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Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet for Class 5 with Answers

We’re talking about Direct and Indirect Worksheet for Class 5. These worksheets help us learn how to talk to others in different ways. They’re super useful for improving grammar skills. Whether you’re a student or a teacher, these worksheets can make learning easier. Thank you!

Answers are given below with each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

Exercise 1  – Simple Present Tense

Jump ahead to:

Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech

  • Mother said, ”The dinner is ready.”
  • Tom said to me, ”I want to become an engineer.”
  • She said, ”I love this song.”
  • She said, “I enjoy reading books.”
  • He said, “I always eat breakfast at 8 AM.”
  • They said, “We visit our grandparents every weekend.”
  • Mary said, “I like to watch movies on Fridays.”
  • Alex said, “I play the guitar in a band.”
  • He said to me, ”I live in the city center.”
  • She said, ”I don’t want to go.”
  • Mother said that the dinner was ready.
  • Tom told me that he wanted to become an engineer.
  • She said that she loved that song.
  • She said that she enjoyed reading books.
  • He said that he always ate breakfast at 8 AM.
  • They said that they visited their grandparents every weekend.
  • Mary said that she liked to watch movies on Fridays.
  • Alex said that he played the guitar in a band.
  • He told me that he lived in the city center.
  • She said that she didn’t want to go.

Exercise 2  – Present Continuous Tense

  • Deepa said, ”Aakash is playing with his cousin.”
  • Jayesh said to his mother, ”I am feeling an engineer.”
  • My mother said, “I am going to take a short nap.”
  • She said, ”I am going home.”
  • Michael said to Tom, ”My father is helping me in study.”
  • Teacher said, ”I am speaking to the Principal.”
  • They said, ”We are shopping in Khan Market.”
  • He said, ”I am making the map of Pakistan.”
  • Ahmed said, ”I am winding the watch.”
  • The fishermen said, ”We are catching fish.”
  • Deepa said that Aakash was playing with his cousin.
  • Jayesh told his mother that he was feeling like an engineer.
  • My mother said that she was going to take a short nap.
  • She said that she was going home.
  • Michael told Tom that my father was helping him in study.
  • Teacher said that she was speaking to the principal.
  • They said that they were shopping in Khan Market.
  • He said that he was making the map of Pakistan.
  • Ahmed said that he was winding the watch.
  • The fisherman said that they were catching fish.

Exercise 3  – Present Perfect Tense

  • He told me, “I have been to London.”
  • They said, ”We have planned to visit the museum.”
  • Nikita said to me, ”I have finished my school project.”
  • She said, ”I have lived in Delhi.”
  • She said, ”You have a great sense of humour.”
  • The poor man said, ”I have no money.”
  • Boss said, ”I have some work.”
  • She said, ”I have seen the Taj Mahal.”
  • He said, ”I have watched the Avengers movie.”
  • Grandma said, ”Dad has made breakfast.”
  • He told me that I had been to London.
  • They said that they had planned to visit the museum.
  • Nikita told me that she had finished her school project.
  • She said that she had lived in Delhi.
  • She said that You had a great sense of humour.
  • The poor man said that he had no money.
  • Boss said that he had some work.
  • She said that she had seen the Taj Mahal.
  • He said that he had watched the Avengers movie.
  • Grandma said that Dad had made breakfast.

Exercise 4  – Simple Past Tense

  • My father said, ”I arrived in the morning.”
  • Azhar said, ”I went to the cinema yesterday.”
  • Robin said to me, ”They went to watch the circus last week.”
  • They said to him, ”We won the game.”
  • The man said, ”I dropped my wallet in the bus.”
  • He said, ”I lost my keys yesterday.”
  • Jill said to Ted , ” I did not sing well yesterday.”
  • He said, ”The bell rang an hour ago.”
  • The teacher said to his students, ”Did you finish your exercise?”
  • She said, ”I did not say that.”
  • My father said that I had arrived in the morning.
  • Azhar said that he had gone to the cinema that day.
  • Robin told me that they had gone to watch the circus the week before.
  • They told him that they had won the game.
  • The man said that he had dropped my wallet in the bus.
  • He said that he had lost his keys that day.
  • Jill told Ted that he had not sung well that day.
  • He said that the bell had rung an hour before.
  • The teacher asked his students if they had finished their exercise.
  • She said that she had not said that.

Exercise 5  – Past Continuous Tense

  • They said, ”I was living in Delhi.”
  • They said, ”We were enjoying the weather.”
  • She said, “I was studying for my exams all night.”
  • John said, “They were cooking dinner when the power went out.”
  • Sarah said, “I was watching a movie when you called.”
  • They shouted, “We were waiting for the bus for over an hour!”
  • The children exclaimed, “We were playing in the park when it started raining.”
  • He mentioned, “I was working on my project until late last night.”
  • She asked, “What were you doing at the time of the accident?”
  • Tom said to Mary, “We were traveling around Europe during the summer.”
  • She said that she had been living in Delhi.
  • They said that they had been enjoying the weather.
  • She said that she had been studying for her exams all night.
  • John said that they had been cooking dinner when the power went out.
  • Sarah said that she had been watching a movie when I called.
  • They complained that they had been waiting for the bus for over an hour.
  • The children said that they had been playing in the park when it started raining.
  • He mentioned that he had been working on his project until late last night.
  • She asked what I had been doing at the time of the accident.
  • Tom told Mary that they had been traveling around Europe during the summer.

Exercise 6  – Simple Future Tense

  • He said, “ I will study the book.”
  • She said, ”I will buy a computer.”
  • He promised, ”I will always love you.”
  • They exclaimed, “We will celebrate the success with a party!”
  • Jane said, “I will call you as soon as I reach home.”
  • He said, ”I will see you later.”
  • He said, ” I shall be in Paris on Monday.”
  • She said, “I will visit my grandparents next weekend.”
  • The teacher announced, “We will have a quiz on Friday.”
  • He promised, “I will finish the project by tomorrow.”
  • He said that he would study the book.
  • She said that she would buy a computer.
  • He promised that he would always love her.
  • They exclaimed that they would celebrate the success with a party.
  • Jane said that he would call you as soon as she reached home.
  • He said that he would see me later.
  • He said that he should be in Paris on Monday.
  • She said that she would visit her grandparents the following weekend.
  • The teacher announced that they would have a quiz on Friday.
  • He promised that he would finish the project by the next day.

Exercise 7 – Rewrite the Sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech

Read the sentences given below and rewrite them from direct to indirect speech

  • Father said, “I am going to the park for a walk.”
  • Praveen says, “I play football every evening.”
  • Rohan said, ”There is a dog inside the house.”
  • She said, ”I don’t know.”
  • They said , ”They have taken exercise.”
  • She said, ”I am waiting for Michael.”
  • He said, ”I was walking along the street.”
  • He said, “I bought a car.”
  • Mary said, ”I will study.”
  • She said, “My mother is not very well.”
  • Father said that he was going to the park for a walk.
  • Praveen said that he played football every evening.
  • Rohan said that there was a dog inside the house.
  •  She said that she didn’t know.
  • They said that they had taken exercise .
  • She said that she was waiting for Michael.
  • He said that he had been walking along the street.
  • He said that he had bought a car.
  • Mary said that he would study.
  • She said that my mother was not very well.

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  • English Grammar
  • Grammar Exercises
  • Direct And Indirect Speech Exercises

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Direct and indirect speech is one topic in English grammar that confuses most language learners. It need not necessarily be so; if you understand how it works, you can easily use it in your writing.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb , pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

Exercise 1: Change into indirect speech

Read the following sentences and convert them into indirect speech.

  • Rahul told to me, “When are you leaving?”
  • “Where do you live?” the stranger asked Aladdin.
  • The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”
  • Dhronacharya said to Arjun, “Shoot the bird’s eye.”
  • “Call the first convict,” said the jury.
  • “Call the ambulance,” said the man.
  • Bruce said to me, “I shall do the work.”
  • My mother said to me, “You were wrong.”
  • Mr Richard said to me, “Please wait here till I return.”
  • The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”
  • Raj said, “Alas! My pet died.”
  • Ruchi said, “I may go there.”
  • Bucky said to Steve, “Do you hear me?”
  • The boy said, “Let me come in.”
  • Granny said to me, “May God bless you.”

Answers –

  • Rahul asked me when I was leaving.
  • The stranger asked Aladdin where he lived.
  • The teacher asked Shelly why he was laughing.
  • Dhronacharya ordered Arjun to shoot the fish’s eye.
  • The jury ordered to call the first convict.
  • The man urged to call the ambulance.
  • Bruce said to me he would do the work.
  • My mother told me that I was wrong.
  • Mr Richard requested me to wait there till he returned.
  • The captain applauded me, saying that I had played well.
  • Raj exclaimed sadly that his pet died.
  • Ruchi said that she might go there.
  • Bucky asked Steve if he heard him.
  • The boy asked to let him come in.
  • Granny prayed that God might bless me.

Convert the following into Direct Speech

Read the following passage and convert it into direct speech.

One of them told Issac that the latter had forgotten one thing that belonged to a mill. Issac enquired what that was. The friend asked where the miller was. Issac replied that (absence of the miller) was true – and he must look for one.

“But Issac,” said one of them, “you have forgotten one thing that belongs to a mill.”

“What is that?” asked Issac.

“Why, where is the miller?” said his friend.

“That is true – I must look for one,” said Issac.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct narration.

When the actual words/sentences as spoken by the speaker are quoted in a speech, it’s called direct speech/narration.

What is indirect speech?

When the quoted speech is reported in the form of a narrative without changing the meaning of the actual quotation/words by the speaker, it’s called indirect speech/narration.

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Class 5 English Grammar Chapter 7 Reported Speech

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

NCERT Solutions for Class 5 English Grammar Chapter 7 Reported Speech (Direct and Indirect Speech) updated for session 2024-25. State boards and CBSE students can take the benefits of these contents clearing their doubts. Lots of illustrations are given for practice the concepts.

Class 5 English Grammar Chapter 7 Reported Speech (Direct and Indirect)

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The following paragraphs illustrate the two ways in which we can report the words of a speaker.

  • 1. Teacher said, “Have you done your homework?” Student said, “Sorry, teacher, I could not complete it.” Teacher said, “Why couldn’t you complete your homework? Now get out of my class!”
  • 2. The teacher asked the student if he had done his homework. The student apologised that he could not do his homework. On knowing this, the teacher angrily asked him the reason for not doing the homework and asked him to get out of the class.

In 1, we give the exact words used by the speaker. This is called the Direct Speech. In 2, we do not give the exact words of the speaker but give only the substance of what he said. This is called the Indirect Speech or Narration.

The following rules will help you in changing Direct Speech into Indirect: Rule 1: If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the Verb in the Reported Speech is not changed at all. Direct: Meena says, “There is no water in the jug.” Indirect: Meena says that there is no water in the jug.

Rule 2: If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the Verb in the Reported Speech is also in the Past Tense. The matter inside the inverted comma will change as under. 1. The Simple Present becomes the Simple Past; as: Direct: Teacher said, “Kitty works very hard.” Indirect: Teacher said that Kitty worked very hard.

Rule 3: (Exception to Rule 2.) If the reported speech contains some universal or habitual fact, then the Simple Present in the Reported Speech is not changed into the corresponding Simple Past, but remains unchanged. Direct: The Mother Teresa said, “Charity begins at home.” Indirect: The Mother Teresa said that Charity begins at home.

