The City School

Academic Year 2019-20

Grammar
Worksheet # 1
Class 5
Direct and Indirect Speech
Rule no 1:
When changing direct speech into indirect speech, remove the speech marks
and add a conjunction “that”
For Example:
1. She says, “I like eating chocolates.” She says that she likes eating
chocolates.
2. Dan said, “I need a clean shirt.” Dan said that he needed a clean shirt.

The list shows how certain words must be changed when you change a
sentence from the direct to the indirect speech.
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
I he/ she now then
you I /we this that
we they these/ those those
my his/ her here there
your my/ our ago before
our their today that day
shall/ will would tomorrow the next day
may might yesterday the day before
can could last night the night before
has/ have had tonight that night

Rule no 2:
The tense used in the indirect
speech follows that of the main
verb in the direct speech.
For Example:
1. The captain announced, “We are
ready to sail.”
The captain announced that they
were ready to sail.
Rule no 3:
The questions that begin with
auxiliary verbs and answer as yes or
no, add whether or if instead of
that.
For Example:
1. They asked, “Do you want to go?”
They asked if / whether we wanted
to go.
Rule no 4: Rule no 5:
Sentences with commands, advice Universal facts never change.
or requests are changed into For Example:
indirect speech by adding to instead 1. Sara said, “All that glitters is not
of that. gold.” Sara said that all that glitters
For Example: is not gold.
1. She said, “Keep quiet, please.”
She requested us to keep quiet.

A. Change the following into indirect speech.

1. Helen said, "I was writing a letter yesterday."
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2. Mark asked, "Has John arrived?"
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3. Emma told, “My teacher is going to London today.”
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4. David said, "John had already finished work at five.”
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5. The weather forecast said, “It may snow tonight.”
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