DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH – EXPLANATION -class-12-English-grammer-board-exam-pattern-practice-questions-answers-chse

 

 

1. WHAT IS DIRECT SPEECH?

 

The exact words of the speaker are quoted.

Example: He said, “I am happy.”

 

2. WHAT IS INDIRECT (REPORTED) SPEECH?

 

The words of the speaker are reported without quoting exactly.

Example: He said that he was happy.

 

RULES OF CHANGE

 

A. Change of Pronouns

 

Pronouns change according to the sense of the sentence.

Example:

Direct: She said, “I am tired.”

Indirect: She said that she was tired.

 

B. Change of Tense

 

If reporting verb is in present/future tense → no change of tense.

Direct: He says, “I like tea.”

Indirect: He says that he likes tea.

 

If reporting verb is in past tense → tense usually changes one step back.

Present Simple → Past Simple

Present Continuous → Past Continuous

Present Perfect → Past Perfect

Past Simple → Past Perfect

Past Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous

Will/shall → Would/should

 

Example:

Direct: She said, “I am writing.”

Indirect: She said that she was writing.

 

C. Change of Time and Place Words

 

Now → then

Today → that day

Tomorrow → the next day

Yesterday → the previous day

Here → there

This → that

These → those

 

Example:

Direct: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”

Indirect: He said that he would come the next day.

 

Examples with Sentences

 

1. Statements (Assertive Sentences)

 

Direct: He said, “I love cricket.”

Indirect: He said that he loved cricket.

 

2. Questions (Interrogative Sentences)

 

Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?”

Indirect: She asked where I lived.

 

3. Yes/No Questions

 

Direct: He said, “Do you like music?”

Indirect: He asked if I liked music.

 

4. Imperatives (Orders/Requests)

 

Direct: He said, “Open the door.”

Indirect: He ordered me to open the door.

Direct: She said, “Please help me.”

Indirect: She requested me to help her.

 

5. Exclamatory Sentences

 

Direct: She said, “What a beautiful flower!”

Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful flower.

 

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH Q&A

 

Statements (Assertive Sentences)

 

Q1. She said, “I am tired.”

A1. She said that she was tired.

 

Q2. He said, “I like sweets.”

A2. He said that he liked sweets.

 

Q3. They said, “We are playing cricket.”

A3. They said that they were playing cricket.

 

Q4. She said, “I have finished my homework.”

A4. She said that she had finished her homework.

 

Q5. He said, “I will call you tomorrow.”

A5. He said that he would call me the next day.

 

Q6. She said, “I bought a new dress yesterday.”

A6. She said that she had bought a new dress the previous day.

 

Q7. They said, “We were watching TV.”

A7. They said that they had been watching TV.

 

Q8. She said, “I can solve the problem.”

A8. She said that she could solve the problem.

 

Q9. He said, “I may come today.”

A9. He said that he might come that day.

 

Q10. She said, “I shall go to college.”

A10. She said that she should go to college.

 

Yes/No Questions

 

Q11. He said, “Do you like ice cream?”

A11. He asked if I liked ice cream.

 

Q12. She said, “Are you coming with me?”

A12. She asked whether I was coming with her.

 

Q13. They said, “Can you help us?”

A13. They asked if I could help them.

 

Q14. He said, “Did you see the movie?”

A14. He asked if I had seen the movie.

 

Q15. She said, “Will you attend the party?”

A15. She asked if I would attend the party.

 

Wh-Questions

 

Q16. He said, “Where do you live?”

A16. He asked where I lived.

 

Q17. She said, “What is your name?”

A17. She asked what my name was.

 

Q18. They said, “When will you arrive?”

A18. They asked when I would arrive.

 

Q19. He said, “Why are you crying?”

A19. He asked why I was crying.

 

Q20. She said, “How did you solve the problem?”

A20. She asked how I had solved the problem.

 

Imperatives (Orders/Requests/Advice)

 

Q21. He said, “Open the window.”

A21. He ordered me to open the window.

 

Q22. She said, “Please help me.”

A22. She requested me to help her.

 

Q23. The teacher said, “Work hard.”

A23. The teacher advised us to work hard.

 

Q24. He said, “Don’t waste time.”

A24. He advised me not to waste time.

 

Q25. She said, “Let us go for a walk.”

A25. She suggested that we should go for a walk.

 

Exclamatory Sentences

 

Q26. She said, “What a beautiful place!”

A26. She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful place.

 

Q27. He said, “How foolish I am!”

A27. He exclaimed that he was very foolish.

 

Q28. They said, “Alas! We have lost the game.”

A28. They exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost the game.

 

Q29. She said, “Hurrah! We have won.”

A29. She exclaimed with joy that they had won.

 

Q30. He said, “Wow! What a car!”

A30. He exclaimed with wonder that it was a wonderful car.

 

Mixed Practice

 

Q31. He said, “I am learning English now.”

A31. He said that he was learning English then.

 

Q32. She said, “I saw him here yesterday.”

A32. She said that she had seen him there the previous day.

 

Q33. They said, “We shall complete the work today.”

A33. They said that they would complete the work that day.

 

Q34. He said, “I was writing a letter.”

A34. He said that he had been writing a letter.

 

Q35. She said, “I have been waiting for an hour.”

A35. She said that she had been waiting for an hour.

 

Q36. They said, “We had finished the project.”

A36. They said that they had finished the project.

 

Q37. He said, “Can you speak English?”

A37. He asked if I could speak English.

 

Q38. She said, “Where are you going?”

A38. She asked where I was going.

 

Q39. He said, “Don’t touch the wire.”

A39. He warned me not to touch the wire.

 

Q40. She said, “Please sit down.”

A40. She requested me to sit down.

 

Q41. The teacher said, “Answer the question.”

A41. The teacher told me to answer the question.

 

Q42. He said, “Do not disturb me.”

A42. He asked me not to disturb him.

 

Q43. She said, “Let’s go shopping.”

A43. She suggested that we should go shopping.

 

Q44. He said, “What a terrible accident it is!”

A44. He exclaimed that it was a very terrible accident.

 

Q45. She said, “How kind you are!”

A45. She exclaimed that I was very kind.

 

Q46. He said, “I shall help you.”

A46. He said that he would help me.

 

Q47. They said, “We are enjoying the party.”

A47. They said that they were enjoying the party.

 

Q48. She said, “I was singing a song.”

A48. She said that she had been singing a song.

 

Q49. He said, “I have lost my book.”

A49. He said that he had lost his book.

 

Q50. She said, “We will meet again.”

A50. She said that they would meet again.