Student Name ……………... Date: ………… Class & Sec…………..

Subject: English
Resource-Reported Speech

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

REPORTED SPEECH

There are two ways to report the words of a speaker to others. They are,

1. Direct Speech gives the exact words used by the speaker.

2. Indirect speech does not give the exact words of the speaker but gives only the
substance of what he/she said.

Example: Rama said, “Hari is an idle boy”. – Direct speech.

Rama said that Hari was an idle boy. – Indirect speech.

RULES FOR CHANGING DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT

General Rules:

1. Remove the inverted commas, the comma between reporting verb and reported speech
and other punctuation marks except for full stop.
2. If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the Verb in the Reported speech
is not changed at all.
Example: Tom says, “There is no ink in the ink-pot”. – Direct Speech.
Tom says that there is no ink in the ink-pot. – Indirect Speech.
3. If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense the Verb in the Reported Speech is also
changed as given below:

Direct speech Indirect speech

1. Simple Present Simple Past
V1 or V1+s(write/writes) V2 (Wrote)
2. Present Continuous Past Continuous
Is/are +V4 (is writing) Was/were + V4 (was writing)
3. Present Perfect Past Perfect
Has/have +V3 (have written) Had + V3 (had written)
 4. Simple Past Past Perfect
V2 (wrote) Had + V3 (had written)
5. Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Was/were + V4 (was writing) Had been + V4 (had been writing)
6. Modals: Would
Will Should/Would
Shall Might
May Could
Can Had to
must

4. If the Reported Speech contains some universal or habitual fact, then the tense in the
reported speech is not changed but remains unchanged.
Example: The teacher said, “Honesty is the best policy”. – Direct Speech.
The teacher said that Honesty is the best policy. – Indirect Speech.

5. When turning a sentence from Direct into Indirect Speech, words showing nearness are
changed into words showing distance. Thus
Now becomes then.
This becomes that.
These become those.
Here becomes there.
Ago becomes before.
Tomorrow becomes the next day.
Today becomes that day.
Yesterday becomes the day before or the previous day.

ASSERTIVE SENTENCES:

1. The reporting verb said becomes told and the preposition to is omitted when the
second person (the person to whom it is said) is mentioned.
Example: Harish said to me, “He is happy”.
Harish told me that he was happy.
2. The conjunction that is used between reporting verb and the reported speech.

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES-(Questions)
1. The reporting verb is changed to ask, inquire, demand or some other word having a
similar meaning.
2. Whether or if is used after such a reporting verb when the direct question has yes or no
for an answer.
3. The Interrogative form is changed into the Declarative form.
4. The same word is used to introduce the Reported Speech if the Question begins with an
Interrogative Pronoun or Adverb, such as what, who, which, whom and when, where,
how, and why.
Example: He said to me, “How old are you?” - Direct Speech.
He asked me how old I was. – Indirect Speech.
Peter said to me, “Do you play cricket?” - Direct Speech.
Peter asked me whether I played cricket. – Indirect Speech.

COMMANDS AND REQUESTS:

1. The reported verb is changed to request, order, command, beseech, advise or some
other word suiting the sense.
2. The verb in the reported speech is put in the infinitive.
Example: “Leave this place”, said the teacher to the boys.- Direct Speech.
The teacher ordered the boys to leave that place.-Indirect Speech.
The teacher said, “Work hard, Raman.” – Direct Speech.
The teacher advised Raman to work hard. – Indirect Speech.
EXCLAMATIONS AND WISHES:

1. The reporting verb is changed into a wish, Exclaim, pray, cry, bless, or some other
similar verb.
2. The words showing exclamation such as alas, hurrah, etc. are omitted.
3. The sign of exclamation is omitted.
Example: He said, “May you live long!” – Direct Speech.
He wished that he might live long.- Indirect Speech.
They said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.”- Direct Speech
They exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.- Indirect speech.

SUGGESTIONS AND PROPOSALS:

1. The reporting verb is changed into suggest or propose.

2. The conjunction that is used between reporting verb and reported speech.
3. The modal should is used with the verb.
Example: Radha said to Meena, “Let us go for a walk.” – Direct Speech.
Radha suggested to Meena that they should go for a walk. – Indirect Speech.
Read the conversations between the persons indicated in each. Then complete the blanks
given in the reported speech in each by choosing from the options given:
Task 1
Sita : Hello. Can I speak to Rani?
Meera: I’m afraid, mother’s not at home. May I know who is speaking?
Sita : I am Sita. Please tell your mother that I will pick her up at 7 pm on Wednesday
for the reception.
Meera: O.K. aunty, I will tell her.

