class 6 english grammar direct and indirect speech

Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Direct and Indirect Speech

Class 6 English Grammar Chapter 24 Direct and Indirect Speech. The word—speech—means whatever we speak or write. Speaking or writing the words of an another person can be done in two ways, 1. by repeating the words of the other person as they were, 2. by stating the meaning of the words of the other person in your own words. Suppose Aman speaks the words: “I am ill today.” Any person other than Aman can express his words in the following two ways: (a) Either he says: Aman said, “I am ill today.” (b) Or he can say: Aman said that he was ill that day.

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Direct Speech

Aman said, “I am ill today.” In this sentence, the very words of the speaker, i.e., “I am ill today” are quoted within inverted commas (” “). This is called the Direct Speech. The sentence within ” ” is called reported speech. The verb that introduces the reporting speech is called reporting verb.

INDIRECT SPEECH Aman said that he was ill that day. In the above sentence, we have reported what the speaker said, i.e. he was ill that day without quoting the exact words. This is called Indirect Speech. Carefully Read the following points: In Direct Speech: 1. The Reported Speech is put within Inverted Commas (” “). 2. The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital letter. In Indirect Speech: 1. Inverted commas are not used for the Reported Speech It is generally introduced by the conjunction that, if, etc. 2. The comma separating the Reporting Verb from the Reported Speech is removed. 3. The tense of the Reporting Verb is never changed.

RULES FOR THE CHANGE OF TENSES

Conversion of Assertive Sentences into Indirect Speech Rule: If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is not changed at all as,

CHANGE IN TENSES

Rule: If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the tense of the R.S. will change as under: Simple Present changes into Simple Past: Direct: He said, “Sandhya sings a nice song.” Indirect: He said that Sandhya sang a nice song. Present Continuous changes into Past Continuous: Direct: He said, “The girls are picking flowers.” Indirect: He said that the girls were picking flowers. Present Perfect changes into Past Perfect: Direct: Father said to me, “It has been raining since morning.” Indirect: Father told me that it had been raining since morning. Simple Past changes into Past Perfect: Direct: I said to him, “They enjoyed the magic show.” Indirect: I told him that they had enjoyed the magic show. Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous are not changed: Direct: She said, “He had not seen the Taj before.” Indirect: She said that he had not seen the Taj before. Shall and will of future tense become should/would: Direct: I said to her, “I shall help Sagun”. Indirect: I told her that I should/would help Sagun. All Present Tenses change into their corresponding Past forms: is, am become was can becomes could are becomes were may becomes might has, have become had was/were become had been The forms of could, should, would, might, had are not changed: Direct: I said to him, “I am a poor man.” Indirect: I told him that I was a poor man.

CHANGE OF PRONOUN

Pronouns of the first person change according to the person of the Subject of the Reporting Verb: Direct: I said, “I have done my duty.” Indirect: I said that I had done my duty. Rule: Pronouns of the third person remain unchanged. Direct: I said, “He has done his duty.” Indirect: I said that he had done his duty. CHANGE OF WORDS DENOTING TIME AND POSITION here becomes there this becomes that ago becomes before today becomes that day thus becomes so now becomes then CONVERSION OF QUESTIONS INTO INDIRECT SPEECH 1. The Reporting Verb is changed to asked, enquired, demanded etc. 2. Whether or if is used if the R.S. begins with a Helping Verb or a Modal Auxiliary like do, does, did, is, am, are and can, could, should, would etc. in place of comma and inverted commas. 3. All questions beginning with interrogative words like how, what etc. remain unchanged. 4. The Interrogative form is changed into assertive form. The Question Mark is dropped. 5. Tenses, Pronouns and Words denoting nearness are changed according to the rules already stated. Direct: 1. He said to me, “Do you take tea?” Indirect: He asked me if I took tea.

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 6 with Answers CBSE

Direct and indirect speech exercises for class 6 with answers cbse pdf.

Rules For Changing Direct Speech To Reported Speech

1. Changes in reporting verb

• Affirmative sentences: said, told (object), asserted, replied, assured, informed, responded, whispered, alleged, believed, assumed, thought
• Interrogative sentences: asked, inquired, wanted to know, enquired
• Imperative sentences: ordered, begged, pleaded, implored, advised, demanded

2. Change of pronouns

• The conjunction that is used to connect the reporting verb with what is said.
• A first-person and second-person generally change to third person (depending upon object to reporting verb)
• In case the reporting verb is in present, the tense of verb in reported speech continues to remain in the present tense.

3. Change of tenses When we report something after a certain period of time, and what we are talking about has already happened, we change the tense of the sentence being reported into a corresponding past tense. Read the following table carefully.

In general, present tense becomes past tense:

• Past tense becomes past perfect tense.
• Past continuous becomes past perfect continuous tense.
• Past perfect and past perfect continuous remain unchanged.

4. Change of situations When we report sentences in indirect speech, the words denoting places or time are changed.

5. Universal truths When universal truths are being reported we may choose either to retain the original tense of the sentence or to change it.

6. Questions and answers

7. Commands, orders and requests

8. Modals verbs

Changes in modals

• can – could
• will – would
• shall – should
• may – might

Would, should, could, might, ought to and must are unchanged.

1. What does Ditya want to buy and why? 2. Why Ditya’s clothes are not suitable for the occasion? 3. What does father reply in the end of the story above?

B. Change the following sentences into indirect speech from the story above.

1. Ditya says to her father, “I want to buy new clothes for my graduation ceremony.” ___________________________________________________ 2. “These dresses are not suitable for the occasion,” says Ditya. ___________________________________________________ 3. “You have just borrowed three dresses a few days ago,” replies father. ___________________________________________________

Direct And Indirect Speech Practice Exercises for Class 6 CBSE

A. Complete the sentences into indirect speech.

1. Mohan (to Seema): I like your hairstyle. Mohan tells Seema : ____________

2. Parrot: I can speak English. The parrot says ____________

3. The fairy (to boy): I will grant you a wish if you won’t tell a lie. The fairy tells the boy ____________

4. The doctor (to a patient): I prescribed you a medicine but I did not charge you for it. The doctor tells ____________

5. The guide (to tourists): We are going to visit the Mahendra caves and there we will get to see bats. The guide says ____________

B. Change the following Direct speech into Indirect.

1. She says, “I will do this work.” ___________________________________

2. Sunita says, “He can come and stay in my flat.” ___________________________________

3. Amrita says to Hari, “I am taking my lunch now.” ___________________________________

4. Nancy says, “I am going to Paris next month.” ___________________________________

5. Vikas says, “I work hard on this project.” ___________________________________

6. She says, “This book is mine.” ___________________________________

7. Aunt Kajol says to me, “You will send these books to my place the day after tomorrow.” ___________________________________

8. Chetan says to mother, “I will tell you the truth.” ___________________________________

9. I have told him, “My father is a doctor.” ___________________________________

10. Meeta says, “I am sure everything will be alright after the operation.” ___________________________________

C. Write the correct pronouns in the following sentences in Reported speech.

1. Ankit: “I work in an office.” Ankit told me (that) ____________ worked in an office.

2. La lit and Puneet: “We play football.” Lalit and Puneet told me (that) ____________ played football.

3. Anjali: “I like my cat.” Anjali told me (that) ____________ liked ____________ cat.

4. Sanju: “Can you see me?” Sanju asked me ¡f ____________ could see ____________.

5. Kanika : “I will have to borrow your pencil.” Kanika told me (that) ____________ would have to borrow ____________ pencil.

6. Meera: “My father is American.” Meera told me (that) ____________ father is American.

7. Pooja and Rajni: “Can we use your camera?” Pooja and Rajni asked me if could use ____________ camera.

8. Raja: “How is your journey?” Raja asked me how ____________ journey was.

9. Priya and Ritu: “We love our pets.” Priya and Ritu told me (that) ____________ loved ____________ Pets.

10. Grandmother: “Piease bring me a cup of my tea.” Grandmother told me to bring ____________ a cup of tea.

Direct And Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 6 – Part II

Fundamentals: If the Reported Verb is in Past tense (Said, told instead of say, tell) then the tense in the reporting speech changes accordingly.

