we
Change No. 4. If the reporting verb is in Present or in Future Tense, there is no change in the tense of the Reported Speech. If the reporting verb is in Past Tense, there is always a change in the tense of the Reported Speech, which is as follows:
In case of Future Tense, there are only four words which are changed, i.e.
will | becomes | would |
shall | becomes | should |
may | becomes | might |
can | becomes | could |
Changes based on the types of sentences.
1. Assertive Sentences (Statements) Change No. 1. Remove the commas and inverted commas. Use conjunction ‘that’. Change No. 2. Change the reporting verb ‘say into tell’, ‘says into tell’, ‘said into told’, if the reporting object is given in the sentence. But do not change the reporting verb if the reporting object is not given in the sentence. Change No. 3. ‘Said to’ can be changed into told, replied, informed, stated, added, remarked, asserted, assured, reminded, complained, and reported, according to the meaning. Change No. 4. Always remove “to’ from the reporting speech, e.g.
2. Interrogative Sentences (Questions)
Change No. 1. Change the reporting verb ‘said ‘or ‘said to’into‘ asked’ or ‘inquired of’. In case of a single question, change it into ‘asked’ but in case of more than one question, change it into “inquired of’. Change No. 2. Use conjunction ‘if’ or ‘whether’ if the reported speech starts with a helping verb. But do not use any conjunction if the reported speech starts with an interrogative word. Change No. 3. Change the Interrogative sense into an Assertive sense. Change No. 4. Remove ‘?’ question mark and use ‘ . ‘full stop, e.g.
3. Imperative Sentences (Commands and Requests)
Change No. 1. Change the reporting verb‘said’ or ‘said to’ into ordered, commanded, requested, advised, warned, forbade, suggested, encouraged, persuaded, begged, etc. according to the sense. Change No. 2. Remove the commas and inverted commas, use conjunction ‘to’. Change No. 3. Change the Imperative sense into Infinitive sense. Change No. 4. Remove ‘do not and use ‘not to’ in case of Negative Imperative sentences, e.g.
4. Exclamatory Sentences (Strong Feelings)
Change No. 1. Change the reporting verb ‘said’ or ‘said to’ into “exclaimed with joy’ or ‘exclaimed with sorrow’, ‘cry out, “pray’, etc., according to the sense, i.e.
Change No. 2. Use very or great by removing what or how. Change No. 3. Use conjunction ‘that. Change No. 4. Remove exclamatory word and exclamation sign ‘!’ The student must select the verb best suited to the sense or context, e.g.
Diagnostic Test – 29
Mother: Why are you looking so worried? Daughter: My exams are approaching. Mother: When will they start? Daughter: Next month, Mother.
Mother asked her daughter (a) …………………… The daughter replied that (b) …………………… Mother further asked (c) …………………… The daughter told her mother that they would start in the following month.
Answer: (a) why she was looking very worried (b) her exams were approaching. (c) when they would start.
4 – 5 good 3 or less you need to develop grammar skills through adequate practice |
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.
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.
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:
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:
In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.
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:
In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.
When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.
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 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:
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.
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 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.
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:
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.
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.
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There are many occasions in which we need to describe an event or action that happened, and very often that includes repeating what someone said. Such occasions can include a social situation as well as in a work email or presentation. In order to describe what people said there are two different types of speech – direct speech and indirect speech (or reported speech).
Read the article below to find out more about these forms and improve your English storytelling skills.
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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:
It is very common to see direct speech used in books or in a newspaper article. For example:
As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’. For example:
When we want to report what someone said without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we can use indirect speech (also called reported speech). For example:
When we report what someone says in the present simple, as in the above sentence, we normally don’t change the tense, we simply change the subject. However, when we report things in the past, we usually change the tense by moving it one step back. For example, in the following sentence the present simple becomes the past simple in indirect speech:
All the other tenses follow a similar change in indirect speech. Here is an example for all the main tenses:
The same rule of moving the tenses one step back also applies to modal verbs. For example:
As an alternative to using ‘say’ we can also use ‘tell’ (‘told’ in the past) in reported speech, but in this case you need to add the object pronoun. For example:
Sometimes it’s necessary to change the time expressions when you report speech, especially when you are speaking about the past and the time reference no longer applies. For example:
Here are some other examples:
When you report a question you need to change the interrogative form into an affirmative sentence, putting the verb tense one step back, as with normal reported speech.
There are two types of questions that we can report – questions that have a yes/no response, and questions that begin with a question word like ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘who’ etc. When we report a yes/no question, we use ‘if’. For example:
As you can see, in the reported version of the question, ‘do’ is eliminated because it is no longer a question, and the verb ‘live’ becomes ‘lived’.
For questions starting with question words like ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘who’, etc., we report the question using the question word but change the interrogative form to the affirmative form. For example:
When we report a question we normally use the verb ‘ask’. As with the verb ‘to tell’, the verb ‘to ask’ is normally followed by an object pronoun, though it is possible to omit it.
When you give someone an order, you use the imperative form, which means using just the verb without a subject. For example:
To report an order we use ‘tell’ and the infinitive of the verb. For example:
When you make a request, you normally use words like ‘can’, ‘could’, or ‘will’. For example:
To report a request, we use the verb ‘to ask’ and the infinitive form of the verb. For example:
Now you’ve seen how we use direct and indirect speech , practice using them yourself. An excellent and easy way to see how they are used is by reading a short story in English or a news article online, because stories and articles contain many examples of reported speech.
A really useful thing to learn in any language is how to say the days of the week and dates. Find out more here.
Of all the English verbs, the most important two are ‘to be’ and ‘to have’. Learn how to use them in this article.
Speak to a member of our experienced team about how to begin your journey with Wall Street English.
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:
Type | Example |
---|---|
“I speak English.” | |
He says that he speaks English. | |
He said that he spoke English. |
→ more on statements in reported speech
When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:
Also note that you have to:
Type | Example | |
---|---|---|
“Why don’t you speak English?” | ||
He asked me why I didn’t speak English. | ||
“Do you speak English?” | ||
He asked me whether / if I spoke English. |
→ more on questions in reported speech
Type | Example |
---|---|
Carol, speak English. | |
He told Carol to speak English. |
→ more on requests in reported speech
Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:
→ more on additional information and exeptions in reported speech
Requests in reported speech.
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.
Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:
Reported speech: tense shifts.
When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:
Reported speech: question format.
When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:
Reported speech quiz.
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In English, there are mainly two ways to express the spoken words between two individuals. They are direct speech and indirect or reported speech. These two types of speeches narrate the spoken words differently. Do you know about direct and indirect speech or Reported Speech Class 10 ? Are you able to convert direct speech into indirect speech and vice versa? If not, direct and indirect speech exercises for class 10 pdf with answers will help you learn direct and indirect speeches with ease and will leave no room for doubts.