1. Sita said hello and asked _________ to Rani.

(a) if I can speak (b) if I could speak
(c) if she could speak (d) if I may speak

2. Hearing this Meera replied that she was afraid, (as her) mother was not at home. She
asked____________ speaking.
(a) if I know who is (b) if I know who was
(c) if she might know who was (d) if she might know who is

3. Sita introduced herself and told her to tell her mother that _____________ on Wednesday
for the reception.
(a) she should pick her up at 7 pm (b) I will pick her up at 7 pm
(c) I will pick your mother at 7 pm (d) she would pick her up at 7 pm

4. Meera replied respectfully that it was ok and she ____________ .

(a) would tell her (b) will tell her
(c) will tell (d) will tell her respectfully

Task 2

Attendant: A person wants to see you, Sir.

Principal: Did you ask him his name?
Attendant: Sorry I didn’t I shall go and ask him.

1. The attendant told the Principal respectfully that a person______________ .

(a) wants to see him (b) wants to see you
(c) wanted to see him (d) wanted to see you

2. The Principal asked him _____________ his name.

 (a) if you asked him (b) if he asked him
(c) if you asked him (d) if he had asked him

3. The attendant regretted and told him that ______________

(a) he did not (b) he did not do that
(c) he hadn’t done that (d) he didn’t ask him

4. He further told the Principal that he _____________ .

(a) would go and ask him (b) will go and asked him
(c) will ask him (d) would go and ask him
Task 3
ARE YOU WILLING TO GO FOR
TRAINING IF IT IS REQUIRED?
WHEN DID YOU
PASS YOU M.SC WHAT WERE YOUR SUBJECTS
? IN B.SC.?

Mrs. Geeta :
Mr. Mukesh:

WHAT DO YOUR
PARENTS DO?

Mr. Shah :

1. Mrs. Geeta asked Mohan _____________ M.SC.

(a) when did you pass your (b) when you had passed
 (c) when he had passed his (d) when did you pass your

2. She further asked him___________ in B.SC.

(a) what were your subjects (b) what were his subjects
(c) what had been your subjects (d) what his subjects had been

3. Mr. Mukesh, the other member, asked him____________ training if it was required.
(a) are you willing to go for a (b) if he is writing to go for a
(c) if you are willing to go for a (d) if he was willing to go for a

4. Finally, Mr. Shah asked him ______________ .

(a) what do your parents do (b) what did his parents do
(c) what his parents did (d) what your parents do

Task 4

Read the conversation between a patient (Sudhir) and a doctor. Then complete the following
in Reported Speech

Doctor: What is your problem, boy?

Sudhir: Doctor, I am suffering from a loss of appetite.

Doctor: What are you fond of?

Sudhir: Chocolates and fast food, Doctor.

Doctor: Avoid all these things, otherwise you will have to suffer more.

Sudhir: Yes, Doctor. I’ll do the same.

1. The doctor asked Sudhir……………………………………………………………..

2. Sudhir informed the doctor that

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

3. The doctor asked Sudhir what ……………………………………………………..

4. Sudhir informed the doctor that ………………………………………………….

5. The doctor advised Sudhir to avoid all these

things…………………………………………………………………………………….

6. Sudhir took the doctor’s advice well and promised that

……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Task 5

Read the conversation between a bookseller and a customer. Then complete the following
sentences in Reported Speech

Bookseller: What can I do for you, sir?

Customer: I want to buy a book on Personality Development.

Bookseller: Would you please tell me the author?

Customer: By any good author.

Bookseller: Sir, this is the bestseller.

Customer: Thanks for this help.

1. The bookseller asked the customer

politely…………………………………………………………………………………

2. The customer informed the bookseller that

……………………………………………………………………………………………

3. The bookseller asked the customer

politely…………………………………………………………………………………

4. The customer informed the shopkeeper that he

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. The bookseller offered a book and said that

……………………………………………………………………………………………
6. The customer …………………………………………………………………………