1. Why does Rita argue with her mother? 2. Why does Rita’s mother never give her a pizza or a burger to eat? Give two reasons. 3. What does Rita’s mother advice her in the end of the story?

B. Read the conversation between mother and daughter in the story above and complete the paragraph that follows.

Mother told Rita 1. ____________. Rita replied that 2. ____________ and told her mother that she never gave her a pizza or burger. Mother said that they are not good for her health and reminded her 3. ____________. Rita then asked her mother to give her french fries and a shake. Mother warned her that if she lived on junk food, she would spoil her health.

Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheets With Answers Pdf

A. Change the following into reported speech.

1. Nikhil said, “I will come tomorrow.” ____________________________________

2. Paras said, “I have passed the examination.” ____________________________________

3. He said, “We are going for a picnic today.” ____________________________________

4. She said, “Aayush is working hard.” ____________________________________

5. She said, “I have been writing for an hour.” ____________________________________

6. Rita said, “The girls were singing in the music period.” ____________________________________

7. The teacher says, “Sehaj does not work hard.” ____________________________________

8. I said to her, “I can solve the sum.” ____________________________________

9. Aman said, “Vinay may not come to school today.” ____________________________________

10. The teacher said, “The earth is round.” ____________________________________

11. He said to his friend, “My sister has written a letter.” ____________________________________

12. The priest said, “God is great.” ____________________________________

13. Arjun said, “I can play sitar.” ____________________________________

14. Mohan said, “My sister has been studying since morning.” ____________________________________

16. They said to me, “We cannot help you now.” ____________________________________

17. Sambhav said, “My father is writing a letter.” ____________________________________

18. She said to me, “I will go to the library tomorrow.” ____________________________________

B. Finish the sentences using Reported speech.

Question 1. Niru: Will you please give me your notebook? Indu: Yes. Which one do you need? Niru asked Indu if ……………………………….. Indu said, ……………………………….. She asked ……………………………….. Answer: Niru asked Indu if she would give Niru her notebook . Indu said yes . She asked Niru which one she needed .

Question 2. Mohini said, “Where can I find the post office?” The policeman said, “It is on the road behind the clock tower.” Mohini said, “Thank you. I have been looking for it for a while.” Mohini asked the policeman ………………………………. . The policeman said ………………………………. . Mohini ……………………………….. him and added that she had ……………………………….. Answer: Mohini asked the policeman where he could find the post office . The policeman said that it was on the road behind the clock tower . Mohini thanked him and added that she had been looking for it for w while .

Question 3. Teacher: Rohan, what are you thinking? Hurry up and finish your work. Rohan: Ma’am, I have almost finished. I was trying to recall my last week’s lessons.

The teacher ……………………………….. Rohan ……………………………….. She told him to ……………………………….. Rohan replied ……………………………….. He said that he ……………………………….. Answer: The teacher asked Rohan what he was thinking . She told him to hurry up and finish his work . Rohan replied that he had almost finished . He said that he was trying to recall his previous week lessons .

Question 4. Father: You look worried. What’s the matter? Son: It’s about my admission to an engineering college. Father: When are your results expected? Son: Within a week, Father.

The father noticed that his son ……………………………….. He asked him ………………………………. . The son replied ………………………………. . The father asked ………………………………. . The son replied ……………………………….. Answer: The father noticed that his son looked worried . He asked him what the matter was . The son replied that it was about his admission to an engineering college . The father asked his son when were his reults expected . The son replied that they were expected within a week .

Question 5. Jenny: Let’s go for a walk. Susan: Yes. Give me ten minutes. Jenny: Let’s go now. Susan: I will just take a few more minutes. Jenny: Why must you delay? Susan: What makes you so impatient?

Jenny asked Susan ……………………………….. Susan replied politely ……………………………….. Jenny was, however, impatient and said ……………………………….. Susan ……………………………….. Answer: Jenny asked Susan to go for a walk . Susan replied politely in the affirmative and asked to be given ten minutes . Jenny was, however, impatient and said that she wanted to go then . Susan said that she would take a few more minutes. Jenny asked her why she must delay. To this, Susan asked Jenny what made her so impatient .

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• English Grammar Worksheets

Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheet for Class 6

by Manjusha · Published June 6, 2023 · Updated July 14, 2024

Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

1. ‘I have been to Spain,’ said Ramesh.

2. ‘I recognized him instantly,’ she said to me.

3. ‘I sent the money in the morning,’ the clerk told the manager.

4. ‘We are going to win,’ said the players.

5. ‘I haven’t eaten anything since morning,’ said the girl.

6. ‘You can stay in my home,’ she said to me.

7. ‘I left home at 7 am,’ Rahul said.

8. ‘I am hungry,’ she said.

9. ‘What are you doing in my room?’ she said to me.

10. ‘We were living in Punjab at that time,’ said the old man.

11. ‘You should have informed me,’ she said to me.

12. ‘I will give your money back on Monday,’ he said.

1. Ramesh said that he had been to Spain.

2. She told me that she had recognized him instantly.

3. The clerk told the manager that he/she had sent the money in the morning.

4. The players said that they were going to win.

5. The girl said / complained that she hadn’t eaten anything since morning.

6. She told me that I could stay in her home.

7. Rahul said that he had left home at 7.

8.  She said that she was hungry.

9. She asked me what I was doing in her room.

10. The old man said that they had been living in Punjab at that time.

11. She told me that I should have informed her.

12. He said that he would give my money back on Monday.  

Present perfect in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech. Have been changes to had been .

Simple past in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech. Recognised changes to had recognised.

Can in direct speech becomes could in indirect speech.

Past continuous in the direct speech becomes past perfect continuous in the indirect speech. Were living changes to had been living.

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Direct and Indirect Speech English Grammar For Class 6

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Direct and Indirect Speech

There are two different ways speaker in which we can report the words of a speaker :  (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration  (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration  (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration: It contains the actual  Example: Sarla said, “My father has a roaring business in Delhi.”  In this sentence, the actual words of the speaker are given within inverted commas without any change.  (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration: It reports the speaker’s speech without quoting the actual words.  Example: Sarla said that her father had a roaring business in Delhi. Direct Speech or Direct Narration has two parts: (i) Reporting Verb and (ii) Reported Speech.

Reporting Verb: The verb which introduces the reported speech is called the reporting verb. Reported Speech: The actual words of the speaker given in inverted commas are called the reported speech. In the above sentence, “said” is the Reporting Verb and “My father has a roaring business in Delhi” is the Reported Speech.  Here are some distinctive points regarding the Direct Speech and the Indirect Speech.  (a) In Direct Speech 1. The reported speech is put within inverted commas.  2. The reporting verb is separated from the reporting speech by a comma. 3. The first word of the reported speech begins with a capital letter. 4. In the reported speech, we may use any tense required by the sense and any kind of sentence.

(b) In Indirect Speech 1. Inverted commas are not used. 2. The comma separating the reporting verb from the reported speech is removed. 3. The reported speech is introduced by some Conjunction (that, if, what, why, etc.).  4. The tense of the reported speech changes according to the reporting verb. 5. The tense of the reporting verb is never changed.  6. All kinds of sentences change into assertive ones. RULES FOR CHANGE OF TENSES Rule 1: If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the Tense of the Verb in the reported speech remains unchanged.  1. Direct : Sonia says, “Monica will meet me on Monday.” (Simple Present)  Indirect : Sonia says that Monica will meet her on Monday. (Unchanged)  2. Direct : Rajesh says, “She has brought a fair name to her family.” (Simple Present) Indirect: Rajesh says that she has brought a fair name to her family. (Unchanged) 3. Direct : The servant will say, “Dinner is ready.” (Simple Future) Indirect: The servant will say that dinner is ready. (Unchanged)  Rule 2: If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the Tenses in the Reported Speech are changed according to the Past Tense.  The Simple Present is changed into the Simple Past Tense (play-played; do-did, etc.). 1. Direct : Anil said, “I write a letter.” (Past) (Simple Present) Indirect: Anil said that he wrote a letter.  2. Direct : Sohan said, “Rama works efficiently.” (Past) (Simple Present)  Indirect : Sohan said that Rama worked efficiently. The Present Continuous is changed into Past Continuous  is/am/are playing-was/were playing).  1. Direct : He said, “Rohan is singing a sweet song.” (Past) (Present Continuous)  Indirect: He said that Rohan was singing a s weet song.  2. Direct : The students said, “The teachers are teaching a lesson.” (Past) (Present Continuous)  Indirect: The students said that the teachers were teaching a lesson.  