Rule 4: Students may carefully note the following in order to understand the change of persons. First Person is changed into the person of the subject. Second Person is changed into the person of the object. For the Third Person, there is no change.

Rule 5: In the Reported Speech ‘said to’ changes to “told”, thus: Direct: He said to me, “I will go there tomorrow.” Indirect: He told me that he would go there the next day.

Rule 6: In the Reported Speech the words expressing nearness are changed into words expressing distance or remoteness, thus: ex.: This- changes into- that

What is reported speech and its type in Chapter 7 Class 5 English Grammar?

Reported speech is the way we can express our thoughts. There are two type of reported speeches: (i). Direct Speech (ii). Indirect speech

What is the main difference between direct and indirect speeches in Class 5 Grammar Chapter 7?

Direct speech: in the direct speech sentences we give the exact words used by the speaker. This is called the Direct Speech. Ex.: Meena says, “There is no water in the jug.” Indirect speech: in the indirect speech sentences we do not give the exact words of the speaker but give only the substance of what he said. This is called the Indirect Speech or Narration. Ex.: Meena says that there is no water in the jug.

What is the indirect form of Present Perfect in 5th Grammar Chapter 7?

The Present Perfect becomes the Past Perfect; when sentence changes from direct speech to indirect speech. Ex.: Direct: Srikant said. “Mini has done his work.” Indirect: Srikant said that Mini had done his work.

In what condition Simple Present in the Reported Speech is not changed into the corresponding Simple Past in Class 5 Grammar?

If the reported speech contains some universal or habitual fact, then the Simple Present in the Reported Speech is not changed into the corresponding Simple Past, but remains unchanged. Ex.: Direct: The Mother Teresa said, “Charity begins at home.” Indirect: The Mother Teresa said that Charity begins at home.

Class 5 Grammar Chapter 7 Reported Speech

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Direct and Indirect Speech Online Exercise for Grade 5

  • Direct Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech Online Exercise for Grade 5

Change the following direct speech sentences into indirect speech sentences. This work out will make you understand the concept of the language more efficiently:

  • Usha Madam said to us, “We will go to picnic tomorrow”.
  • Pappu said, “I am watching the cricket match”.
  • Billu said, “I am munching a softy”.
  • Tannu said to me, “I am very busy now”.
  • The guests said, “Our room is large and airy”.
  • Aditi said, “I can solve this sum”.
  • Piyush said to his teacher, “May I go outside the classroom to meet my father?”
  • Kamal said, “I am writing my notes’’.
  • Sanju Said, “I shall sit by the river bank”.
  • The children came home and said, “We are very hungry”.
  • Chitra said to her son, “I am preparing dosas for you”.
  • The cop uncle said, “The thief has been arrested yesterday”.
  • Mr. Gupta said to the banker, “I will repay the loan within one year”.
  • Martha said to me, “I shall meet you tomorrow for dinner”.
  • Weeping Charu said, “I have lost the precious ring in the hall”.
  • Usha Madam said to us that we would go to picnic the next day.
  • Pappu said that he was watching the cricket match.
  • Billu said that he was munching a softy.
  • Tannu said to me that he was very busy then. [Note: ‘Now’ changes to ‘Then’ in the indirect speech.]
  • The guests said that their room was large and airy.
  • Aditi said that she could solve that sum.
  • Piyush asked to his teacher if he might go outside the classroom to meet his father.
  • Kamal said that he was writing his notes.
  • Sanju Said that he should sit by the river bank.
  • The children came home and said that they were very hungry.
  • Chitra said to her son that she was preparing dosas for him.
  • The cop uncle informed that the thief had been arrested the previous day.
  • Mr. Gupta said to the banker that he would repay the loan within one year.
  • Martha said to me that she should meet me the next day for dinner.
  • Weeping Charu said that she had lost the precious ring in the hall

Direct and Indirect Speech Online Exercise for Class 4

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CBSE Class 5 English Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet PDF

English worksheet for cbse class 5 direct and indirect speech questions with answer download free pdf, direct and indirect speech.

Direction: Change the narration of the following sentences from Direct to Indirect speech.

Q1. Rosa asked Jose, "Have you been studying English very long?"

(a) Rosa asked Jose when do you study English.

(b) Rosa asked Jose if he had studied English.

(c) Rosa asked Jose if he had been studying English very long.

(d) Rosa asked Jose if he was studying English very long.

Q2. Samira asked me, "May I borrow your English dictionary?"

(a) Samira asked me if she may borrow my English dictionary.

(b) Samira asked me if she might borrow my English dictionary

(c) Samira asked me if I could borrow her English dictionary.

(d) Samira asked me if I had borrowed her English dictionary

Q3. Monica Cheng asked Roeun, "Are you going to visit Cambodia?"

(a) Monica Cheng asked Roeun if he is going to visit Cambodia.

(b) Monica Cheng asked Roeun if he had visited Cambodia.

(c) Monica Cheng asked Roeun if he had gone to Cambodia,

(d) Monica Cheng asked Roeun if he was going to visit Cambodia.

Q4. The teacher said to the students, "Stand up on the bench.??

(a) The teacher told the students that stand up on the bench.

(b) The teacher ordered the students that stood up on the bench.

(c) The teacher ordered the students to stand up on the bench.

(d) The teacher advised the students to stood up on the bench.

Q5. The teacher said, 'don't come to school on Monday because it is a holiday?.

(a) The teacher asked to us to don't come to school on Monday because it is a holiday.

(b) The teacher asked if we were coming to school on Monday because it is holiday.

(c) The teacher told to us don't come in school on Monday because it is a holiday.

(d) The teacher told to us don't come in school on Monday because it is a holiday.

Q6. The teacher said, ? Review exercises two and three for the test.?

(a) The teacher told us to review exercises two and three for the test.

(b) The teacher told to us review exercises two and three for the test.

(c) The teacher asked if we were going to review exercises two and three for the test.

(d) The teacher said us to review exercises two and three for their test.

Q7. Anne said, ?Don?t listed to Mr. bascomb because he is not an honest person.?

(a) Anne asked to us not to listed to me. bascomb because he is not an honest person.

(b) Anne said that Mr. bascomb is not an honest person.

(c) Anne said not to listed to Mr. barcomb because he is not an honest person.

(d) Anne told to us to don't listed to Mr. bascomb because he Is not an honest person.

Q8. Mr. bascomb said, 'Don't vote for otitis because he doesn't want to build factories.?

(a) Mr. bascomb Said not to vote for Otis because he doesn't want to build factories.

(b) Mr. bascomb asked to don't vote for Otis because he don't want to build factories.

(c) Mr. Bascomb told to us not to vote for Otis because he is not wanting to build factories.

(d) Mr. Bascomb said to us to don't vote for Otis because he had not wanted to build factories.

Q9. Olena said to Martha "You should visit Russia in the summer.'

(a) Olena asked Martha if she was visiting Russia in the summer.

(b) Olena told Martha that she should visit Russia in the summer.

(c) Olena told Martha if she should visit Russia in the summer

(d) Olena asked Martha where she should Visit in Russia this summer

Q10. Harold said, "Don't bring sodas near the computers!"

(a) Harold told us not to bring sodas near the computers.

(b) Harold asked us if we were bringing sodas near the computers.

(c) Harold told to us that we had brimmed sodas near the computers.

(d) Harold said not to bring sodas near the computers.

Download a free chapter-wise printable PDF of CBSE (NCERT) worksheet for Class 5 Direct and Indirect Speech MCQ Questions with Answers

CBSE Class 5 English Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet PDF

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  • English Grammar Reported Speech for Class 5

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English Grammar Reported Speech For Class 5- Download Free PDF With Solutions

To speak and communicate in English, it is highly important to learn the language. Speaking can be done in many ways, like direct speech, indirect speech, active voice, or passive voice. Class 5 English Chapter 7 is about reported speech, which is a part of direct and indirect speech. To get a clear idea about reported speech, how the subject and verb change, changing tense and tone, etc., are explained in detail in the topic of direct and indirect speech PDF.

The reported speech is a term used in both direct speech and indirect speech. Here direct speech refers to the words given by the speaker as it is without changing any the first person, second person, or third person, the verbs, or anything else. At the same time, indirect speech is conveying the message of the speaker in our own words.

English Grammar for Class 5 Reported Speech Download Free PDF

Today we will study an exciting topic “Reported speech”. Reported speech refers to how we have interpreted the words of the speaker. In simple terms, Reported speech refers to reporting the speech of the speaker i.e. whether conveying directly the words of the speaker or indirectly conveying after altering the words of the speaker. For good understanding and idea clarity, practice questions and solved examples are provided throughout the article. Let's start our journey on this pretty topic.

English Grammar

English Grammar

Parts of Reported Speech in a Sentence

Speech Used Directly and Indirectly. There are two methods we can record a speaker's words:

1. By reiterating the speaker's precise words.

2. By retelling only the pertinent portions of his remarks.

Reported verb 

Reported speech

The Convey of Speech

The Convey of Speech

For Example

1. “Anand is a good boy,” Ram said.

2. Ram praised Anand for being a decent youngster.

We paraphrase or quote the speaker's precise words in the first sentence. Direct speech or narration is what this is. Here, we enclose the speaker's exact words in quotation marks (" ") and add a colon after the word "said." The first word is capitalised and placed within quotation marks.

The second portion of the sentence is separated from the reporting verb by a comma. The reporting verb "said" and the reported speech "Anand is a good boy." are both used in the first sentence.

Reporting Verb

The part of the sentence which is not in the inverted commas is called the reported verb.

When we change direct speech into indirect speech then there are 3 types/ forms of changes that take place.

Change of person

Change of tense and

Change of other parts of speech

Reporting Speech

The part of the sentence which is under inverted commas is called reporting speech.

The second part of the sentence refers to some other person, universal facts, imaginary parts, historical facts, happening events, etc.

For example, Shyam said, “TheTaj Mahal was built by Shahjahan.”

Here the sentence “Taj Mahal was built by Shahjahan” is the reported speech. 

Basically, there are two types of speech.

Direct speech 

Indirect speech

Conversation Between 2 Persons

Conversation Between 2 Persons

Direct Speech

It refers to reporting the exact words spoken by the speaker. There is no change in the verb or the sentence.

For example, Ram said to Riya, “go to school”

Priya asked Ram, “where is her bag”

Ratan enquired Raman,” why was he not picking up her call”.

Rules of Direct Speech

Quotes or inverted commas should be used to begin a speech.

The term said is used to join two sentences together.

At the end of the sentence, utilise the reporting clause.

A full stop should be placed at the end of the sentence.

It is the speech that communicates what someone has said but does not explain what the person has stated. It only provides the core narrative of what is spoken.

Indirect Speech

This refers to reporting the words spoken by the speaker in the third person. There will be a few changes in the verb or the sentence.

For example, 

Direct: He says, “I will be on leave from the 12th.”

Indirect: He says that he will be on leave from the 12th.

Direct: Sheena said, “My parents are doing much better.”

Indirect: Sheena informed her parents are doing much better now. 

Rules of Indirect Speech

The past tense is used when the situation is uncertain.

The present tense of a statement is transformed into the past tense through indirect speaking.

The tense of universal facts remains constant.

The term "that" connects the reported verb and sentence.

Difference Between Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

Word meaning, practice question.

