PAUL MASIH
8 Jan 2025
Mastering the Art of Direct and Indirect Speech
Transforming Speech: A Comprehensive Guide to Direct and Indirect Narration
Narration change, also known as direct and indirect speech, involves converting a speaker’s exact words (Direct Speech) into reported form (Indirect Speech). This lesson will cover the rules for changing different types of sentences: Assertive, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory, and Optative sentences.
1. Assertive Sentences
Assertive sentences are simple statements that express facts, opinions, or feelings.
Rules:
Remove quotation marks.
Use the conjunction that to join the reporting verb and the reported speech.
Change the pronouns, verbs, and time expressions as needed.
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech must also change to the past tense.
Examples:
Direct: She said, “I am happy.” Indirect: She said that she was happy.
Direct: He said, “I will help you tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would help me the next day.
Exercise:
Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
They said, “We love our school.”
She said, “I have finished my homework.”
He said, “The train arrives at 5 PM.”
The teacher said, “Knowledge is power.”
2. Interrogative Sentences
Interrogative sentences ask questions. They can be of two types: Yes/No questions and Wh-questions.
Rules:
Remove quotation marks and question marks.
For Yes/No questions, use the conjunction if or whether.
For Wh-questions, retain the Wh-word.
Change the pronouns, verbs, and time expressions as needed.
Ensure the reported speech follows the statement format (not question format).
Examples:
Direct: He asked, “Are you coming?” Indirect: He asked if I was coming.
Direct: She asked, “Where do you live?” Indirect: She asked where I lived.
Exercise:
Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
They asked, “Do you play football?”
She asked, “Why are you late?”
He asked, “Did you complete the project?”
The boy asked, “Who is your favorite teacher?”
3. Imperative Sentences
Imperative sentences give commands, requests, or advice.
Rules:
Remove quotation marks.
Use to before the verb in the reported speech.
Use reporting verbs like ordered, requested, advised, or urged based on the context.
If the sentence is negative, use not to before the verb.
Examples:
Direct: The teacher said, “Complete your homework.” Indirect: The teacher told us to complete our homework.
Direct: She said, “Please help me.” Indirect: She requested me to help her.
Direct: He said, “Don’t touch the painting.” Indirect: He warned us not to touch the painting.
Exercise:
Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
She said, “Turn off the lights.”
He said, “Please lend me your book.”
The doctor said, “Take your medicine on time.”
The guide said, “Do not feed the animals.”
4. Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions like joy, sorrow, or surprise.
Rules:
Remove quotation marks and exclamation marks.
Use words like exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow, or exclaimed with surprise to describe the emotion.
Change the sentence into a statement format.
Use the conjunction that if needed.
Examples:
Direct: She said, “What a beautiful painting it is!” Indirect: She exclaimed with joy that it was a beautiful painting.
Direct: He said, “Alas! I have lost my wallet.” Indirect: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his wallet.
Exercise:
Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
She said, “How wonderful the performance was!”
He said, “Oh no! I missed the bus.”
They said, “What an amazing day it is!”
The boy said, “Hurrah! We won the match.”
5. Optative Sentences
Optative sentences express wishes, prayers, or blessings.
Rules:
Remove quotation marks.
Use reporting verbs like wished, prayed, or blessed.
Use the conjunction that to connect the sentences.
Change the pronouns and verb forms as needed.
Examples:
Direct: He said, “May you live long!” Indirect: He wished that I might live long.
Direct: She said, “May God bless you!” Indirect: She prayed that God might bless me.
Exercise:
Convert the following sentences into indirect speech:
They said, “May you have a bright future!”
She said, “May all your dreams come true!”
He said, “May you succeed in your exams!”
The elder said, “God bless you, my child.”
Change of Verb in Reported Speech
When changing from direct to indirect speech, the verb in the reported speech often changes to match the tense of the reporting verb.
Rules for Verb Changes:
If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged.
Example: She says, “I am busy.” → She says that she is busy.
If the reporting verb is in the past tense, the verb in the reported speech usually shifts to a past tense.
Present simple → Past simple
Direct: He said, “I play cricket.” Indirect: He said that he played cricket.
Present continuous → Past continuous
Direct: She said, “I am reading a book.” Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.
Present perfect → Past perfect
Direct: They said, “We have finished the work.” Indirect: They said that they had finished the work.
