×

Reported Speech

Class 11 Compulsory English Class 12 Compulsory English English Grammar , , , , , ,

Reported Speech

Speech (Direct and Indirect Speech)

Speech (Direct and Indirect Speech)

 #Some Basics to follow: (changing direct into indirect)

  • Remove comma, and inverted comma,
  • Change reporting verb according to the sentence.
  • Use conjunctions if necessary ; (that) is not compulsory
  • Change first and second person pronouns
  • Change verbs
  • Change adverbials

# Reporting Verbs:

Type of sentence

Reporting Verbs

Affirmative/ Negative

say, tell

Questions/ Interrogatives

ask, question

Imperatives

request, order, command, threaten, warn, allow, permit,

Optative

wish, pray, curse, thank, welcome, bid,

Exclamatory

exclaimed with joy/ surprise/ sorrow

 

# Types of Pronouns:

Subjective

Objective

Possessive

Reflexive

I

Me

My/Mine

Myself

We

Us

Our/ Ours

Ourselves

You

You

Your/ Yours

Yourself

You

You

Your/ Yours

Yourselves

He

Him

His/ His

Himself

She

Her

Her/ Hers

Herself

It

It

Its

Itself

They

Them

Their/ Theirs

theirselves

 

 

# Person Pronouns:

Person pronouns

Change according to

I, we

subject

You

object

 

# Changing Verb:

–        V1/5 — V2 — Had +V3

–        is/am/ are — was/ were — had been

–        has/have + V3 — had + V3

–        must — had to

–         

–         

 

#NOTE: We don’t change the last structures of this table.

 

# Changing Verb:

Can    —  Could

May    —  Might

Will    —  Would

Shall   —  Should

 

#NOTE: We don’t change the other verbs that are followed after these verbs.

# Changing Adverbials:

This/These           —   that/ those

Now                      —   then

Today/ Tonight   —   that day/ that night

Yesterday             —  the previous day

Tomorrow            —  the following day

Last                       —  the previous

Next                      —  the following

Here                      —  there

 

 

A. Study the following expressions:

Interviewer: Julia, can you share your experiences of living on the branches of a tree for two years?

Julia: It was wonderful! I can’t express that in words.

Somebody reported the above expressions in the following way.

The interviewer asked Julia to share her experiences of living on the branches of a tree for two years.

Julia replied that it had been wonderful. She could not express that in words.

B. Someone says something to you which contradicts to what they told you earlier. Match the beginnings of the conversations with the correct endings.

a.      I’m going to Pokhara on holiday.

b.     He’s a lawyer.

c.      She’s had a baby girl.

d.     I haven’t seen Binesh for ages.

e.      I love these new boots.

f.       I only cheated in one exam.

g.      She doesn’t speak Hindi or Chinese.

h.     He works in Kathmandu.

i.       You said she’d had a boy.

  i.     You admitted you cheated in all your exams.

ii.     You told me he was a teacher.

iii.     You told me she was fluent in both.

iv.     You said you hated them.

v.     You said you were going on business.

vi.     You told me his office was in Biratnagar.

vii.     You told me you’d seen him previous week.

C. Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

    1. The principal said, “You can phone from my office, Rita.”
    2. “You must not neglect your duty,” said the teacher to the student.
    3. The student said, “Sir, please, grant me a leave for two days.”
    4. I said to her, “Go to school or you will be fined.”
    5. The headmaster said, “Don’t make any noise, boys.”
    6. “Work hard if you want to rise in life,” said the old man.
    7. He said, “Goodbye, my friends!”
    8. She said to me, “Have a pleasant journey ahead.”
    9. “Don’t give me the book, please,” Sharmila said.
    10. “Where have you been these days?” she spoke on the telephone.
    11. The teacher said, “Have you submitted your assignments, students?”
    12. She said, “I believe you can do this.”
    13. He said, “We are not attending the meeting tomorrow.
    14. The manager said, “Our team has completed the project.”
    15. My friend said, “I don’t understand this chapter at all.”
    16. They said, “We will support you in every situation.”
    17. The doctor said, “You must not skip your medicine.”
    18. The farmer said, “The crops are growing very slowly this year.”
    19. The girl said, “I never lie to my parents.”
    20. The driver said, “The roads are not safe at night.”
    21. The neighbors said, “We heard a strange sound last night.”
    22. She asked, “Are you coming to the seminar?”
    23. The teacher said to us, “Have you finished your assignments?”
    24. He asked, “Do you really think I’m wrong?”
    25. She said, “Why didn’t you call me yesterday?”
    26. The officer asked, “Where were you at 10 p.m.?”
    27. The tourist asked, “How far is the temple from here?”
    28. He asked her, “Will you help me with this report?”
    29. The child asked, “Who broke this glass?”
    30. The captain said, “Start the engine immediately.”
    31. The woman said to the waiter, “Bring me a glass of water, please.”
    32. The mother said to her child, “Don’t play on the road.”
    33. The doctor said, “Take two tablets every day.”
    34. The policeman said, “Follow the traffic rules.”
    35. He said to his brother, “Please lend me some money.”
    36. The instructor said, “Do not press this button.”
    37. The coach said, “Practice harder if you want to win.”
    38. She said, “May you achieve success in life.”
    39. He said, “May God bless you with happiness.”
    40. They said, “Wish you a happy married life!”
    41. The old man said, “May you never face sorrow.”
    42. She said, “What a beautiful view this is!”
    43. He said, “How fast the train is moving!”
    44. The boy said, “What a terrible mistake I’ve made!”
    45. They said, “How wonderful your performance was!”
    46. The old man said, “Alas! My best friend is no more.”

D. Change the following sentences into direct speech.

  1. She said that she was feeling very tired.
  2. He said that he did not trust the new policy.
  3. They said that they had completed their homework.
  4. The teacher said that honesty was the best policy.
  5. My friend said that he had never visited Pokhara.
  6. She asked me where I had kept her notebook.
  7. He asked whether I could help him.
  8. The officer asked why we were late.
  9. The girl asked if I had seen her phone anywhere.
  10. The teacher asked who had written the answer on the board.
  11. The doctor advised him to drink more water.
  12. She requested me to open the window.
  13. He told the boys not to fight in the classroom.
  14. The captain ordered the players to line up immediately.
  15. The mother warned her son not to touch the hot pan.
  16. She wished that I might have a safe journey.
  17. The priest prayed that God would protect the family.
  18. He wished that I might succeed in life.
  19. They congratulated her and wished that she might live happily.
  20. The man cursed that the thieves might suffer for their deeds.

#Practice

These are the exact words Dinesh said to you yesterday.

“I’ve just got engaged! We’re getting married next month. We’re going to Pokhara for our honeymoon. It’s all going to be very expensive. Luckily, my friend is a photographer so he’ll take the photos for us. We’ll be having the reception in my parents’ back garden. My mum is baking the cake for us and my sister’s band is playing free for us. I hope you’ll come to the wedding.”

Now, you’re telling your friend what Dinesh told you. Complete the text.

He said he (1)………………………..…just got engaged. He told me that he (2) …………………..…… next month. He told me (3) ……………………… to Pokhara for their honeymoon. He mentioned that it (4) …………… ……….…… very expensive. He said that his friend (5) …………… ……………….……… and he (6) …………………………..……… the photos for them. He mentioned that they (7) ……………………………….… the reception in his parents’ garden. He admitted that (8) ………………… …….…… . He said his sister’s band (9) ………………………….…… . He said he (10) …………………………………… I’d come to the wedding.

 

Tag

Related Posts

Post Comment

You May Have Missed