DIRECT & INDIRECT SPEECH

CONVERTING STATEMENTS FROM

INDIRECT INTO DIRECT SPEECH
WHILE CHANGING INDIRECT SPEECH INTO DIRECT SPEECH, WE USE
THE REPORTING VERB SAY OR SAID. WE MAKE NECESSARY
CHANGES TO THE TENSES, PERSONAL PRONOUNS AND
ADJECTIVES, AND TIME AND PLACE WORDS. WE ADD INVERTED
COMMAS TO THE WORDS SPOKEN BY THE SPEAKER.

EXAMPLES: MEHA SAID THAT SHE WAS IN THE LIBRARY.

MEHA SAID, ‘I AM IN THE LIBRARY’.

AMIT TOLD ROHAN THAT THE TRIP HAD BEEN CANCELLED.

AMIT SAID TO ROHAN, ‘THE TRIP WAS/HAD BEEN CANCELLED’.

 WHILE REPORTING QUESTIONS BEGINNING WITH
QUESTION WORDS, THE FOLLOWING CHANGES
TAKE PLACE.

1. WE REMOVE THE QUESTION MARK (?).

REPORTING 2. WE CHANGE THE QUESTION INTO A
INTERROGAT STATEMENT SOMETIMES, THE MAIN VERB OF
THE REPORTED SPEEECH IS MOVED TO THE
IVE END.
SENTENCES 3. THE REPORTING VERBS ARE USUALLY ASKED
OR ENQUIRED.
4. WE USE THE QUESTION WORDS AS A
CONJUNCTION.
 5. WE DO NOT USE THAT AS A CONJUNCTION.
EXAMPLE: FARZANA ASKED, ‘WHERE ARE THE
BISCUITS?’

REPORTING FARZANA ASKED WHERE THE BISCUITS WERE.

INTERROGATI
VE SENTENCES WHILE REPORTING A YES/NO QUESTION, THE
FOLLOWING CHANGES TAKE PLACE.
6. WE REMOVE THE QUESTION MARK.
(Contd..)
7. WE TURN THE YES/NO QUESTION INTO A
STATEMENT.
8. THE REPORTING VERBS ARE USUALLY ASKED
OR ENQUIRED.
 4. WE DON NOT USE THE AUXILIARY VERB AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE.
REPORTING 5. WE USE IF OR WHETHER AS CONNECTIVES.
EXAMPLE: FARZANA ASKED ME, ‘DO YOU HAVE
INTERROGATI ANY BISCUITS?’
VE SENTENCES
FARZANA ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY
(Contd..) BISCUITS.
 JUST AS WHILE REPORTING A QUESTION, WE
CHANGE IT INTO A STATEMENT; SIMILARLY WHEN
CONVERTING INDIRECT SPEECH INTO DIRECT
SPEECH, WE CHANGE THE STATEMENT FROM BACK
FROM INTO THE QUESTION FORM. DON’T FORGET TO PUT A
INDIRECT QUESTION MARK AT THE END. THE REST OF THE
RULES REMAIN SAME AS THOSE FOR SIMPLE
TO DRECT STATEMENT CONVERSION.
SPEECH
EXAMPLES: HE ASKED WHAT TIME MY FLIGHT
WOULD LEAVE.

HE ASKED, ‘WHAT TIME WILL YOUR

FLIGHT LEAVE?’
 FROM
INDIRECT EXAMPLES: LARA ASKED SACHIN IF HE WAS GOING
TO THE PLAY.
TO DRECT
SPEECH LARA ASKED SACHIN, ‘ARE YOU GOING
TO THE PLAY?’

(Contd..)
 DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH

HARRY ASKED ME, ‘ HAVE YOU READ THIS

HARRY ASKED ME IF I HAD READ THIS BOOK.
BOOK?’

SOUMYA ASKED TRIPTI, ‘DO YOU LIKE EGGS?’ SOUMYA ASKED TRIPTI IF SHE LIKED EGGS.

KINU ASKED THIMPU, ‘WHO WILL TEACH YOU KINU ASKED THIMPU WHO WOULD TEACH HIM
ENGLISH?’ ENGLISH.

CHARU SAID, ‘WHY IS THE LAPTOP NOT CHARU ASKED WHY THE LAPTOP WAS NOT
WORKING?’ WORKING.

SAM ASKED, ‘WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?’ SAM ASKED WHO HAD LET THE DOGS OUT.

