Reported speech

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

He says, “My father works in the Navy.”

• He says that her father works in the Navy.

• He says that his father works in the Navy.

• He says that his father worked in the Navy.

• He says that my father works in the Navy.

Answer explanation

The reporting verb is in simple present. Hence, the verb of the sentence in quotes does not get changed. But the demonstrative adjective ‘my’ changes into ‘his’ as the pronoun ‘he’ shows that the speaker is male.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

Rahul said, “I will come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.”

• Rahul said that he will come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.

• Rahul said that he would come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.

• Rahul said that he would come the next day afternoon to take his book.

• Rahul said that he would come the next day afternoon to take my book.

Answer explanation

The future tense ‘will’ changes into would when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Whereas the timing word ‘tomorrow’ changes into ‘next day’ and the demonstrative adjective ‘my’ into ‘his’. The sentence satisfies all the rules.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

She shouted, “Leave me alone.”

• She shouted to them to leave her alone.

• She shouted to them to leave me alone.

• She shouted to them of leaving alone.

• She shouted to them for leaving her alone.

Answer explanation

The sentence in quotes is a command i.e. imperative sentence. In other words, the sentence that starts with a verb changes into infinity in indirect speech. The objective pronoun ‘me’ changes into ‘her’ as the speaker is female.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

Michael said, “I called Williams for tonight dinner.”

• Michael said that he had called Williams for tonight dinner.

• Michael said that he had called Williams for dinner that night.

• Michael said that he have called Williams for tonight dinner.

• Michael said that he called Willaims for that day night dinner.

Answer explanation

The sentence in quotes is in simple past. The reporting verb is also in simple past. So the sentence in quotes changes into past perfect tense. The timing word 'tonight' changes into that day night.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

Manish said, “O my God! I am ruined.”

• Manish called the God, he was ruined.

• Manish said that he was ruined.

• Manish exclaimed sadly that he is ruined.

• Manish exclaimed sadly that he was ruined.

Answer explanation

The exclamatory sentence in quotes changes the reporting word in indirect speech according to the expression or feeling of the sentence. In this sentence, the expression is an exclamation. Thus the reporting verb 'exclaimed' replaces the exclamation in indirect speech. As the reporting verb is in simple past tense, the sentence following exclamation, changes accordingly.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

“Where do you live?” asked the teacher.

• The teacher asked me where do you live.

• The teacher asked me where I live.

• The teacher enquired where I lived.

• The teacher enquired where do I live.

Answer explanation

The interrogative sentence helps you enquire. So, the reporting verb changes accordingly. As the reporting verb is in past tense, the sentence converts into the same, as it is in simple present. The pronoun in the sentence is in second person. It changes into first person as the listener is assumed as first person.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

He said to Prapti, “Will you come with me?”

• He asked Prapti whether she will come with him.

• He liked Prapti to come with him.

• He aked Prapti to come with him.

• He asked Prapti whether she would come with him.

Answer explanation

The sentence in quotes is a question about acceptance. The word 'whether' or 'if' has to be used in indirect speech in such a case. Being the reporting verb in past tense, 'will' becomes 'would'. The reporting verb also gets changed as the sentence was a question.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

“How clever I am!” Ayush said.

• Ayush said that how clever he was.

• Ayush exclaimed how clever he was.

• Ayush exclaimed that he was clever.

• Ayush exclaimed that how clever he was.

Answer explanation

The exclamatory sentence has to be converted into declarative sentence in indirect speech. Hence the reporting verb changes according to the expression. While converting into declarative, the words that show the exclamation get omitted.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

Johnny said, “I played this game last week.”

• Johnny said that he had played that game the previous week.

• Johnny said that he played that game last week.

• Johnny said that he had played the game the previous week.

• Johnny said that he played that game the previous week.

Answer explanation

The sentence in quotes is in simple past. The reporting verb is also in simple past. So the sentence in quotes changes into past perfect tense. The timing word 'last' changes into the previous in indirect sentence. The demonstrative adjective 'this' changes into 'that'.

Directions: Convert the following into indirect speech.

My friend says to me, “You have to work hard to achieve the top rank.”

• My friend says that I had to work had to achieve the top rank.

• My friend says that I have to work hard to achieve the top rank.

• My friend says that I have to work hard to achieve that top rank.

• My friend says that he has to work hard to achieve the top rank.

Answer explanation

The sentence in quotes as well as the reporting verb is in simple present. So, no changes take place in tense form. The listener is specified as first person. Thus, the pronoun in the sentence changes accordingly.