Rewrite the following sentence converting from direct speech to indirect speech.

He said, “I live in the city centre”.

He said, “I am going out”.

He said, “I have finished”.

He said, “I have been studying a lot”.

He said, “I arrived before you”.

He said he lived in the city centre.

He said he was going out.

He said he had finished.

He said he had been studying a lot.

He said he had arrived before me.

Importance of Reported Speech in English Grammar for Class 5

Introducing direct and indirect speech for Class 5 is very beneficial and crucial in developing language skills among the students. Besides speaking ability, students can understand the various changes while reading the lessons; they can easily identify the speaker's tone and how he is conveying the message to others. It also benefits them in developing writing skills like writing essays, autobiographies, etc. 

Practicing direct and indirect speech exercises in Class 5 also helps to understand the tenses and how the verb changes from one speech to another speech.

To get fluency in all language skills, reported speech is very useful. Even though it is quite confusing, once you get a command on the topic, it is easy to solve any question asked from it.

Direct and indirect speech for Class 5 is only at a basic level. Students can understand easily and can convert them as this foundation will be strong, and the advanced levels will become easier in the upcoming classes.

Examples of Reported Speech for Class 5

Let's have a glance at a few examples of both direct speech and indirect speech. 

The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”

Dhronacharya said to Arjun, “Shoot the fish’s eye.”

My mother said to me, “You were wrong.”

Mr. Richard said to me, “Please wait here till I return.”

The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”

“Call the first convict,” said the jury.

“Call the ambulance,” said the man.

Bruce said to me, “I shall do the work.”

Examples for indirect speech:- 

Dhronacharya ordered Arjun to shoot the fish’s eye.

The jury was ordered to call the first convict.

The captain applauded me, saying that I had played well.

The man urged to call the ambulance.

Bruce said to me he would do the work.

My mother told me that I was wrong.

Mr. Richard requested me to wait there till he returned.

Download Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheets With Answers Class 5 PDF

As the topic of reported speech requires practice, downloading a free PDF of Class 5 English Chapter 7 can be of great help for the students. The reported speech for Class 5 will be divided into two topics like direct speech and indirect speech.

Direct and indirect speech for Class 5 PDF contains proper definitions, examples, and conversion rules for direct speech, and indirect speech. These are provided in separate practicing worksheets with the solutions.

Our subject experts prepared the content and exercises in a simple language. Also, providing direct and indirect speech worksheets at various levels helps to access the children and develop themselves slowly level by level.

Students can practice whenever and wherever they want with these free PDF. Also, they can clarify their doubts through live chats with the subject experts. 

Vedantu makes it easier to understand direct and indirect speech in a simplified manner. So that children can enjoy learning and be excited to work on the worksheets.

The only distinction between direct and indirect speech is in transmitting actual words and pirated words, with authentic words expressed in direct speech and pirated words presented in indirect speech. A sentence with inverted commas is considered direct speech, whereas a sentence with a conjunction is considered indirect communication.

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FAQs on English Grammar Reported Speech for Class 5

1. What is direct speech? 

Direct speech is a speech where the message of the speaker will be conveyed directly by keeping quotation marks for the speaker's words without changing anything.

2. What is indirect speech?

Indirect speech is a speech where the message of the speaker will be conveyed by the narrators in words without keeping any quotation marks etc. 

3. What is the major benefit of direct and indirect speech? 

Direct and direct speech is widely used to portray the exact moods and tenses of the characters. It creates a feeling like the situation is happening right now. It completely improves the narrating skills. 

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CBSE Class 5 English Syllabus

  • Ice-cream Man (Poem)
  • Wonderful Waste! (Story)
  • Bamboo Curry (Story)
  • Teamwork (Poem)
  • Flying Together (Story)
  • My Shadow (Poem)
  • Robinson Crusoe Discovers a footprint (Story)
  • Crying (Poem)
  • My Elder Brother (Story)
  • The Lazy Frog (Poem)
  • Rip Van Winkle (Story)
  • Class Discussion (Poem)
  • The Talkative Barber (Story)
  • Topsy-turvy Land(Poem)
  • Gulliver’s Travels (Story)
  • Nobody’s Friend (Poem)
  • The Little Bully (Story)
  • Sing a song of People (Poem)
  • Around the World (Story)
  • Malu Bhalu(Poem)
  • Who will be Ningthou? (Story)

English Grammar for Class 5 CBSE Syllabus

  • Rhyming Words
  • Suffix and Prefix
  • Contractions
  • Vocabulary Building
  • Determiners
  • Degrees of Comparison
  • Conjunctions
  • Prepositions
  • Punctuation Marks
  • The Participle
  • Infinitives
  • Types of Sentences
  • Jumbled Sentences
  • Subject-Verb Agreement
  • Use of Do and Does
  • Idioms and Phrases
  • Alliteration
  • Question and Answers
  • Story Completion
  • Report Writing
  • Writing Skills
  • Essay Writing
  • Letter Writing – Formal and Informal
  • Comprehension
  • Diary Entry
  • Notice Writing
  • Paragraph Writing

*Reading: Practice of Seen and Unseen Passages for comprehension followed by short answer questions

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Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet for CBSE Class 5 English

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5th Class English Direct and Indirect Speech Question Bank

Done direct and indirect speech total questions - 30.

Question Bank

A)  Minu said, "Her house was nearby." done clear

B)  Minu said that my house is nearby. done clear

C)  Minu said that her house was nearby.   done clear

D)  Minu said, "that her house was nearby." done clear

A)  Raju said that "he has many toys." done clear

B)  Raju said that he had many toys.   done clear

C)  Raju said that I have many toys. done clear

D)  Raju said that he has many toys. done clear

A)  Vinni said that she will go to see my grandma tomorrow. done clear

B)  Vinni said, "that she will go to see my grandma tomorrow." done clear

C)  Vinni said that I will go to see my grandma the next day. done clear

D)  Vinni said that she would go to see her grandma the next day.   done clear

A)  Ali said that our English teacher was new. done clear

B)  Ali said that their English teacher was new.   done clear

C)  Ali said, "that our English teacher is new." done clear

D)  Ali said that our English teacher is new. done clear

A)  Hari said that we have a class today. done clear

B)  Hari said, "that they have a class today." done clear

C)  Hari said that they had a class that day.   done clear

D)  Hari said that they have a class this day. done clear

A)  Madhu said that they were learning these grammar rules. done clear

B)  Madhu said that they were learning those grammar rules.   done clear

C)  Madhu said that they are learning those grammar rules. done clear

D)  Madhu said, "that they are learning those grammar rules." done clear

A)  Vani said that she was painting now. done clear

B)  Vani said, "that I am painting the picture now." done clear

C)  Vani said that, "I am painting the picture now." done clear

D)  Vani said that she was painting the picture then.   done clear

A)  Mother said that, "he buys books." done clear

B)  Mother said that he buys books. done clear

C)  Mother said that I bought books. done clear

D)  Mother said that he bought books.   done clear

A)  The boy said that we'll take your book tomorrow. done clear

B)  The boy said that, "they will take their book the next day." done clear

C)  The boy said that they would take her book tomorrow. done clear

D)  The boy said that they would take her book the next day.   done clear

A)  Anu says, "that we lived in the heart of the city. done clear

B)  Anu says that they had lived in the heart of the city. done clear

C)  Anu says that they live in the heart of the city. done clear

D)  Anu said that they lived in the heart of the city.   done clear

A)  He said, "Your house is nearby." done clear

B)  He said to the teacher that "Your house is nearby." done clear

C)  He said, "My house was nearby." done clear

D)  He said, "My house is nearby."   done clear

A)  Raj Kaur said, "We had a singing clock at home." done clear

B)  Raj Kaur said, "They had a singing clock at home." done clear

C)  Raj Kaur said, "We have a singing clock at home."   done clear

D)  Raj Kaur said, "That we have a singing clock at home." done clear

A)  "I am as wise as his brother," said Ravi. done clear

B)  "I am as wise as my brother," said Ravi.   done clear

C)  "He is as wise as his brother," said Ravi. done clear

D)  "He was as wise as your brother," said Ravi. done clear

A)  Ashok said, "They'll go to the film tomorrow." done clear

B)  Ashok said, "We would go to the film tomorrow." done clear

C)  Ashok said, "We will go to the film the next day." done clear

D)  Ashok said, "We will go to the film tomorrow."   done clear

A)  Vinay said, "Our library had many books." done clear

B)  Vinay said, "Our library has many books."   done clear

C)  Vinay said, "My library had many books." done clear

D)  Vinay said, "Their library has many books." done clear

A)  The newsreader said, "The President was visiting my native place today." done clear

B)  The newsreader said, "The President was visiting his native place today." done clear

C)  The newsreader said, "The President is visiting his native place today."   done clear

D)  The newsreader said, "The President is visiting his native place that day." done clear

A)  Ram's mother said, "She'll take him to the zoo the next day." done clear

B)  Ram's mother said, "that she'll take you to the zoo tomorrow." done clear

C)  Ram's mother said, "I would take you to the zoo tomorrow." done clear

D)  Ram's mother told Ram, "I'll take you to the zoo tomorrow."   done clear

A)  Mohit said, "They are going to Mumbai by air." done clear

B)  Mohit said, "We are going to Mumbai by air."   done clear

C)  Mohit said, "We were going to Mumbai by air." done clear

D)  Mohit said, "We went to Mumbai by air." done clear

A)  Payal said, "I live in a village."   done clear

B)  Payal said me, "I lived in a village." done clear

C)  Payal said to me, "She lived in a village." done clear

D)  Payal told to me, "I live in a village." done clear

A)  Ram said, "I'll present a gift to her." done clear

B)  Ram said, "He'll present a gift to her." done clear

C)  Ram said, "I will present a gift to you."   done clear

D)  Ram said, "I would present a gift to her." done clear

A)  Vinay said he and Ramu gone to the beach yesterday. done clear

B)  Vinay said that he and Ramu had gone to the beach the day before.   done clear

C)  Ramu and he went to the beach the day before he said. done clear

D)  Vinay said that he and Ramu goes to the beach the day before. done clear

A)  Akhil said that they would go swimming the next day.   done clear

B)  Akhil said that they would go swimming the day before. done clear

C)  they had gone for swimming said Akhil. done clear

D)  Akhil said that they went swimming the day before. done clear

A)  Divya says her mother worked as a pharmacist. done clear

B)  Divya said that her mother is working as a pharmacist. done clear

C)  Divya said that her mother worked as a pharmacist.   done clear

D)  Divya said that her mother works as a pharmacist. done clear

A)  Amith told that he was having dinner when his father came home. done clear

B)  Amith said that he has been having dinner when his father came home. done clear

C)  Amith said that he had dinner when his father came home. done clear

D)  Amith said that he had been having dinner when his father came home.   done clear

A)  Jim said a snake has almost bitten him in the forest the day before. done clear

B)  Jim said that a snake had almost bitten him in the forest the day before.   done clear

C)  A snake almost bit me in the forest the next day said Jim. done clear

D)  Jim says a snake almost bit him in the forest the day before. done clear

A)  Maryam said that their class would start the following week.   done clear

B)  Maryam said that her class would start the following week. done clear

C)  Maryam said that their class will have started the following week. done clear

D)  Maryam said that their class would start the week before. done clear

A)  Rajesh said that they cannot enter the museum without a pass. done clear

B)  Rajesh said that he could not enter the museum without a pass. done clear

C)  Rajesh said that they could not enter the museum without a pass.   done clear

D)  Rajesh said that they will not enter the museum without a pass. done clear

A)  John asked what Kiran was doing.   done clear

B)  John said what Kiran was doing. done clear

C)  John asked what Kiran had been doing. done clear

D)  John asked what Kiran has been doing. done clear

A)  The teacher said to the boy where he was that afternoon. done clear

B)  The teacher asked the boy as to where he had been that afternoon.   done clear

C)  The teacher asked the boy where he has been that afternoon. done clear

D)  Where have you been asked the teacher to the boy. done clear

A)  Kavya told her son to close the windows as it was raining.   done clear

B)  Kavya said to her son to close the windows as it had been raining. done clear

C)  Kavya told her son to close the windows as it had rained. done clear

D)  Kavya told her son to close the windows as it is raining. done clear

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.

