Direct And Indirect Speech Quiz

Direct And Indirect Speech Quiz

Test your English grammar skills with our interactive Direct and Indirect Speech Quiz. Learn how to convert reported speech accurately and avoid common mistakes.

Direct And Indirect Speech

Direct and Indirect Speech are two fundamental ways to report what someone has said. Understanding their differences and the rules for converting between them is crucial for clear and accurate communication in English.

1. Direct Speech

Definition: Direct speech reports the exact words of the speaker, enclosed in quotation marks. It’s like a direct quote from the person.

Key Characteristics:

• Uses quotation marks (” “) around the spoken words.
• The exact words of the speaker are reproduced.
• A comma is often used to separate the reporting clause (e.g., “He said,”) from the direct speech.
• The first word of the direct speech usually starts with a capital letter.
• Preserves the original speaker’s tone, emphasis, and style.

Examples:

• She said, “I am going to the market.”
• He asked, “Where do you live?”
• “Don’t forget your umbrella,” warned my mother.

2. Indirect Speech (or Reported Speech)

Definition: Indirect speech reports what someone said without using their exact words. It paraphrases or summarizes the original message.

Key Characteristics:

• Does not use quotation marks.
• Often introduced by a reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked, explained, suggested) followed by “that” (though “that” is often optional, especially in informal contexts).
• Involves changes in tense, pronouns, and time/place expressions to reflect the shift in perspective from the original speaker to the reporter.
• The word order for questions in indirect speech changes to that of a statement (subject + verb).

Examples:

• She said that she was going to the market.
• He asked where I lived.
• My mother warned me not to forget my umbrella.
  

Direct And Indirect Speech Exercise

1. He said, “I am going to school.”
   ➡ He said that he ______ going to school.
   (was)
   
2. She said, “I have completed the work.”
   ➡ She said that she ______ completed the work.
   (had)
   
3. They said, “We will meet you tomorrow.”
   ➡ They said that they would meet me ______ day.
   (the next)
   
4. He said, “I can swim.”
   ➡ He said that he ______ swim.
   (could)
   
5. John said, “I bought a car.”
   ➡ John said that he ______ a car.
   (had bought)
   
6. She said, “He is playing the piano.”
   ➡ She said that he ______ playing the piano.
   (was)
   
7. He said, “I will help you.”
   ➡ He said that he ______ help me.
   (would)
   
8. They said, “We are watching a movie.”
   ➡ They said that they ______ watching a movie.
   (were)
   
9. I said, “I do not like tea.”
   ➡ I said that I ______ not like tea.
   (did)
   
10. She said, “I may come.”
    ➡ She said that she ______ come.
    (might)
    
11. He said, “I must leave now.”
    ➡ He said that he ______ leave then.
    (had to)
    
12. She said, “I am tired.”
    ➡ She said that she ______ tired.
    (was)
    
13. He said, “I saw her yesterday.”
    ➡ He said that he had seen her the ______ day.
    (previous)
    
14. They said, “We will arrive next week.”
    ➡ They said they would arrive the ______ week.
    (following)
    
15. She said, “I don’t like this book.”
    ➡ She said that she ______ like that book.
    (didn’t)
    
16. He said, “I have been waiting for an hour.”
    ➡ He said that he ______ been waiting for an hour.
    (had)
    
17. She said, “He had left already.”
    ➡ She said that he ______ left already.
    (had)
    
18. I said, “It is raining.”
    ➡ I said that it ______ raining.
    (was)
    
19. He said, “They were playing football.”
    ➡ He said that they ______ playing football.
    (had been)
    
20. She said, “Can you help me?”
    ➡ She asked if I ______ help her.
    (could)
    
21. He said, “Do you like coffee?”
    ➡ He asked if I ______ coffee.
    (liked)
    
22. They asked, “Have you eaten?”
    ➡ They asked if I ______ eaten.
    (had)
    
23. She asked, “Are you okay?”
    ➡ She asked if I ______ okay.
    (was)
    
24. He said, “What are you doing?”
    ➡ He asked what I ______ doing.
    (was)
    
25. I asked, “Where do you live?”
    ➡ I asked where she ______.
    (lived)
    
26. She asked, “When will you come?”
    ➡ She asked when I ______ come.
    (would)
    
27. He said, “Don’t touch that.”
    ➡ He told me ______ touch that.
    (not to)
    
28. She said, “Please help me.”
    ➡ She asked me ______ help her.
    (to)
    
29. I said, “Close the door.”
    ➡ I told him ______ the door.
    (to close)
    
30. He said, “Let’s go to the park.”
    ➡ He suggested that we ______ to the park.
    (go)

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