The Present Perfect is changed into the Past Perfect  (has/have played-had played). 1. Direct : She said, “The bus has arrived at the bus stand.”  (Past)(Present Perfect)  Indirect : She said that the bus had arrived at the bus stand.  2. Direct : The teacher said, “All the boys have gone to their homes.” (Past) (Present Perfect) Indirect: The teacher said that all the boys had gone to their homes.  The Present Perfect Continuous Tense is changed into the Past Perfect Continuous Tense. (has been/have been playing-had been playing)  1. Direct : Mohit said, “Malini has been waiting for a long time.” (Past) (Present Perfect Continuous)  Indirect : Mohit said that Malini had been waiting for a long time. 2. Direct : Ramesh said, “Dinesh has been playing since morning.” (Past) (Present Perfect Continuous) Indirect : Ramesh said that Dinesh had been playing since morning. The Simple Past is changed into the Past Perfect.  (played had played; did not play-had not played) 1. Direct : Mohit said, “Rakesh wrote a letter.” (Simple Past) (Past) Indirect : Mohit said that Rakesh had written a letter.  2. Direct : The mother said, “Shanti waited for her sister.” (Past) (Simple Past)  Indirect: The mother said that Shanti had waited for her sister.

The Past Continuous Tense is changed into the Past Perfect Continuous Tense. (was/were playing had been playing) 1. Direct : Rama said, “She was solving the sums.” (Past) (Past Continuous) Indirect : Rama said that she had been solving the sums.  2. Direct : She said, “Sarita was collecting information.” (Past) (Past Continuous) Indirect : She said that Sarita had been collecting information. The Past Perfect Tense remains unchanged. Direct : Ashish said, “Rohan had already finished his work.” (Past) (Past Perfect)  Indirect : Ashish said that Rohan had already finished his work.

The Past Perfect Continuous Tense also remains unchanged. Direct : The father said, “He had been working for an hour.” (Past) (Past Perfect Continuous) Indirect: The father said that he had been working for an hour.  Note the changes given below in case the reporting verb is in Past Tense

Some examples are given below:  1. Direct: Rajesh said, “I am in the room.”  Indirect: Rajesh said that he was in the room. 2. Direct : Pritam said, “He will tell the truth.” Indirect : Pritam said that he would tell the truth.  3. Direct : Priyanka said, “Priya will help her.” Indirect Priyanka said that Priya would help her.  4. Direct : He said, “It may rain in the evening.” Indirect : He said that it might rain in the evening. 5. Direct : :Shalini said, “She can swim in the river.” Indirect: Shalini said that she could swim in the river.  6. Direct : Raja said, “There is no sugar in the tea.” Indirect : Raja said that there was no sugar in the tea.  7. Direct : The boys said, “They have no homework to do.” Indirect: The boys said that they had no homework to do. 8. Direct: Mother said, “There are no apples in the basket.” Indirect: Mother said that there were no apples in the basket.  Rule 3 (Exception to Rule 2): If the reported speech expresses a universal truth or a habitual fact, its tense is not changed. Examples: 1. Direct: The teacher said, “The Earth moves around the Sun.” (The reported speech is a Universal Truth).  Indirect: The teacher (Unchanged) said that the Earth moves around the Sun. 2. Direct : She said, “She is an early riser.” (A habitual fact) Indirect : She said that she is an early riser. (Unchanged) 3. Direct : The science master said, “Heat expands gases.” (A Universal Truth) Indirect: The science master said that heat expands gases. (Unchanged) Exercise 1  Change the following sentences into Indirect Form of Speech: 1. The teacher said, “He is the best student.”  2. She said, “Mother is cooking food.” 3. The doctor said, “The patient will be all right soon.” 4. The father said, “Radha is working hard.” 5. The principal said, “The students will remain in discipline in the school.” 6. The farmer said, “It may rain.”  7. Shakuntala said, “Father will not attend the meeting.” 8. She said, “Manu was living in Japan.”  9. The inspector said, “The police were trying to arrest the culprit.” 10. Surjit Singh said, “They have planted a tree in the school compound.” 11. The postman said, “He will deliver all the letters in time.”  12. The doctors said, “Swine flu is not a serious disease.” 13. Our teachers said, “Honesty is the best policy.”  14. She said, “My mother does not eat meat at all.” 15. He said, “He daily goes out for a walk.” RULES FOR CHANGE OF PRONOUNS Rule 1: The First person pronouns of the reported speech are changed according to the subjects of the reporting verbs. Examples: 1. Direct : I said, “I have taken my dinner.”  Indirect : I said that I had taken my dinner. 2. Direct : You said, “I have taken my dinner.”  Indirect: You said that you had taken your dinner. 3. Direct : She said, “I have taken my dinner.”  Indirect : She said that she had taken her dinner.  4. Direct : The teacher said, “I have taken my dinner.” Indirect : The teacher said that he (the teacher) had taken the dinner. 

Rule 2: The Second person pronouns of the reported speech are changed according to the objects of the reporting verbs. Note: Change ‘said to’ of the reporting verb into ‘told’. Also, told is not followed by preposition ‘to’. Examples: 1. Direct : Mihir said to me, “You have taken your dinner.”  Indirect Mihir told me that I had taken my dinner. 2. Direct : Mihir said to you, “You have taken your dinner.”  Indirect: Mihir told you that you had taken your dinner. 3. Direct: Mihir said to him, “You have taken your dinner.”  Indirect: Mihir told him that he had taken his dinner. 

Rule 3: The Pronouns of the third person remain unchanged. Examples: 1. Direct : I said to my sister, “She has taken her dinner.”  Indirect: I told my sister that she had taken her dinner. 2. Direct : She said to me, “She is doing her homework.”  Indirect: She told me that she was doing her homework. Exercise 2 Change the following into Indirect Form of Speech:  1. Ram said, “I am punctual.” 2. His brother said, “My purse has been stolen.”  3. Radha said to Sharmila, “I can help you solve the problem.” 4. The officer said to the peon, “You should reach the office in time.” 5. My brother said, “I have been very tired.”  6. She said, “I am quite well.” 7. You said to her, “You are in the wrong.” 8. The passenger said, “I shall go to Delhi.”  9. You said to her, “She is quite lazy.” 10. You said to him, “I have warned my servant many times.”  11. He said to her, “I have found your purse.” 12. He said to me, “You are an intelligent boy.”  13. Smith said to the peon, “You have not obeyed my orders.” 14. The saint said, “God is everywhere.” 15. Sheela said to her mother, “I want to go on a tour.” 16. The teacher said, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”  17. Lalit said to me, “I have lost my pen.” 18. Ramesh said to Suresh, “You waited for him.”  19. The boys said to the teacher, “We are going to see the match in the ground.”

Change of words denoting nearness words are changed if the reporting verb is in the Past Tense: Direct Speech/Indirect Speech

Examples: 1. Direct : He said, “I am feeling out of sorts today.”  Indirect He said that he was feeling out of sorts that day. 2. Direct : She said, “Father will have reached home by now.”  Indirect She said that father would have reached home by then.  3. Direct : Sonam said, “I may go to Chandigarh tomorrow.”  Indirect: Sonam said that she might go to Chandigarh the next day. 4. Direct : They said, “We saw the movie three days ago.”  Indirect They said that they had seen that movie three days before.

