Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions English Grammar Narration / Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise Questions and Answers, Notes.
PSEB 12th Class English Grammar Narration / Direct and Indirect Speech
We may report the words of a speaker in two ways.
- We may quote his actual words. This is called the Direct Speech.
- We may report what he said without using his exact words. This is called the Indirect Speech.
Example : He said, “My brother is on tour.” (Direct)
He said that his brother was on tour. (Indirect)
Note : In the Direct Speech we use inverted commas to mark off the exact words of the speaker. In the Indirect Speech, we use neither exact words of the speaker nor the inverted commas.
The verb that reports the exact words of a speaker in Direct Speech is called the Reporting Verb.
The speech which the Reporting Verb actually reports is called the Reported Speech.
Rules for Changing Direct Speech into Indirect Speech.
(A) Change of Tense
1. The tense of the Reporting Verb is never changed. ,
2. The tense of the Reported Speech is changed as under :
(a) If the tense of the Reporting Verb is Present or Future, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is not changed.
(b) If the tense of the Reporting verb is past, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is changed into the corresponding past tense; as,
| 1. Present Indefinite | is changed into | Past Indefinite |
| 2. Present Continuous | is changed into | Past Continuous |
| 3. Present Perfect | is changed into | Past Perfect |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous | is changed into | Past Perfect Continuous |
| 5. Past Indefinite | is changed into | Past Perfect |
| 6. Past Continuous | is changed into | Past Perfect Continuous |
(B) Change of Personal Pronouns
- Pronouns of the first person in the Reported Speech are changed into the person of the subject of the Reporting Verb.
- Pronouns of the second person in the Reported Speech are changed into the person of the object of the Reporting Verb.
- Pronouns of the third person in the Reported Speech are generally not changed in the Indirect Speech.
(C) Change of Adjectives and Adverbs:
Words expressing nearness are generally changed into words expressing distance. Thus
(D) Use of Conjunction:
When a speech is changed from Direct into Indirect Speech, the conjunction ‘that’
generally inserted after the reporting verb. An exception in this respect is, however, made in the case of Interrogative and Imperative sentences.
1. Change of Assertive Sentences
In changing an Assertive sentence into Indirect Narration, change in the person of pronouns and tense is done as explained in the rules.
Conjunction ‘that’ is used.
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. Ram says to me, “I am going home.” | Ram tells me that he is going home. |
| 2. Ram said, “I go home.” | Ram said that he went home. |
| 3. Ram said, “I have gone home.” | Ram said that he had gone home. |
| 4. Ram said, “I have been going home.” | Ram said that he had been going home. |
| 5. Ram said, “I went home.” | Ram said that he had gone home. |
| 6. Ram said, “I was going home.” | Ram said that he had been going home. |
| 7. Ram said, “I shall go home.” | Ram said that he would go home. |
| 8. Ram said, “I shall be going home.” | Ram said that he would be going home. |
| 9. Ram said, “I shall have gone home.” | Ram said that he would have gone home. |
| 10. Ram said, “I shall have been going home.” | Ram said that he would have been going home. |
| 11. Mohan said to me, “I am a poor student.” | Mohan told me that he was a poor student. |
| 12. He said to me, “I have an urgent piece of work at home.” | He told me that he had an urgent piece of work at home. |
| 13. I said to the teacher, “I shall never be late for school.” | I told the teacher that I would never be late for school. |
| 14. Mohan said, “I have no time to talk to you now.” | Mohan said that he had no time to talk to me then. |
NOTE : If the reported speech expresses a universal truth or habitual fact, the tense in it is not changed; as,
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. The teacher said, “The earth moves round | The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun. |
| 2. He said, “Health is wealth.” | He said that health is wealth. |
| 3. He said, “God is everywhere.” | He said that God is everywhere. |
| 4. Ram said, “Man is mortal.” | Ram said that man is mortal. |
| 5. The teacher said to the boys, “Slow and and steady wins the race.” | The teacher told the boys that slow steady wins the race. |
| 6. He said, “Two and two make four.” | He said that two and two make four. |
2. Change of Interrogative Sentences
In converting an interrogative sentence into Indirect Speech, the following rules are observed:
1. The Reporting Verb is changed into ‘ask’, ‘enquire’ etc.
2. If the question begins with ‘who’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘what’, ‘from’, ‘why’, etc. no conjunction is used. These words follow in Reporting Verb unchanged.
3. When the question begins with a helping verb such as : ‘is’, ‘am’, ‘was’, ‘were’, ‘has’, ‘have’, ‘had’, ‘do’, ‘does’, ‘did’, ‘can’, ‘may’ etc. ‘if’ or ‘whether’ is used to introduce Indirect Speech.