Past simple → Past perfect
Direct: He said, “I ate lunch.” Indirect: He said that he had eaten lunch.
Past continuous → Past perfect continuous
Direct: She said, “I was writing a letter.” Indirect: She said that she had been writing a letter.
Modals also change:
Will → Would
Can → Could
Shall → Should
May → Might
Examples:
Direct: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.” Indirect: He said that he would call me the next day.
Direct: She said, “I can solve this problem.” Indirect: She said that she could solve the problem.
Exceptions:
Universal truths and habitual actions do not change tense.
Direct: The teacher said, “The earth revolves around the sun.” Indirect: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
If the reporting verb is in the present or future tense, the verb in the reported speech does not change.
Direct: She says, “I am tired.” Indirect: She says that she is tired.
Exercise:
Change the verbs appropriately while converting these sentences into indirect speech:
He said, “I am watching a movie.”
She said, “We have completed the project.”
They said, “We were playing football.”
The boy said, “I will help you with your homework.”
Exercise: Narration with Reporting Verb in Present Tense
In these sentences, the reporting verb is in the present tense. Convert the sentences into indirect speech:
She says, “I am going to the market.”
He says, “We have won the match.”
They say, “We will visit you next week.”
The teacher says, “The sun rises in the east.”
John says, “I can solve this puzzle.”
The doctor says, “You need to take this medicine regularly.”
She says, “I have been waiting for you for an hour.”
He says, “We are preparing for the competition.”
The coach says, “Practice makes a man perfect.”
They say, “We are planning a trip to the mountains.”
Instructions: Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.
1. "Do you like pizza?" he asked.
2. "Are you going to the party?" she inquired.
3. "Have you seen my keys?" he wondered.
4. "Did you finish your homework?" she asked.
5. "Will you help me with this project?" he requested.
6. "Can you swim?" she asked.
7. "Would you like some coffee?" he offered.
8. "Should I call her?" she asked.
9. "Must I finish this today?" he questioned.
10. "May I borrow your pen?" she asked.
11. "Is it raining outside?" he asked.
12. "Are they coming to the meeting?" she asked.
13. "Has he arrived yet?" he asked.
14. "Did she pass the test?" she asked.
15. "Will they be joining us for dinner?" he asked.
16. "Can she speak French?" she asked.
17. "Would he like some dessert?" he asked.
18. "Should we leave now?" she asked.
19. "Must they attend the conference?" he asked.
20. "May I use your phone?" she asked.
Answers:
1. He asked if I liked pizza.
2. She inquired if you were going to the party.
3. He wondered if I had seen his keys.
4. She asked if you had finished your homework.
5. He requested if you would help him with that project.
6. She asked if I could swim.
7. He offered if I would like some coffee.
8. She asked if she should call her.
9. He questioned if he must finish that today.
10. She asked if she could borrow my pen.
11. He asked if it was raining outside.
12. She asked if they were coming to the meeting.
13. He asked if he had arrived yet.
14. She asked if she had passed the test.
15. He asked if they would be joining us for dinner.
16. She asked if she could speak French.
17. He asked if he would like some dessert.
18. She asked if we should leave now.
19. He asked if they must attend the conference.
20. She asked if she could use my phone.
Instructions: Change the following statements from direct speech to indirect speech, using the appropriate reporting verbs and tense changes.
1. "I am going to the party," he said.
2. "She has already finished her work," he informed.
3. "We will visit our grandparents next week," she mentioned.
4. "They have bought a new car," he stated.
5. "He is studying computer science," she mentioned.
6. "I have lived in this city for five years," he explained.
7. "She will meet us at the restaurant," he assured.
8. "They have decided to move to a new house," she revealed.
9. "He works as a teacher," he said.
10. "I had dinner with my friends yesterday," she told.
11. "She is writing a book," he mentioned.
12. "They are planning a trip to Europe," she informed.
13. "He has completed his project," he stated.
14. "She will arrive at the airport tomorrow," he assured.
15. "We have booked tickets for the concert," she revealed.
16. "He sings beautifully," he mentioned.
17. "They are renovating their house," she informed.
18. "He has won several awards," he stated.
19. "She will start her new job next month," he mentioned.
20. "We have organized a surprise party for her," she revealed.