Exercise 3 Change the following sentences into Indirect Form of Speech and rewrite:  1. He said, “I went to the zoo yesterday.” 2. Shankar said, “I shall go to Bhopal tomorrow.” 3. He said to me, “I am not going to school today.” 4. My father said, “He will construct a house here.” 5. He said, “I saw Mr. Sharma this morning.” 6. The teacher said, “Tomorrow will be a holiday.” 7. Dinesh said, “I cannot waste my time now.” 8. She said, “I had a peaceful sleep last night.” 9. The visitor said, “I came here three days ago.” 10. Hari said, “Rice does not grow here.” CONVERSION OF INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES (QUESTIONS) INTO INDIRECT SPEECH  While changing direct speech into indirect speech, the following changes are made:  (i) ‘said’ or ‘said to’ is changed into ‘asked, enquired or demanded’, etc.  (ii) After removing inverted commas, use ‘if’ or ‘whether’, when the question begins with ‘Do, Does, Is, Are, Am, Has, Have, Did, Was, Were, Had, Will, Shall, Can, May (helping words), etc.’ (iii) The interrogative sentence is changed into an assertive sentence.  (iv) The sign of interrogation mark is removed. (v) If relative pronouns like Who, Whose, Whom, When, Where, Why, What, How, Which, make the sentences Interrogative, these words are retained after removing inverted commas. (vi) Tenses, Pronouns are changed according to the rules already stated. Examples: 1. Direct : He said to me, “Do you play any game?” Indirect He asked me if (whether) I played any game.  2. Direct : I said to my friend, “Are you going to join some academy?”  Indirect I asked my friend if he was going to join some academy.  3. Direct : The teacher said to the boys, “Why are you making a noise?” Indirect: The teacher asked the boys why they were making a noise.  4. Direct : My friend said to him, “Did you attend the meeting yesterday?” Indirect My friend asked him if he had attended the meeting the previous day. 5. Direct : The clerk said to me, “What do you want?” Indirect: The clerk asked me what I wanted.  Exercise 4 Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:  1. My mother said to me, “Where do you come from?” 2. The teacher said, “Boys, have you understood the sum?” 3. He said, “Who is waiting for me?” 4. My mother said to me, “Shall I write a letter to him tomorrow?” 5. I said to the bookseller, “Can you show me some good books?” 6. His teacher said to him, “Where have you come from?” 7. “Have you taken the breakfast?” said Mohan to his brother. 8. They said to us, “Did you learn your lesson?” 9. Our teacher said to him, “Why are you disturbing the class?”  10. The stranger said to me, “Does he know the way to the market?” 11. You said to him, “Can you cross this river?” 12. “Do you respect your elders?” said I to Roma. CONVERSION OF IMPERATIVE SENTENCES INTO INDIRECT SPEECH Rules: Change the Reporting Verb according to its sense. 1. Request: request, beg, entreat, ask, etc. 2. Advice: advise, forbid, urge, etc. 3. Order: order, command, etc.  4. The imperative word is changed into infinitive one. 5. No conjunction is used to introduce the reported speech. 6. If the conjunction that is used, ‘should’ is placed before the infinitive. 7. Observe the rules for the change of pronouns and words showing nearness.

Examples: 1. Direct : Father said to me, “Put the book on the table.” Indirect Father told me to put the book on the table.  2. Direct : The teacher said to the boys, “Work hard and be regular in your studies.”  Indirect: The teacher advised the boys to work hard and be regular in their studies.  3. Direct : The officer said to the peon, “Bring me a glass of water.”  Indirect: The officer ordered the peon to bring him a glass of water.  4. Direct: The Principal said to the boys, “Do not pluck the flowers.”  Indirect : The Principal forbade the boys to pluck the flowers. or  Indirect : The Principal ordered the boys not to pluck the flowers.  5. Direct : Ramesh said to Leela, “Please help me in this matter.”  Indirect: Ramesh requested Leela to help him in that matter.  6. Direct : Sonu said to his father, “Let us go to Shimla in summer holidays.”  Indirect:  Sonu suggested to his father that they should go to Shimla in summer holidays. Exercise 5 Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:  1. The student said, “Let me go home now, Sir.” 2. The master said to the servant, “Send the visitors inside.” 3. The teacher said, “Open your books, boys.” 4. The commander said, “Attack the enemy.” 5. The teacher said, “Do not disturb the class.” 6. The beggar said, “Give me alms.” 7. “Please do me a favour,” said he to you. 8. The boys said to their teacher, “Allow us to go on a tour to Agra.” 9. The teacher said to the boys, “Stand up on the benches.” 10. Father said to me, “Go and wash your hands.” 11. He said to me, “Have a cup of tea with me, please.” 12. The old man said to his child, “My son, don’t make a noise.” 13. Mother said, “Son, always help the needy.” 14. The boys said to the teacher, “Repeat this lesson, please.” 15. “Do not spit on the floor, boys,” said the teacher. CONVERSION OF EXCLAMATORY AND OPTATIVE SENTENCES TO INDIRECT SPEECH In reporting a wish or exclamation in Indirect Speech:  1. The Reporting Verb is changed into wish, bless, cry, exclaim, curse, etc. with phrases such as ‘with regret’, ‘with delight or joy’, ‘with sorrow’, etc., wherever necessary. 2. The interjections and exclamatory words, such as ‘Oh, well, hurrah, , pray, alas, bravo’, are omitted and their sense is expressed by means of phrases. 3. The exclamatory sentences are changed into statements before they are converted into indirect speech. 4. The mark of exclamation is omitted.  5. Other rules are followed as explained earlier. Examples: 1. I said, “How sad he is!”  I exclaimed that he was very sad. 2. He said, “Hurrah! We have won the match.” He exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. 3. The poor man said to him, “May you live long!” The poor man wished that he might live long. Exercise 6 Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:  1. She said, “May you live long!” 2. The father said to his son, “May God bless you with a good fortune!” 3. The merchant said, “Alas! I am undone.” 4. The visitor said, “What a beautiful sunset!” 5. The player said, “Hurrah! India has won the cricket match.” 6. She said, “Alas! I have lost my gold ring.” 7. The spectators said, “Bravo! Well played, Ram.” 8. She said, “How lovely the child is!” 9. “Oh! I am hurt!” said the captain. 10. She said to me, “Wish that I were rich!”

Exercise 7 Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:  1. He says, “I daily go out for a walk.” 2. You will say to them, “We cannot cross the lake.” 3. He said to me, “I am solving the sums of Arithmetic.” 4. The teacher said, “Girls, do not make a noise.” 5. I said to him, “May I help you?” 6. The teacher said to me, “Can you tell me how you solved the sum?” 7. She said to me, “Who taught you English?” 8. The General said to the soldiers, “March forward.” 9. The king said to the executioner, “Put the prisoner to death.” 10. The gardener said, “Do not pluck the flowers.”

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Direct and Indirect speech, Rules, Chart and Exercises

Direct and Indirect speech are ways of narrating the speech of someone to some other person following certain rules. This article covers its types, rules, examples and some exercises on the same.

Table of Contents

Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

Direct and Indirect Speech

English has two main ways to report what someone says: Direct and Indirect speech. Direct speech uses the exact words someone said, for example: “I am hungry,” she said. Indirect speech paraphrases what was said, like: She said she was hungry. Both methods help us share information about events, actions, or situations by repeating what others have communicated. Direct speech is like quoting someone exactly, while indirect speech summarizes their words. To help you understand these two types better, we’ve included clear explanations, examples, and exercises. This will make it easier to grasp the differences and use both types of reported speech correctly.

Direct Speech

Direct speech is the mode of expression that directly presents the words spoken or quoted by a third person. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks (“”). The quotation is used to differentiate the speech of the third person that has happened in the past. Thus direct speech conveys statements or conversations of someone in the past tense but quoted inside the quotation marks in the present or future tense.

• Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• He asked, “Can I make this?”

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person. Instead of using quotation marks, the conjunction word, ‘that’ is used. Thus speaker’s words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech. Some examples of indirect speech are:

• Direct speech: Kiran said, “I am doing my work.”
• Indirect speech: Kiran said that she is doing her work.
• Direct speech: They said, ” We will go for the function.”
• Indirect speech: They said that they would go to the function.
• Direct speech: He asked, “Can I make this?”
• Indirect speech: He asked whether he can make that.

Rules for Direct and Indirect Speech

There are certain rules and regulations followed while converting a simple direct speech into indirect speech. Certain factors such as Verbs, Tenses, Modals, time, place, and pronouns are also considered while changing. The following are the rules applied when you convert direct speech to indirect speech in English grammar.