Direct speech.
Direct speech refers to the speech with the speaker's actual words. This type of speech has the word-to-word restatement of the speaker's speech.
Example: Rahim said, "I am going to the playground."
Indirect or reported speech refers to the speech that doesn't use the actual word-to-word statement of the speaker. Also, indirect speech follows past tense, generally.
Example: Rahim said he was going to the playground.
Mastering the art of direct and indirect speech holds significant importance in the academic journey of Class 10 students. As they navigate through the intricacies of language and communication, understanding the nuances of direct and indirect speech equips them with essential skills for effective expression and comprehension. In this introduction, we unravel the benefits of learning direct and indirect speech, shedding light on its relevance and impact on the academic and linguistic development of Class 10 students. Here are some of the Benefits of Learning Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 10 with Answers:
Enhances Communication Skills: Learning direct and indirect speech enhances students' communication skills by enabling them to effectively convey messages in various contexts. It empowers them to articulate thoughts, ideas, and narratives with clarity and precision, fostering confident expression in both oral and written communication.
Improves Language Proficiency: Delving into the intricacies of direct and indirect speech enhances students' language proficiency by deepening their understanding of grammar and syntax. It familiarizes them with the rules and conventions governing Reported Speech Class 10 , enabling them to construct grammatically accurate sentences and compositions.
Facilitates Comprehension: Mastery of direct and indirect speech facilitates comprehension as students learn to decipher and interpret statements made by others accurately. It hones their ability to comprehend complex dialogues, narratives, and textual passages, thereby enhancing their reading and comprehension skills.
Enhances Critical Thinking: Engaging with direct and indirect speech prompts students to think critically as they analyze and evaluate different forms of communication. It encourages them to assess the implications of Reported Speech Class 10 , discern underlying meanings, and draw inferences, thereby fostering critical thinking and analytical skills.
Prepares for Academic Success: Proficiency in direct and indirect speech is integral to academic success, especially in subjects like English and languages. It equips Class 10 students with the requisite skills to excel in examinations, comprehension exercises, and language-based assessments, laying a strong foundation for future academic pursuits.
In the journey of language acquisition and effective communication, the mastery of direct and indirect speech stands as a pivotal skill set. For students navigating the complexities of language at the Class 10 level, understanding the fundamental rules governing direct and indirect speech is paramount. In this introduction, we delve into the significance of comprehending these rules, equipping students with the necessary knowledge to navigate the intricacies of Reported Speech Class 10 with confidence and precision.
For every character's speech, use separate lines.
Always start a speech with a capital letter.
Every speaker's speech should be in quotes ("XYZ").
We will use a reported clause (like, 'said,' 'asked,' 'replied') before the quotation.
If the reporting verb of the direct speech is in the past tense, all the present tenses used in direct speech will be in the past tense in the indirect or reported speech.
Present perfect tense and present continuous tense in direct speech will be in the past perfect tense and past continuous tense in indirect or reported speech.
Simple present tense in direct speech will be in simple past in indirect or reported speech.
Simple future and future continuous tense in direct speech changes to the present conditional and conditional continuous tense in indirect speech.
Modals like must, may, and can in direct speech become would have to/ had to, might, and could respectively in indirect speech.
The First-person in direct speech becomes the subject in indirect speech.
The imperative mood becomes the infinitive in Reported Speech Class 10.
Direct Speech: I said, "I am busy."
Indirect Speech: I said I was busy.
Direct Speech: She said, "Are you okay"?
Indirect Speech: She inquired of you whether you were okay.
Direct Speech: She said, "I will leave now."
Indirect Speech: She said that she would leave then.
In this chapter, you will learn:
What are direct and indirect speech?
What are the basic rules of direct and indirect speech?
How to convert direct speech into indirect speech?
This grammar section explains English Grammar clearly and simply. There are example sentences to show how the language is used. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 10 with Answers will help you to write better answers in your Class 10 exams. Because the Solutions are solved by subject matter experts.
While changing direct speech into reported speech or vice-versa the following changes occur:
1. Changes In Reporting Verb
Affirmative sentences: said, told (object), asserted, replied, assured, informed, responded, whispered, alleged, believed, assumed, thought
Interrogative sentences: asked, enquired, wanted to know
Imperative sentences: ordered, begged, pleaded, implored, advised, demanded
2. Change Of Pronouns
Direct Speech: Johnny said, 'I am playing.'
Indirect Speech: Johnny said that he was playing.
First-person generally changes to third person {depending upon the subject of the reporting verb).
3. Change Of Tenses
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
Johnny said, 'I like to play.' | Johnny said that he liked to play. |
Johnny said, 'I am playing.' | Johnny said that he was playing. |
Johnny said, 'I have played this game.' | Johnny said that he had played that game. |
Johnny said, 'I have been playing this game.' | Johnny said that he had been playing that game. |
Johnny said, 'I played this game last week.' | Johnny said that he had played that game the previous week. |
Johnny said, 'I was playing this game when Mohan came home.' | Johnny said that he had been/was playing that game when Mohan came home. |
Johnny said, 'I had played this game before you came.' | Johnny said that he had played that game before he came. |
Johnny said, 'I will play this game.' | Johnny said that he would play that game. |
In general, present tense becomes past tense; past tense and present perfect become past perfect.
4. Change of situations Example:
Nagesh said, 'I read this book last week. (direct speech)
Nagesh said that he had read that book the previous week, (indirect speech)
'this' becomes 'that'
'last week' becomes 'the previous week'
here – there
today - that day
yesterday - the day before/the previous day
tomorrow - the next day/the coming day
last week - the week before/the previous week • next month – the next month/the coming month
5. In case of questions and answers
Nagesh asked, 'Have you read this book?' (direct speech)
Nagesh asked if' whether I had read that book, (indirect speech)
Nagesh asked, 'Where is the book?' (direct speech)
Nagesh asked where the book was. (indirect speech)
(a) For yes/no questions - use if/whether
(b) For wh- questions - use the wh-word
Word Order:
Nagesh asked, 'What's the matter?'
Nagesh asked what the matter was. (what + the matter + was) Nagesh asked what was the matter, (what + was + the matter)
The word order can be either:
who/which/what + complement + be or who/which/what + be + complement
6. Reported Speech using present and future tenses Examples:
Nagesh said, "The sun rises in the east. (direct speech)
Nagesh said that the sun rises in the east, (indirect speech)
Nagesh said, 'I will read this book.' (direct speech)
Nagesh said that he will read that book, (indirect speech)
If the original speaker's present and future is still present and future, the tense remains unchanged.
