Date: 14/12/2020 CLASS 7 (2020-2021) TERM II

ENGLISH Worksheet no. 14

Grammar
(Direct and Indirect Speech)

Conversion of Assertive sentences

• The reporting verb said should be changed to told if it is followed by an object; if there is no object,
it should be left unchanged.
• Use the conjunction that
e.g.,
“I will work hard to get the first position in the class,” said Rita. (Direct)
Rita said that she would work hard to get the first position in the class. (Indirect)

Conversion of Interrogative sentences

• The reporting verb is changed to asked
• Remove the question mark.
• No conjunction is used if the sentence begins with a question word like who, whose, whom, which,
what, when, where, why, how, how much, how many etc.
• If or whether is used as a conjunction if the sentence begins with a helping verb.
e.g.,
The teacher said to Angela, “How did you guess the correct answer?” (Direct)
The teacher asked Angela how she had guessed the correct answer. (Indirect)

He said, “Are you not being hasty in your decision?” (Direct)

He asked me if I was not being hasty in my decision. (Indirect)

Conversion of Imperative sentences

• The reporting verb is changed to order, request or advise
• Use to if it is an affirmative sentence
• Use not to if it begins with don’t/do not
e.g.,
“Don’t talk in the class,” said the teacher to the boys. (Direct)
The teacher commanded the boys not to talk in the class. (Indirect)

I said to my friend, “Please help me arrange these books on the shelf.” (Direct)
I requested my friend to help me arrange those books on the shelf. (Indirect)

Conversion of exclamatory sentences

• Change the reporting word to exclaimed with joy/sorrow/fear/anger
• The exclamatory sentence is changed to assertive sentence
• The conjunction that is used to introduce the reported speech.
• Interjections and exclamations (oh, ah, Hurrah, alas) are removed.
e.g.,
“What a horrible sight!” we all exclaimed. (Direct)
We all exclaimed that it was a horrible sight. (Indirect)