Rule-1 : Direct To Indirect Speech Conversion – Reporting Verb

The reporting verb is an important factor to note when changing a direct to an indirect sentence. When the reporting verb is past tense, then the verb inside the quotation is also changed to past when changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech. Examples:

• Direct: He said,’ I am sad.’
• Indirect: He said that he was sad.

An exception is for cases like a universal truth, the tenses remain the same.

• Teena said” The sun rises in the east”.
• Teena said that the sun rises in the east.

If the reporting verb is in present/future tense, then the tense remains the same as in direct speech.

• Direct: She says/will say, ‘I am coming.’
• Indirect: She says/will say she is coming.

Rule 2: Direct Speech to Indirect Speech Conversion – Tenses

If the sentences inside quotes in direct speech are present tense, it is changed to past tense when changed to indirect speech. The rule in the following table is applied while changing tenses from direct speech to reported speech.

Examples of change in Tenses

Rule 4: Direct to Indirect speech Conversion Interrogative sentences

If a sentence starts with a question word like what, when, and why in direct speech, the question word itself acts as the joining class.

• Direct speech: “Where do you live ?” Asked the boy.
• Indirect Speech: The boy enquired where I lived.

Rule 5: Direct to Indirect Speech Conversion Change in Modals

Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might. While changing direct to indirect speech, the Modals change as below:

• Can become could
• May becomes Might
• Must becomes had to (or) would have to
• Direct: She said,” She can sing.”
• Indirect: She said that she could sing.
• Direct: She said,” I should cook the lunch”
• Indirect: She said that she should cook the lunch.

Rule 6: Direct to Indirect speech conversion – pronoun

The first person in Direct speech changes as per the subject of the speech

• Direct: He said, “I am in grade sixth.”
• Indirect: He said that he was in grade sixth.

The second person of Direct speech changes as per the object of the indirect speech.

• Direct: She says to them, “You have achieved your goal.”
• Indirect: She tells them that they have achieved their goal.

If the third person is mentioned in the Direct speech, it does not change in reported speech.

• Direct: He says, “She sings well.”
• Indirect: He says that she sings well.

Rule 7: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Request, Command, Wish and Exclamation.

The imperative words in direct speech change into Infinitives in indirect speech.

• Direct: She said to her ‘Please remove it’.
• Indirect: She requested her to remove that.

Exclamation

• Direct: She said, ‘Alas! I am undone.
• Indirect: She exclaimed sadly that she was broke.

 Rule 8: Direct to indirect speech conversion – punctuations

In Direct speech, the words spoken must start with(“) and ends with(.) inside the double inverted commas. All symbols such as question marks, full stops or exclamatory marks should be placed inside the quotes.

• They said. “We are the best”
• She asked, “Can I come with You?”
• He uttered, “Keep Quiet!”

Rule 9: Direct to indirect speech conversion – Change of time

While converting direct speech to Indirect speech, there are certain words to be noted that cannot be used as such in indirect speech. These words get modified into new words which are enlisted below:

• Now becomes Then
• Ago becomes before
• Thus becomes So
• Today becomes That day
• Tomorrow becomes the next day
• Yesterday becomes the day before
• This becomes that
• These become those
• Come becomes go
• Hence becomes thence
• Next week or next month becomes the following week or month
• Direct: He says/will say, ‘My girlfriend came yesterday.’
• Indirect: He says/will say that his girlfriend had come the day before.

Rules for Converting Indirect Speech into Direct Speech:

The following rules should be followed while converting an indirect speech to direct speech:

• Use the reporting verb such as (say, said to) in its correct
• Put a comma before the statement and the first letter of the statement should be in capital
• Insert question marks, quotation marks, exclamation marks and full stops, based on the mood of the
• Remove the conjunctions like (that, too, if or wh ether) wherever necessary .
• Where the reporting verb is in the past tense in indirect, change it to present tense in the direct
• Change the past perfect tense either into the present perfect tense or past tense, as necessary .

Direct and Indirect Speech – Some Exercises

The following are some exercises that students can practice while preparing for their revision tests or board exams.

Q.1.  Find out the correct indirect speech for the given sentence.

She said,’ I have cooked this meal.’

• She said that she cooked this meal
• She said that she had cooked that meal.
• She said that I cooked that meal.
• She said that she had cooked this meal.

Answer (2) She said that she had cooked that meal.

Q.2.  Choose the correct sentence.

Sanjay said, ‘What a beautiful painting it is’.

• Sanjay exclaimed wonderfully that the painting was very beautiful.
• Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Answer (4) Sanjay exclaimed with wonder that the painting was very beautiful.

Q.3. The correct indirect speech for She asked, “What is the cost of these books?”

• She enquired what was the cost of those books.
• She inquired what was the cost of these books.
• She enquired what is the cost of those books.
• She questioned what was the cost of those books.

Answer (1) She enquired what was the cost of those books.

Q.4. The man said, ‘Oh God! I missed the train today.’

• The man cried that he missed the train that day.
• The man exclaimed in grief that he missed the train today.
• The man said that oh God! he missed that day.
• The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Answer (4) The man exclaimed with sorrow that he missed the train that day.

Q.5. Rahul said, “Can you call me back later?”

Answer (5) Rahul asked me if I could call him back later.

Q.6. Mom said to me, “May God Bless you”.

Answer (6)  Mom wished that God might bless me.

What is the Importance of Learning Direct and Indirect Speech?

Learning direct and indirect speech is crucial for several reasons:

• Improved Communication Skills: Understanding both forms helps in accurately conveying messages from one person to another. This skill is essential in both written and spoken communication.
• Enhanced Writing Abilities: Using direct and indirect speech allows for more dynamic and versatile writing. It enables writers to present dialogues and reported speech effectively.
• Better Understanding of Language Nuances: Mastery of direct and indirect speech helps learners grasp the subtleties of language, including tone, context, and perspective.
• Critical Thinking: Converting statements from direct to indirect speech (or vice versa) requires comprehension and analysis of the original message, fostering critical thinking.
• Effective Reporting: In fields like journalism, law, and academia, accurately reporting speech is vital. Mastery of both forms ensures precision and reliability in conveying information.

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Direct and Indirect speech-FAQs

Q1. what are direct and indirect speech in english.

Ans. Direct speech is a speech that describes what a third person has conveyed or quoted in a direct manner. Generally, direct speech is written inside quotation marks ("").Indirect Speech is used when we convey what someone said in our own words without repeating the actual text of that person.

Q2. In which speech conjunctions are used and what is the purpose?

Ans. The conjunctions are used in Indirect speech. The speaker's words and sentences are reframed into our own words in Indirect speech using conjuctions as connecting words.

Q3. What are modals and what is the significance of using modals?

Ans. Modal verbs are those verbs that are preceded by another verb, which is the main verb. Can, May, and Must are some examples of Modals. While converting direct to indirect speech Can becomes could, May becomes Might, Will becomes Would. Modals that won’t change are Could, would, should, ought to, might.

Q4 Give a few examples of direct speech.

Ans: Some examples of direct speech have been discussed here: 1. John said, "I will go to the store." 2. Mary asked, "Are you coming to the party?" 3. "It's a beautiful day," remarked Sarah. 4. He shouted, "Watch out for the car!"

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NCERT Solutions for Class 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12

CBSE Class 6 English Grammar Reported Speech

August 28, 2019 by Sastry CBSE

1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration.

2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as— Sarla said, “My father has a roaring business in Mumbai” He said to me, “I am feeling unwell today.” In these sentences, actual words of the speaker are given within inverted commas without any change. (b) Indirect Speech gives the substance of the speaker’s actual words and not the exact words spoken by him or her ; as— Sarla said that her father had a roaring business in Mumbai He told me that he was feeling unwell that day.

3. The actual words of the speaker, given within ‘ inverted commas’ are called the Reported Speech. In the same way, the Verb which introduces the Reported Speech is called the Reporting Verb. In the sentence above ‘said’ is the Reporting Verb and ‘My father has a roaring business in Mumbai’ is the Reported Speech.

Reporting Verb and Reported Speech. Look at the following sentences : Radha says, “I shall’ finish my home-work today.” Sushma said to Pushpa, “Show me your dolls.”

The verbs ‘says and said’ in the above sentences are ‘Reporting Verbs’. The exact words of the speaker given within the inverted commas are ‘Reported Speech’.