7. In case of modal verbs
can becomes could
will - would
Shall - should
may - might
would, should, could, might, ought to and must are unchanged.
Nagesh said, 'I can solve this sum.' (direct speech)
Nagesh said that he could solve that sum. (indirect speech)
Read the dialogue given below and then complete the passage that follows.
Question 1.
Read the dialogue and complete the passage given below.
Interviewer: So, why do you want to be a computer programmer?
Ravi: Well, I have always been interested in computers.
Interviewer: I see. Do you have any experience?
Ravi: No, but I'm a fast learner.
Interviewer: What kind of a computer do you use?
Ravi: Computer? Uhm, let me see. I can use a Mac. I also used Windows 10 once.
Interviewer: That's good.
Ravi recently attended an interview for the selection of a computer programmer. At the interview, he was asked (a).......... To this question he replied that he wanted to change his job because (b).
When the interviewer asked him (e) ............................... he replied that. h... (..)........................................................................................ Finally, the interviewer wanted to know. (..)...............................................................................avi. replied that he could use a Mac and had also used Windows 10 once in the,.past. The interviewer seemed to be pleased with his answers.
(a) why he wanted to be a computer programmer
(b) he had always been interested in computers
(c) whether he had any experience
(d) didn't but that he was a fast learner
(e) the kind of computer he used
Question 2.
Manu: Where are you going to?
Annu: I am going to the market. Do you want anything?
Manu asked Annu (a)..........................
(a) where she was going.
(b) that she was going to the market
(c) if/whether she wanted anything.
Question 3.
Annu replied (b).... Annu replied (b). ............ and she further asked (C)..........
Sunita: Tomorrow is your birthday, what do you want as a gift?
Neetu: That is a lovely thought but I don't want anything.
Sunita asked Neetu since the next day was her birthday, (a).....Neetu replied that (b)...but (C).....
(a) what she wanted as a gift
(b) that was a lovely thought
(c) she did not want anything.
Question 4.
Gardener: Did you water the plant today?
Dev: No, but I will, today.
Gardener: Then tomorrow I will get a sapling of sunflower.
The Gardener asked Dev (a)
Dev replied negatively but (b)
Then the gardener said that (c)
(a) if/whether he had watered the plant that day.
(b) said he would that day.
(c) he would get a sapling of a sunflower the next day.
Question 5.
Mr. Harish: Can you polish my shoes?
Cobbler: Yes sir. But I will take 10 for each shoe.
Mr. Harish: I will not mind as long as it is done. Mr. Harish asked the cobbler (a) .................. The cobbler replied affirmatively but (b).............. Mr. Harish said that (C)...
(a) if/whether he could polish his shoes.
(b) said that he would take 10 for each shoe
(c) he would not mind as long as it was done.
Question 6.
Electrician: When did your electricity go?
Mohan: It is not working since evening.
Electrician: Sorry sir, in this case, I will have to check the fuse now.
The electrician asked Mohan (a)........................................Mohan replied that(b)....................................The electrician apologetically said that in that case (c )…………………………………………….
(a) when his electricity had gone.
(b) it was not working since evening.
(c) he would have to check the fuse then.
Question 7.
Teacher Children, let us all pledge to save trees.
Children: Yes, mam, we all pledge to save our trees as the trees are the lungs of the city. Teacher: Let us start today by planting a sapling.
The teacher asked all the children to pledge to save trees. The children replied affirmatively (a)...............as the (b).......................Then the teacher said that said that (c)...........
(a) saying that they all pledged to save trees
(b) trees are the lungs of the city.
(c) they should start by planting a sapling that day.
Question 8.
Buddha: Honesty is the best policy.
Disciple: Does honesty always pay?
Buddha : It may or may not, but at least you will never feel guilty.
Buddha in his preaching said that (a).......................the best policy. A disciple asked him if (b)..................always pays, Buddha replied (C )…………………………..but at least he would never feel guilty.
(a) Honesty is
(b) honesty
(c) that it might or might not
Question 9.
Doctor: You should take this medicine every day.
Patient: Should I take it before dinner or after dinner?
Doctor: No, you should take it after breakfast.
The Doctor advised the patient that (a).....................The patient further asked (b).....................The doctor replied negatively and then said ©……………………..
(a) he should take that medicine every day.
(b) if/whether he should take it before dinner or after dinner.
(c) that he should take it after breakfast
Question 10.
Reena: Do you know how to swim?
Surbhi : Yes I know. I have learnt it during this summer vacation.
Reena asked Surbhi (a)...........Then Surbhi replied (b).................and also added that (c)....................
(a) if/whether she knew how to swim
(b) in affirmative
(c) she had learnt it during the summer vacation.
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The Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 10 with Answers PDF are completely reliable to practice for exams as they have been curated by the subject matter experts based on the latest syllabus.
The Vedantu’s teachers have given all the rules and directions for converting direct to indirect speeches with many examples. Several rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech need to be practised repeatedly, and the exercises from Vedantu's end will help you with that. Download direct and indirect speech exercises for class 10 pdf with answers and practise the solved exercises to ensure firm grip of the topic and solve your exam questions with ease. You can also sign up for our online classes to improve your hold on English grammar and fetch excellent results.
1. What is the alternative name for direct speech?
Direct speeches are also called quoted speeches as the speaker's statements are provided in an exact manner , word-by-word, and are always within quotation marks.
2. How many parts does a direct speech have?
A direct speech is generally made up of two parts: reporting clause (verbs like say/said, ask/asked, shout/shouted, etc.) and the reported clause (the original dialogue of the speaker).
3. What is the indirect speech form of the word 'tomorrow'?
The word 'tomorrow' in a direct speech changes to 'the following day' or 'the next day’ in the indirect or reported speech.
4. What is Direct Speech in ?
Direct speech is the exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks. It represents the speaker's original words and is commonly used in dialogue or reporting speech directly.
5. What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is the reporting of someone's words without using their exact words. It does not require quotation marks and often involves transforming the original speaker's words into a different form.
6. Why is it important to learn direct and indirect speech exercises for class 10 pdf with answers?
Learning direct and indirect speech exercises for class 10 pdf with answers is essential in Class 10 CBSE English Grammar as it enhances students' comprehension skills, improves their writing ability, and enables them to effectively report speech in various contexts, such as narratives, essays, and dialogue-based questions in exams.
7. What are the basic rules for transforming Direct Speech into Indirect Speech?
The basic rules for transforming direct speech into indirect speech include changing verb tenses, pronouns, time and place references, and often using reporting verbs such as 'said,' 'told,' or 'asked.'
