What Is Direct Speech?
Direct speech means to the same words speaks by anyone, within in quotation "-". For example:
She said, "I am going to the store."
What Is Indirect Speech?
Indirect speech, on the other hand, reports what was said without quoting the exact words. It often involves changes in pronouns, tense, and word order. For example:
Srijani said that she was going to the school.
Direct and Indirect Speech Transformation
In order to properly transform direct speech into indirect speech (and vice versa), you need to keep the following guidelines in mind:
1. Tense Changes: The tense in indirect speech often shifts one step back from the direct speech tense.
2. Pronoun Changes: The pronouns in the direct speech need to be altered in indirect speech.
3. Time Expressions: Words like "today," "tomorrow," "now," etc., are modified when converting to indirect speech.
50 Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises
Here are 50 examples of direct and indirect speech exercises for you to practice. The exercises will cover various aspects of these two forms of speech, helping you solidify your understanding.
1-10: Simple Direct to Indirect Speech
1. Direct: She says, "I love playing tennis." Indirect: She says that she loves playing tennis.
2. Direct: John said, "I will meet you tomorrow."
Indirect: John said that he would meet me the next day.
3. Direct: "I have finished my homework," Jane said.
Indirect: Jane said that she had finished her homework.
4. Direct: "I am reading a book," she explained. Indirect: She explained that she was reading a book.
5. Direct: "We are planning a trip to Paris," they said.
Indirect: They said that they were planning a trip to Paris.
6. Direct: "I haven't eaten lunch yet," Tom mentioned.
Indirect: Tom mentioned that he hadn't eaten lunch yet.
Read more about another 50 direct and indirect speech
https://pcrsrpr.blogspot.com/2025/02/50ExamplesofDirectandIndirectSpeecAComprehensiveGuide.html
7. Direct: "It is raining today," hari observed. Indirect: Hari observed that it was raining thatday.
8. Direct: "I can't find my keys," Maria said. Indirect: Maria said that she couldn't find her keys.
9. Direct: "I will call you later," he promised. Indirect: He promised that he would call me later.
10. Direct: "We are excited about the concert," they said.
Indirect: They said that they were excited about the concert.
You can also read 100 examples of direct to indirect speech
https://pcrsrpr.blogspot.com/2025/02/100ExamplesofDirectandIndirectSpeechAComprehensiveGuide.html
11-20: Transforming Complex Sentences
11. Direct: "I have been studying all day," he admitted.
Indirect: He admitted that he had been studying all day.
12. Direct: "I can help you with the project," she said.
Indirect: She said that she could help me with the project.
13. Direct: "My parents are going on vacation," John said.
Indirect: John said that his parents were going on vacation.
14. Direct: "I have been to Italy twice," she said. Indirect: She said that she had been to Italy twice.
15. Direct: "The teacher will arrive soon," the student told me.
Indirect: The student told me that the teacher would arrive soon.
16. Direct: "I will be busy tomorrow," she stated.
Indirect: She stated that she would be busy the next day.
17. Direct: "I didn't know about the meeting," Mark explained.
Indirect: Mark explained that he hadn't known about the meeting.
18. Direct: "I am planning a surprise party," she said.
Indirect: She said that she was planning a surprise party.
19. Direct: "I have never been to a concert before," he confessed.
Indirect: He confessed that he had never been to a concert before.
20. Direct: "I don't like ice cream," he said. Indirect: He said that he didn't like ice cream.
21-30: Questions in Direct and Indirect Speech
21. Direct: "Are you coming to the park?" sita asked.
Indirect: Sita asked if I was coming to the park.
22. Direct: "What time does the bus leave?" Ram asked.
Indirect: Ram asked what time the bus left.
23. Direct: "Where have you been?" she questioned.
Indirect: She questioned where I had been.
24. Direct: "Will you help me with my homework?" he asked.
Indirect: He asked if I would help him with his homework.
25. Direct: "Why did you leave early?" the manager asked.
Indirect: The manager asked why I had left early.
26. Direct: "How long have you been studying?" she asked.
Indirect: She asked how long I had been studying.
27. Direct: "What are you doing tomorrow?" she asked.
Indirect: She asked what I was doing tomorrow.
28. Direct: "Do you like reading?" he asked. Indirect: He asked if I liked reading.
29. Direct: "Can you pass the salt?" she asked. Indirect: She asked if I could pass the salt.
30. Direct: "Where is your brother?" he asked. Indirect: He asked where my brother was.
You can also read about tenses in english grammar and its uses Here:https://pcrsrpr.blogspot.com/2020/03/learn-tenses-in-english_88.html
31-40: Negative Sentences in Direct and Indirect Speech
31. Direct: "I don't understand this concept," she said.
Indirect: She said that she didn't understand this concept.
32. Direct: "I haven't finished the assignment," he admitted.
Indirect: He admitted that he hadn't finished the assignment.
33. Direct: "I won't attend the meeting," she told me.
Indirect: She told me that she wouldn't attend the meeting.
34. Direct: "They didn't call me," John said. Indirect: John said that they hadn't called him.
35. Direct: "We aren't going to the movies," they explained.
Indirect: They explained that they weren't going to the movies.
36. Direct: "I don't like traveling," she mentioned.
Indirect: She mentioned that she didn't like traveling.
37. Direct: "I haven't received your message," Mark said.
Indirect: Mark said that he hadn't received my message.
38. Direct: "we don't want to go to the cinema," they said.
Indirect: They said that They didn't want to go to the cinema.
39. Direct: "They aren't coming to the event," she said.
Indirect: She said that they weren't coming to the event.
40. Direct: "I can't solve this problem," he said. Indirect: He said that he couldn't solve the problem.
41-50: Reporting Speech in a More Complex Context
41. Direct: "I might go to the zoo," Riya said. Indirect: Riya said that she might go to the zoo.
42. Direct: "I have already eaten," shyam said. Indirect: Shyam said that he had eaten already.
43. Direct: "I had never seen such a beautiful sunset," she said.
Indirect: She said that she had never seen such a beautiful sunset.
44. Direct: "They are coming over for dinner tonight," John said.
Indirect: John said that they were coming over for dinner that night.
45. Direct: "I’m not fully sure if I can help you," supriya said.
Indirect: supriya said that she wasn’t fully sure if she could help her.
46. Direct: "I was waiting for the bus," Mark explained.
Indirect: Mark explained that he had been waiting for the bus.
47. Direct: "We had already left when you called," they told me.
Indirect: They told me that they had already left when I had called.
48. Direct: "I had been living in London before I moved to New York," she said.
Indirect: She said that she had been living in London before she moved to New York.
49. Direct: "I think we should leave now," he suggested.
Indirect: He suggested that we should leave then.
50. Direct: "I’ll see you tomorrow," Tarun said. Indirect: Tarun said that he would see me the next day.
Conclusion
Understanding how to properly convert direct speech into indirect speech (and vice versa) is crucial for effective communication. By practicing these 50 examples, you can enhance your grammar skills and become more confident in using both forms of speech. Whether you're speaking or writing, these exercises will give you the tools to accurately report what others say.
By continuously practicing these transformations and paying attention to the rules regarding tense changes, pronouns, and time expressions, you’ll soon find direct and indirect speech easier to master. Happy learning!