat him”.
• Indirect speech: Aslam ordered to not beat him.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case order the speaker gives a direct command. Then said  will be changed into  ordered  For example:

• Direct Speech:  The father said to me, “Sit down.”
• Indirect Speech:  The father ordered me to sit down.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case request the speaker gives a request command. Then said  will be changed into  request.

For example:

• Direct Speech:  The man said, “Please show me your pen.”
• Indirect Speech:  the man requested to show him my door.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case guide the speaker gives a piece of advice. Then said  will be changed into  advised .

• Direct Speech:  The headmaster said, “Write neat and clean.”
• Indirect Speech:  the headmaster advised to write neat and clean.

The direct verb is changed according to indirect speech in case forbade the speaker stopped to do something. Then said  will be changed into  forbade .

• Direct Speech:  The teacher said, “Don’t sit.”
• Indirect Speech:  The teacher forbade to sit.

Optative & Exclamatory Sentences

The sentence, which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse, happiness etc., is called an  optative sentence . This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes, ‘may’ remains hidden.

The sentence, which expresses a sudden and deep excitement, wonder, shock, or sorrow, etc., is called an  exclamatory sentence . In this kind of sentence must have exclamation mark (!) at the end of the sentence or in the central of the sentence.

• May you succeed in the test!
• May you get well soon!
•   Would that I was rich!

When we will be converted these types of sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

In a prayer  sentence  said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas  that .

• Direct speech : He said, “May you live long”.
• Indirect speech : He prayed that I might live long.

In a  hope  sentence  said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas that .

• Direct speech:  The father said, “May my son get first position”.
• Indirect speech:  The father wished that his son might get first position.

In a glad & happy sentence, said  will be replaced by  exclaimed with joy  or  exclaimed with joyfully.  And exclamatory  mark  (!) will be removed.

• Direct speech:  The boys said, “Hurrah! We have won the match”.
• Indirect speech:  The boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

In a sad or sorrow sentence, said  will be replaced by  exclaimed with sorrow  or  exclaimed with sorrowfully.

• Direct speech:  The bagger said, “Ah! I am undone”.
• Indirect speech:  The exclaimed with sorrow that he was undone.

Interrogative Sentences

Which sentences, ask questions, are called interrogative sentences. Every interrogative sentence has question mark (?) at the ends.

• Where are you going?
•   Where did you live?
• Are you want to go with me?

To change interrogative sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

  When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect  Said  will be replaced by  asked .

If interrogative sentence will be started from “ Wh ” mean when, whom, what, where, who, which, why, how, whose when we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect speech  inverted commas  will not be replaced. Just it will be removed.

If the reported sentence will be started form helping verb, then  if will be used in place of  that .

After the changing sentence mark of interrogation (?) will be replaced with full stop (.).

Direct speech:  He said to me, “Who are you”?

Indirect speech:  He asked me who I was.

Direct speech:  He said to me, “Where are you going”?

Indirect speech:  He asked me where I was going.

Direct speech:  Sunny said to me, “will you help me”?

Indirect speech:  Sunny asked me if I would help him.

Direct and indirect Speech in Universal Sentence

Sentences which have natural truth or universal truth in the part of reported speech are called universal sentences .

• Allah is one.
• Honesty is the best policy.

To change universal sentences from direct speech into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules:

When we will be changed sentence direct speech to indirect  Said  will be replaced by

When we will be changed direct speech to indirect speech always we will be replaced inverted commas with  that .

Always remember that universal truth will never change so we will not be changed reported speech portion.

Direct speech:  The teacher said to the boys, “The earth revolves around the sun”.

Indirect speech:  The teacher told the boys that the earth revolves around the sun.

Direct speech:  Saif said, “Allah is one”.

Indirect speech:  Saif told that Allah is one.

Direct speech:  She said to him, “Honesty is the best policy”.

Indirect speech:  She told him that honesty is the best policy.

Direct speech:  Sunny said to Farrukh, “The sun rises in the east”.

Indirect speech:  Sunny told Farrukh that the sun rises in the east.

Related Posts

• Definition, Structure, and Types of Sentences
• Definition And Types Of Word
• What Are Helping Verbs?
• Active Voice And Passive Voice

Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheets

Sentence Swap

Speech Selector

Indirect Shift

Quote Conversion

Speech Facts

Punctuation Check

Quote Mastery

Dialogue Rewrite

Cartoon Quotes

Statement Shifts

Direct Conversion

Quote Formatter

Speech Shift

Winter Words

Dialogue Craft

About these 15 worksheets.