8. How can I practice Direct and Indirect Speech effectively?
Practicing direct and indirect speech involves analyzing sentences, identifying the reporting verbs, and applying the appropriate rules for transforming direct speech into indirect speech. Engaging in exercises and writing prompts, as provided in resources like the Class 10 CBSE English Grammar PDF, can enhance proficiency.
9. Is the direct and indirect speech class 10 CBSE English Grammar PDF a reliable resource for learning Direct and Indirect Speech?
Yes, the direct and indirect speech class 10 PDF is a reputable resource provided by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and is designed to align with the curriculum standards. It typically includes explanations, examples, and exercises covering various grammar topics, including direct and indirect speech.
10. Are there any tips for mastering Reported Speech Class 10 CBSE English Grammar exams?
Some tips for Reported Speech Class 10 include practicing regularly, paying attention to verb tense changes, ensuring consistency in pronoun usage, and understanding the context of reported speech. Additionally, seeking clarification from teachers or referring to supplementary study materials can aid in comprehension and application.
11. Can I find additional Reported Speech Exercises for Class 10 with Answers online?
Yes, Vedantu offers additional Reported Speech Exercises for Class 10 with Answers and explanations for direct and indirect speech. These resources can complement the Class 10 CBSE English Grammar PDF and provide further opportunities for practice and reinforcement.
Definition :.
In order to report a dialogue, one should be well-versed in changing sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech . Of course, we need not reproduce the actual words of the speaker exactly. We are more concerned with the sense of the utterance than in the literal repetition of the words. The following guidelines will help you to refresh what you have studied about the transformation of sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech.
Statements : When the utterance of the speaker is a statement we use the reporting verbs - say, tell. The conjunction used is - that . In order to preserve the original tone of the speaker ‘say’ or ‘tell’ can be replaced with:- suggest, agree, mutter, admit, insist, whisper, boast, state, remark, claim, object, protest, etc.
There are several differences between a sentence with direct speech and a sentence with indirect speech.
Dialogue | Reported form |
---|---|
He said, I can speak four language . | He boasted that he could speak four languages. |
Some more examples .
Dialogue | Reported form |
---|---|
“Let’s go out for a walk,” | She suggested going out for a walk. |
“That mobile is mine”, | He claimed that that mobile was him. |
“Yes, I took the mobile”, | He admitted that he had taken the mobile. |
“You can’t arrest me”, | He protested that they could not arrest him. |
“You shouldn’t take my laptop” | He objected that I shouldn’t take his atlas. |
We can replace ‘ tell ’ with the following verbs suited to the context: complained, stammered, sneered, snapped, explained, declared, announced, groaned, promised, gasped, conceded, etc.
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech |
---|---|
The boy said to his friend, “I am waiting for you here now.” | The boy told his friend that he was waiting for him there then. |
Changes to be noted:
Kinds | Dialogue | Reporting |
---|---|---|
Reporting Verb | said to | told |
Pronouns | I | he |
you | him | |
Tense | am waiting | was waiting |
Place Concept | here | there |
Time Concept | now | then |
A. pronouns:.
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech (Reported Speech) |
---|---|
I, you | he, she, it |
my, mine, your, yours | his, her, hers, its |
we | they |
our, ours | their, theirs |
us | them |
Direct Speech (speaker’s words) | Indirect Speech (Reporter or Listener) |
---|---|
am, is, are | was, were |
make, makes | made |
am / is / are eating | was / were eating |
will / can / may eat | would / could / might eat |
has, have | had |
has / have eaten | had eaten |
Direct Speech (speaker’s words) | Indirect Speech (Reporter or Listener) |
was / were | had been |
ate | had eaten |
was / were eating | had been eating |
Direct Speech | Indirect Speech (Reported Speech) |
---|---|
now | then |
today | that day |
tonight | that night |
yesterday | the previous day / the day before |
tomorrow | the next / following day |
the day before yesterday | two days before |
the day after tomorrow | in two days |
last week | the previous week or the week before |
last month | the previous month or the month before |
last year | the previous year or the year before |
next week / month / year | the following week / month / year |
a week / month | a week / month |
last night | the previous night |
here | there |
this / it | that |
these | those |
thus | so |
ago | before |
Kind of Sentences | Reporting Verbs | Conjunctions |
---|---|---|
Statement | said, told, suggested, admitted, remarked | that |
Direct Speech | Rosy said, “I have a habit of reding before I go to bed”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Rosy said that she had a habit of reading before she went to bed. |
Direct Speech | David said, ‘Here is the pen I borrowed yesterday, John.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | David said to John that there was the pen he had borrowed the previous day. |
In reported speech people often leave out the conjunction that .
Reported Speech |
---|
Sarah said that she felt ill. |
Malika said that she couldn’t find her pendrive |
Peter said that David was hitting him. |
Direct Speech | Sarah says, “I kids”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Sarah says that she kids. |
Direct Speech | Mohan said, “I written a novel”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Mohan said that he written a novel. |
Direct Speech | She said, “I the dentist next week”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | She said that she the dentist the following week. |
Direct Speech | She said, “When I in a village I faced a lot of hardships”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | She said that when she in a village she faced a lot of hardships. (Don’t use had lived / had been living) |
Direct Speech | She said, “I wish I an angel.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | She said that she wished she an angel. (Don’t use had been) |
Direct Speech | He said, “I starve than beg.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | He said that he starve than beg. |
Direct Speech | He said, “If won the election I would become a minister.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | He said that if he won the election he would become a minister. |
Direct Speech | He said, “Habit is a second nature.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | He said that habit is a second nature. |
Likewise a comment clause (parenthesis) is left out
you see, as you know, to tell you frankly etc. |
Well, very well, now, so etc.
The teacher asked the children to lision to him. (now left out) |
Direct Speech | My neighbour said, “My guests arrived last evening. They are staying with us today. They will be leaving early tomorrow morning.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | My neighbour told me that her guests had arrived the previous evening they were staying with them that day they would be leaving early the following morning. |
Sentence with the same concept should be joined with ‘and’ but when there is a contract use ‘but’.
A. the reporting verbs for questions are:.
Kind of Sentences | Reporting Verbs | Conjunctions |
---|---|---|
Questions (1) W/H type | asked, enquired, wanted to know | if / whether |
Questions (2) Verbal | asked, enquired, wanted |
if / whether |
Direct Speech | My friend said, “Are they coming with us?” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | My friend asked me whether they were coming with us. |
Direct Speech | I said, “Were they angry with you?” |
Indirect Speech | I asked him whether they had been angry with him. |
Direct Speech | Sarah to her mother, “Can the milkman milk in heavy rain?” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Sarah asked her mother if the milkman could bring milk in that heavy rain. |
When using; do, does (present tense) - the main verb converts into the past (does / do go -> went) did (past tense) - the main verb converts into past perfect. (did go -> had gone)
Direct Speech | “Does David study late at night?” Sonia. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Sonia me David studied late at night. |
Direct Speech | Jems ,“Do college students cellphones?” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Jems college students used cellphones. |
“Is he here?” | Whether he was there |
These questions begin with a question word ( Who, What, When, Why, Where, How, How long ... ). While changing such a question into reported form we do not use any conjunction. We simply invert the word order (Verb + Subject is changed into Subject + Verb). Do not use if/whether in W/h Questions .
