Direct and Indirect speech

DIRECT INDIRECT SPEECH

 Read the following sentences.

 1) The stranger said," I have some questions to   ask."(Assertive(Affirmative))

 

2)"I will not wait for you, today." Ram said to Shyam.(Assertive ( Negative))

 

3) The astrologer said," Will you give me five rupees ?" (Interrogative (Verbal question))

 

4) Soapy said," Why don't you call a policeman?"(Interrogative (Wh type))

 

5)"Get busy and call a cop", said Soapy.(Imperative)

 

6)"Don't keep a gentleman waiting", said Soapy.(Negative Imperative)

 

7)"What an attractive picture it is!" she exclaimed.(Exclamatory)

 

 * Read the following indirect speech sentences-

 

1)   The stranger told that he had some questions to ask.

 

    1) Ram told Shyam that he would not wait for him that day.

 

2)   The astrologer asked whether he would give him five rupees.

 

3)   Soapy asked why they did not call a policeman.

 

4)   Soapy suggested to get busy and call a cop.

 

5)   Soapy pleaded not to keep a gentleman waiting.

 

6)   She exclaimed that it was a very attractive picture.

 

The above examples are of four types of sentences:

 

1) The Assertive sentence

 

2) The Interrogative sentence

 

3) The Imperative sentence

 

4) The Exclamatory sentence

 

1)   THE ASSERTIVE SENTENCE :

 

Rules :

 

1) Use Reporting Verb 'said ' or 'told'.

 

('told' should be accompanied by an object.)

 

2)Use Conjunction 'that'.

 

3) Change of pronouns.

 

4) Change of tenses --If the reporting verb is in PAST TENSE , all the tenses in the reported speech will be changed .

 

  The Simple Present--> The Simple Past

 

  The Present Continuous -->The Past Continuous

 

  The Present Perfect --> The Past Perfect

 

  The Simple Past --> The Past Perfect

 

  Shall --> should

 

  Will --> would

 

  Can -->could

 

  May --> might

 

5) Words expressing 'nearness' will be changed into words expressing 'distance'.

 

  This --> that

 

  These -->those

 

  Here  -->there

 

  Now -->then

 

  Ago  -->before

 

  Come --> go

 

  Today --> that day

 

  Tonight -->  that night

 

  Tomorrow --> the next day or the day after.

 

   Yesterday -->  the previous day or the  day before.

 

  Last night --> the night before or the previous night.

 

Ex.

 

1)"I know these are heavy boots," the conductor said.

 

2)"I picked it up this morning in a restaurant,"said the umbrella man.

 

3) "I wouldn't give up my four thousand of the bet," said Andrew Stuart.

 

4)"Your statement is most interesting,"said Sherlock Holmes.

 

5) "I have them here," she answered.

 

Ans:

 

1) The conductor told that he knew those were heavy boots.

 

2)The umbrella man told / informed that he had picked it up that morning in a restaurant.

 

3)Andrew Stuart declared that he would  not give up his four thousand of the bet.

 

4)Sherlock  Holmes told that his statement was most interesting.

 

5)She answered that she  had them there.

 

2) THE INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE

 

Rules:

 

1) Use Reporting verb 'asked','questioned','enquired'.

 

2) Use conjunction-- if 'wh' question -- use 'wh' word.

 

                    If 'verbal' question -- use'if 'or 'whether'.

 

*(The interrogative sentence will become the assertive sentence.)

 

3) Rule 3, 4 and 5 will remain the same as given in the Assertive sentence.

 

Ex.

 

1) " Where do you want to go?"asked the conductor.

 

2)"Where's the man that done that ?" inquired the officer.

 

3) "What are you doing here?" asked the officer.

 

4)Mr. Fogg  said to Aouda,"Is our marriage still agreeable to you?"

 

5)"Had he any friends in town?"asked Holmes.

 

Ans:

 

1) The conductor inquired where he wanted to go .

 

2) The officer inquired where the man was that  had done that .

 

3)The officer asked what he was doing there.

 

4)Mr. Fogg asked Aouda if their marriage was still agreeable to her.

 

5) Holmes asked whether he had had any friends in town.

 

3) THE IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

 

Rules:

 

1)Use Reporting Verb 'ordered','requested','commanded','shouted','pleaded'etc.

 

2) No conjunction (Use infinitive form of the verb)

 

3)Rule 3, 4 and 5 will remain the same as given in the Assertive sentence.

 

Ex.

 

1) "Do not bring police."said he.

 

2)"state your case," said Holmes.

 

3) "Finish this activity in time ," said he.

 

4) "Tell me more." said the stranger.

 

5)"Tell me something worthwhile," said the stranger.

 

Ans :

 

1) He requested not to bring police.

 

2) Holmes suggested to state her case.

 

3) He ordered to finish that activity in time.

 

4)The stranger pleaded to tell him more.

 

5)The stranger requested to tell him something worthwhile.

 

4)THE EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE

 

Rules:

 

1) Use Reporting Verb 'exclaimed','applauded','uttered in sorrow or wonder ','cried in joy' etc.

 

2) Use conjunction 'that'.

 

*( The exclamatory statement becomes assertive statement, the sign of exclamation is removed.)

 

3)Rule 3, 4 and 5 will remain the same as given in the Assertive sentence.

 

Ex.

 

1)What a strange compensation!"exclaimed he.

 

2)"How interesting it is to be a blogger!" said she.

 

3)The teacher said,"How nicely you have done your work!"

 

4)"What a stupid fellow you are!", she remarked.

 

5) Ram said Shyam,"How clever you are!"

 

Ans :

 

1) He exclaimed in surprise that it was a very strange compensation.

 

2) She exclaimed that it was really very interesting to be a blogger.

 

3) The teacher cheerfully exclaimed that they had done their work very nicely.

 

4) She exclaimed in disgust that he was truly a stupid fellow.

 

5) Ram merrily told Shyam that he was very clever.