NARRATION -----Change from Direct to Indirect form of speech (Assorted Sentences)-----Exercises for Practice

NARRATION -----Change  of Different types of sentences from Direct speech into Indirect speech   -----Assertive Sentences                             

There are two different ways of expressing things. First a  statement given by the speaker himself and the second the same statement conveyed by another person to someone. The former is direct form of speech whereas the latter is indirect form of speech.While making  changes from the former to the latter and vice versa there are certain rules to be observed.

Direct speech consists of two parts:-

1. Reporting speech 2. Reported speech



These two parts are separated from each other by a comma (,) and inverted commas (“  ”). 

The part outside the inverted commas forms reporting speech (i.e. who is reporting and to whom) and that enclosed within the inverted commas is reported speech (i.e. the matter that is being reported).  

The first word of the reported speech begins with a capital letter. 




In Indirect Speech


- inverted commas are not used, but generally reporting speech and reported speech are joined together by the conjunction like ‘that’, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ etc. 

-the comma between reporting speech and reported speech is removed.

- The signs of question mark and exclamation are not used. Instead full stop sign is used.

- The tense of reporting speech is not changed.

-The forms of interrogative, imperative, exclamatory and optative sentences are changed to assertive sentence.

- The tense of reported speech is changed according to the tense of reporting speech.

--First Person in the reported speech changes according to Subject & Second person according to object  in the reporting speech. For third person there is no change.

EXERCISES   FOR PRACTICE



EXERCISE NO. ONE

(Assertive Sentences)

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech.

1. Boys said, “It has been raining since morning. We cannot play today.”

   
 Boys said that it had been raining since morning and they could not play that day.

2. She said to him, “I am leaving now and shall return after two hours.”

She told him that she was leaving then and would return after two hours.

3. The girl said to me,” My father went to the market and brought toys for me.”

The girl told me that her father had gone to the market and had brought toys for her.

4. Her husband said to her,  “I shall not go to the office today as I am not feeling well.

Her husband told her that he would not go to the office that  day as he was not feeling well.

5. My father said to me, “I fear that you have caught cold again.”

My father told me that  he feared that  I had caught cold again.

6. His brother said to me, “I am not going to attend the meeting today.”

His brother told me that he was not going to attend the meeting that day.

7. She said to him, ”Love begets love.”

    She told him that love begets love.

8. The inspector said to the people, “We have caught the thief and he will be brought to book soon.”

The inspector told the people that they had caught the thief and he would be brought to book soon.

9. The teacher said,  “Boys, I shall give you a test in English today.”

     
The teacher told the boys that he would give them a test in English that day.

10. My friend said to me, “I am going to my house now. I shall call on you tomorrow.”

My friend told me that he was going to his house then and he would call on me the next day.
  

EXERCISE NO.- TWO

(Interrogative Sentences)

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech

1.His wife said to him, “Do you know that my servant maid stole our money ?” 

His wife asked him if he knew that her servant maid had stolen their money.

2. Her friend said to her, “Can you spare your book for me for a week?”

Her friend asked her if she could spare her book for her for a week.

3. She said to him, “Can I do anything for you? Will you mind my extending help to you?”

She asked him if she could do anything for him and if he would mind her extending help to him.

4. His mother said to him, “Will you come home in the evening in time?”

His mother asked him if he would come home in the evening in time.

5.His friend said to him, “Did I not warn you against this before hand?”

His friend asked him if he had not warned him against that before hand.

6. John said to his sister, “Is it not a surprise to see your friend here today?”

John asked his  sister if it was not a surprise to see her friend there that day.

7. The doctor said to  his patient, “Are you taking medicine prescribed to you regularly?”

The doctor asked his patient if he was taking medicine prescribed to him regularly.

8. She said to me,” Do you know how to swim? Will you accompany me to the pool?"

She asked me if I knew how to swim and if I would accompany her to the pool.

9.The captain said to the players, “Will you put your heart and soul in playing the game so that we may win the match?”

 The captain asked the players if they would put their heart and soul in playing the game so that they might win the match.

10. The stranger said to the lady,” Have you ever been to my village? ”

The stranger asked the lady if she had ever been to his village.

EXERCISE NO.- THREE

(Interrogative Sentences)

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech

1. The old man said to the child, “Why did you break this
    window pane?”
    The old man asked the child why he had broken that 
    window pane.

2. The teacher said , “Boys, what are you doing here? Why 
    do you not go to your class rooms?”

     
    The teacher  asked the boys what they were doing there
     and why they did not go to their class rooms.

3. Her brother said to her, “What present should I bring for
    you when I return?”

  
    Her brother asked her what present he should bring for
     her when he returned.

4. The rich man said to the beggar, “Why do you not do any work?      Do you not feel ashamed in begging alms from others?”

    The rich man asked the beggar why he did not do any work

    and if he did not feel ashamed in begging alms from others.

5. Boys said to the teacher,“When do you intend to start 
    the class  today?”

   
   Boys asked  the teacher when he intended to start 
   the class that day.

6. The traveler said to the cab man, “How long will you take to             reach the destination?  Can't you drive the cab a little faster?”

    
    The traveler asked the cab man how long he would take to 
    reach the destination and if he could not drive the cab a little            faster.

7. The customer said to the  shopkeeper, “What is the price of this         article? Can you  give me two of these articles?”

    The customer asked the shopkeeper what the price of that article       was and if he could give  him two of those articles.

8. The old lady  said, “Can you tell me where does this road lead           to? Will you guide my way to the railway station, young man?”

    The old lady asked the young man if he could tell her where that       road led to and if he would guide her way to the railway station.