4. Here are some distinctive points regarding the Direct Speech and Indirect Speech :

In the Direct Speech

• The Reported Speech is put within Reported (Inverted) Commas.
• The Reported Speech and the Reporting Verb are separated by a Comma.
• The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital letter.

Transformation of Direct Speech into Indirect Speech I. Rules for the Change of Tense

Examples 1. Direct: Rajesh says, “She has brought fame to her family.” Indirect: Rajesh says that she has brought fame to her family. 2. Direct: Rohit has said, “I cannot displease my friend.” Indirect: Rohit has said that he cannot displease his friend. 3. Direct: I shall say, “I went to Agra on Monday.” Indirect: I shall say that I went to Agra on Monday. 4. Direct: She will say, “I have sent him a present.” Indirect:She will say that she has sent him a present.

Examples 1. Direct: I said, “I am speaking the truth.” Indirect: I said that I was speaking the truth. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “Boys fail because they do not study regularly.” Indirect: The teacher said that boys Jailed because they did not study regularly.

Exception to Rule II (i) If there is a Universal Truth or Habitualfact in the Reported Speech, the Tense of the verb is never changed ; as— 1. Direct : He said, “Face is the index of mind.” (Proverbial truth) Indirect: He said that face is the index of mind. 2. Direct: The teacher said, “The earth rotates round its axis.” (Geographical truth) Indirect: The teacher said that the earth rotates round its axis. 3. Direct: Horatius said, “Death comes sooner or later.” (Universal truth) Indirect : Horatius said that death comes sooner or later.

(ii) The Tense of the Verb in the Reported Speech does not change if the reported speech states a past historical fact; as— 1. Direct : He said, “India became free on 15th August, 1947.” Indirect : He said that India became free on 15th August, 1947. 2. Direct : She said, “Her father lived at Lahore for ten years.” Indirect : She said that her father lived at Lahore for ten years.

(iii) If two such actions are given in the Reported Speech which take place at the same time, the Past Indefinite or Continuous Tense does not change. Direct: He said, “Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute.” Indirect: He said that Mohan was singing a song while Gopal was playing on a flute. Examples 1. Direct: She said, “I am a top-class singer.” Indirect: She said that she was a top-class singer. 2. Direct: We said, “He is writing a poem.” Indirect: We said that, he was writing a poem. 3. Direct: He said, “It may rain tonight.” Indirect: He said that it might rain that night. 4. Direct: He said, “A devil ever remains a devil.” Indirect: He said that a devil ever remains a devil.

The future tense of the reported speech Is changed as under : Future Indefinite—would / should Future Continuous—would/should be Future Perfect—would/should have Future Perfect Continuous—would/should have been Examples 1. Direct: You said, “He is a very good athlete.” Indirect: You said that he was a very good athlete. 2. Direct: I said, “I have finished my work.” Indirect: I said that I had finished my work. 3. Direct: He said, “Her parents will pay a visit to Delhi.” Indirect: He said that her parents would pay a visit to Delhi.

B. Interrogative Sentences

Conversion Of Interrogative Sentences A From Direct Into Indirect

Examples (a) Questions beginning with a Helping Verb 1. Direct: He said to her, “Shall I accompany you to Agra ?” Indirect: He asked her if he would (should) accompany her to Agra. 2. Direct: She said to him, “Had I been absenting myself from school for a month ?” Indirect: She asked him if she had been absenting herself from school for a month. 3. Direct: He said to us, “Has she been spinning since yesterday ?” Indirect: He asked us if she had been spinning since the previous day. 4. Direct: They said to you, “Shall we be going on picnic tomorrow ?” Indirect: They asked you if they would be going on picnic the next day. 5. Direct: I said to her, “Will you have ironed your clothes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she would have ironed her clothes.

(b) Sentences having ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ 1. Direct: “Are there any more files ?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” said the peon. Indirect: He asked the peon if there were any more files. The peon replied respectfully in affirmative. 2. Direct: The teacher said to Lila, “Did you break the window pane ?” “No, sir,” said Lila, “I did not.” Indirect: The teacher asked Lila if she had broken the window pane. Lila replied respectfully and refused it (to have done it). 3. Direct: “If you find my answers satisfactory, will you give me five rupees ?” said the astrologer. “No, ’ replied the customer. Indirect: The astrologer asked the customer whether he would give him five rupees if he found his answers satisfactory. The customer replied in negative. 4. Direct: I said to him, “Do you want to go to Chandigarh ?” He said, “No, sir.” Indirect: I asked him if he wanted to go to Chandigarh and respectfully he replied in negative. 5. Direct: He said to me, “Does Mohan still play ?” I. said, “Yes, sir.” Indirect: He asked me if Mohan still played and I replied in positive.

(c) Questions beginning with Interrogative Words 1. Direct: He said to me, “Whom does she want to contact ?” Indirect: He asked me whom she wanted to contact. 2. Direct: They said to her, “Whose house are you purchasing ?” Indirect: They asked her whose house she was purchasing. 3. Direct: You said to him “Why are you making mischief ?” Indirect: You asked him why he was making mischief. 4. Direct: They said to us, “How have you solved this sum ?” Indirect: They asked us how we had solved that sum. 5. Direct : We said to them, “Who has misguided you ?” Indirect: We asked them who had misguided them.

(d) Questions beginning with modal auxiliaries 1. Direct: I said to him, “May Sunita come in to discuss with you something ?” Indirect: I asked him if Sunita might come in to discuss with him something. 2. Direct: The traveller said to me, “Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn ? Indirect: The traveller asked me if I could tell him the way to the nearest inn. 3. Direct: He said to me, “Must I leave for Mumbai tomorrow ?” Indirect: He asked me if he had to leave for Mumbai the next day. 4. Direct: I said to her, “Could you give me your notes ?” Indirect: I asked her if she could give me her notes. 5. Direct: I said to him, “Need I go to him ?” Indirect: I asked him if I had to go to him.

Multiple Choice Questions

Read the statements given below and tick the correct option : I. Identify the Reporting Verbs as directed : Question 1. Present (i) Radha will say ……… (ii) Radha said …… (iii) Radha had said ……….. (iv) Radha says ………..

Question 2. Past (i) The commander orders (ii) the commander order (iii) The commander said (iv) The commander will order

Question 3. Future (i) She requests (ii) She will say (iii) She informed (iv) She will enquire.

Question 4. Direct Speech (i) He said that the sun rises in the east (ii) Sun rises in the east (iii) She enquired about the holiday (iv) He enquired to be given a holiday

Question 5. Indirect speech (i) ‘I want to go for a walk’. (ii) He suggested going out for a walk (iii) ‘Get me a book’. (iv) ‘GO out’.

II. Fill in the blanks : Question 6. I said ……….. (i) why are you going (ii) him to go (iii) that he was going (iv) to go out of the room

Question 7. He asked …….. (i) whether was he fine (ii) was he fine (iii) if he is fine (iv) if he was fine

III. Tick the correct option : Question 8. The teacher said to them, (i) ‘Who had been teaching them English ?’ (ii) ‘Who teaches you English ?’ (iii) ‘Who taught your English ?’ (iv) ‘Whom you teach English ?’

Question 9. The teacher asked the students (i) whom were they taught English (ii) who taught them English. (iii) by whom were they taught English (iv) were they taught English

Question 10. He said, “The earth revolves around its axis” (i) He said that the earth revolved around its axis (ii) He said that the earth will revolve around its axis (iii) He said that the earth would revolve around its axis (iv) He said that the earth revolves around its axis. Answers 1. (iv) 2. (iii) 3. (ii) 4. (ii) 5. (ii) 6. (iii) 7. (iv) 8. (ii) 9. (ii) 10. (iv)

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English

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• Direct And Indirect Speech Exercises

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Direct and indirect speech is one topic in English grammar that confuses most language learners. It need not necessarily be so; if you understand how it works, you can easily use it in your writing.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb , pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

Exercise 1: Change into indirect speech

Read the following sentences and convert them into indirect speech.