Verb + Subject | She said to me, “What do you want?” |
Subject + Verb | She asked me what I wanted. |
Direct Speech | My neighbour , “when did the men the stray dogs” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | My neighbour when the men the stray dogs. |
Direct Speech | My friend , “Which colour you choose?” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | My fiend me which colour ? |
Direct Speech | Father to mother, “Why was Angelina when she from school?” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | father asked mother why Angelina crying when she from school. |
These are questions begining with a verb. ( Are you ready? Is it true? ) Here we use the conjunction ‘ if’ or ‘whether ’. The word order is changed as mentioned earlier.
Verb + Subject | She said to me, “Is Tom at home?” |
Subject + Verb | Sh asked me if Tom was at home. |
To report a command we can use a number of verbs
Kind of Sentences | Reporting Verbs | Conjunctions |
---|---|---|
Commands & Requests | told, asked, requested, warned, advised, instructed, ordered | to - not to |
We use the conjunction ‘ to ’ . When the command is a negative one beginning with “Don’t” we change it to ‘not to’ .
Direct Speech | The Captain , “Get ready to board the ship.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | The Captain his sailors ready to board the ship. |
Direct Speech | Teacher to Jems, “Get out” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Teacher Jems out. |
Direct Speech | The Judge to the culprit, “Tell me the truth.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | The Judge the culprit the truth. |
Direct Speech | Headmaster to the students, “ copy in the examination”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Headmaster the students in the examination. |
Please - requested + whom + to + v
Direct Speech | The teacher sa id, “Please improve your knowledge.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | The teacher the student to his knowledge. |
Direct Speech | Robert to me, “Please post letters”. |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Robert me to post letters. |
Direct Speech | Mother , “Please keep your room neat.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Mother me to keep my room neat. |
Exclamations can be reported with adverbs of manner.
Kind of Sentences | Reporting Verbs | Conjunctions |
---|---|---|
Exclamations | exclaimed with joy / exclaimed with sorrow | that |
a) Reporting Verb: exclaimed with (emotion) b) The exclamation should be changed into a statement. c) Use suitable emotions to the exclamation.
Direct Speech | Rosy said to David, “How wonderfully you sang!” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | Rosy with happiness that David had sung wonderfully. |
Direct Speech | The foreigner said, “What a man Obama is!.” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | The foreigner in wonder that Obama a man. |
Direct Speech | John said, “That I should see you here!” |
---|---|
Indirect Speech | John to see . |
Alas!- exclaimed with sadness / regret / disappoinment. | |
---|---|
Direct Speech | The reporter said, “Alas! Many lives due to tsunami” |
Indirect Speech | The reporter sadly that many lives due to tsunami. |
May you!- blesses / wished. | |
---|---|
Direct Speech | The grandmother said, “May with success wherever ” |
Indirect Speech | The grandmother blessed her grandson that he with success wherever he . |
Don’t / never - warned or forbade. (when using forbid do not use negatives) | |
---|---|
Direct Speech | Father said, “Shakshi, don’t play in dirty water!” |
Indirect Speech | Father his daughter Sakshi to in dirty water. |
O God! - called upon God with regret / sadness / disappointment. | |
---|---|
Direct Speech | The beggar said, “O God! I have been cheated”. |
Indirect Speech | The beggar called upon God that he . |
Examples of back formation 1.Baby-sit (baby-sitter) 2.Gyre (gyroscope) 3.Edit (editor)
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Direct and indirect speech exercises: Effective communication involves accurate reporting of the words of others. Direct and indirect speech are the tools that help us achieve this. They help in communicating information with accuracy and clarity. In this blog post, you will learn about reported speech and practice exercises to master the concept of direct and indirect speech.
What are direct speech and indirect speech, exercises 6.
Must Read: Reported Speech
Direct Speech
Direct Speech is the actual words spoken by the person. It is often enclosed within inverted commas, providing readers with deep insight into the speaker’s words.
For example: Rohit said, “ I will attend the office tomorrow.”
In the above example, the words enclosed in the commas depict the speaker’s actual words in the sentence.
Indirect Speech
On the other hand, indirect speech includes the reporting of the words of the speaker without quoting their exact words. While changing a sentence from direct speech to indirect speech there are a few changes that need to be kept in mind while changing. These changes include changes in the pronouns, verb tense, and the removal of quotation marks.
For example:
Direct Speech Rohit said, “ I will attend the office tomorrow.”
Indirect Speech Rohit said that he would attend the office the next day.
In Indirect Speech, there is a change in pronoun, verb tense, and the removal of quotation marks.
Also Read: Tenses Rules: Charts, Examples, Types [PDF Available]
We have compiled several exercises for you which will allow you to check your knowledge.
Instruction: Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech.
Match the following answers with the solved exercise:
Must Read: Subject-Verb Agreement: Definition, 12 Rules & Examples
Instruction: Change the following sentences from indirect to direct speech.
Instruction: Convert the following sentences into indirect speech.
Must Read: Figures of Speech: Types, Usage & Examples [Download PDF]
Instruction: Fill in the following blanks with the appropriate words:
Instruction: Fill in the blanks.
Instruction : Rewrite the following dialogue using indirect speech:
Peter: “Have you seen my phone?”
Mary: “No, I haven’t. Did you check your backpack?”
Peter: “Yes, I did. I can’t seem to find it anywhere.”
Mary: “Don’t worry, I’m sure it will turn up. Maybe you left it in your car?”
Peter: “That’s possible. I’ll go and check my car.”
Instruction: Identify the following sentences whether they are Direct Speech or Indirect Speech. Write (DS) for Direct Speech and (IS) for Indirect Speech.
Instruction: Rewrite the following sentences in indirect speech.
Instruction: Change the following sentences into direct speech.
Instruction: Match the sentences.
When the actual words spoken by the person are written without making any changes, they are written in quotation marks to mark them as real words spoken by the speaker. For example: Rita said, ” I love to play Table-tennis”.
When the actual words are not written in the quoted form but are expressed in the form of narrative without changing the meaning of the words spoken by the speaker. It is called indirect narration. For example: Rita said that she loved to play Table-tennis.