1.    John said, ‘I am very busy now.’ 2.    He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’ 3.    ‘I know her name and address,’ said John. 4.    ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said. 5.    He said, ‘I am writing letters.’ 6.    ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said. 7.    He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’ 8.    He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’ 9.    He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’ 10.    ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger. 11.    He said, ‘Will you listen to me?’ 12.    John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ 13.    She said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ 14.    ‘Call the witness,’ said the judge. 15.    The speaker said, ‘Be quiet and listen to my words.’

1.    John said that he was very busy then. 2.    He said that the horse had been fed. 3.    John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.) 4.    She said that German is/was easy to learn. 5.    He said that he was writing letters. 6.    Alice said that it was too late to go out. 7.    He told me that he didn’t believe me. OR He said he didn’t believe me. 8.    He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9.    He asked me what I was doing. 10.    The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11.    He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.    John ordered Peter to go away. 13.    She asked me to wait there till she returned. 14.    The judge commanded them to call the first witness. 15.    He urged them to be quiet and listen to them.

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

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200+Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers (2024)

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers (2024) help learners understand the transformation between direct statements and reported speech, enhancing their comprehension and expression abilities.

We frequently employ direct and indirect speech in our everyday interactions to accurately convey what was said and summarize information efficiently.

Enhance your understanding of Direct and Indirect Speech with our extensive collection of over 200 exercises and corresponding answers.

Through practice in transforming quotations into reported speech, grasp the principles and methods involved, and refine your differentiation between direct and indirect speech.

Elevate your language proficiency and deepen your comprehension of English with our comprehensive set of over 200 Direct and Indirect Speech exercises and answers.

Understanding Direct Speech

Direct speech is when the exact words spoken by a person are quoted within quotation marks. It provides a direct representation of what was said, maintaining the original wording and tone. Direct speech adds authenticity and immediacy to the narrative.

For example,

  • My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’
  • Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’

Explore Indirect Speech

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, conveys someone else’s words without quoting them directly. Indirect speech offers a concise summary, enabling effective communication and storytelling.

  • My aunt said that every mother loves her child.
  • Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

Before delving into the direct and indirect speech exercises, consider how Tense , Pronouns , Time , and Place change when transitioning from direct to indirect speech and vice versa.

Exercises and Answers for Direct and Indirect Speech (2024)

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and answers, along with examples are given in the following for practice. It’s important for students as well as for competitive Exams. For practice and easy comprehension, Direct and indirect speech Exercises and answers have been arranged according to different rules in the following.

Exercises and Answers with Tense Alterations

Exercises and answers with tense alterations facilitate practice and comprehension of verb tense transformations.

Exercise 1:

Change the mode of narration from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) He said , ‘I need some money.’ Ans: He said that he needed some money.

(2) She said, ‘I am waiting for him.’ Ans: She said that she was waiting for him.

(3) The boy said , ‘I have done my homework.’ Ans: The boy said that he had done his homework.

(4) You said, ‘The baby has been sleeping .” Ans: You said that the baby had been sleeping .

(5) You say, ‘I am always busy.’ Ans: You say that you are always busy.

(6) The child will say , ‘Mum knows everything.’ Ans: The child will say that Mum knows everything.

(7) He said , ‘I did it.’ Ans: He said that he had done it.

(8) She said, ‘He was talking .’ Ans: She said that he had been talking .

(9) The monk said , ‘Man will die .’ Ans: The monk said that man will die.

(10) He said , ‘The sun gives us light.’ Ans: He said that the sun gives us light.

Exercise 2:

Switch the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “I can’t recall your name.” Ans: He told me that he could not recall my name.

(2) Poulami says , “I am fine.” Ans: Poulomi says that she is fine.

(3) He said, “I did it.” Ans: He said that he had done it.

(4) “I know her address,” said Gopi. Ans: Gopi said that he knew her address.

(5) Ram said, “The earth is round.” Ans: Ram said that the Earth is round.

(6) “We planted it ourselves,” said the grandfather. Ans: The Gran Father said that they had planted it themselves.

(7) Debu said, “I have been playing rugby.” Ans: Debu said that he had been playing rugby.

(8) Purbasha said to me,” I am afraid of ghosts.” Ans: Purbasha told me that she was afraid of ghosts.

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Exercise 3:

Turn the following sentences from direct Speech to indirect speech .

(1) The boys said , “It has been raining since morning. We cannot play today.” Ans: The boys said that it had been raining since morning so they could not play that day.

(2) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.” Ans: Anjan’s mother said that my father had left for Mumbai.

(3) My teacher said , “Practice makes a man perfect.” Ans: My teacher said that practice makes a man perfect.

(4) He says, “I go to the temple every morning.” Ans: He says that he goes to the temple every morning.

(5) He said to me, “I will not get down from the bus.” Ans: He told me that he would not get off the bus.

(6) Rita says to Mita, “I will go with you.” Ans: Rita tells Mita that she w ill go with her.

(7) The boy said to his friend, “I went to school yesterday.” Ans: The boy told his friend that he had gone to school the previous day.

(8) You said, “I was right.” Ans: You said that you had been right.

(9) “I ‘ll go to the top,” said the young lady. Ans: The young lady said that she would go to the top.

(10) I ‘ ve got my rules,” the conductor said to me. Ans: The conductor told me that he had got his rules.

Pronouns in Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers incorporating pronouns in direct and indirect speech facilitate learners’ understanding and application of pronoun changes in reported speech structures.

Exercise 4:

(1) You said, ‘ I never smoked.” Ans: You said that you never smoked.

(2) I said, ‘ I am always busy.” Ans: I said that I was alway busy

(3) I said to you , ‘ You look tired.” Ans: I said to you that you looked tired.

(4) You said to me , ‘ You are dependable.” Ans: You said to me that I was dependable.

(5) You said, “ He is right.” Ans: You said that he was right.

(6) I said, “ They will be late. Ans: I said that they w ould be late.

(7) He said to (Deep) , ‘ You told it so.” Ans: He said to Deep that he (Deep) had told it so.

(8) Mon said to Moon , “ You are naughty.” Ans: Mon said to Moon that she (Moon) was naughty.

Exercise 5:

Alter the narrative style from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) He said to me, “ I have done the job.” Ans: He told me that he had done the job.

(2) Rohit said, “ I was absent yesterday.” Ans: Rohit said that he (Rohit) had been absent the previous day.

(3) The boy said, “ My father died two years ago.” Ans: The boy said that his father had died two years before.

(4) He said, “ My goal is to climb Mt Everest. “ Ans: He said that his goal was to climb Mount Everest.

(5) “ I shall certainly do nothing of this kind”, the woman. Ans: The woman said that she would certainly do nothing of that kind.

(6) The man said, “ I am exhausted.” Ans: The man said that he was exhausted.

(7) He said, “ I am washing my hands.” Ans: He said that he was washing his hands.

(8) Mother bird said to her little ones, “Today I will teach you how to fly.” Ans: Mother bird told her little ones that that day, she would teach them how to fly.

(9) Rita’s father says. “ I have done this for you. Ans: Rita’s father says that he had done that for her.

(10) Sumana said to her sister, “ I want to play with you.” Ans: Sumana told her sister that she wanted to play with her.

Time and Place Expression Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Exercises and answers on time and place expressions in direct and indirect speech aid learners in accurately conveying temporal and spatial information while mastering reported speech conventions.

Exercise 6:

Turn the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) I said to you, “I wish to start business next year. “ Ans: I said to you that I wished to start business the following years.

(2) You said to them, “ Now I shall tell you a nice story.” Ans: You told them that then you would tell them a nice story.

(3) She said to him, “I bought the book yesterday. “ Ans: She told him that she had bought the book the previous day .

(4) He said to me, “I saw your sister two years ago . Ans: He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.

(5) He said to his son, “You may come with me tomorrow. Ans: He told his son that he (his son) might go with him the next day.

(6) He said to her, I’m talking to you now for your good.” Ans: He told her that he was talking to her then for her good.

(7) The girl said to me, My father died two years ago. “ Ans: The girl told me that her father died two years before.

Exception: But if ‘ now ‘, ‘ here ‘, ‘ this ‘ refer to things present before the speaker at the time of reporting, no change is needed.

(8) He said to me, ‘I have no friend here. ‘ Ans: He told me that he had no friend here.

(9) I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world.’ Ans: I said that we cannot be happy in this world.

(10) She said, “ This is the house where I was born.” Ans: She said that this was the house where she was born.

Exercise 7:

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

(1) The boy said to his father, “I had my tiffin in school yesterday. “ Ans: The boy told his father that he had had his tiffin in school the previous day .

(2) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last year. “ Ans: The captain informed us that the tournament was postponed the previous year .

(3) She said, “We have been living here for two years.” Ans: She said that they had been living there for two years.

(4) Arnab said to Ajit,” I am happy today .” Ans: Arna told Ajit that he was happy that day.

(5) My friend said to me, “We went to the zoo yesterday. “ Ans: My friend told me that they had gone to the zoo the previous day.

(6) The clerk said, “I’ll do the work now. “ Ans: Clark said that he would do the work then.

(7) Hiten said to Mihir, “I received this letter yesterday. “ Ans: Hiten told me that he had received that letter the previous day.

(8) Rajib said to me. “I shall go to the picture today. “ Ans: Rajiv told me that he would go to the picture that day.

(9) He said, “We are very happy here. “ Ans: He said that they were very happy there.

(10) The farmer said, “I’ll sow the seeds now. “ Ans: The farmer said that he will show the seats then.

(12) The man said to me, “I received your gift yesterday. “ Ans: The man told me that he had received my gift the previous day.

(15) I said to my friend, “You were present in the class yesterday. “ Ans: I told my friend that he had been present in the class the previous day.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Assertive Sentences

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers focusing on assertive sentences enable learners to grasp the nuances of reporting statements confidently and accurately.

Exercise 8:

Transform the following direct speech into indirect speech

(1) My aunt said, ‘Every mother loves her child.’ Ans: My aunt said that every mother loves her child.

(2) Mon said to me, ‘I shall go, but you will stay.’ Ans: Mon told me that she would go but I should stay.

(3) He said to his father, ‘I shall always carry out your order.’ Ans: He told his father that he would always carry out his order.

(4) She said, ‘I sang a song at today’s function.’ Ans: She said that she had sung a song at today’s function.

(5) He said to me, ‘You are wicked, so I shall not mix with you.’ Ans: He told me that I was wicked, so he would not mix with me.

Exercise 9:

Change the following sentences converting the direct speeches into indirect speeches.