The rules for the change of tense and pronouns as already given are observed.
The sentence changes its form from interrogative to assertive, helping verb goes with the verb and the question mark is removed.
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. He said to me, “What is your name ?” | He asked me what my name was. |
| 2. The teacher said to the student, “Why were you absent from school ?” | The teacher enquired of the student why he had been absent from the school. |
| 3. He said to me, “Where do you live ?” | He asked me where I lived. |
| 4. The teacher said to the boy, “How much money do you want ?” | The teacher asked the boy how much money he wanted. |
| 5. Ram said to me, “Whom do you want to see ? | Ram asked me whom I wanted to see. |
| 6. The teacher said to the boy, “Why are you | The teacher asked the boy why he was late again. |
3. Change of Imperative Sentences
In converting an imperative sentence into Indirect Speech, following rules are observed:
1. The Reporting Verb is changed into order, command, advise, forbid, request, beg, ask etc. in accordance with the sense that the sentence carries.
2. The Imperative mood of the verb of the Reported Speech is changed into infinitive i.e. ‘to’ is followed by the first form of the verb.
3. In the negative sentences ‘to’ is used after ‘not’.
4. Sometimes an object is to be supplied to the Reporting Verb from the context.
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. The headmaster said to the peon, “Ring the bell.” | The headmaster ordered the peon to ring the bell. |
| 2. He said to me,“Please wait here till I return.” | He requested me to wait there till he returned. |
| 3. The teacher said to the students, “Sit | The teacher ordered the students to sit down and not to make a noise. |
| 4. I said to him, “Work hard if you want to get a prize.” | I advised him to work hard, if he wanted to get a prize. |
| 5. The thief said to the magistrate, “Pardon | The thief begged the magistrate |
4. Change of Exclamatory Sentences
Exclamatory sentences express the feelings of pain, pleasure, a wish, a desire etc. on the part of the speaker.
Rules for the change of such sentences into Indirect form of speech are as under:
- The Reporting verb say is changed into exclaim, regret, admit, confess, cry out etc.
- The sentence becomes an assertive one and sign of exclamation is replaced by a full stop.
- Do away with words such as ‘Hurrah !’ ‘Alas’, ‘Bravo’ and express their sense by use of joy, sorrow, applaud.
- Changes in Tenses and Pronouns are the same as discussed already.
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. The players said, “Hurrah ! we have won the match.” | The players exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. |
| 2. The old man said, “Alas ! my only son is | The old man exclaimed with sorrow that his only son was dead. |
| 3. He said, “How clever I am !” | He exclaimed that he was very clever. |
| 4. She said, “What a fine building it is !” | She exclaimed that it was a very fine building. |
| 5. The teacher said, “Ah ! what a foolish | The teacher exclaimed with regret that he had to deal with a very foolish man. |
5. Optative Sentences
Rules for change into Indirect Speech:
1. The reporting verb is changed into ‘wish’, ‘pray’ etc.
2. The sentence becomes assertive and sign of exclamation is replaced by a full stop.
3. In most cases, conjunction “that” is used after the reporting verb.
| Direct | Indirect |
| 1. The beggar said, “May you live long !” | The beggar prayed that I might live long. |
| 2. He said to her, “May you succeed !” | He wished that she might succeed. |
| 3. “May you go to hell !” said the hermit | The hermit prayed that the wretch might go to hell. |
| 4. He said, “Would that I had all the pleasures of the world.” | He wished that he had all the pleasures of the world. |
| 5. Prem said to me, “Good morning, sir.” | Prem respectfully wished me good morning. |
Exercise 1
Change the form of Narration:
| 1. Tom said, “I don’t want to stay home from school.” | 1. Tom said that he did not want to stay home from school. |
| 2. ‘Oh, Sid, don’t juggle me !’ said Tom. | 2. Tom exclaimed and told Sid not to juggle him. |
| 3. She said, “Tom, you should not have frightened me like this.” | 3. She told Tom that he should not have frightened her like that. |
| 4. “Oh auntie, my sore toe is mortified.” | 4. Tom told his auntie surprisingly that his sore toe was mortified. |
| 5. “Now, that your tooth is out, Tom, you should go to school,” she said. | 5. She advised Tom to go to school then because his tooth was out. |
| 6. “What is the matter with you child ?” the aunt repeatedly said. | 6. The aunt repeatedly asked the child lovingly what the matter with him was. |
| 7. “I forgive you everything, Sid,” said Tom. | 7. Tom told Sid that he forgave him everything. |
| 8. “How long have you been this way ?” Sid said. | 8. Sid asked Tom how long he had been like that way. |