Answers:
1. He said that he was going to the party.
2. He informed that she had already finished her work.
3. She mentioned that they would visit their grandparents next week.
4. He stated that they had bought a new car.
5. She mentioned that he was studying computer science.
6. He explained that he had lived in that city for five years.
7. He assured that she would meet us at the restaurant.
8. She revealed that they had decided to move to a new house.
9. He said that he worked as a teacher.
10. She told that she had dinner with her friends the day before.
11. He mentioned that she was writing a book.
12. She informed that they were planning a trip to Europe.
13. He stated that he had completed his project.
14. He assured that she would arrive at the airport the next day.
15. She revealed that they had booked tickets for the concert.
16. He mentioned that he sang beautifully.
17. She informed that they were renovating their house.
18. He stated that he had won several awards.
19. He mentioned that she would start her new job the following month.
20. She revealed that they had organized a surprise party for her.
Changing from direct speech to indirect speech requires adjusting the reporting verbs, verb tenses, pronouns, and other elements to accurately convey the original statement. Practice more examples to strengthen your skills in narration change!
Here are thirty exercises for changing direct questions to indirect questions:
Yes/No Questions:
1. "Did you finish your homework?" she asked.
2. "Have you visited Paris before?" he wondered.
3. "Will they attend the meeting tomorrow?" she inquired.
4. "Can you swim?" he wanted to know.
5. "Is she coming to the party?" he asked.
6. "Do you know the answer?" she asked him.
7. "Have you ever been to Japan?" he asked.
8. "Did they enjoy the movie?" she asked.
9. "Will you help me with this project?" he wondered.
10. "Can I borrow your pen?" she asked.
Wh-Questions:
11. "Where did you find that book?" he asked.
12. "Why is she upset?" he inquired.
13. "What are you doing here?" she asked him.
14. "How did they solve the problem?" he wondered.
15. "When will the next train arrive?" she asked.
16. "Who broke the vase?" he wanted to know.
17. "Which team won the championship?" she asked.
18. "Whose car is parked in front of the house?" he inquired.
19. "Whom did you meet at the party?" she asked.
20. "What time does the concert start?" he wondered.
Mixed Questions:
21. "Did you enjoy the concert, and who was the opening act?" she asked.
22. "Can you tell me where the nearest grocery store is and what time it closes?" he inquired.
23. "Have you decided what gift to buy, or are you still thinking?" she asked.
24. "Is it true that you won the lottery, and if so, how do you feel?" he wanted to know.
25. "Do you know why the internet is slow today, or should I call technical support?" she
wondered.
26. "Could you explain how the new machine works and when we will receive the user manual?"
he asked.
27. "Did you find out who stole the cookies, and where were they hidden?" she asked.
28. "Have you figured out when the conference is, and who the keynote speaker will be?" he
inquired.
29. "Is it possible to know why the meeting was canceled and when it will be rescheduled?" she
asked.
30. "Can you tell me if there's a shortcut to the airport, and what time the flight departs?" he
wondered.
Answers
She asked if I had finished my homework.
He wondered if I had visited Paris before.
She inquired whether they would attend the meeting tomorrow.
He wanted to know if I could swim.
He asked if she was coming to the party.
She asked him whether he knew the answer.
He asked if I had ever been to Japan.
She asked whether they had enjoyed the movie.
He wondered if I would help him with the project.
She asked if she could borrow my pen.
He asked where I had found that book.
He inquired why she was upset.
She asked him what he was doing there.
He wondered how they had solved the problem.
She asked when the next train would arrive.
He wanted to know who had broken the vase.
She asked which team had won the championship.
He inquired whose car was parked in front of the house.
She asked whom I had met at the party.
He wondered what time the concert started.
She asked whether I had enjoyed the concert and who the opening act had been.
He inquired if I could tell him where the nearest grocery store was and what time it closed.
She asked whether I had decided what gift to buy or if I was still thinking.
He wanted to know if it was true that I had won the lottery and, if so, how I felt.
She wondered if I knew why the internet was slow today or if she should call technical support.
He asked if I could explain how the new machine worked and when we would receive the user manual.
She asked if I had found out who had stolen the cookies and where they had been hidden.
He inquired if I had figured out when the conference was and who the keynote speaker would be.
She asked if it was possible to know why the meeting had been canceled and when it would be rescheduled.
He wondered if I could tell him whether there was a shortcut to the airport and what time the flight departed.