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Class 8 English — Direct and indirect speech

Turn a spoken statement into reported speech, shifting the tense, the pronoun and the time words.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.Reported speech normally shifts the verb one step further into the past. Sort each line by whether it follows that rule.

    Groups: Correctly reported · Not correctly reported

    • He said that he was happy.
    • She said that she will come.
    • She said that she would come.
    • They said that they had won.
    • They said that they have won.
    • He said that he is happy.

  2. 2.Report this: She said, "I will call you tomorrow."

    • a) She said she would call me the next day.
    • b) She said she would called me the next day.
    • c) She said she will call me tomorrow.
    • d) She said I would call you tomorrow.

  3. 3.In reported speech, "will" usually becomes ____.

  4. 4.Which word replaces "here" in reported speech?

    • a) this
    • b) near
    • c) there
    • d) where

  5. 5.In reported speech, "today" usually becomes ____. Write two words.

  6. 6.Report this: "We are leaving now," they said.

    • a) They said that they were leaving then.
    • b) They said that we were leaving then.
    • c) They said that they are leaving now.
    • d) They said that they were leaving now.

  7. 7.Report this: Ravi said, "I am tired."

    • a) Ravi said that he is tired.
    • b) Ravi said he am tired.
    • c) Ravi said that he was tired.
    • d) Ravi said that I was tired.

  8. 8.Report this: The guide said, "The bus is late."

    • a) The guide said that the bus was late.
    • b) The guide said that the bus had been late.
    • c) The guide said that the bus will be late.
    • d) The guide said that this bus is late.

Answer key — Class 8 English — Direct and indirect speech

  1. 1. He said that he was happy. → Correctly reported; He said that he is happy. → Not correctly reported; She said that she would come. → Correctly reported; She said that she will come. → Not correctly reported; They said that they had won. → Correctly reported; They said that they have won. → Not correctly reported
  2. 2. a) She said she would call me the next day.
  3. 3. would
  4. 4. c) there
  5. 5. that day
  6. 6. a) They said that they were leaving then.
  7. 7. c) Ravi said that he was tired.
  8. 8. a) The guide said that the bus was late.