(1) The teacher said to the boy, “You have forgotten the lesson.” Ans: The teacher told the boy that he had forgotten the lesson.

(2) The boy said, “I shall go out and play.” Ans: The boy said that he would go out and play.

(3) He said, “I am happy to be here today.” Ans: He said that he was happy to be there that day.

(4) They said, “We shall play the game again tomorrow.” Ans: They said that they would play the game again the next day.

(5) The boy said, “Two and two make four.” Ans: The boy said that two and two make four.

Exercise 10:

Change the form of narration from indirect speech into direct speech.

(1) She told them that she had lost her books and theirs too. Ans : “I have lost my books and yours too”, she told them.

(2) The princess says that she has lost her way. Ans: The princess says, “I have lost my way.”

(3) They say that they must keep their locality clean. Ans: They say, “We must keep our locality clean.”

(4) The girl says that those books are theirs, but that one is hers. Ans: The girl says, “These books are theirs, but this one is mine.”

(5) The Happy prince said that he had led the dance in the Great Hall. Ans: The Happy Prince said, “I led the dance in the great hall.”

Interrogative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Engage with interrogative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers to sharpen your ability to convey questions effectively within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 11:

(1) Mother said to her, ‘Are you feeling feverish?’ Ans: Mother inquired of her if she was feeling feverish.

(2) ‘Was it not a piece of luck?’ said Slavator. Ans: Salvtor wanted to know if that was not a piece of luck.

(3) The host said to me, ‘Have all the guests arrived?’ Ans: The host asked me whether all the guests had arrived.

(4) I said, ‘Do you know who will preside over the meeting?’ Ans: I asked whether he knew who would be presiding over the meeting.

(5) I said to the boy, ‘Did you pass the examination?’ Ans: I asked the boy if had passed the examination.

(6) She said to him, ‘Which of the books do you want to buy? Ans: She asked him which of the books he wanted to buy.

(7) The king said, ‘Who is not ready to due for his land, my countryman?’ Ans: The king asked his countrymen who was not ready to due for his land.

(8) He said to her, ‘Whose type writer are you using? Ans: He inquired of her whose type- writer she was using.

(9) The girl said to the strang ‘Whom do you want to see? Ans: The girl asked the stranger whom he wanted to see.

(10) The teacher said to the student, ‘Why are you late regularly? Ans: The teacher asked the student why he was late regularly.

Exercise 12:

Turn the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) Bulbuli said to her friend, “Will you come tomorrow?” Ans: Bulbuli asked her friend if she would on the next day.

(2) The policeman said to the stranger, “What are you looking for?” Ans: The police asked the stranger what he was looking for.

(3) Nikhil said to me, “Why do you look sad? Ans: Nikhil asked me why I looked sad.

(4) I said to her, “Did you take tea ?” Ans: I asked her if she had taken tea.

(5) The girl said to her mother, “Will you give me your bangles ?” Ans: The girl asked her mother if she would give her her bangles.

(6) Father said to me, “Why are you so upset?” Ans: Father asked me why I was so upset.

Exercise 13:

Change the following indirect speech into Direct speech.

(1) She asked me if I had called her. Ans: She said to me, “Did you call me ?”

(2) He asked me if I was writing a letter. Ans: He asked me, “Are you writing a letter ?”

(3) The man asked the child how he had got there. Ans: “How did you get here, child ?”, the man said.

(4) The police asked me if I could show my identity card. Ans: The police said to me, “Can you show your identity card ?”

(5) He asked us if we were attending the meeting that day. Ans: He said to us, “Are you attending the meeting today?”

(6) I asked her if she had taken medicine. Ans: I said to her, “Did you take medicine ?”

(7) Raja asked Dipu if he would go to school that day. Ans: Raja said to Dipu, “Will you go to school today?

Imperative Sentences Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Master imperative sentences through direct and indirect speech exercises and answers, refining your skill in conveying commands and requests within diverse linguistic contexts.

Exercise 14:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech.

(1) The teacher said, ‘Boys, go to your classes.’ Ans: The teacher ordered the boys to go to their classes.

(2) She said to him, ‘Please lend me your pen.’ Ans: She requested him to lend her his pen.

(3) The mother said to her son, ‘Wait here for me.’ Ans: The mother told her son to wait there for her.

(4) He said to me, ‘Go home at once.’ Ans: He advised me to go home at once.

(5) I said to my teacher, ‘Please explain the passage. Ans: I requested my teacher to explain the passage.

(6) The student said to the teacher, “Excuse me, sir.’ Ans: The student begged the teacher to excuse him.

(7) He said, ‘Friends, lend me your ears. Ans: Addressing them as friends, he requested them to lend him their ears.

Exercise 15:

(1) The teacher said to the students, “Keep quiet.” Ans: The teachers ordered the students to keep quiet.

(2) My teacher said to me. “Do not neglect your studies.” Ans: My teacher advised me not to neglect my studies.

(3) The man said to his son, “Always try to be honest.” Ans: The man advised it’s on to always try to be honest.

(4) Mother said to Raju, “Do not run in the sun.” Ans: Mother ordered Raju not to run in the sun.

(5) The man said to me, “Brother, please help me.” Ans: Addressing as a brother, the man requested me to help him.

(6) The students said, “Please allow us to play in the field.” Ans: The students requested to allow them to play on the field.

(7) He said to me, “Please give me some money.” Ans: He requested me to give him some money.

Exercise 16:

Change the following sentences from Indirect speech to Direct Speech of narration.

(1) He advised me not to waste my valuable time. Ans: He said to me, “Don’t waste your valuable time.”

(2) The grandson advised the children not to pluck flowers. Ans: The gardener said to the children, “Do not pluck flowers.”

(3) Tom forbade Sid to shake him. Ans: Tom said to Sid, “Don’t shake me.”

(4) The master ordered the servant to sort the door. Ans: The master said to the servant, “Shut the door.”

(5) The commander ordered the soldiers to stand at ease. Ans: The commander said to the soldiers, “Stand at ease.”

(6) Addressing as sethji, the vendor told him not to rob the poor. Ans: “Sethji, don’t rob the poor”, said the vendor.

(7) The doctor advised the patient to take proper vitamins to stay healthy. Ans: The doctor said to the patient, “Take proper vitamins to stay healthy.”

(8) The teacher ordered the students to do it then. Ans: The teacher said to the students, “Do it now.”

Direct and indirect speech Exercises and Answers with “Let”

Enhance your understanding of direct and indirect speech through exercises and answers featuring the usage of “let,” allowing you to effectively report permissions, suggestions, or proposals in various contexts

Exercise 17:

Change the following sentences from direct speech to indirect speech mode of narration.

(1) He said to her, ‘Let us go out for a walk,’ Ans: He proposed to her that they should go out for a walk.

(2) Mon said to Mohan, ‘Let us dis- cuss the matter,’ Ans: Mon suggested to Mohan that they should discuss the matter.

(3) The chairman said, ‘Let us put the motion to vote. Ans: The chairman proposed that they should put the motion to vote.

(4) I said to her, ‘Let us have some music,’ Ans: I proposed to her that we should have some music.

(5) ‘Let us hurry or we may miss the bus,’ said he, Ans: He urged all to hurry or they might miss the bus.

(6) She said, ‘Let me come in.’ Ans: She requested that she might be allowed to come in.

(7) He said, ‘Let her say whatever she likes.’ Ans: He said that she might say whatever she liked.

(8) He said, ‘Let me have a cup of coffee.’ Ans: He wished that he might have a cup of coffee.

(9) The player said to the captain, ‘Let me have a chance, please.’ Ans: The player requested the captain to let him have a chance.

(10) I said, ‘Let him work ever so hard, he cannot win the prize.’ Ans: He said that the visitor might be allowed to wait outside.

Exercise 18:

(1) Rahim said, “Let us decide the matter together.” Ans: Rahim suggested that they should decide the matter together.

(2) The boy said to me, “Let us play cricket.” Ans: The boy proposed that they should play cricket.

(3) He said, “Let me go home.” Ans: He wished that he might go home.

(4) He said to me, “Let him say whatever he likes.” Ans: He wished me that he might say whatever he liked.

(5) He shouted, “Let me go out. Ans: He shouted at me to go out.

Exercise 19:

Change the following sentences from indirect speech to direct speech mode of narration.

(1) She proposed that they should go to the cinema. Ans: She said, “Let us go to the cinema.”

(2) He suggested that they should drop the matter. Ans: He said, “Let us drop the matter”

(3) They suggested that they should make him give them their fears back. Ans: “Let’s make him give us our fares back,” they said.

(4) Shabnam proposed Chandni that they should go for a walk. Ans: “Let us go for a walk.” said Shabnam to Chandni.

(5) The leader suggested that they should hold a meeting the next day. Ans: The leader said, “Let’s hold a meeting tomorrow.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers of Optative Sentences

Practice direct and indirect speech with exercises and answers focusing on optative sentences, enabling you to accurately report wishes, prayers, or blessings while honing your linguistic proficiency.

Exercise 20:

Change the following from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

(1) Mother said, ‘May you be happy.’ Ans: Mother wished that I might be happy.

(2) He said to you, ‘May God bless you.’ Ans: He prayed that God might bless you.

(3) She said, ‘Had I been there!’ Ans: She wished that she had been there.

(4) He said to me, ‘May you succeed.’ Ans: He wished that I might succeed.

(5) They said, ‘Long live the leader.’ Ans: They prayed that the leader might live long.

(6) He said to me, ‘May your mother recover soon. Ans: He wished that my mother might recover soon.

(7) The monk said, ‘May peace prevail.’ Ans: The monk hoped that peace would prevail.

(8) The boy siad, ‘Had I the wings of a bird.’ Ans: The boy wished that he could have the wings of a bird.

Exercise 21:

(1) I said to him, “May you be happy.” Ans: I wished that he might be happy.

(2) Mother said to me, “May God bless you.” Ans: Mother prayed that God might bless me.

(3) He said, “May his soul rest in peace.” Ans: He prayed that his soul might rest in peace.

(4) The girl said, “Oh, had I the wings of a dove.” Ans: The girl wished that she could have the wings of a dove.

(5) I said to him, “May you live long.” Ans: I wished him that he might live long.

Exercise 22:

Change the following from Indirect Speech to Direct Speech.

(1) Nilima wished me that I might recover soon. Ans: Nilima said to me, “May you recover soon.”

(2) Mother wished him that God might grant him a long life. Ans : Mother said to him, “May God grant you a long life.”

(3) The holy man wished that peace might prevail. Ans: The holy man said, “May peace prevail.”

(4) She wished that Mother Teresa might recover from illness soon. Ans: She said, “May Mother Teresa recover from illness soon.”

(5) He wished that he could bring his departed friend back to life. Ans: He said, “Oh, if I could bring my departed friend back to life.”

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises of Exclamatory Sentences

Engage in direct and indirect speech exercises focusing on exclamatory sentences to refine your ability in reporting strong emotions or exclamations accurately within different narrative frameworks.

Exercise 23:

(1) The supporters said, ‘Hurrah! we have won?’ Ans: The supporter exclaimed in joy that they had won.

(2) The girl said, ‘How wonderful love is!’ Ans: The girl exclaimed in joy that love is wonderful.

(3) The teacher said, ‘Bravo! Well done!’ Ans: The teacher applauded his students by saying that they had done well.