I ASKED DIVYA, ‘WILL YOU HOLD MY BAG FOR A I ASKED DIVYA IF SHE WOULD HOLD MY BAG
MINUTE?’ FOR A MINUTE.
 ANSWERS TO EX.E PAGE 136

E. KYLE, A STUDENT FROM THE PHILIPPINES, HAS ENROLLED IN

SHIVANI’S CLASS. SHIVANI ASKS HIM THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
REPORT THESE QUESTIONS.
1. WHEN DID YOU AND YOUR PARENTS MOVE TO INDIA?
SHIVANI ASKED KYLE WHEN HE AND HIS PARENTS HAD MOVED TO
INDIA.
2. HOW LONG WILL YOU STAY?
SHIVANI ASKED KYLE HOW LONG HE WOULD STAY.
3. ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR STAY HERE?
SHIVANI ASKED KYLE IF HE WAS ENJOYING HIS STAY THERE.
 ANSWERS TO EX.E PAGE 136 (Contd..)

4. HAVE YOU FACED ANY DIFFICULTIES WHILE ADJUSTING AT THE

SCHOOL?
SHE ASKED HIM IF HE HAD FACED ANY DIFFICULTIES WHILE ADJUSTING
AT THE SCHOOL.

5. DO YOU MISS YOUR FRIENDS FROM THE PHILIPPINES?

SHE ASKED HIM IF HE MSSED HIS FRIENDS FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
 REPORTING REQUESTS AND COMMANDS

WHILE REPORTING REQUESTS OR COMMANDS, INSTRUCTIONS OR

PIECES OF ADVICE, THE FOLLOWING POINTS SHOULD BE KEPT IN
MIND:
• IN SUCH SENTENCES, WE USE THE REPORTING VERB WHICH
MATCHES THE MEANING OF THE DIRECT SENTENCE. FOR EXAMPLE,
‘REQUEST, ADVISE, SUGGEST, BEG, FORBID’ ETC.
• THE VERB IN THE ORIGINAL DIRECT SPEECH IS CHANGED TO ITS
INFINITIVE FORM.
• WE CHANGE TENSES, PLACE AND TIME WORDS, ETC. AS PER THE
RULES ALREADY DISCUSSED.
 FROM INDIRECT TO DIRECT SPEECH
WHERE THE REPORTING VERB IS REQUESTED, WE USE PLEASE IN THE
DIRECT SPEECH. IN THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES, NOTICE THE CHANGE IN
THE VERB.

EXAMPLES:
JAMIE REQUESTED NIDHI TO HELP HIM CARRY THOSE BOOKS UPSTAIRS.

JAMIE SAID TO NIDHI, ‘PLEASE HELP ME CARRY THESE BOOKS

UPSTAIRS’.
 FROM INDIRECT TO DIRECT SPEECH (Contd..)

KABIR FORBADE KARUN FROM PUTTING THE CUP ON THE TABLE.

KABIR SAID TO KARUN, ‘DON’T PUT THE CUP ON THE TABLE’.

 DIRECT SPEECH
HEMA SAID, ‘HAVE SOME TEA’.
BRYAN SAID, ‘DON’T BUY THIS CD’.
MY FRIEND SAID, ‘LET US GO OUT’.
CHITRA SAID TO ME, ‘PLEASE, LEND
ME YOUR BOOK FOR A DAY’.
THE POLICEMAN SAID, ‘SIR, MOVE
THE BIKE IMMEDIATELY’.
SAKSHI SAID TO KABIR, ‘STOP
CHEWING YOUR NAILS’.
INDIRECT SPEECH
HEMA ASKED ME TO HAVE SOME TEA.
BRYAN ADVISED ME NOT TO BUY THAT
CD.
MY FRIEND SUGGESTED THAT WE GO
OUT.
CHITRA REQUESTED ME TO LEND HER
MY BOOK FOR A DAY.
THE POLICEMAN COMMANDED HIM
TO MOVE HIS BIKE IMMEDIATELY.
SAKSHI FORBADE KABIR FROM
CHEWING HIS NAILS.
 ANSWERS TO EX.F PAGE 137
F. RISHI IS LEAVING FOR HIS HOSTEL. HIS FAMILY HAS SEVERAL PIECES
OF ADVICE FOR HIM. REPORT WHAT THEY SAID TO HIM. TRY TO USE
DIFFERENT REPORTING VERBS LIKE ADVISED, REMINDED, SUGGESTED,
ETC.

1. GRANDMOTHER: DON’T FORGET TO COMB YOUR HAIR WELL.

GRANDMOTHER REMINDED RISHI (NOT TO FORGET) TO COMB HIS HAIR
WELL.
2. MOTHER: DON’T SKIP ANY MEALS.
MOTHER ADVISED HIM NOT TO SKIP ANY MEALS.
3. FATHER: CONCENTRATE ON YOUR STUDIES.
FATHER ASKED HIM TO CONCENTRATE ON HIS STUDIES.
 ANSWERS TO EX.F PAGE 137 (Contd..)
4. RISHABH BHAHIYA: JOIN A SPORTS TEAM.
RISHABH BAHIYA SUGGESTED THAT HE JOIN A SPORTS TEAM.