• Rahul told to me, “When are you leaving?”
• “Where do you live?” the stranger asked Aladdin.
• The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”
• Dhronacharya said to Arjun, “Shoot the bird’s eye.”
• “Call the first convict,” said the jury.
• “Call the ambulance,” said the man.
• Bruce said to me, “I shall do the work.”
• My mother said to me, “You were wrong.”
• Mr Richard said to me, “Please wait here till I return.”
• The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”
• Raj said, “Alas! My pet died.”
• Ruchi said, “I may go there.”
• Bucky said to Steve, “Do you hear me?”
• The boy said, “Let me come in.”
• Granny said to me, “May God bless you.”

Answers –

• Rahul asked me when I was leaving.
• The stranger asked Aladdin where he lived.
• The teacher asked Shelly why he was laughing.
• Dhronacharya ordered Arjun to shoot the fish’s eye.
• The jury ordered to call the first convict.
• The man urged to call the ambulance.
• Bruce said to me he would do the work.
• My mother told me that I was wrong.
• Mr Richard requested me to wait there till he returned.
• The captain applauded me, saying that I had played well.
• Raj exclaimed sadly that his pet died.
• Ruchi said that she might go there.
• Bucky asked Steve if he heard him.
• The boy asked to let him come in.
• Granny prayed that God might bless me.

Convert the following into Direct Speech

Read the following passage and convert it into direct speech.

One of them told Issac that the latter had forgotten one thing that belonged to a mill. Issac enquired what that was. The friend asked where the miller was. Issac replied that (absence of the miller) was true – and he must look for one.

“But Issac,” said one of them, “you have forgotten one thing that belongs to a mill.”

“What is that?” asked Issac.

“Why, where is the miller?” said his friend.

“That is true – I must look for one,” said Issac.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct narration.

When the actual words/sentences as spoken by the speaker are quoted in a speech, it’s called direct speech/narration.

What is indirect speech?

When the quoted speech is reported in the form of a narrative without changing the meaning of the actual quotation/words by the speaker, it’s called indirect speech/narration.

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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he saiad,” we are all sinners”. convert into indirect speech

He said that they were all sinners.

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Direct and Indirect Speech – Rules and Examples

13th June 2020 By Edify English Leave a Comment

Any word spoken by a speaker can be written in two different ways. Those two are direct and indirect speech. Direct Speech is when the speaker’s actual words are quoted and these words are put in inverted commas (“…..”) while Indirect Speech is when the speaker’s words are said indirectly with the same meaning without repeating the exact words. For Example, the statement in direct speech She said to me, “I am going to the park” changes into She told me that she was going to the park in indirect speech.

Basic Changes while changing from Direct speech to indirect speech

• The comma ( , )after the reporting verb is removed and the conjunction that is added in the indirect speech.
• If the direct speech contains ‘said to’ , it will be converted into ‘told’ in the indirect speech.
• The quotation marks (Inverted commas) are to be removed in the indirect speech.
• I becomes He/ She
• We becomes they
• You becomes He / She/ They
• Me becomes Him/ he r (Depending on the gender in the direct speech)
• My becomes His/ Her .
• Our becomes their
• Us becomes them
• Your becomes His/ her/ their .

Rules in changing a sentence from Direct and Indirect Speech

• Rule 1: The Verb in the simple present tense in the direct speech changes into the simple past tense in indirect speech

Example: He said to me, “I am happy”   becomes  He told me that he was happy

(The verb in the direct speech ‘am’ is converted into ‘was’.)

• Rule 2: The verb in the simple past tense becomes past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: He said to me, “I was happy”   changes into  He told me that he had been happy

• Rule 3: A present continuous tense in direct speech becomes past continuous tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The peon said, “The professor is teaching in that classroom”   changes into  The peon said that the professor was teaching in that classroom. 

• Rule 4: If the direct speech contains present perfect tense, it changes into the past perfect tense in indirect speech.

Example: She said, “I have passed the test” becomes She said that she had passed the test.

• Rule 5: If the direct speech contains a statement talking about a universal truth or a factual statement, there will be no change of tense in indirect speech. 

Example: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the East” becomes The teacher said that the sun rises in the east in indirect speech.

Example: Samuel said, “I know the university’s address.” and the indirect speech for that is Samuel said that he knows the university’s address

Rules for converting Interrogatory sentences

• Rule 6: While converting interrogative sentences, the verb ‘said to’ becomes ‘asked’ and if/ whether will come in the place of ‘that’. The connecting word ‘that’ will not be used in indirect speech. Also, the interrogation mark (?) is not repeated in the indirect speech.

Example:   He said to her, “Will you marry me?” changes into He asked her whether she would marry him in the indirect speech.

Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

• Rule 7: During the conversion of imperative sentences, the verb “said to” is changed into ordered, advised, requested, suggested, proposed, etc. depending on the situation.  Also, the connecting word ‘that’ is not used. Instead of that, ‘ to’ is used before the reporting verb.

Example: My father said to me, “prepare well for your examination” . It can be converted to My father advised me to prepare well for my examination.

Rules for Converting Exclamatory Sentences

• Rule 8: For exclamatory sentences, the verb is converted into: exclaimed with joy or sorrow or with surprise, wished, prayed, applauded,/ etc. The exclamatory words and the exclamation are not mentioned anymore in the indirect speech. For example,

Example: The coach said, “Hurrah! we won the match!” is changed as The coach exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

These are the changes in helping verbs while changing from Direct and Indirect Speech

Note: There is no change in the helping verbs “would, should, could, might, had” in the direct speech and they remain the s ame in indirect speech as well.

Changes in Time and Place 

Cha nges in pronoun s

The changes in pronouns in indirect speech depends on the subject and the object of the reporting verb.

• Rule 1: The first person of reported speech changes based on the subject of the reporting verb.

Example: She said, “I watched a movie” can be converted into She said that she had watched a movie . Hence, the first person in the direct speech “I” has become “she” based on the subject.

Had there been “he” instead of “she”, the first person in reported speech changes accordingly into “he”.

• Rule 2: The second person in reported speech changes based on the object of the reporting verb.

Example: She said to me, “You watched a movie” can be converted into She told me that I had watched a movie.

• Rule 3 : The third person in the reported speech remains unchanged.

Example: I said to her, “He will play Chess” can be converted into I told her that he would play Chess.

Stay tuned for more examples of direct and indirect speech.

For an extensive material on tenses, Click here

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Direct and Indirect speech

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Question 3 - Direct and Indirect speech - Grammar - English Class 6

Last updated at April 16, 2024 by Teachoo

Change the following sentences from Indirect to Direct speech:

(a) he says that he is going to calcutta., (b) he said that he wanted a book., (c) ravi told his friends that they might go when they liked., (d) the teacher told me that i have not done my work well., (e) suresh said that he had written a letter., (f) she asked me if i would go to the cinema the next day., (g) mohan asked the postman if there was a letter for him., (h) the teacher advised the boy to work hard., (i) he requested his friend to give him his book., (j) the father advised his son not to smoke., (k) kamal suggested to hari that they should play cricket..

• (a) - He says, “I am going to Calcutta.”
• (b) - He said, “I want a book.”  
• (c) - Ravi said to his friend, “You may go when you like.”  
• (d) - The teacher said to me, “You have not done your work well.”  
• (e) - Suresh said, “I wrote a letter.”  
• (f) - She said to me, “Will you go to the cinema tomorrow ?”  
• (g) - Mohan asked the postman, “Is there a letter for me ?”  
• (h) - The teacher said to the boy, “Work hard.”  
• (i) - He said to his friend, “Please give me your book.”  
• (j) - The father said to his son, “Do not smoke.”  
• (k) - Kamal said to Hari, “Let us play cricket.” 

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.

1.    John said, ‘I am very busy now.’ 2.    He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’ 3.    ‘I know her name and address,’ said John. 4.    ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said. 5.    He said, ‘I am writing letters.’ 6.    ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said. 7.    He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’ 8.    He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’ 9.    He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’ 10.    ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger. 11.    He said, ‘Will you listen to me?’ 12.    John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ 13.    She said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ 14.    ‘Call the witness,’ said the judge. 15.    The speaker said, ‘Be quiet and listen to my words.’

