Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise for Class 10 CBSE
Can you use indirect speech correctly? Test your knowledge with this indirect speech exercise for class 10 CBSE.
When reporting Yes/No questions, we use the conjunction if or whether. Note that in reported questions, the auxiliary verb goes after the subject.
- Suma said, ‘Are you coming with me?’ (Direct speech)
- Suma asked me if I was going with her. (NOT Suma asked if was I going with her.)
We use to-infinitives to report imperative sentences.
- Mother said to the daughter, ‘Close the windows.’
- Mother told the daughter to close the windows.
Exercise
Sentences are given in the direct speech. Change them to indirect speech.
1. Father said to Maya, ‘Put all the books back on the shelves.’
2. ‘Do you remember me?’ he asked.
3. ‘Are you participating in the debate?’ he asked me.
4. ‘Where are you going?’ the old man asked the little girl.
5. ‘Somebody has eaten my chocolates,’ said the boy.
6. The players said, ‘We are hopeful of winning the match.’
7. The traveler asked the station master, ‘Are the trains running on time?’
8. Neha asked her mother, ‘Can I bring my friend along to the party?’
9. The woman said to the shopkeeper, ‘This frock is too small for me. Do you have a larger size?’
10. Sonal asked her friend, ‘Have you replied to your uncle’s letter?’
11. The man asked the workers, ‘Will you be able to finish the job by Monday?’
12. She said, ‘I don’t remember the exact dates.’
13. The stranger asked the boy, ‘How far is the railway station from here?’
14. ‘We should do something about it,’ she said.
15. ‘Are you looking for something?’ mother asked me.
16. ‘Would you like to buy some potatoes?’ the vegetable vendor said to the woman.
17. ‘If you don’t behave yourself, I will throw you out the class,’ said the teacher to the boy.
18. Mother said to the boy, ‘Finish your homework before you start playing video games.’
19. Mitra said, ‘Can I borrow your book?’
20. The girl said to the librarian, ‘I will return the book as soon as I finish reading it.’
21. ‘Wait here till I return,’ father said to the boy.
22. Grandmother said to me, ‘Don’t waste your time.’
23. John said to Rahul, ‘Please help me lift this box.’
24. Meena said to Priya, ‘Don’t forget to invite Sarah.’
Answers
1. Father told Maya to put all the toys back on the shelves.
2. He asked if I remembered him.
3. He asked me if / whether I was participating in the debate.
4. The old man asked the little girl where she was going.
5. The boy complained that somebody had eaten his chocolates.
6. The players said that they were hopeful of winning the match.
7. The traveler asked the station master if / whether the trains were running on time.
8. Neha asked her mother if / whether she could bring her friend along to the party.
9. The woman told the shopkeeper that that frock was too small for her and asked if / whether he had a larger size.
10. Sonal asked her friend if / whether she had replied to her uncle’s letter.
11. The man asked the workers if / whether they would be able to finish the job by Monday.
12. She said that she didn’t remember the exact dates.
13. The stranger asked the boy how far the railway station was from there.
14. She said that they should do something about it.
15. Mother asked me if / whether I was looking for something.
16. The vegetable vendor asked the woman if / whether she would like to buy some potatoes.
17. The teacher told the boy that if / whether he didn’t behave himself, she would throw him out the class.
18. Mother asked the boy to finish his homework before he started playing video games.
19. Mitra asked if she could borrow my book.
20. The girl told the librarian that she would return the book as soon as she finished reading it.
21. Father told the boy to wait there until he returned.
22. Grandmother advised me not to waste my time.
23. John requested Rahul to help him lift that box.
24. Meena reminded Priya not to forget to invite Sarah.