5. LITTLE RASHI: DON’T FORGET TO SEND PICTURES!

LITTLE RASHI REMINDED HIM (NOT TO FORGET) TO SEND PICTURES.

6. MOTHER: WRITE TO US REGULARLY.

MOTHER ASKED HIM TO WRITE TO THEM REGULARLY.
 REPORTING WISHES OR EXCLAMATIONS
LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN REPORT OUR WISHES OR EXCLAMATIONS:
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
VIDYA SAID TO HARSHIL, ‘GOOD LUCK FOR VIDYA WISHED HARSHIL GOOD LUCK FOR
THE EXAM!’ THE EXAM.
FATHER PRAYED THAT GOD MIGHT BLESS
FATHER SAID, ‘MAY GOD BLESS YOU!’
ME.
I SAID TO SURBHI, ‘CONGRATULATIONS ON I CONGRATULATED SURBHI ON GETTING
GETTING YOUR STORY PUBLISHED!’ HER STORY PUBLISHED.
LUCY EXCLAIMED THAT IT WAS A LOVELY
LUCY SAID, ‘WHAT A LOVELY PAINTING!’
PAINTING.
MOIN EXCLAIMED HOW SAD THE STORY
MOIN CRIED, ‘OH, WHAT A SAD STORY!’
WAS.
JATIN CRIED THAT THEY HAD LOST THE
JATIN SAID, ‘ALAS, WE LOST THE MATCH!’
MATCH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORTED SENTENCES, YOU WILL SEE THE
FOLLOWING POINTS:
• WE TURN THE EXCLAMATIONS AND WISHES INTO SIMPLE
STATEMENTS WHILE REPORTING.
• WE ALSO DO NOT USE THE EXCLAMATION MARK.
• REPORTING VERBS CHANGE ACCORDING TO THE MEANING OF
THE EXCLAMATION OR THE WISH. WE CAN USE VERBS LIKE
BLESS, EXCLAIM, CRY, WISH, PRAY, COGRATULATE, ETC.
• WE DO NOT INCLUDE EXAMINATIONS SUCH AS WOW, ALAS,
OUCH IN REPORTED SPEECH.
 ANSWERS TO EX.G PAGE 138

1. LALITA SAID, ‘WOW! I HAVE WON THE FIRST PRIZE!’

LALITA EXAMINED THAT SHE HAD WON THE FIRST PRIZE.
2. HANSA SAID TO KAVYA, ‘HAPPY JOURNEY!’
HANSA WISHED KAVYA A HAPPY JOURNEY.
3. DINA SAID TO ME, ‘I SOLVED THE PUZZLE!’
DINA EXCLAIMED TO ME THAT SHE HAD SOLVED THE PUZZLE.
4. (MY FATHER TO ME): MAY YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CAREER!
FATHER WISHED ME A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
 ANSWERS TO EX.G PAGE 138 (Contd..)

5. (CHILD TO MUMMY): GOOD NIGHT!

THE CHILD WISHED HIS/HER MOTHER GOOD NIGHT.
6. LALITA SAID TO HANSITA, ‘WISH YOU A SPEEDY RECOVERY
FROM ILLNESS!’
LALITA WISHED HANSITA A SPEEDY RECOVERY FROM ILLNESS.
7. MS QUADER SAID TO THE CLASS, ‘GOOD LUCK FOR YOUR
EXAMS!’
MS QUADER WISHED THE CLASS GOOD LUCK FOR THEIR
EXAMS.
 ANSWERS TO EX.H PAGE 138

H. WRITE THE FOLLOWING INDIRECT SPEECH INTO DIRECT SPEECH.

1. THE GARDNER WARNED US TO LOOK OUT AS THERE WAS A SNAKE IN
THE GARDEN.
THE GARDNER SAID TO US, ‘LOOK OUT! THERE IS A SNAKE IN THE
GARDEN’.
2. MY MOTHER WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MY MOTHER SAID, ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY!’
3. KAALA EXCLAIMED THAT SHE WAS VERY SORRY FOR HER MISTAKE.
KAALA SAID, ‘I AM VERY SORRY FOR MY MISTAKE!’
 ANSWERS TO EX.H PAGE 138 (Contd..)

4. SUGATA CRIED OUT IN PAIN THAT A THORN HAD PRICKED HIM.

SUGATA SAID, ‘OUCH! A THORN PRICKED ME!’

5. JATIN WISHED ME A LOVELY DAY.

JATIN SAID TO ME, ‘ HAVE A LOVELY DAY!’