1.    John said that he was very busy then. 2.    He said that the horse had been fed. 3.    John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.) 4.    She said that German is/was easy to learn. 5.    He said that he was writing letters. 6.    Alice said that it was too late to go out. 7.    He told me that he didn’t believe me. OR He said he didn’t believe me. 8.    He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9.    He asked me what I was doing. 10.    The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11.    He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.    John ordered Peter to go away. 13.    She asked me to wait there till she returned. 14.    The judge commanded them to call the first witness. 15.    He urged them to be quiet and listen to them.

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Direct And Indirect Speech Quiz: Test Your Skills

Are you eager to assess your English grammar proficiency in an enjoyable manner? Dive into this Direct and Indirect Speech Quiz to gauge your knowledge of these two forms of reported speech. Reporting speech involves conveying someone else's words, and it can be done in two primary ways: direct and indirect speech. In direct speech, you repeat the speaker's words verbatim. In contrast, indirect speech conveys the speaker's message without using their exact words. This quiz presents an engaging opportunity to test your understanding of these concepts and improve your grammatical skills. By participating in this quiz, you Read more can enhance your grasp of the nuances between direct and indirect speech, which is essential for effective communication and writing. So, are you ready for the challenge? Let's embark on this educational journey and see how well you can navigate the intricacies of reported speech. Best of luck!

Direct And Indirect Speech Questions and Answers

What would the indirect speech be: maria said, "it's my car.".

Maria said that it is my car.

Maria said that it is her car.

Maria said that it was my car.

Maria said that it was her car.

Rate this question:

What would the indirect speech be: Martin said, "I work here every day."?

Martin said that he worked here yesterday.

Martin said that he worked there every day.

Martin said that he works here every day.

Martin said that he worked every day.

What would the indirect speech be: Monica said, "I have finished my homework."?

Monica said that she had finished her homework.

Monica said that she had finished my homework.

Monica said that she has finished her homework.

Monica said that she has finished my homework."

What would the indirect speech be: My daughter said to me, "I can sleep alone."?

My daughter said to me that I can sleep alone.

My daughter told me that she can sleep alone.

My daughter said to me that she would sleep alone.

My daughter told me that she could sleep alone.

What would the indirect speech be: Leo said, "My friend may come tonight."?

Leo said that his friend might come tonight.

Leo said that his friend might come that night.

Leo said that his friend might go that night.

Leo said that his friend might go tonight.

What would the indirect speech be: Jullie said to me, "I have to win this game."?

Jullie told me that she must win this game.

Jullie told me that she had to win that game.

Jullie told me that she had to win this game.

Jullie told me that she must win that game.

What would the indirect speech be: He said, "I am a man."?

He said that he was a man.

He said that he is a man.

He said that I am a man.

He said that I was a man.

What would the indirect speech be: Mary said, "I am coming here."?

Mary said that she was coming there.

Mary said that she is coming there.

Mary insists that she had been coming there.

Mary says that she had come here.

What would the indirect speech be: My brother said, "I went to school yesterday."?

My brother said that he had gone to school today.

My brother said that he had gone to school the day after.

My brother said that he had gone to school the previous day.

My brother said that he had gone to school the next day.

What would the indirect speech be: Mathew said, "I will go to school next year."?

Mathew said that he would go to school the year before.

Mathew said that he would go to school the following year.

Mathew said that he would come to school the year before.

Mathew said that he would come to school the year after.

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Direct and Indirect speech Class 6 English Grammar Worksheet

Hello Students, welcome to Net Explanations. In this page we have posted some Direct and Indirect speech Class 6 English Grammar Worksheet Extra Questions Answers.

Answer: Ronit said that Shahina sang a nice song.

Answer: Kevin said that the girls were picking flowers.

Answer: Her brother told her that they he had enjoyed the magic show.

Answer: He told me that he was a poor man.

Direct and Indirect speech Worksheet 2

Direct and Indirect speech sentence

1.) Tanveer said “I am reading a novel”.

3.) Karan said “I have been waiting for him for two hours”.

Answer: I said that my friend had arrived on Saturday.

Answer: Kalpana said that she will go to the amusement park.

9.) He said “I need more money for the trip”.

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Direct and Indirect Objects in English Grammar | Definitions, Examples, and Tips

Direct and indirect objects.

Understanding the concepts of direct and indirect objects in English grammar is essential for building clearer, more effective sentences. These grammatical elements help add detail and structure to your sentences, ensuring that your ideas are communicated properly. Let’s explore what they are, how to identify them, and how they function in sentences.

What Are Objects in a Sentence?

In grammar, an object is a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. There are two main types of objects in English: direct objects and indirect objects . Both are used to complete the meaning of verbs and provide additional information about who or what is affected by the action.

Direct Objects

A direct object is the noun or pronoun that directly receives the action of the verb. It answers the question “ what ” or “ whom ” after the verb.

• Sentence : She wrote a letter.
• Verb : Wrote
• Direct Object : A letter (What did she write?)

Here, “a letter” is the direct object because it tells us what was written. Without it, the sentence wouldn’t fully express the intended meaning.

How to Identify a Direct Object:

To find the direct object in a sentence, follow these steps:

• Identify the verb .
• Ask what or whom the verb is acting upon.

More Examples:

• He bought a new car. ( What did he buy? A new car.)
• The teacher explained the lesson. ( What did the teacher explain? The lesson.)

Indirect Objects

An indirect object is the noun or pronoun that indirectly receives the action of the verb. It tells us to whom or for whom the action is done. Indirect objects usually come between the verb and the direct object in a sentence.

• Sentence : She gave her friend a gift.
• Verb : Gave
• Direct Object : A gift (What did she give?)
• Indirect Object : Her friend (To whom did she give the gift?)

Here, “her friend” is the indirect object because it tells us who is receiving the gift. The indirect object benefits from or is affected by the action of the verb.

How to Identify an Indirect Object:

• Identify the verb and the direct object .
• Ask to whom or for whom the action is performed.
• The chef made us a delicious meal. ( To whom did the chef make the meal? Us.)
• He sent his sister a postcard. ( To whom did he send the postcard? His sister.)

Word Order with Indirect Objects

In English, the usual word order for sentences with both a direct and indirect object is:

• Subject + verb + indirect object + direct object
• She showed her brother the pictures. ( Indirect Object : her brother, Direct Object : the pictures)

However, you can also express the same idea by rearranging the sentence and using “to” or “for” :

• She showed the pictures to her brother.

This structure is often used when the direct object is long or complex.

• I gave my parents a tour of the city. → I gave a tour of the city to my parents.

Verbs That Take Direct and Indirect Objects

Not all verbs can take both a direct and an indirect object. However, certain verbs often do. Here are some common verbs that take both types of objects:

• Give (e.g., He gave her a book.)
• Send (e.g., They sent him a letter.)
• Show (e.g., I showed my friend the photos.)
• Offer (e.g., She offered us a drink.)
• Tell (e.g., He told me a secret.)
• Teach (e.g., She taught the students a lesson.)

Distinguishing Between Direct and Indirect Objects

It’s important to distinguish between direct and indirect objects to avoid confusion. Consider these sentences:

• She threw the ball. ( Direct Object : The ball)
• She threw him the ball. ( Indirect Object : Him, Direct Object : The ball)

In the second sentence, “him” is the indirect object, and “the ball” remains the direct object. The action of throwing is performed on “the ball,” but “him” is the recipient of the action.

Verbs Without Objects (Intransitive Verbs)

Some verbs do not take objects at all. These are called intransitive verbs and are complete without needing a direct or indirect object.

• The baby sleeps.
• They laughed.

In these sentences, there is no direct or indirect object because the verbs “sleeps” and “laughed” do not require additional information to make sense.

Understanding the difference between direct and indirect objects helps create sentences that are both clearer and more descriptive. While direct objects receive the action of the verb, indirect objects indicate to whom or for whom that action is performed. Mastering the placement and use of these objects can greatly improve your writing and communication skills in English.

• Direct Objects : Receive the action of the verb directly.
• Indirect Objects : Receive the benefit or effect of the action, indirectly connected to the verb.
• Word Order : Usually, the indirect object comes before the direct object, but “to” or “for” can be used to rearrange the sentence.

By practicing how to identify and use direct and indirect objects in sentences, you can enhance the clarity and detail of your writing!

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