The most common reporting verbs used in indirect speech are “said,” “told,” “asked,” “explained,” “mentioned,” and “suggested.” The choice of reporting verb influences the tone and meaning of the reported speech.
Learn More About Reported Speech
To advance your grammar knowledge and read more informative blogs, check out our Learn English page and don’t forget to follow Leverage Edu .
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When the dialogue is presented with reporting clauses such as ‘shouted his uncle’ or ‘said Tom’, this is called direct speech . When dialogue is presented without reporting clauses, such as with Uncle Alan’s long speech and Tom’s single word reply, this is called free direct speech . With direct speech, we assume that the words in the speech marks are exactly the words that the character spoke and that the narrator is reporting them exactly.
Now read this extract from chapter 2 of Marianne Dreams and notice how the writing uses both dialogue (direct speech) and narration, giving the narrator more input and control:
… she heard her mother come up the stairs, talking to someone. Marianne knew it must be the doctor.
‘Good,’ she thought. ‘Now he’ll say I can get up and go back to school. I’m frightfully bored with being here all the time.
But when the doctor had examined her, and asked all the usual sort of questions that doctors do ask, he didn’t say she could get up and go back to school. In fact he still looked rather grave.
‘Now, young lady,’ he said, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be good news or bad news, but I’m afraid you won’t be going back to school this term. You’ve got to stay in bed for at least another six weeks, possibly more. I’ll come and see you fairly often and I’ll tell you when you can get up, but until then, it’s bed all the time.’
Marianne stared at him. She had never imagined anything like this. The three weeks she had already spent in bed had seemed endless and the idea of another six weeks, perhaps more, was terrible. ‘But I must go back to school,’ she protested. ‘I’m acting in the school play at the end of term!’
‘I’m sorry,’ said Dr Burton. ‘But you can’t get up even for that.’
‘But six weeks is a terribly long time,’ said Marianne, ‘I can’t stay in bed for six weeks and not do anything.’
‘I’m afraid you’ve got to,’ Dr Burton said gravely. ‘If you don’t, you might make yourself ill in a way that would last the rest of your life, and we don’t want that to happen.’
‘I don’t care,’ Marianne said, nearly crying, ‘I’d rather be ill for the rest of my life than have to stay in bed any more now.’ She knew it was silly, and that she didn’t really mean it, but she was too upset to mind.
In this last paragraph, the narrator reports on thoughts instead of speech. Direct speech can also be used to describe thought, when it occurs in quotation marks, such as when Tom imagines the letter that he will write to his brother:
To begin with, the narrator reports on Marianne’s thoughts. Direct speech can also be used to describe thought, when it occurs in quotation marks, such as when Marianne imagines what the doctor will say:
The words in the quotation marks represent Tom’s exact thoughts, word for word, and the reporting clause allows the narrator to separate out Tom’s thoughts from the narrative commentary on them.
Another way of presenting speech and thought is indirectly. In indirect speech , we cannot be entirely sure of what words the character thought or said, such as in this example:
She had never imagined anything like this. The three weeks she had already spent in bed had seemed endless and the idea of another six weeks, perhaps more, was terrible.
Here, we know that we are reading about Marianne’s thoughts because we are told that ‘she had never imagined anything like this’, but we cannot be sure if what we are reading is word-for-word what Marianne was thinking. The narrator is explaining Marianne’s thoughts and feelings, but without restricting this to the exact words in her head. Consider this example, from later on in the extract:
She knew it was silly, and that she didn’t really mean it, but she was too upset to mind.
Here we have a reporting clause ‘she knew’ but what follows may not be Marianne’s exact thoughts. It’s clear from what the narrator tells us that she is not thinking clearly, and is overwhelmed, so the narrator must give us their interpretation of her thoughts in order to better explain them to us. Indirect speech gives the narrator more control, therefore, and this can be useful when authors want to describe or explain the thoughts of child characters while using descriptive language the child may not have used themselves.
At this point in the novel, it becomes clear to the reader that Marianne’s tiredness from the earlier activity is actually a symptom of a more serious illness. This illness and the bed rest that Dr Burton recommends to deal with it leads to her spending more time both drawing and dreaming, and it is in the fantasy world of these dreams that her drawings come to life.
One of the challenges for writers of fantasy is to persuade readers to suspend disbelief and accept that, within the terms of the constructed world, characters and events are believable. From what you’ve read of the novels so far, consider: how do the techniques we’ve looked at so far help the authors to draw the reader into their protagonist’s world? How do the authors portray this world from the child protagonist’s perspective? Make some notes and select short quotes from what you’ve read so far to support your points.
In Tom’s Midnight Garden , the narrator focuses very closely on Tom’s perspective (we know little of the thoughts and feelings of the Kitsons or Peter), and we need to see and feel through his eyes and sensibilities for the story to work. Characters and places are presented from his perspective: Peter as a valued playmate and Uncle Alan as morose and authoritarian. In what you’ve read in the activities so far, you may have thought that Tom is being annoyingly pedantic by interrupting his uncle to ask if staying in bed means he can’t go to the lavatory, but there is nothing in the narrator’s words that would indicate this. Despite Tom’s frustrating responses, when Uncle Alan loses his temper, this is described as ‘sudden’ because it is unexpected to Tom, even though you might have predicted that Tom’s answers would make him angry. The narrator calls him ‘poor Tom’, making it clear who we should be empathising with.
In the extracts of Marianne Dreams you’ve read so far, the narrator uses indirect speech to report on Marianne’s thoughts, in which Marianne’s words are reported with the narrator’s words. This mixing of the narrator’s voice with Marianne’s feelings strengthens the reader’s identification with her. Through this colouring, the reader accepts her experiences in the dreamworld as believable within the framework of Storr’s constructed world.
However, at times the narrator does give us information that does not come solely from Marianne’s perspective. In the opening chapter (some of which you read in Activity 4), the narrator helps us to understand Marianne’s feelings by using the pronoun ‘you’ to explain why ‘It is worse if you have had your first riding lesson and know that you ought to be hungry. But not to be able to eat your birthday lunch is worst of all’. Without this context, Marianne’s tears might strike us as a strange overreaction, making it harder for us to empathise with her.
The third-person narrators tell us the story closely from Tom and Marianne’s perspective, therefore, but this narration is also omniscient, and so can give us information and ideas that the protagonists do not know or are not concerned with.
Free indirect speech takes the mixing of the character with the narrator one step further. In free indirect speech, the thoughts or speech of the character is described indirectly, but without any reporting clauses that make it clear that it is the character’s thoughts rather than the narrator’s which are being reported on. This can have the effect of confusing the distinction between the character’s thoughts or words and the narrator’s commentary.