(4) ‘Alas! I am undone’, said the women. Ans: They women cried out in sorrow that she was undone.

(5) He said, ‘Good bye, my friends !’ Ans: He bade his friends good bye.

(6) The old man said to the youth, ‘Fie! You are such a coward.’ Ans: The old man exclaimed that it was shameful for the youth to be such a coward.

(7) ‘How dirty the house is!’ he observed. Ans: He exclaimed in irritation that the house was very dirty.

(8) ‘Good God! I am saved’, said he. Ans: He exclaimed in the name of merciful God that he was saved.

Exercise 24:

(1) The boys triumphantly said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” Ans: The boys exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.

(2) The old man said to the girl, “May you be happy !” Ans: The old man wished the girl that she might be happy.

(3) He said, “What good news!” Ans: He exclaimed in joy that it was very good news.

(4) The children said, “How happy we were there!” Ans: The children gloomily said that they had been very happy there.

(5) He said to you. “May God bless you.” Ans: He wished you that God might bless you.

(6) My friend said to me. “What a fool you are!” Ans: My friend exclaimed in despair that she was a big fool.

Exercise 25:

(1) Piyali exclaimed in sorrow that she had lost her phone. Ans: “Alas! I have lost my phone”, said Piyali.

(2) Mother wished Roy that his dreams might come true. Ans: Mother said to Roy, “May your dreams come true.”

(3) The girl exclaimed that she had been very sensible. Ans: How insensible I have been!”, said the girl.

(4) The girl exclaimed in sorrow that she had torn her frock. Ans: The girl said, “Oh dear! I have torn my frock.”

(5) She exclaimed in sorrow that she was undone. Ans: She said, “Alas! I am undone.”

(6) They wished me happy birthday. Ans: They said to me. “Happy birthday!”

(7) The students bade their teacher good morning. Ans: “Good morning, Madam!”, said the students to the teacher.

Practice Worksheet for Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

A . Change the following into reported speech .

1. Rita says, “Kishore sang a song”.

2. The saint said, “Man is mortal”

3. You said, “we are learning our lesson’.

4. He said to me, “My father went to Mumbai last week.

5. I said to her, “Are you leaving tonight?”

6. He said to her, “Can you lend me your umbrella?”

7. She said, “I saw a tiger here’.

8. The principal said, “well done! my boys”.

9. She said, “Let them play.”

10. I said to Harsh, “Please help me.”

B. Change the direct speech into Indirect Speech

1. He asked me, “Where has he gone?”

2. The Prime Minister said, “National Integrity will be preserved at all costs.

3. She said, “My uncle came yesterday.”

4. Sheela said to us, “You must work hard.”

5. They said, “We trust in God.”

6. The officer said to him. “You will be dismissed if you do not attend the office in time.'”

7. He said to me “I am reading a book.”

8. He said, “Thanks for reminding me.’

9. She said,” Keep this room open.’

10. I said to him, “I went there on Tuesday.”

C. Choose the correct option .

1. I advised him ____________ it.

(a) to not do

(b) not to do

2. She told me ____________ careful.

(c) that be

3. She asked me if I ____________ my lunch.

(b) have eaten

(c) had eaten

4. She asked me ____________ going to the movies

(a) that I was

(b) if was I

(c) if I was

5. The dentist suggested ____________  get a new toothbrush.

(b) that I should

(c) me that I should

6. She said that no one ____________ me

(c) had called

7. He asked me ____________  to deserve such a cruel punishment.

(a) what had he done

(b) what he had done

(c) that he had done

8. He promised he ____________  do it by the end of the week.

9. She said that ____________  me before.

(a) she hadn’t met

(b) she did not meet

(c) she will not meet

10. I requested her____________  me.

(b) to help

(c) that help

D. Complete the sentences in the reported speech.

1. The girl said that it ___________ to be there that evening.

(a) gave her great pleasure

(b) gives her great pleasure

(c) gives her great pleasure

2. The man said that he ___________ as soon as possible.

(a) must go

(b) had gone

(c) should be gone

3. She said that she ___________ to se any of them.

(a) does not want

(b) did not want

(c) had not wanted

4. The teacher says that if you work hard you ___________

(a) would pass

(b) will pass

5. He said that he  ___________

(b) has won

(c) had won

6. He proposed that they ___________ for her return.

(a) shall wait

(b) will wait

(c) should wait

7. Alice exclaimed how clever ___________

(a) she was

(b) was she

(c) she has been

8. The young man asked which way she ___________

(a) has gone

(c) would go.

9. He asked me where ___________ going.

10. She requested them to wait there till she ___________

(a) returns

(b) returned

(c) will return

E. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. Ravi said, “I love this place”.

Ravi said _______________ 

2. “Do you like football?” He asked me.

He asked me_______________ 

3. “I can’t drive a lorry”, he said.

He said _______________ 

4. “Be nice to your brother”, he said

He asked me _______________ 

5. “Don’t be nasty, “he said

He urged me _______________ 

6. “Don’t waste your money “she said,

She told the boys _______________ 

7. “What have you decided to do? “she asked

him. She asked him _______________ 

8. “I always wake up early”. he said,

He said_______________ 

9. “You should revise your lessons’, he said,

He advised the students _______________ 

10. “Where have you been? “he asked me

He wanted to know _______________ 

F. Complete the sentence in the reported speech.

1. She said, “I went to cinema yesterday,”

She said _______________ 

2. You said, “I will do this for him.”

You said _______________ 

3. He said, “I am writing a test tomorrow,

4. She said, “I am not hungry now”,

5. They said, “We have never been here before.”

They said _______________ 

6. They said, “We were in London last week.”

7. He said, “They won’t sleep.”

8. “Have you been shopping?” he asked us.

9. She said, “It is very quiet here.

10. “I don’t speak Italian”, she said.

She said_______________ 

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage.

Susan: Why have you not brought my party dress? Jenny: I haven’t brought it because I had gone to my uncle’s house with my parents, so I forgot to keep it. Susan: Don’t give me silly excuses. I want to know the truth. Jenny: I am sorry Susan. I was chatting with my friends till late. I forgot that you needed it urgently today.

Susan asked Jenny (a) …………… Jenny said that she (b) …………… . Susan (c) …………… . Jenny said that she was sorry and further added that she was chatting with her friends till late and she had forgotten that Jenny needed it urgently that day.

H. Read the following conversation and complete the passage that follows.

Dilip: I’ve been watching the sea and there hasn’t been any trace of a ship. Ralph: I told you yesterday too that we’ll be rescued, so have patience. Dilip: Why do you ask me to keep quiet whenever I say something? Ralph: Have you ever said anything sensible?

Dilip said (a) ………… . Ralph replied (b) ………… and so asked him to have patience. Dilip angrily asked Ralph (c) ………… to which Ralph wanted to know (d) …………

Direct and Indirect Speech Answers Key

1. Rita says that Kishore sang a song.

2. The saint said that the man is mortal.

3. You said that you were learning your lesson.

4. He hold me that his father had gone to Mumbai the previous week.

5. I asked her if she was leaving that night.

6. He asked her if she could lend him her umbrella.

7. She said that she had seen a tiger there.

8. The principal exclaimed with applause that the boys had done well.

9. She suggested that they should be allowed to play.

10. I requested Harsh to help me.

1. He asked me where he had gone.

2. The Prime Minister declared that the National Integrity would be preserved at all costs.

3. She said that her uncle had come the previous day.

4. Sheela told us that we must work hard.

5. They said that they trusted in God.

6. The officer warned him that he would be dismissed

if he did not attend the office in time.

7. He told me that he was reading a book.

8. He thanked me for reminding him.

9. She ordered to keep that room open.

10. I told him that I had gone there on Tuesday.

1. (b) not to do

2. (b) to be

3. (c) had eaten

4. (c) if I was

5. (b) that I should

6. (c) had called

7. (b) what he had done

8. (b) would

9. (a) she hadn’t met

10. (b) to help

D. Complete the sentences in reported speech.

1. (a) gave her great pleasure.

2. (a) must go

3. (b) did not want

4. (b) will pass

5. (c) had won

6. (c) should wait

7. (a) she was

8. (b) had gone

9. (a) I was

10. (b) returned

E. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that he loved that place

2. whether I liked football

3. that he couldn’t drive a lorry

4. to be nice to my brother

5. not to be nasty

6. not to waste their money

7. what he had decided to do

8. that he always wake up early

9. to revise their lessons

10. where I had been

F. Complete the sentence in reported speech.

1. that she had gone to cinema the previous day.

2. that you would do that for him.

3. that he will be writing a test the next day.

4. that she was not hungry then.

5. that they had never been there before.

6. that they had been in London the previous week.

7. that they wouldn’t sleep.

8. whether we had been shopping.

9. that it was very quiet there.

10. that she didn’t speak Italian.

G. Read the dialogue and complete the following passage

(a) why she had not brought her party dress

(b) hadn’t brought it as she had gone to her uncle’s house with her parents; so she had forgotten to keep it

(c) told her not to give silly excuses and further said that she wanted to know the truth.

(a) that he had been watching the sea and that there had not been any trace of a ship

(b) that he had told him the day before that they would be rescued

(c) why he asked him to keep quiet whenever he said something

(d) if he had ever said anything sensible

FAQs on Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers

Q: what’s the purpose of the indirect speech.

A: Indirect speech allows us to convey someone else’s words without quoting them verbatim. It’s useful for summarizing and paraphrasing.

Q: Are tense changes mandatory in indirect speech?

A: Yes, tense changes are often necessary to accurately reflect the timing of the original statement.

Q: Can reporting verbs be used interchangeably?

A: While reporting verbs can be interchangeable to some extent, their nuances can impact the meaning of the reported speech.

Q: Is it possible to transform any direct speech into indirect speech?

A: Yes, most direct speech can be converted into indirect speech, although some cases may require adjustments.

Q: How can I identify indirect speech in a sentence?

A: Look for keywords like “said,” “asked,” or other reporting verbs, as well as changes in pronouns, tenses, and time expressions.

Q: Why is mastering direct and indirect speech important?

A: Mastering these skills enhances communication clarity, adds variety to language use, and fosters effective expression.

Conclusion:

Direct and indirect speech exercises and answers are invaluable tools for effective communication. By honing this skill, you’ll not only convey information accurately but also showcase your language expertise. Remember that practice makes perfect, and the more you engage in these exercises, the more naturally you’ll incorporate them into your everyday language use.

Related Posts:

100 + Direct and Indirect Speech Examples and Answers (2025)

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Direct and Indirect speech, Rules, Chart and Exercises

Direct and Indirect speech are ways of narrating the speech of someone to some other person following certain rules. This article covers its types, rules, examples and some exercises on the same.

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Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

Direct and Indirect Speech

There are two types of reported speech in English grammar, they are Direct and Indirect speech. Both speech conveys the speech or statement which was told by some other person. To explain any event, action or scenario we generally convey the sentences quoted by someone in the form of direct and indirect speech. In order to clearly differentiate and make people understand easily, we have detailed the two types of reported speech with examples and exercises below.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is the mode of expression that directly presents the words spoken or quoted by a third person. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks (“”). The quotation is used to differentiate the speech of the third person that has happened in the past. Thus direct speech conveys statements or conversations of someone in the past tense but quoted inside the quotation marks in the present or future tense.

  • Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
  • They said, ” We will go for the function.”
  • He asked,”Can I make this?”