| 9. “Tom, why didn’t you wake me sooner ?” said Sid. | 9. Sid asked Tom why he had not woken him sooner. |
| 10. Aunt Polly said, “What is the matter with your tooth ?” | 10. Aunt Polly asked him what the matter with his tooth was. |
| 11. She said to Tom, “Open your mouth.” | 11. She ordered Tom to open his mouth. |
| 12. Tom said, “Oh, please Auntie, don’t pull it out.” | 12. Tom requested his auntie not to pull it out. |
| 13. Sid said to Tom, “Don’t wait, come quickly.” | 13. Sid told Tom not to wait and asked |
Exercise 2
Change the form of Narration:
| 1. “How many days is it since you touched your books ?”Father asked Swaminathan. | 1. Father asked Swaminathan how many days it was since he had touched his books. |
| 2. “Do you think you have passed the B.A. ?” Father asked Swami. | 2. Father asked Swami if he thought he had passed the B.A. |
| 3. “Do you want the whole day to throw out the spider ?” Father asked. | 3. Father asked Swami if he wanted the whole day to throw out the spider. |
| 4. “Get a piece of cloth, boy. That is not the way to clean things,” said Father. | 4. Father told Swami to get a piece of cloth as that was not the way to clean things. |
| 5. Swami announced, “Krishna must pay six annas.” | 5. Swami announced that Krishna must pay six annas. |
| 6. Swami said, “It seems I have got to tidy up these books of mine.” | 6. Swami said that it seemed he had got to tidy up those books of his. |
| 7. Father said to Swami, “Look at the way you have kept your English text.” | 7. Father told Swami to look at the way he had kept his English text. |
| 8. Swami said to his father, “Where am I to go for a piece of cloth ?” | 8. Swami asked his father where he was to go for a piece of cloth. |
| 9. “Can you give me a piece of cloth ?” said Swami to his mother. | 9. Swami asked his mother if she could give him a piece of cloth. |
| 10. Mother said to Swamis father, “There is no limit to his loafing in the sun.” | 10. Mother told Swami’s father that there was no limit to his loafing in the sun. |
| 11. Father said to Swami, “Have you done the sum ?” | 11. Father asked Swami if he had done the sum. |
| 12. Father said to Swami, “Where are you going ?” | 12. Father asked Swami where he was going. |
| 13. “How much does Ram want for his mangoes ?”asked the father. | 13. The father asked him how much Ram wanted for his mangoes. |
| 14. Father shouted and asked him, “Did you find the cloth ?” | 14. Father shouted to ask him if he had found the cloth. |
| 15. “You were not here yesterday,” said Swamis father. | 15. Swamis father reminded (him) that he had not been there the previous day. |
Exercise 3
Change the form of Narration:
| 1. “You must take the dog out, the woman bitterly. | 1. He told the woman bitterly that she must take the dog out. |
| 2. “I won’t go on the top in such weather,” said the woman. | 2. The woman said that she would not go on the top in such weather. |
| 3. “I will go on the top,” said the lady. | 3. The lady said that she would go on the top. |
| 4. “It is nonsense,” said her male companion. | 4. Her male companion said angrily that it was nonsense. |
| 5. “Let’s get our fares back,” said one of the passengers. | 5. One of the passengers suggested that they should get their fares back. |
| 6. “No fares back,” said the conductor. | 6. The conductor told the passengers that he would give no fares back. |
| 7. “Well, he has got his rules,” he said. | 7. He remarked that he had got his rules. |
| 8. “Shameful.” “Call the police, let’s make him give us our fares back.” | 8. The passengers deplored that the behaviour of the conductor was shameful. It was suggested to call the police and to make him (the conductor) give them their fares back. |
| 9. “You can take my name and address,” said the woman. | 9. The woman told him (courageously) that he could take her name and address. |
| 10. “Call the police,” said someone. | 10. Someone suggested that the police should be called. |
| 11. “I’ve got my rules,” said the conductor. | 11. The conductor claimed or remarked that he had got his rules. |
Exercise 4
Change the form of Narration:
| 1. “What is the treasure?” I enquired with interest. | 1. I enquired with interest what the treasure was. |
| 2. “Pearls,” he answered, “marvellous, flawless pearls.” | 2. He answered that the pearls were really marvellous and flawless. |
| 3. “And where are they to be found ?” I asked. | 3. I asked him where the pearls were to be found. |
| 4. “On the pearl banks of the Persian Gulf,” he replied. | 4. He replied that they were to be found on the pearl banks of the Persian Gulf. |
| 5. “The thin men are the divers,” he explained. | 5. He explained that the thin men were the divers. |
| 6. “Who is the man sitting cross-legged on a bench ?” I asked. | 6. I asked him who the man sitting cross-legged on a bench was. |
| 7. “That is the captain,” said my host. | 7. My host said that that was the captain. |
