Direct and Indirect Speech: Practice Exercises

Reporting someone's words accurately (Narration) is a vital skill for both daily communication and competitive exams. Test your understanding of tenses, pronouns, and time expressions with these exercises.

✍️ Exercise 1: Change Direct to Indirect Speech

1. He said, "I did not visit the shop yesterday."
2. Rahul said to me, "I don't steal money from the shop."
3. He said to his sister, "I am going to the farewell party today."
4. The student says, "He will complete his homework tomorrow."
5. Radha says to my mother, "I will buy this car."
6. She said, "Ravi has completed the construction work."
7. He said, "I will collect the water sample of this area."
8. Rita said to Sita, "I am cooking noodles today."
9. The teacher said, "Human beings are mortal."
10. My friend says to me, "One plus one equals two."

✅ Solution 1

• 1. He said that he had not visited the shop the previous day.
• 2. Rahul told me that he didn't steal money from the shop.
• 3. He told his sister that he was going to the farewell party that day.
• 4. The student says that he will complete his homework tomorrow. (No tense change).
• 5. Radha tells my mother that she will buy that car.
• 6. She said that Ravi had completed the construction work.
• 7. He said that he would collect the water sample of that area.
• 8. Rita told Sita that she was cooking noodles that day.
• 9. The teacher said that human beings are mortal. (Universal Truth).
• 10. My friend tells me that one plus one equals two. (Scientific Fact).

✍️ Exercise 2: Indirect to Direct (Reverse Practice)

Instructions: Change the following from Indirect Speech back to Direct Speech.

1. You said that they were waiting for the bus.
2. She asked you when you would start from school.
3. John said that he wanted to be an army officer.
4. My father told me that I should not find a job.
5. Sangita told me that I was her friend.

✅ Solution 2

• 1. You said, "They are waiting for the bus."
• 2. She said to you, "When will you start from school?"
• 3. John said, "I want to be an army officer."
• 4. My father said to me, "You should not find a job."
• 5. Sangita said to me, "You are my friend."

🔗 Explore More

• Active and Passive Voice Exercises
• Future Tense Grammar Rules
• Verb Forms: Part 2