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person. Instead of using quotation marks, the conjunction word, ‘that’ is used. Thus speaker’s words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech. Some examples of indirect speech are:

  • Direct speech: Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
  • Indirect speech: Kiran said that she is doing her work.
  • Direct speech: They said, ” We will go for the function.”
  • Indirect speech: They said that they would go to the function.
  • Direct speech: He asked, “Can I make this?”
  • Indirect speech: He asked whether he can make that.

Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

There are certain rules and regulations followed while converting a simple direct speech into indirect speech. Certain factors such as Verbs, Tenses, Modals, time, place, and pronouns are also considered while changing. The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar.

Rule-1 : Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is also changed to past when changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech. Examples:

  • Direct: He said,’ I am sad.’
  • Indirect: He said that he was sad.

An exception is for cases like a universal truth, the tenses remain the same.

  • Teena said” The sun rises in the east”.
  • Teena said that the sun rises in the east.

If the reporting verb is in present/future tense, then the tense remains the same as in direct speech.

  • Direct: She says/will say, ‘I am coming.’
  • Indirect: She says/will say she is coming.

Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Tenses

If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech. The rule in the following table is applied while changing tenses from direct speech to reported speech.

Examples of change in Tenses

Rule 4: Direct to Indirect speech Conversion Interrogative sentences

If a sentence starts with a question word like what, when, and why in direct speech, the question word itself acts as the joining class.

  • Direct speech: “Where do you live ?” Asked the boy.
  • Indirect Speech: The boy enquired where I lived.

Rule 5: Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Change in Modals

Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might. While changing direct to indirect speech, the Modals change as below:

  • Can become could
  • May becomes Might
  • Must becomes had to (or) would have to
  • Direct: She said,” She can sing.”
  • Indirect: She said that she could sing.
  • Direct: She said,” I should cook the lunch”
  • Indirect: She said that she should cook the lunch.

Rule 6: Direct to Indirect speech conversion – pronoun

The first person in Direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech

  • Direct: He said, “I am in grade sixth.”
  • Indirect: He said that he was in grade sixth.

The second person of Direct speech changes as per the object of the indirect speech.

  • Direct: She says to them, “You have achieved your goal.”
  • Indirect: She tells them that they have achieved their goal.

If the third person is mentioned in the Direct speech, it does not change in reported speech.

  • Direct: He says, “She sings well.”
  • Indirect: He says that she sings well.

Rule 7: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Request, Command, Wish and Exclamation.

The imperative words in direct speech change into Infinitives in indirect speech.

  • Direct: She said to her ‘Please remove it’.
  • Indirect: She requested her to remove that.

Exclamation

  • Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone.
  • Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

 Rule 8: Direct to indirect speech conversion – punctuations

In Direct speech, the words spoken must start with(“) and ends with(.) inside the double inverted commas. All symbols such as question marks, full stops or exclamatory marks should be placed inside the quotes.

  • They said. “We are the best”
  • She asked, “Can I come with You?”
  • He uttered, “Keep Quiet!”

Rule 9: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Change of time

While converting direct speech to Indirect speech, there are certain words to be noted that cannot be used as such in indirect speech. These words get modified into new words which are enlisted below:

  • Now becomes Then
  • Ago becomes before
  • Thus becomes So
  • Today becomes That day
  • Tomorrow becomes the next day
  • Yesterday becomes the day before
  • This becomes that
  • These become those
  • Come becomes go
  • Hence becomes thence
  • Next week or next month becomes the following week or month
  • Direct: He says/will say, ‘My girlfriend came yesterday.’
  • Indirect: He says/will say that his girlfriend had come the day before.

Rules for Converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech:

The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:

  • Use the reporting verb such as (say, said to) in its correct
  • Put a comma before the statement and the first letter of the statement should be in capital
  • Insert question marks, quotation marks, exclamation marks and full stops, based on the mood of the
  • Remove the conjunctions like (that, too, if or wh ether) wherever necessary .
  • Where the reporting verb is in the past tense in indirect, change it to present tense in the direct
  • Change the past perfect tense either into the present perfect tense or past tense, as necessary .

Direct and Indirect Speech – Some Exercises

The following are some exercises that students can practice while preparing for their revision tests or board exams.

Q.1.  Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.

She said,’ I have cooked this meal.’

  • She said that she cooked this meal
  • She said that she had cooked that meal.
  • She said that I cooked that meal.
  • She said that she had cooked this meal.

Answer (2) She said that she had cooked that meal.

Q.2.  Choose the correct sentence.

Sanjay said, ‘What a beautiful painting it is’.

  • Sanjay exclaimed wonderfully that the painting was very beautiful.
  • Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Answer (4) Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Q.3. The correct indirect speech for She asked, “What is the cost of these books?”

  • She enquired what was the cost of those books.
  • She inquired what was the cost of these books.
  • She enquired what is the cost of those books.
  • She questioned what was the cost of those books.

Answer (1) She enquired what was the cost of those books.

Q.4. The man said, ‘Oh God! I missed the train today.’

  • The man cried that he missed the train that day.
  • The man exclaimed in grief that he missed the train today.
  • The man said that oh God! he missed that day.
  • The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

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Direct and Indirect speech-FAQs

Q1. what are direct and indirect speech in english.

Ans. Direct speech is a speech that describes what a third person has conveyed or quoted in a direct manner. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks ("").Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person.

Q2. In which speech conjunctions are used and what is the purpose?

Ans. The conjunctions are used in Indirect speech. The speaker's words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech using conjuctions as connecting words.

Q3. What are modals and what is the significance of using modals?

Ans. Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. While converting direct to indirect speech Can becomes could, May becomes Might, Will becomes Would. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might.

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Direct Indirect Speech For Class 5

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Direct and Indirect Exercises With Answers

Direct and Indirect Exercises With Answers

We often convey a message or give information about what someone said, thought, or felt to somebody else. In order to do this, you can use the grammar structure named  indirect or reported speech.  direct and indirect rules have already talked about, below we have prepared direct and indirect exercises with answers for ESL learners.

  • Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules
  • Direct and Indirect Objects Exercise With Answers

Direct and Indirect Exercises

Attempt the exercises below then compare your answers with the correct answers given below.

Exercise 1:

Turn into reported speech. 1. “It’s hot” Tom said that _______________________________________________________. 2. “I have done my homework.” Tom said that __________________________________________________. 3. “I will give you a book” Tom said that _______________________________________________________. 4. “Do you smoke?” Tom asked me if ____________________________________________________. 5. “Where does Bob live?” Tom asked me where _______________________________________________. 6. “Jane has not arrived yet” Tom told us that________________________________________________________. 7. “I’m so worried,” Tom, told us that_______________________________________________________. 8. “I want to go away”. Tom told us that ____________________________________________________. 9. “You should eat less.” The doctor advised me that _______________________________________. 10. “Don’t shout” The teacher told me________________________________.

Exercise 2:

Turn into direct speech. 1. Mary said she was very tired. Mary said, “____________________________________________________________.” 2. The teacher told the boys to open their books. The teacher said to the boys, “___________________________________________________________.” 3. Tom’s mother told him not to eat any ice cream. Tom’s mother said to Tom: “_____________________________________________________________.” 4. My friend said that he was going skiing at the weekend. My friend said: “__________________________________________________at the weekend.” 5. Bob’s mates told the teacher that Bob was ill that day. Bob’s mates said: “Teacher,__________________________________________________________ today.” 6. Mary told Jane she would help her. Mary said to Jane,”____________________________________________________.” 7. I said I would have bought a new car if I had had the money. I said,”_______________________________________________________________________________.” 8. My father told me to look for a job if I wanted more money. My father said:”_____________________________________________________________.” 9. Tim wrote to his brother that their cat had died that day. Tim wrote to his brother: “________________________________________________________________.” 10. The teacher informed the students that the break lasted ten minutes. The teacher said to the students,”____________________________________________________________.”

Exercise 3:

Turn the following questions into reported speech. 1. “Where do you live?” Mary asked Tom, “______________________________________________.” 2. “How are you going to travel to Italy?” Mary asked Tom__________________________________________________. 3. “Why did you buy that book?” Mary asked Tom___________________________________________________. 4. “What’s the time?” Mary asked Tom__________________________________________________. 5. “Who helped you with your work?” Mary asked Tom______________________________________________.

Choose the right option 6. I (said/told) her not to disturb me. 7. My friend never (told/said) me about his plans. 8. The teacher (that/said) that we had to study harder. 9. Don’t (tell/say) me what I have to do. 10. He did not (say/tell) why he was late.

Exercise 4:

The following sentences use quoted speech. Change the following sentences from quoted speech to reported speech. 1.) James said, “I am watching TV.” 2.) Professor Jones said, “I worked all day!” 3.) The president said, “I will be visiting Italy in December.” 4.) The weatherman announced, “It may rain today.” 5.) My father screamed, “I have to go to the airport, now!” 6.) Then my mother said, “I must take your father.” 7.) The psychologist said, “You should calm down.” 8.) I responded, “I ought to leave the office.” 9.) Mark said, “I love visiting China and Korea.” 10.) Martin said, “I can be a great president!” 11.) Sung-He said, “Close the windows” 12.) Bobby will say, “I have already done direct and indirect speech exercises.”

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  • Direct and Indirect of Future Perfect Tense
  • Direct and Indirect of Future Progressive Tense
  • Direct and Indirect of Simple Future Tense
  • Direct and Indirect of Past Perfect Progressive
  • Direct and Indirect of Past Perfect Tense

Exercise 1.

  • Tom said that it was hot.
  • Tom said that he had done his homework.
  • Tom said that he would give me a book.
  • Tom asked me if I smoked.
  • Tom asked me where Bob lived.
  • Tom told us that Jane had not arrived yet.
  • Tom told us that he was so worried.
  • Tom told us that he wanted to go away.
  • The doctor advised me that I should eat less.
  • The teacher told me not to shout.

Exercise 2.

  • Mary said, “I am very tired.”
  • The teacher said to the boys, “open your books.”
  • Tom’s mother said to Tom: “Don’t eat any ice cream.”
  • My friend said:” I am going skiing on the weekend.
  • Bob’s mates said: “Teacher, Bob is ill today.”
  • Mary said to Jane, “I will help you.”
  • I said, “I will have bought a new car if I had had the money.”
  • My father said: “look for a job if I want more money.”
  • Tom wrote to his brother:” Our cat died today.”
  • The teacher said to the student, “the break lasts ten minutes.”

Exercise 3.

  • Mary asked Tom, “Where he lived.”
  • Mary asked Tom how he was going to travel to Italy.
  • Mary asked Tom why he bought that book.
  • Mary asked Tom what was the time.
  • Mary asked Tom who helped him with his work.
  • I told her not to disturb me.
  • My friend never told me about his plans.
  • The teacher said that we had to study harder.
  • Do not tell me what I have to do.
  • He did not say why he was late.

Exercise 4.

  • James said that he was watching TV.
  • Professor Jones said that he had worked all day.
  • The president said that he would be visiting Italy in December.
  • The weatherman announced that it might rain that day.
  • My father screamed that he had to go to the airport, then.
  • Then my mother said that she had to take my father.
  • The psychologist said that I should calm down.
  • I responded I ought to leave the office.
  • Mark said that he loved visiting China and Korea.
  • Martin said that he could be a great president.
  • Sung-He ordered to close the windows.
  • Bobby will say that he has already done Direct and Indirect Exercises.