| 8. “There are not many men killed by sharks,’’said Mr. Hudson. | 8. Mr. Hudson said that there were not many men killed by sharks. |
| 9. “What is in the pots ?” I asked my host. | 9. I asked my host what in the pots |
| 10. “I could show you one,” said Mr. Hudson. | 10. Mr. Hudson told me that he could show me one. |
| 11. Mr. Hudson said, “This is a tiny copy of the Koran, the Arabs Bible.” | 11. Mr. Hudson told me that it was a tiny copy of the Koran, the Arab’s Bible. |
| 12. He asked me, “Do you notice a strong smell of herbs ?” | 12. He asked me if I noticed a strong smell of herbs. |
| 13. He replied, “The pearl fleet is at work quite near here.” | 13. He replied that the pearl fleet was at work quite near there. |
| 14. The writer said to Hudson, “Is it not dan-gerous to work here ?” | 14. The writer asked Hudson if it was not dangerous to work there. |
| 15. The host said to me, “Will you like to hear a song ?” | 15. The host asked me if I would like to hear a song. |
| 16. Mr. Hudson warned me, “Look out for the jelly fish.” | 16. Mr. Hudson warned me to look out for the jelly fish. |
Exercise 5
Change the form of Narration:
| 1. My hostess said, “I will show you over the church after service.” | 1. My hostess told me that she would show me over the church after service. |
| 2. “I hope you slept well,” said my host at breakfast next morning. | 2. My host at breakfast next morning told me that she hoped that I had slept well. |
| 3. “Oh ! that is the washing pool,” said my hostess. | 3. My hostess pointed out with surprise that that was the washing pool. |
| 4. “She would call that a kit,” said my hostess. | 4. My hostess told me that she would call that a kit. |
| 5. “Would you like to come with us to a service in the Maori Church ?” asked she. | 5. She asked me if I would like to come with them to a service in the Maori Church. |
| 6. “I’ll make your tea for you,” said the Maori woman. | 6. The Maori woman told me that she would make my tea for me. |
| 7. “What a tongue-twister !” I could not help saying. | 7. I could not help remarking that it was a very bad tongue-twister. |
| 8. “But isn’t it very dangerous to live there at all ?” I wanted to know. | 8. I asked to know if it was not dangerous to live there at all. |
| 9. My hostess said, “That’s not really wood, you know-it is flax.” | 9. My hostess told me that that was not really wood. She reminded me that it was flax. |
| 10. I said, “How amazing !” | 10. I exclaimed that it was very amazing. |
Our readers should note that all exercises on the grammatical items prescribed in the syllabus have been solved at the appropriate places in MBD Guide.
Exercise 1 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. She said to me, “I was present in the class yesterday.”
2. He says to me, “You may ask your brother to help you.”
3. She will say to me, “They are very brave.”
4. He told me that hard work pays in life.
5. Rohtas said, “I prefer death to dishonour.”
6. The stranger said, “I want to stay here for the night.”
7. The man told Ravi that he knew his father.
8. My uncle said that he had bought that house in 2005.
9. Ashok will say to Sumit, “I will try to stand first.”
10. Rishi said to me, “He needs help.”
Answer:
1. She told me that she had been present in the class the previous day.
2. He tells me that I may ask my brother to help me.
3. She will tell me that they are very brave.
4. He told me that hard work pays in life.
5. Rohtas said that he prefers death to dishonour.
6. The stranger said that he wanted to stay there for the night.
7. The man said to Ravi, “I know your father.”
8. My uncle said, “I bought this house in 2005.”
9. Ashok will tell Sumit that he will try to stand first.
10. Rishi told me that he needed help.
Exercise 2 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. The leader said, “Trust in God.”
2. My friend said to me, “Let me go home now as it is already twelve.”
3. She said, “What a lovely scene !”
4. My mother said to me, “Learn your lesson everyday.”
5. Columbus said to the courier, “Oh, leave me alone.”
6. The policeman advised me to obey the traffic rules.
7. Isha asked him when the postman came.
8. He asked, “Will you serve me faithfully ?”
9. You said, “You must work hard.”
10. He says to me, “I will leave you now.”
Answer:
1. The leader told them to trust in God.
2. My friend told me to let him go home then as it was already twelve.
3. She exclaimed with delight that it was a very lovely scene.
4. My mother advised me to learn my lesson everyday.
5. Feeling disgusted, Columbus told the courier to leave him alone.
6. The policeman said to me, “Obey the traffic rules.”
7. Isha said to him, “When did the postman come ?”
8. He asked me if I would serve him faithfully.
9. You told him that he must work hard.
10. He tells me that he will leave then.
Exercise 3 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. She said, “We are all sinners.”