9. The priest said, “Where does this young lady come from? Can          you tell me this, gentleman?

    The priest asked the gentleman where that young lady came 
    from and if he could tell him that.

10. Shylock  said “ How can you call me a cheat ? Will you not pay        me my dues according to the deed,Portia ?”

      Shylock asked Portia how she could call him a cheat and if she        would not pay him his dues according to the deed.

EXERCISE NO.- FOUR

( Exclamatory Sentences)    

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech

1. The woman said, “What a beautiful child this is!
     The woman exclaimed that that child was very beautiful.

2. His aunt said, “What a pleasant surprise to see you here!”

   His aunt exclaimed that it was a pleasant surprise to 
   see him there.

3. Hamlet said, “How unlucky I am that I cannot find out any              solution!”

   Hamlet exclaimed that he was very unlucky that he could 
   not find out any solution.

4. The captain said, “Bravo ! well done,boys!”

    The captain applauded the boys saying that they had done well.

5. The leader said, “Alas! We have lost the game.”

     The leader exclaimed with sorrow that they had lost the game.

6. Boys said,” Hurrah! We have won the match!”

    Boys exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

7. She said,” What a beautiful weather it is!”

    She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful weather.

8. Father said,”What a lazy fellow she is!”

    Father exclaimed that she was a very lazy fellow.  

9. The cobbler said,” How stupid I am!”

    The cobbler exclaimed that he was very stupid.

10. The girl said, ”What a stupid fellow I am!”

      The girl exclaimed that she was  a stupid fellow.    

11. The captain said, "Good morning,Friends!" 

      The captain bade his friends good morning.

        

12.  The leader said,"Farewell, my countrymen!"  

      The leader bade his countrymen farewell.

13. The boy said,"If I were a king!"
      The boy wished that he had been  a king.

14. The old lady said,"May you live long, my son!"
      The old lady prayed that her son might live long.

15.  They said," May you live a long and prosperous life!"
       They prayed that you might live a long and prosperous life.





EXERCISE NO.- FIVE

(Imperative Sentences)

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech

1. The land lord said to his servant,"Go away and leave the room at       once."
    The land lord ordered his servant to go away and leave the room       at once.

2. She said to her maid servant,"Bring me a glass of water."
    She ordered her maid servant to bring her a glass of water.

3. The priest said to the boys,"Do not while away your time."
    The priest advised the boys not to while away their time.

4. Mother said to her son."Work hard lest you should fail."
    Mother advised her son to work hard lest he should fail.

5. The doctor said to the patient,"Do not smoke."
    The doctor advised the patient not to smoke.

6. The clerk said to the man,"Do not disturb me.Mind 
     your own business."
    The clerk forbade the man to disturb him and 
     advised him to mind his own business.

7.   The officer said to the peon."Let the visitor come  in." 

       The officer told the peon to let the visitor come in.        OR
       The officer told the peon that the visitor might be allowed to              come  in.

8.   The father said to his son,"Let us go out for a walk."
      The father suggested to his son that they should go out 
      for a walk.

9.   The girl said to her friend," Please show me your purse. "
      The girl requested her friend to show her her purse.

10. The man said to me," Let us wait for our turn."    
     The man proposed to me that we should wait for our turn. 

      
EXERCISE NO.- SIX

(Assorted Sentences)

Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech


1. "Why didn't you obey my orders?" said the officer to the peon."Leave my service at once and do not come here again."



The Officer asked the peon why he had not obeyed his orders. He ordered him to leave his service at once and forbade him to come there again. 


2. She said to her friend," How pleasant weather it is! I like going out for a walk very much.Let us go out for a long drive. Please take your sister too along with and we all shall enjoy ourselves there very much." 


She exclaimed that it was  a very pleasant weather and told her friend that she liked going out for a walk very much. She proposed to her friend that they should go out for a long drive.She further requested her friend to take her sister too along with and told that they all would enjoy themselves there very much.



3.The host said to the guest," Please come in and have a seat. What brings you here? What can I do for you? Will you like to have a cup of coffee? "  


The host requested the guest to come in and have a seat. He asked him what brought him there and what he could do for him. He further asked him if he would like to have a cup of coffee. 



4.The girl said to her father," Why are you in such a pensive mood today? Please let me know its reason. It will be my pleasure if I can do anything for you. Have you not gone to your office today?
The father said to her daughter," No,I am fine. I have not gone to my office  because I want to see you. Are you free today?" 


The girl asked her father why he was in such a pensive mood that day. She requested him to let her know its reason and told him that it would be her pleasure if she could do anything for him. She asked him if he had not gone to his office that day. 
The father replied in negative and told her that he was fine and he had not gone to his office because he  wanted to see her. He asked her if she was free that day.



5.The officer said to the employee,"Why are you late today? Do you not know that I do not allow any body to come in the office late? What is the reason of your late arrival? I allow you to attend the office today as an exceptional case. Do not repeat this instance in future." The employee said,"I am late today because my son fell ill suddenly and I had to take him to the doctor. I am sorry for this and I assure you that I shall not repeat it in future."



The officer asked the employee why he was late that day and if he did not know that he did not allow any body to come in the office late. He asked him what the reason of his late arrival was. He informed him that he allowed him to attend the office that day as an exceptional case and advised him not to repeat that instance in future. The employee replied that he was late that day because hisson had fallen ill suddenly and he had to take him to the doctorand he was sorry for that and he assured him that he would notrepeat that in future.

MORE EXERCISES BUT SENTENCES IN DIFFERENT FORM 

                                                                    

FROM INDIRECT TO DIRECT FORM OF SPEECH
                                                                            

Just to Review :

If the reporting speech is in past tense changes will be made in the reported speech as follows :

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