When we change a sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, there is usually a change in tenses. For example, simple present in the direct speech will become simple past in the indirect speech. Likewise, simple past in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech. The modal auxiliaries also change form. Will becomes would, can becomes could and may becomes might in indirect speech. Pronouns and words indicating time and place also change.

Worksheet

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

1. ‘I am watching a movie,’ Rahul said.

2. ‘I myself cleaned the house,’ he said.

3. ‘I have passed the test,’ said Sonia.

4. ‘I have been working for two hours,’ he said.

5. ‘I wrote the letter yesterday,’ he said.

6. ‘I want to know why you are angry with me,’ Rahul said to me.

7. ‘You should wait for me,’ said the mother to her daughter.

8. ‘I have been waiting for the bus for a while,’ the man said.

9. ‘I don’t like prawns,’ the girl said to the waiter.

10. ‘I can’t find my glasses,’ said the old man.

11. ‘Why are you reading my letters?’ she asked me.

12. ‘We will finish the job by evening,’ said the workers.

Answers

1. Rahul said that he was watching a movie.

2. He said that he himself had cleaned the house.

3. Sonia said that she had passed the test.

4. He said that he had been working for two hours.

5. He said that he had written the letter the previous day.

6. Rahul asked me why I was angry with him. / Rahul told me that he wanted to know why I was angry with him.

7. The mother told the daughter to wait for her. / The mother said / insisted that her daughter should wait for her.

8. The man said that he had been waiting for the bus for a while.

9. The girl told the waiter that she didn’t like prawns.

10. The old man said / complained that he couldn’t find his glasses.

11. She asked me why I was reading her letters.

12. The workers said that they would finish the job by evening.

See also

Direct and indirect speech worksheet for class 7