Direct and Indirect Speech

 

Direct and Indirect Speech (Reported Speech)

Direct and Indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said.

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1. Direct Speech

Definition:
Direct speech repeats the exact words spoken by a person. The words are placed inside quotation marks (" ").

Structure:
Subject + reporting verb + “exact words”

Example:
Ram said, “I am happy.”

Rules of Direct Speech

1. Use quotation marks (" ").

2. The exact words of the speaker are written.

3. A comma is used before the quotation.

4. The first letter inside quotation marks starts with a capital letter.

10 Examples of Direct Speech

1. She said, “I am going to school.”

2. Ravi said, “I like mangoes.”

3. The teacher said, “Complete your homework.”

4. He said, “I will come tomorrow.”

5. Mother said, “Wash your hands.”

6. Riya said, “I am reading a book.”

7. The boy said, “I can swim.”

8. Father said, “Work hard.”

9. She said, “I have finished my work.”

10. The teacher said, “Open your books.”

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2. Indirect Speech

Definition:
Indirect speech reports the meaning of what someone said without using the exact words and without quotation marks.

Structure:
Subject + reporting verb + that/if + reported statement

Example:
Ram said that he was happy.

Rules of Indirect Speech

1. Quotation marks are removed.

2. Conjunction “that” is often used.

3. Pronouns change according to the subject.

4. Tense usually changes (Present → Past).

5. Words like today, tomorrow, yesterday may change.
   
   
   

   

   10 Examples of Indirect Speech

   1. She said that she was going to school.

   2. Ravi said that he liked mangoes.

   3. The teacher told the students to complete their homework.

   4. He said that he would come the next day.

   5. Mother told me to wash my hands.

   6. Riya said that she was reading a book.

   7. The boy said that he could swim.

   8. Father advised me to work hard.

   9. She said that she had finished her work.

   10. The teacher told the students to open their books.

   
   
   

   Direct and Indirect Speech – 50 Practice Questions

   A. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech (1–25)

   1. Ram said, “I am tired.”

   2. She said, “I like ice cream.”

   3. The teacher said, “The earth revolves around the sun.”

   4. Mohan said, “I will go to Delhi tomorrow.”

   5. Riya said, “I am doing my homework.”

   6. He said, “I have finished my work.”

   7. Mother said, “Close the door.”

   8. The teacher said, “Do your homework.”

   9. She said, “I was reading a book.”

   10. He said, “I can swim very well.”

   11. The boy said, “I lost my pen yesterday.”

   12. Father said, “Work hard for success.”

   13. She said, “I will call you later.”

   14. Ravi said, “I am learning English.”

   15. The girl said, “I bought a new dress.”

   16. He said, “I may come tonight.”

   17. She said, “I have been waiting for an hour.”

   18. The teacher said, “Be quiet.”

   19. He said, “I was watching TV.”

   20. Mother said, “Do not waste your time.”

   21. She said, “I will finish the work today.”

   22. The boy said, “I am playing cricket.”

   23. He said, “I wrote a letter.”

   24. Ramesh said, “I saw a movie last night.”

   25. She said, “I will help you.”

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   B. Change the following sentences into Direct Speech (26–50)

   26. Ram said that he was tired.

   27. She said that she liked ice cream.

   28. Mohan said that he would go to Delhi the next day.

   29. Riya said that she was doing her homework.

   30. He said that he had finished his work.

   31. Mother told me to close the door.

   32. The teacher told the students to do their homework.

   33. She said that she was reading a book.

   34. He said that he could swim very well.

   35. The boy said that he had lost his pen the previous day.

   36. Father advised me to work hard for success.

   37. She said that she would call me later.

   38. Ravi said that he was learning English.

   39. The girl said that she had bought a new dress.

   40. He said that he might come that night.

   41. She said that she had been waiting for an hour.

   42. The teacher ordered the students to be quiet.

   43. He said that he was watching TV.

   44. Mother told me not to waste my time.

   45. She said that she would finish the work that day.

   46. The boy said that he was playing cricket.

   47. He said that he had written a letter.

   48. Ramesh said that he had seen a movie the previous night.

   49. She said that she would help me.

   50. The teacher told the students to open their books.