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Direct and indirect speech are two ways to share what someone has said. Direct speech quotes the exact words spoken and uses quotation marks. For example: “I will go to the market,” said John. Indirect speech, or reported speech, rephrases the original words without quotation marks, often using words like “that” and changing pronouns or verb tenses. For example: John said that he would go to the market. Understanding both direct speech and indirect speech helps in effectively presenting and interpreting information. For practice, you can look at 50 examples of direct and indirect speech interrogative sentences or try a direct indirect exercise with answers to improve your skills.
What is Direct Speech?
Direct speech is when you use someone’s exact words, enclosed in quotation marks. For example:
- “I don’t like your hat,” said Jonah.
- “It’s not my fault you are a Red Sox fan,” said Jane.
- “I love ice cream,” said Sarah.
Characteristics:
- Uses the speaker’s exact words.
- Enclosed in quotation marks.
- Common in both formal and informal communication.
What is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech is when you report what someone said without quoting their exact words. For example:
- Amy said it was cold.
- He said he had been on Facebook since 2010.
- She said she had been teaching college classes for two years.
Characteristics:
- Reports what someone said without quoting them directly.
- Does not use quotation marks.
- Common in both formal and informal communication.
Key Differences
When changing direct speech to indirect speech, the verb tense often changes to reflect the time of reporting. Indirect speech typically uses reporting verbs like ‘say,’ ‘tell,’ ‘ask,’ and ‘shout.’ Additionally, time expressions in direct speech are usually altered in indirect speech.
50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises
Here are 50 direct indirect exercises with answers:
Exercise 1: Convert the following direct speech sentences into indirect speech.
- Direct: “I am going to the store,” said John.
- Indirect: John said that he was going to the store.
- Direct: “She loves chocolate,” Mark said.
- Indirect: Mark said that she loved chocolate.
- Direct: “We are planning a trip,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they were planning a trip.
- Direct: “I can’t find my keys,” Mary said.
- Indirect: Mary said that she couldn’t find her keys.
- Direct: “It will rain tomorrow,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that it would rain the next day.
- Direct: “She has finished her homework,” her mother said.
- Indirect: Her mother said that she had finished her homework.
- Direct: “I have been waiting for an hour,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that he had been waiting for an hour.
- Direct: “We visited Paris last summer,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they had visited Paris the previous summer.
- Direct: “He will be here soon,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that he would be there soon.
- Direct: “I can help you,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that she could help me.
- Direct: “You must finish the project by tomorrow,” the manager said.
- Indirect: The manager said that I had to finish the project by the next day.
- Direct: “We will celebrate your birthday,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they would celebrate my birthday.
- Direct: “She is working on a new project,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that she was working on a new project.
- Direct: “I will call you later,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that she would call me later.
- Direct: “They have bought a new house,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that they had bought a new house.
- Direct: “I may come to the party,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that she might come to the party.
- Direct: “He needs to study harder,” the teacher said.
- Indirect: The teacher said that he needed to study harder.
- Direct: “We are going to the beach,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they were going to the beach.
- Direct: “I have lost my wallet,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that he had lost his wallet.
- Direct: “She was very happy,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that she had been very happy.
- Direct: “I will help you with your homework,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that she would help me with my homework.
- Direct: “They can swim very well,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that they could swim very well.
- Direct: “I have to leave now,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that she had to leave then.
- Direct: “We were watching TV,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they had been watching TV.
- Direct: “He is going to the gym,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that he was going to the gym.
- Direct: “I must finish this report,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that he had to finish that report.
- Direct: “They will visit us next week,” she said.
- Indirect: She said that they would visit us the following week.
- Direct: “I could swim when I was a child,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that he could swim when he was a child.
- Direct: “She will arrive at 7 PM,” he said.
- Indirect: He said that she would arrive at 7 PM.
- Direct: “We have been friends for years,” they said.
- Indirect: They said that they had been friends for years.
Exercise 2: Convert the following indirect speech sentences into direct speech.
- Indirect: She said that she loved ice cream.
- Direct: “I love ice cream,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he was tired.
- Direct: “I am tired,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they would go to the movies.
- Direct: “We will go to the movies,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she could not attend the meeting.
- Direct: “I cannot attend the meeting,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he had finished his work.
- Direct: “I have finished my work,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they were going to the park.
- Direct: “We are going to the park,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she would help me.
- Direct: “I will help you,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he had been waiting for an hour.
- Direct: “I have been waiting for an hour,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they had seen the movie.
- Direct: “We have seen the movie,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she had to leave.
- Direct: “I have to leave,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he could play the guitar.
- Direct: “I can play the guitar,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they would come to the party.
- Direct: “We will come to the party,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she was reading a book.
- Direct: “I am reading a book,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he had been to the store.
- Direct: “I have been to the store,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they could finish the project.
- Direct: “We can finish the project,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she would call me.
- Direct: “I will call you,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he had lost his keys.
- Direct: “I have lost my keys,” he said.
- Indirect: They said that they were happy.
- Direct: “We are happy,” they said.
- Indirect: She said that she could drive a car.
- Direct: “I can drive a car,” she said.
- Indirect: He said that he would buy a new phone.
- Direct: “I will buy a new phone,” he said.
FAQs on Direct Indirect Exercise
Why do we use direct and indirect speech?
We use direct and indirect speech to report what someone has said. Direct speech quotes the person's exact words, while indirect speech rephrases what they said without using their exact words.
How do you identify direct and indirect speech?
Direct speech is enclosed in quotation marks and uses the speaker's exact words. Indirect speech does not use quotation marks and rephrases the original statement.
What are the basic rules in direct and indirect?
The main rules are: 1) Change verb tenses when converting direct to indirect, 2) Change pronouns, 3) Remove quotation marks in indirect speech, and 4) Use reporting verbs like 'said', 'told', 'asked' in indirect speech.
What is the question about direct and indirect?
Questions about direct and indirect speech test your ability to correctly convert between the two forms, following the appropriate grammatical rules.
Why do we use direct and indirect questions?
Direct questions use the exact wording of the question, while indirect questions rephrase the question without using the original wording. This allows us to report questions in a more conversational way.
How to teach direct and indirect questions?
Teach the definitions and differences between direct and indirect questions. Provide plenty of practice exercises converting between the two forms, focusing on the grammar rules involved.