I hope the direct and indirect exercises were helpful to you and if you would like to know more about direct or quoted speech, or indirect or reported speech, check out more in the book below.

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exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

Exercise 3 Mary asked Tom why he HAD bought that book. Mary asked Tom who HAD helped him with his work.

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Direct and indirect speech exercises

There are many occasions in which we need to describe an event or action that happened, and very often that includes repeating what someone said. Such occasions can include a social situation as well as in a work email or presentation. In order to describe what people said there are two different types of speech – direct speech and indirect speech (or reported speech).

Read the article below to find out more about these forms and improve your English storytelling skills.

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Direct Speech

When we want to describe what someone said, one option is to use direct speech . We use direct speech when we simply repeat what someone says, putting the phrase between speech marks:

  • Paul came in and said, “I’m really hungry.”

It is very common to see direct speech used in books or in a newspaper article. For example:

  • The local MP said, “We plan to make this city a safer place for everyone.”

As you can see, with direct speech it is common to use the verb ‘to say’ (‘said’ in the past). But you can also find other verbs used to indicate direct speech such as ‘ask’, ‘reply’, and ‘shout’. For example:

  • When Mrs Diaz opened the door, I asked, “Have you seen Lee?”
  • She replied, “No, I haven’t seen him since lunchtime.”
  • The boss was angry and shouted, “Why isn’t he here? He hasn’t finished that report yet!”

Indirect Speech

When we want to report what someone said without speech marks and without necessarily using exactly the same words, we can use indirect speech (also called reported speech). For example:

  • Direct speech: “We’re quite cold in here.”
  • Indirect speech: They say (that) they’re cold.

When we report what someone says in the present simple, as in the above sentence, we normally don’t change the tense, we simply change the subject. However, when we report things in the past, we usually change the tense by moving it one step back. For example, in the following sentence the present simple becomes the past simple in indirect speech:

  • Direct speech: “I have a new car.”
  • Indirect speech: He said he had a new car.

All the other tenses follow a similar change in indirect speech. Here is an example for all the main tenses:

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

The same rule of moving the tenses one step back also applies to modal verbs. For example:

exercises on direct and indirect speech class 5

Using ‘say’ or ‘tell’

As an alternative to using ‘say’ we can also use ‘tell’ (‘told’ in the past) in reported speech, but in this case you need to add the object pronoun. For example:

  • He told me he was going to call Alan.
  • They told her they would arrive a little late.
  • You told us you’d already finished the order.

Changing Time Expressions

Sometimes it’s necessary to change the time expressions when you report speech, especially when you are speaking about the past and the time reference no longer applies. For example:

  • Direct speech: “I’m seeing my brother tomorrow .”
  • Indirect speech: She said she was seeing her brother the following day .

Here are some other examples:

  • Direct speech: “I had a headache yesterday .”
  • Indirect speech: You said you’d had a headache the day before yesterday .
  • Direct speech: “It’s been raining since this afternoon .”
  • Indirect speech: He said it’d been raining since that afternoon .
  • Direct speech: “I haven’t seen them since last week .”
  • Indirect speech: She said she hadn’t seen them since the previous week .

Reporting Questions

When you report a question you need to change the interrogative form into an affirmative sentence, putting the verb tense one step back, as with normal reported speech.

There are two types of questions that we can report – questions that have a yes/no response, and questions that begin with a question word like ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘who’ etc. When we report a yes/no question, we use ‘if’. For example:

  • Direct speech: “Do they live here?”
  • Indirect speech: You asked me if they lived here.

As you can see, in the reported version of the question, ‘do’ is eliminated because it is no longer a question, and the verb ‘live’ becomes ‘lived’.

For questions starting with question words like ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘who’, etc., we report the question using the question word but change the interrogative form to the affirmative form. For example:

  • Direct speech: “Where do they live?”
  • Indirect speech: You asked me where they lived.
  • Direct speech: “When are you leaving?”
  • Indirect speech: He asked us when we were leaving .
  • Direct speech: “How will they get here?”
  • Indirect speech: She asked me how they would get here.

When we report a question we normally use the verb ‘ask’. As with the verb ‘to tell’, the verb ‘to ask’ is normally followed by an object pronoun, though it is possible to omit it.

Reporting Orders and Requests

When you give someone an order, you use the imperative form, which means using just the verb without a subject. For example:

  • “ Call me back later.”
  • “ Have a seat.”
  • “ Don’t do that!”

To report an order we use ‘tell’ and the infinitive of the verb. For example:

  • You told me to call you back later.
  • He told me to have a seat.
  • She told us not to do that.

When you make a request, you normally use words like ‘can’, ‘could’, or ‘will’. For example:

  • “Could you call me back later?”
  • “Will you have a seat?”
  • “Can you not do that please?”

To report a request, we use the verb ‘to ask’ and the infinitive form of the verb. For example:

  • You asked me to call you back later.
  • He asked me to have a seat.
  • She asked us not to do that.

Now you’ve seen how we use direct and indirect speech , practice using them yourself. An excellent and easy way to see how they are used is by reading a short story in English or a news article online, because stories and articles contain many examples of reported speech.

There are nine main forms of punctuation that we use frequently when we write. What are they, and how are they used in English? Let’s see!

Do you know what the past participle is and what it is used for? Read on to find out more.

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  3. DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH: WORKSHEETS WITH ANSWERS

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  1. Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet for Class 5 with Answers

    Exercise 4 - Simple Past Tense. Exercise 5 - Past Continuous Tense. Exercise 6 - Simple Future Tense. Exercise 7 - Rewrite the Sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech. Change the following sentences from direct to indirect speech. Mother said, "The dinner is ready.". Tom said to me, "I want to become an engineer.". She said ...

  2. Topic: Direct and Indirect Speech

    Indirect Speech - Ravi said that all had been looking at the magician. Direct Speech - Jimmy said, "All the boys were shouting.". Indirect Speech - Jimmy said that all the boys had been shouting. 7. Shall is changed into should; will is changed into would. Direct Speech - Radha said, "I will open the door."

  3. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

    Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers. When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb, pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

  4. Class 5 English Grammar Chapter 7 Reported Speech

    1. The Simple Present becomes the Simple Past; as: Direct: Teacher said, "Kitty works very hard.". Indirect: Teacher said that Kitty worked very hard. Rule 3: (Exception to Rule 2.) If the reported speech contains some universal or habitual fact, then the Simple Present in the Reported Speech is not changed into the corresponding Simple ...

  5. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise for Class 5

    Direct and Indirect Speech Online Exercise for Grade 5. Change the following direct speech sentences into indirect speech sentences. This work out will make you understand the concept of the language more efficiently: Usha Madam said to us, "We will go to picnic tomorrow". Pappu said, "I am watching the cricket match".

  6. CBSE Class 5 English Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet PDF

    Download a free chapter-wise printable PDF of CBSE (NCERT) worksheet for Class 5 Direct and Indirect Speech MCQ Questions with Answers. Download and solve with help of a free PDF of the CBSE class 5 English Direct and Indirect Speech worksheet. Students and teachers can get chapter-wise English worksheets in PDF format.

  7. Direct and Indirect Speech worksheet for Grade 5

    Liveworksheets transforms your traditional printable worksheets into self-correcting interactive exercises that the students can do online and send to the teacher. ... Direct and Indirect Speech. Loading ad... Yakub Susanto. Member for 2 years 8 months Age: 9-15. ... Indirect Speech Loading ad... Share / Print Worksheet. Google Classroom

  8. English

    CBSE Solutions, NCERT Solutions, education, english, mathematics, hindi, science, SST, civics, geography, history, economics, free worksheets, free

  9. Reported Speech Class 5 CBSE English Grammar Chapter 7 [PDF]

    English Grammar Reported Speech For Class 5- Download Free PDF With Solutions. To speak and communicate in English, it is highly important to learn the language. Speaking can be done in many ways, like direct speech, indirect speech, active voice, or passive voice. Class 5 English Chapter 7 is about reported speech, which is a part of direct ...

  10. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

    🔴Click on this link to Enroll English Spoken Course - https://www.magnetbrains.com/course/spoken-english-full-video-course/' previous Video : https://www.yo...

  11. Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet for CBSE Class 5 English

    CBSE Worksheets for Class 5 English. Download free Printable Worksheets for CBSE Class 5 English and Grammar.We offer the most exclusive database free worksheets as per CBSE NCERT and KVS standards. The aim of these free printable worksheets is to provide a platform for vigorous practice and provide ease to students to remember answers. Here you will find Worksheets with question answers for ...

  12. 5th Class English Direct and Indirect Speech Question Bank

    Free Question Bank for 5th Class English Direct and Indirect Speech Direct and Indirect Speech. Customer Care : 6267349244. Toggle navigation 0 . 0 . Railways; UPSC; CET; Banking; CUET; SSC; CLAT; JEE Main & Advanced; ... Maryam said that her class would start the following week. done clear. C) Maryam said that their class will have started the ...

  13. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

    The speaker said, 'Be quiet and listen to my words.'. Answers. 1. John said that he was very busy then. 2. He said that the horse had been fed. 3. John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.)

  14. Speech: Direct And Indirect

    Speech: Direct And Indirect | English Grammar & Composition Grade 5 | PeriwinkleWatch our other videos:English Stories for Kids: https://www.youtube.com/play...

  15. Direct and Indirect Speech

    🔴Click on this link to Enroll English Spoken Course - https://www.magnetbrains.com/course/spoken-english-full-video-course/' 👉Previous Video: https://www.y...

  16. Direct and indirect speech exercise

    Direct and indirect speech exercise. Sentences are given in the direct speech. Change them into indirect speech. 1. 'My Lord, is any of your silver missing?' the Sergeant said to the Bishop. 2. 'Did you see the exhibition?' the teacher said to me. 3. 'My son, when will you come back?' said the mother.

  17. 200+Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises and Answers (2024)

    Exercise 3: Turn the following sentences from direct Speech to indirect speech. (1) The boys said, "It has been raining since morning. We cannot play today." Ans: The boys said that it had been raining since morning so they could not play that day. (2) Anjan's mother said, "Your father has left for Mumbai." Ans: Anjan's mother said that my father had left for Mumbai.

  18. Direct and Indirect speech, Rules, Chart and Exercises

    Direct: She says/will say, 'I am coming.'. Indirect: She says/will say she is coming. Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion - Tenses. If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech.

  19. Direct Indirect Speech For Class 5 Worksheets

    Some of the worksheets for this concept are Direct indirect speech, Direct and indirect speech, Direct and indirect speech exercise, Direct and indirect speech cbse class 10 grammar work, Direct and indirect object work, English activity book class 5 6, Direct and indirect speech work, Teachers notes indirect questions.

  20. Direct and Indirect Exercises With Answers

    In order to do this, you can use the grammar structure named indirect or reported speech. direct and indirect rules have already talked about, below we have prepared direct and indirect exercises with answers for ESL learners. Also Read: Direct And Indirect Speech Complete Rules; Direct and Indirect Objects Exercise With Answers

  21. Direct and indirect speech exercises

    Direct speech: "I'm seeing my brother tomorrow.". Indirect speech: She said she was seeing her brother the following day. Here are some other examples: Direct speech: "I had a headache yesterday.". Indirect speech: You said you'd had a headache the day before yesterday. Direct speech: "It's been raining since this afternoon.".