Class VIII
Subject - English
Read the sentence given below-
1. The girl said, “I am reading a book.”
2. The girl said that she was reading a
book.
In the first sentence the speaker’s actual
words without any change are given. This
is called Direct Speech.
In the second sentence, the words of the
first speaker are reported in the words of
the person reporting it. This is called
Indirect Speech/Reported Speech.
Note the sentence:
The girl said, “I am reading a book.”
reporting verb quoted speech
In the sentence above, “I am reading a
book” are the actual words of the speaker.
The exact words of the speaker are placed
within inverted commas “ABC”
A comma is used to separate the quoted
speech from the reporting verb.
CHANGE IN TENSE
WHILE CHANGING FROM DIRECT TO
INDIRECT SPEECH
If Reporting Verb is in the past
tense,
the tense of the verb, the
time/place and the pronouns
used in the reported speech or
Indirect Speech must be
changed.
CHANGE IN TENSES
DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
Simple Present Simple Past
Present Continuous Past Continuous
Present Perfect Past Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Past Perfect
Simple Past Past Perfect
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
CHANGE IN TIME/PLACE reference
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Now - then
Here - there
here after - there after
This - that
These - those
CHANGE IN TENSES
Ago - before
Thus - so
Direct Speech Indirect Speech
Yesterday - the day before (or) the previous day
Tomorrow - the next day (or) the following day
Last week - the week before (or) the previous week
Next week - the week after (or) the following week
the month before (or) the previous
Last month -
month
Next month - a month after
Hence - thence
Today - that day
Tonight - that night
Last night - the previous night
CHANGE IN PRONOUNS
1. I changes to he/she/you
2. My changes to his/her
3. We changes to they
4. Our changes to their
➢ CHANGE IN MODAL VERBS
➢ ‘Will’ and ‘Shall’ arechanged to ‘would’.
He said, “I will go to London tomorrow”. (D.S)
He said that he would go to London the next
day. (I.S)
➢ may-changes to- might
➢ can-changes to- could
➢ must- changes to- had to
Juhi said, “I must go now.” (D.S)
Juhi said that she had to go then. (I.S)
Let’s take a few examples…
Simple Present becomes Simple Past
Aman said, “ I am the Cultural secretary.”
(D.S)
Aman said that he was the Cultural
Secretary. (I.S)
Present Continuous becomes Past
Continuous
Rohan said, “I am going to the market.”
(D.S)
Rohan said that he was going to the
market. (I.S)
Present Perfect becomes Past Perfect
Aman said, “I have bought a pen.”
(D.S)
Aman said that he had bought a pen.
(I.S)
Present Perfect Continuous becomes
Past Perfect Continuous
Rohan said, “He has been reading a
book for two hours.” (D.S)
Rohan said that he had been reading a
book for two hours. (I.S)
Simple Past becomes Past Perfect
Aman said, “I bought a pen.” (D.S)
Aman said that he had bought a
pen. (I.S)
Past Continuous becomes Past
Perfect Continuous
Kamal said, “I was doing my home
work.” (D.S)
Kamal said that he had been doing
his home work. (I.S)
Past Perfect remains Past Perfect
(unchanged)
Shyam said, “I had finished my food.”
(D.S)
Shyam said that he had finished his
food. (I.S)
Past Perfect Continuous remains Past
Perfect Continuous (unchanged)
Kamal said, “I had been doing my
home work.” (D.S)
Kamal said that he had been doing
his home work. (I.S)
Statements or Assertive Sentences
Remove the quotation marks in the statement
Use the conjuction ‘that’
Change the reporting verb ‘said to’ to ‘told’
Eg.
1. He said to me, “Alan is a good football
player.”(D.S)
He told me that Alan is a good football player.
(I.S)
2. Suraj said, “I don’t like sweets.”(D.S)
Suraj told me that he didn’t like sweets. (I.S)
Interrogative Sentences
The introductory/reporting Verb is changed to ask
or enquire
Interrogative form of
the reported speech is
changed to statement.