This series of worksheets is an invaluable resource for teachers and homeschooling parents looking to enhance their students’ understanding of reported speech. These worksheets are thoughtfully designed to be both engaging and educational, providing students with a comprehensive approach to mastering the differences between direct and indirect speech. The collection, available in easy-to-access PDF format, offers a variety of activities that cater to different learning styles, making it an excellent tool for reinforcing this essential grammar concept in a fun and interactive way.

One of the standout features of this collection is its clear and simple explanations that guide students through the nuances of direct and indirect speech. For example, one worksheet starts by introducing the basics of direct speech, where the exact words of a speaker are quoted, and indirect speech, where those words are paraphrased without quotation marks. This foundational knowledge is then applied through exercises that ask students to identify whether a sentence uses direct or indirect speech, providing immediate practice that solidifies their understanding.

The collection also includes worksheets that focus on the practical application of these concepts. In one activity, students are asked to convert direct speech into indirect speech. For instance, a sentence like “Let’s go swimming,” George suggested, would be rewritten as “George suggested that they go swimming.” This exercise not only reinforces the rules of changing pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions but also encourages students to think critically about how to convey the same meaning without using the speaker’s exact words.

Another engaging activity in this collection involves dialogue rewriting. Students are presented with a short conversation and are tasked with transforming it from direct speech into indirect speech. This type of exercise helps students understand the flow of dialogue and how to maintain the original message while adapting it into a different grammatical structure. It also fosters creativity as students must carefully consider how to rephrase each line while preserving its intent.

The worksheets also include true or false questions that challenge students to test their knowledge of the rules governing direct and indirect speech. These questions cover essential points, such as whether direct speech requires quotation marks and whether indirect speech can change the tense of the original statement. This activity is particularly effective for reinforcing the theoretical aspects of the topic, ensuring that students grasp the underlying rules before moving on to more complex tasks.

In addition to these activities, the collection features worksheets that focus on punctuation, an often overlooked but crucial aspect of direct speech. Students are given sentences and asked to determine whether they are punctuated correctly. This exercise sharpens their attention to detail and reinforces the importance of proper punctuation in conveying clear and accurate speech. By mastering these skills, students gain confidence in their writing and communication abilities.

The visual appeal of these worksheets also deserves mention. Each worksheet is accompanied by engaging illustrations that make the learning process more enjoyable for younger students. For instance, a worksheet might feature a cartoon character speaking a line of dialogue, which students must then convert into indirect speech. These visuals not only make the exercises more fun but also help visual learners better understand and remember the concepts being taught.

The worksheets include exercises that encourage students to think about the context in which direct and indirect speech is used. For example, students might be asked to rewrite a statement from a formal speech into indirect speech, considering the tone and formality required. This helps students understand how the context can influence the choice between direct and indirect speech, making them more versatile communicators.

This worksheet collection provides students with a thorough understanding of reported speech. By combining clear explanations with practical exercises, the worksheets help students grasp the rules of direct and indirect speech, apply them in various contexts, and develop strong communication skills. The variety of activities ensures that students remain engaged and challenged, making the learning process both effective and enjoyable. Whether used in the classroom or at home, these worksheets are an excellent resource for any teacher or parent looking to enhance their students’ grammar skills.

What Is Direct and Indirect Speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of conveying what someone has said, with distinct differences and some similarities. Direct speech involves quoting the exact words of the speaker, typically enclosed in quotation marks, and it maintains the original tense, pronouns, and punctuation used by the speaker. For example, “I am going to the store,” she said. In contrast, indirect speech involves paraphrasing the speaker’s words without using quotation marks, often resulting in changes to pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions to fit the context of the report. For instance, the previous example in indirect speech would be, “She said that she was going to the store.” Both forms of speech aim to convey the original message, but while direct speech preserves the speaker’s exact words, indirect speech focuses on the meaning and adjusts the language to fit the narrative context. Despite these differences, both forms are used to communicate what someone has said, making them essential tools for reporting speech in various contexts.

English Grammar for All Railway Exams 2024 Mock Test Series

English : active passive voice - 01, english : active passive voice - 02, english : active passive voice - 03, english : active passive voice - 04, english : active passive voice - 05.