2. “Run away, children,” said the mother.
3. “Do not you know the way home ?”asked I.
4. He said to him, “You should respect your elders.”
5. The principal said, “The authorities are trying their best to improve things.”
6. The teacher said, “Honesty is the best policy.”
7. Alice said to his wife, “Tom is coming for lunch today.”
8. I said, “I have my own likes and dislikes.”
9. You said to him, “I have seen this man somewhere.”
10. Mrs. Sonia says, “I am working on this computer.”
Answer:
1. She said that they are all sinners.
2. The mother ordered the children to run away.
3. I asked him if he did not know the way home.
4. He advised him that he should respect his elders.
5. The principal announced that the authorities were trying their best to improve things.
6. The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.
7. Alice told his wife that Tom was coming for lunch that day.
8. I said that I have my own likes and dislikes.
9. You told him that you had seen that man somewhere.
10. Mrs. Sonia says that she is working on that computer.
Exercise 4 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. He said to me, “I do not believe you.”
2. Rama said to Arjun, “Go away.”
3. He said to me, “What are you doing ?”
4. The Prince said, “It gives me great pleasuerc to be here this evening.”
5. He said, ‘I shall go as soon as it is possible.”
6. He said to him, “Is not your name Ahmed ?”
7. “Sit down, boys,” said the teacher.
8. Alice said, “How clever I am!”
9. The teacher said to him, “Do not read so fast.”
10. Abdul said that he had seen that picture.
Answer:
1. He told me that he did not believe me.
2. Rama told Arjun to go away.
3. He asked me what I was doing.
4. The Prince remarked that it gave him great pleasure to be there that evening.
5. He said that he would go as soon as it was possible.
6. He asked him if his name was not Ahmed.
7. The teacher asked the boys to sit down.
8. Alice exclaimed proudly that she was very clever.
9. The teacher told him not to read so fast.
10. Abdul said, “I have seen that picture.”
Exercise 5 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. You said, “My father returned from Cuttack last night.”
2. The saint said, “We should not hate the sinners.”
3. Jogi said that he had stood first.
4. Geeta said to Rohini, “Examination is drawing near.”
5. He says, “I go to the temple everyday.”
6. He said to me, “Hard work is the key to success.”
7. She said, “I was ill yesterday.”
8. “I want to take that journalist out on patrol,” he said to Priya.
9. The science teacher said to the students, “The earth moves round the sun.”
10. She said to me, “God will help you.”
Answer:
1. You said that your father had returned from Cuttack the previous night.
2. The saint said that they should not hate the sinners.
3. Jogi said, “I have stood first.”
4. Geeta informed Rohini that examination was drawing near.
5. He says that he goes to the temple everyday.
6. He told me that hard work is the key to success.
7. She said that she had been ill the previous day.
8. He told Priya that he wanted to take that journalist on patrol.
9. The science teacher told the students that the earth moves round the sun.
10. She assured me that God will help me.
Exercise 6 (Textual)
Change the Narration:
1. Kausalya said to Rama, “Do not desire to possess the moon.”
2. An old mouse said, “Who will bell that cat ?”
3. “Go down to the bazaar. Bring me some oil and a lump of ice,” ordered Latif.
4. Isha said to him, “What is it that makes you stronger and braver than any other man.”
5. “Have you anything to tell me ?”asked his master.
6. He said to me, “Wait until I come.”
7. He said, “Oh ! That’s a nuisance.”
8. “Which way did she go ?” asked the young man.
9. My father said to me, “I have often told you not to play with fire.”
10. I wrote that I would visit you the next day.
Answer:
1. Kausalya forbade Rama to desire to possess the moon.
2. An old mouse asked who would be willing to bell the cat.
3. Latif ordered him to go down to the bazaar and bring him some oil and a lump of ice.
4. Isha asked him as to what it was that made him stronger and brave than any other man.
5. His master asked him if he had anything to tell him.
6. He told me to wait until he came.
7. He exclaimed angrily that it was a great nuisance.
8. The young man asked him which way she had gone.
9. My father warned me that he had often told me not to play with fire.
10. I wrote, “I shall visit you tomorrow.”