Ifthe interrogative sentence begins with a verb
such as - is, are, they are changed to whether or if.
The sentence will end with a full stop.
Eg. 1. He said to me, “Is your father a doctor?”(D.S)
He asked me if my father was a doctor. (I.S)
2. Suraj asked me, “Do you play Hockey?”(D.S)
Suraj asked me whether I played Hockey. (I.S)
Imperative Sentences
An imperative sentence expresses ideas
such as advice, order, request, suggestion
or instruction.
The verb in the reported speech is put in the
Infinitive i.e we have added ‘to’ in front of
it. Eg: ‘to give’.
Imperative Sentences
Eg:
1. The master said to him, “Please give me a cup of tea.”
(D.S)
The master requested him to give him a cup of tea. (I.S)
2. “Go at once,” said the teacher to the boys. (D.S)
The teacher ordered the boys to go at once. (I.S)
3. The principal said, “Let the boys play for sometime.”
(D.S)
The principal allowed the boys to play for some time.
(I.S)
4. I said to him, “Love and obey your parents.” (D.S)
I advised him to love and obey his patents. (I.S)
5. The teacher said to the students, “Work hard.” (D.S)
The teacher advised the students to work hard. (I.S)
Reporting Exclamations and Wishes
While changing an exclamatory sentence to indirect
speech, the reporting verb must be changed to a
verb best suited to give the expression of sudden
feeling of joy, sorrow, suspense etc.
Eg:
1. “Hurrah! We have won the match,” said the
team. (D.S)
The team exclaimed with joy that they had won the
match. (I.S)
2. He said, “Alas! I am ruined.” (D.S)
He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined. (I.S)
Exceptions to the above rules:
1. If the reporting verb is in the simple
present or simple future tense, the tense of
the verb in the Indirect Speech doesn’t
change.
Eg: He says, “I didn’t go to the movies.”(D.S)
Reporting verb is in present tense
He says that he didn’t go to the movies. (I.S)
the direct speech contains universal
2. If
truth, the tense in the indirect speech
remains unchanged even if the reporting
verb is in the past.
Eg: The teacher said, “The sun rises in the
East.” (D.S)
The teacher said that the sun rises in the
East. (I.S)
UNIVERSAL TRUTH
the direct speech contains a
3. If
habitual fact, the tense in the indirect
speech remains unchanged even if the
reporting verb is in the past.
The champion said, “I go for swimming
everyday.” (D.S)
The champion said that he goes for
swimming everyday. (I.S)
Habitual Fact
Assignment
Q.1 Change the following sentences to Reported Speech
1. She said, “I’m watching a movie.”
2. They say, “We shall visit London one day.”
3. He said, “I have been waiting for them since
morning.”
4. The teacher said, “Shut the door.”
5. He said, “Mind your own business.“
6. Rahul asked me, “Did you see the cricket match on
TV last night?”
7. He said, “I arrived before you.”
8. She said, “I had already left.”
9. Seema said, “Where do they live?”
10. I said to him, “Call me back later.”
Answers
Q.1 Change the following sentences to Reported Speech
1. She said, “I’m watching a movie.”
Ans. She said that she was watching a movie.
2. They say, “We shall visit London one day.”
Ans. They say that they will visit London one day.
3. He said, “I have been waiting for them since
morning.”
Ans. He said that he had been waiting for them since
morning.
4. The teacher said, “Please shut the door.”
Ans. The teacher requested me to shut the door.
5. He said, “Mind your own business.“
Ans. He urged me to mind my own business.
Answers
6. Rahul asked me, “Did you see the cricket match
on TV last night?”
Ans. Rahul asked me if I had seen the cricket match
on TV the previous night.
7. He said, “I arrived before you.”
Ans. He said that he had arrived before me.
8. She said, “I had already left.”
Ans. She said that she had already left.
09. Seema said, “Where do they live?”
Ans. Seema asked where they lived.
10. I said to him, “Call me back later.”
Ans. I told him to call me back later.