Continue reading Chapter 2 of Tom’s Midnight Garden , in which Tom is lying in bed listening to the clock strike thirteen. Most of this is written in free indirect speech. Which parts do you think represent Tom’s thoughts and what comes from the narrator instead?
And at last—One! The clock struck the present hour; but, as if to show its independence of mind, went on striking—Two! For once Tom was not amused by its striking the wrong hour: Three! Four! ‘It’s one o’clock,’ Tom whispered angrily over the edge of the bedclothes. ‘Why don’t you strike one o’clock, then, as the clocks would do at home?’ Instead: Five! Six! Even in his irritation, Tom could not stop counting; it had become a habit with him at night. Seven! Eight! …
Nine! Ten! ‘You are going it,’ thought Tom, but yawning in the midst of his unwilling admiration. Yes, and it hadn’t finished yet: Eleven! Twelve! ‘Fancy striking midnight twice in one night!’ jeered Tom, sleepily. Thirteen! proclaimed the clock, and then stopped striking.
Thirteen? Tom’s mind gave a jerk: had it really struck thirteen? Even mad old clocks never struck that. He must have imagined it. Had he not been falling asleep, or already sleeping? But no, awake or dozing, he had counted up to thirteen. He was sure of it.
He was uneasy in the knowledge that this happening made some difference to him: he could feel that in his bones. The stillness had become an expectant one; the house seemed to hold its breath; the darkness pressed up to him, pressing him with a question: Come on, Tom, the clock has struck thirteen—what are you going to do about it?
‘Nothing,’ said Tom aloud. And then, as an afterthought: ‘Don’t be silly!’
What could he do, anyway? He had to stay in bed, sleeping or trying to sleep, for ten whole hours, as near as might be, from nine o’clock at night to seven o’clock the next morning. That was what he had promised when his uncle had reasoned with him.
Uncle Alan had been so sure of his reasoning; and yet Tom now began to feel that there had been some flaw in it … Uncle Alan, without discussing the idea, had taken for granted that there were twenty-four hours in a day—twice twelve hours. But suppose, instead, there were twice thirteen? Then, from nine at night to seven in the morning—with the thirteenth hour somewhere between—was more than ten hours: it was eleven. He could be in bed for ten hours, and still have an hour to spare—an hour of freedom.
You probably found this difficult, and there are no clear answers! One of the key features of free indirect speech is that it often becomes almost impossible to separate out the narrator from the character being narrated. The phrase ‘mad old clocks’ could be Tom’s words, whereas a phrase like ‘uneasy in the knowledge that this happening made some difference to him’ is unlikely to be the word-for-word thoughts of a child. Some of the questions (‘had it really struck thirteen?’ and ‘Had he not been falling asleep, or already sleeping?) seem more likely to come from Tom’s mind than the narrator’s, but they could also be questions the narrator is asking the reader.
What did you think the effect of this narration style is? Towards the end, you may have noticed that there is a sense that something magical is about to happen: when the narrator tells us that ‘the house seemed to hold its breath’ it could just be to Tom that this seemed the case, but because this is unclear, it’s possible that something more magical really is occurring, and this isn’t just Tom’s interpretation. When the narrator tells us that ‘the darkness pressed up to him’ this could be Tom’s thoughts, but it’s also possible that the narrator is describing literal fantastic events. The narrator even uses direct speech to describe what the darkness asks him, which gives the impression that this question is not merely something Tom is imagining. The result is that we not only get insight into what Tom is thinking and feeling, but the confusion between his thoughts and the more objective account from the narrator heightens the sense of magic. This isn’t just in Tom’s imagination: something incredible is about to happen!
Tom does of course use this extra hour of freedom to leave his bed, and discovers that the back door by the Grandfather clock no longer opens onto a tiny, walled-in courtyard but a huge and beautiful garden (the ‘midnight garden’ of the title). As both Tom’s Midnight Garden and Marianne Dreams continue, the lives of the protagonists are split between the mundane and restricted lives they lead during the day and the unsupervised (and sometimes dangerous) fantasy worlds of the midnight garden and Marianne’s dreams.
Learn how to change Exclamatory sentences into indirect speech. We are giving here rules of as well as some practice exercises to help learners master the direct and indirect transformation of sentences. watch the video tutorials also to learn how to change a direct speech exclamation into its indirect speech exclamation.
New exercises are added from time to time, so keep coming here .
Click here for rules of Reported Speech
Click here for more English Grammar Topics.
Exclamatory sentences:.
Sentences which express some sudden feelings ( such as pleasure, anger, surprise ) about something which has been said or done, are called Exclamatory sentences.
Exclamatory sentences or expressions take a mark of exclamation (!) at their end.
Q. Change the following sentences into Indirect narration.
Tenses – cbse class 10 english grammar, letter writing – how to write letters cbse/icse, determiners – grammar notes class 10 cbse, prepositions: practice exercises english grammar, this post has 7 comments.
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Lesson plan title: grade 11 additional language: direct and indirect speech, materials needed:.
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Distinguish between direct and indirect speech. 2. Convert sentences from direct to indirect speech accurately and vice versa. 3. Apply the rules of tense changes and pronoun shifts when converting from direct to indirect speech. 4. Use reporting verbs correctly in sentences. 5. Demonstrate understanding through written and oral exercises.
In previous lessons, students have learned about sentence structure and basic tense usage, which are foundational for understanding direct and indirect speech.
Guided Practice (15 mins) :
Consolidation (3 mins) : Recap the main learning points of the lesson. Encourage several students to volunteer their converted sentences to foster peer learning and reinforcement.
Exit Ticket (3 mins) : Ask students to write one direct speech sentence along with its indirect speech conversion on a slip of paper for submission as they exit the classroom. This acts as a formative assessment of their learning.
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Direct indirect speech, university , reported speech, 7th - 9th , offering help.
10th - 11th grade, english, education.
15 questions
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Direct Speech is..
the reporting of speech by using similar words to the speaker.
the reporting of speech by rephrasing what the speaker said.
the reporting of speech by repeating the exact words of the speaker.
the reporting of speech at the exact time it was said.
My mom told me last night if I had had a spare time. It means .....
My mom asked me, "Do you have a spare time?"
My mom asked me, "Have you had a spare time?"
My mom asked me, "Did you have a spare time?"
My mom asked me, " Had you had a spare time?"
Indirect speech is...
expresses what was said without using the exact words.
expresses what was said using the exact words.
where someone else expresses what was said.
where someone expresses their own words.
Indirect speech is also known as what?
Repeated speech
Repeated statements
Reported speech
Reported statements
X : "What does she say to you?"
Y : She told me ......
She needed help
She needs help
She had needed help
She has needed help
Speech marks are needed for what?
Direct Speech
Indirect Speech
Mother asked Ben, "Are you going to marry her?"
Mother asked Ben if he was going to marry her.
Mother asked Ben if he is going to marry her.
Mother asks Ben if he is going to marry her.
Mother asks Ben if he was going to marry her.
Ashley asked me if I had come to the party before. In other words, Ashley said "..........."
Did you come to the party the day before?
Do you come to the party before?
Have you come to the party
Did you come to the party yesterday?
All present tenses (simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive) go to ____________________________ tenses in transforming direct to indirect speech.
In transforming direct to indirect speech, simple past tense goes to _______________________ tense.
simple past tense
simple present tense
past perfect
past progressive
What word connects the reported and reporting speech in imperative sentences?
wh-questions
"Are you okay, Ivanne?" asked Abegail.
Abegail asked if Ivanne is okay.
Abegail asked Ivanne if she was okay.
Ivanne is not okay.
Abegail asked Ivanne if she is okay.
The police told them not to drive too fast. The police said, "..............."
Not drive too fast please
Don't drive too fast in town
No drive too fast in town
Don't drive to fast in town
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Direct and indirect speech is one topic in English grammar that confuses most language learners. It need not necessarily be so; if you understand how it works, you can easily use it in your writing.
When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb , pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.
Read the following sentences and convert them into indirect speech.
Read the following passage and convert it into direct speech.
One of them told Issac that the latter had forgotten one thing that belonged to a mill. Issac enquired what that was. The friend asked where the miller was. Issac replied that (absence of the miller) was true – and he must look for one.
“But Issac,” said one of them, “you have forgotten one thing that belongs to a mill.”
“What is that?” asked Issac.
“Why, where is the miller?” said his friend.
“That is true – I must look for one,” said Issac.
What is direct narration.
When the actual words/sentences as spoken by the speaker are quoted in a speech, it’s called direct speech/narration.
When the quoted speech is reported in the form of a narrative without changing the meaning of the actual quotation/words by the speaker, it’s called indirect speech/narration.
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Reporting the narration is done two ways - Direct or Indirect. The CBSE Class 10 Gramar syllabus includes this reporting in dialogue forms. After that an exercise with blanks to be filled to transform the whole conversation in indirect form. Here are given practice exercises to help practice Dialogue reporting.
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.
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 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 ...
The speaker said, 'Be quiet and listen to my words.'. Answers. 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.)
Change No. 1. Change the reporting verb 'said 'or 'said to'into' asked' or 'inquired of'. In case of a single question, change it into 'asked' but in case of more than one question, change it into "inquired of'. Change No. 2. Use conjunction 'if' or 'whether' if the reported speech starts with a helping verb.
Practice reported speech with exercises including WH questions and converting statements from direct to indirect speech. Explore examples and exercises with answers to enhance your understanding of English grammar. ... Report the Following Dialogue: Customer: Can I have a cigarette, please? Saleswoman: Of course, but you cannot smoke here.
Reported speech - 12 dialogues to report. Let's do English ESL general grammar practice. The following activity will help your students practise the usage of Reported speech. Students work in pairs/grou….
Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech. Change of Pronouns. Change of Tenses. Change of Time and Place References. Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech. Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks. Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker. Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb. Step 4: Change the Pronouns.
Direct speech: "I'm seeing my brother tomorrow.". Indirect speech: She said she was seeing her brother the following day. Here are some other examples: Direct speech: "I had a headache yesterday.". Indirect speech: You said you'd had a headache the day before yesterday. Direct speech: "It's been raining since this afternoon.".
3.3 Direct and Indirect Speech. 3.4 Direct and Indirect Narration Rules. 3.5 Step 1: Choosing the Verb's Tense and Conversion. 3.6 Step 2: Changes are Made to the Word That Communicates Place, Time, and Connection. 3.7 Step 3: The Subject and Object Pronouns are Chosen Separately. 4.
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 ...
Activity 2: Reporting Direct Dialogue In the space provided below, imagine the actual conversation that led to the indirect dialogue in the article above. Write a direct dialogue between the reporter, Frommer, and the judge, Richard Leon. Be sure to edit the punctuation, formatting, and citation of your dialogue.
Direct: "I do my exercises every morning.". Reported: He explained that he did his exercises every morning. Direct: "She is going to start a new job.". Reported: He heard she was going to start a new job. Direct: "I can solve this problem.". Reported: She said she could solve that problem.
Indirect speech in the past. A dialogue between Romeo and Juliet. Donate a coffee. English ESL Worksheets. Grammar Topics. Reported Speech (Indirect speech) Indirect speech. ckautz.
Reported speech 2. Reported requests and orders. Reported speech exercise. Reported questions - worksheet. Indirect speech - worksheet. Worksheets pdf - print. Grammar worksheets - handouts. Grammar - lessons. Reported speech - grammar notes.
Learning direct and indirect speech exercises for class 10 pdf with answers is essential in Class 10 CBSE English Grammar as it enhances students' comprehension skills, improves their writing ability, and enables them to effectively report speech in various contexts, such as narratives, essays, and dialogue-based questions in exams. 7.
Definition : In order to report a dialogue, one should be well-versed in changing sentences from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech. Of course, we need not reproduce the actual words of the speaker exactly. We are more concerned with the sense of the utterance than in the literal repetition of the words. The following guidelines will help you to ...
Instruction:Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech. She said, " I live in Noida". He said," I am going out". Sita said," I have done my homework.". Rohan said, " I have finished". They said," We are going to the market". She said, " The concert starts at 7 pm". She said," I ate an apple.".
3.2 Direct and indirect speech. When the dialogue is presented with reporting clauses such as 'shouted his uncle' or 'said Tom', this is called direct speech.When dialogue is presented without reporting clauses, such as with Uncle Alan's long speech and Tom's single word reply, this is called free direct speech.With direct speech, we assume that the words in the speech marks are ...
Use 'wish' and 'pray to God' in sentences involving wish and prayer. Convert the exclamatory sentence to a statement i.e. end with a full stop dot (.) Examples. Direct: Kohli said, "Hurrah! We won the match.". Indirect: Kohli exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. Direct: Reena said, "Alas! Sheela's mother is suffering ...
1. Distinguish between direct and indirect speech. 2. Convert sentences from direct to indirect speech accurately and vice versa. 3. Apply the rules of tense changes and pronoun shifts when converting from direct to indirect speech. 4. Use reporting verbs correctly in sentences. 5. Demonstrate understanding through written and oral exercises ...
DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH quiz for 10th grade students. Find other quizzes for English and more on Quizizz for free!
Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers. When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb, pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.