Reported Speech/Direct-Indirect Speech
Reported speech or Direct Indirect speech is a common form of language expression. One needs to pay attention to the basic rules of Reported speech and practice. A question on reported speech often appears at the OL exam ( Sri Lanka).
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Activity 1
A group of children talked about going on a trip during the vacation. Rewrite what they talked in the indirect speech as given in the example.
Kamal : I like to visit Kandy.Banuka : I visited Kandy last Sunday.
Manel : I have never been to Kandy.
Madura : I will bring my new digital camera. Gayan : I can come with my brother. Nayani : I am not sure if I could come.
e.g. Kamal said that he liked to visit Kandy.
Note:
When reporting a sentence in the indirect speech, make sure that you pay attention to the reporting verb. The tense of the indirect statement is decided upon by the tense of the reporting verb.
Banuka said that he had visited Kandy the previous Sunday. / Manel said that she had never been to Kandy / Madura said that he would bring his new digital camera. /Gayan said that he could come with his brother. /Nayani said that she was not sure if she could come.
Activity 2:Turn the following sentences into reported speech.
1. Tony says "I won't be able to join the trip".
2. My teacher says, "The sun rises in the east".
3. The principal will say, "All the children must participate in the cleaning up campaign'.
4. Nuwan has said, " I am going to buy a new video camera".
5. The girls say, " We will win the match".
👉Note:
When the reporting verb is in the
1. Simple Present Tense (e.g. Says/say)
2. Simple Future Tense (e.g. Will say)
3. Present Perfect Tense
(e .g. has/have said)
the tense of the direct speech does not change.
e.g. He says"I watched cartoons"
He says that he watched cartoons.
In the above example the reporting verb is 'says': Simple Present Tense. Hence when it is reported the tense of the direct statement which is Simple Past Tense remains unchanged in the indirect statement. Now study the second example.
e.g. He said, "I watched cartoons".
He said that he had watched cartoons.
In the second example, the reporting verb is 'said': Simple Past Tense. Hence when it is reported the tense of the direct statement changes as you note in the example given.
So before reporting a statement ,first and foremost, pay your attention to the reporting verb or the introductory verb.
However it must be noted that what I have mentioned could be ignored when reported speech is used in real life situations. But do not confuse such situations with exam questions.
Sajendra Kumara Sbec - Nittambuwa, Sri Lanka
Tony says that he will not be able to join the trip/ My teacher says that the sun rises in the east. / Principal will say that all the children have to participate in the cleaning up campaign. / Nuwan has said that he is going to buy a new video camera. / The girls say that they will win the match.
Activity 3
Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.
1. Tom told Ann , "You cannot understand what I have got in my mind, Ann".
2. Sally said, "I came your home to borrow your English note book, Peter."
3. Mrs. Brown told Mr. Thomas, "My daughter wants your help to apply for a course in a foreign university".
4. Binod said, "The kitten you gave me last month died of some sudden illness, Ram".
5. Juliet told her friend Portia, "I'm going to marry your cousin brother Tybolt next month".
5. Ann said, " I watched a nice movie last night."
Answers: Tom told Ann that she could not understand what he had got in his mind. / Sally said that she had come Peter's home to borrow his English note book. / Mrs. Brown told Mr. Thomas that his daughter wanted his help to apply for a course in a foreign university. / Binod said that the kitten Ram had given him the previous month had died of some sudden illness. / Juliet told her friend Portia that she was going to marry Portia's cousin brother Tybolt the following month. / Ann said that she had watched a nice movie the previous month.
Sajendra Kumara
Sbec- Nittambuwa, Sri Lanka
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Watch Video by Sajendra👇
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Activity 4
Binod lost his new fountain pen. Rewrite what they spoke in indirect speech. The first one has been done for you.
Binod: "I have lost my fountain pen."
Ravi: "I can lend you my pen."
Wijith: " I saw your pen on the teacher's table in the last
period."
Sandria: "I will buy you a new pen."
Romesh: " I have the money to buy a new pen."
Nayani: " My mother bought me a fountain pen last week."
e.g. : Binod said that he had lost his fountain pen.
Sajendra Kumara
Nittambuwa - Sri Lanka
Answers
Ravi said that he could lend him his pen. / Wijitha said that he had seen his pen on the teacher's table in the previous period. / Sandria said that she would buy him a new pen. / Romesh said that he had the money to buy a new pen. / Nayani said that her mother had bought her a fountain pen the week before.
Activity 5
Sajith met Nuwan at the bus stop last evening. Given below is what they talked. Nuwan made a note of their meeting in his dairy. Read the dialogue and comeplete the diary note with the help of their conversation.
Sajith: Hi! Nice to see you.
Nuwan: Hi! Sajith nice to see you, too. What brought you here? Sajith: I went to the hospital to see my grandmother.
Nuwan: What's wrong with her?
Sajith: She fell ill suddenly yesterday night.
Nuwan: Is she O.K. now?
Sajith: Not quite OK. They will transfer her to Colombo for a scan.
Nuwan: Can I know her ward number?
Sajith: Ward 7.
Nuwan: I want to visit her.
Sajith: OK. I'll inform you if she is transferred to Colombo for the scan.
DIARY NOTE:
I met Sajth this evening at the bus stop after a long time. Sajith said that he 1)............. to the hospital to see his grandmother. He said that she had suddenly 2) ............... ill the previous night. When I asked 3).............. OK ,he said that they 4) ................. her to Colombo for a scan. I told Sajith that 5) .................. her. He told me that he would inform me if she was transferred to Colombo for the scan.
had gone / fallen/ if she was / would transfer / I wanted to visit
Sajendra Kumara
Activity 6:
The following reported statements are wrong. Rewrite them correctly.
1. Mithun said, " I would like to eat an ice cream".
➤ Mithun said that I will like to eat an ice cream.
😐 .............................
2. Romesh said, " My uncle bought a new car last week."
➤ Romesh said that he uncle bought a new car the following week.
😐 ..............................................
3. Mrs. Renuka told me, " I want to talk with your mother."
➤ Mrs. Renuka told me that she wants to talk with her mother.
😐 .............................................................
4. Tony says, "I'm going to follow a computer course."
➤ Tony says that he was going to follow a computer course.
😐 .....................................................
5. Mr. Gayan said, " I did not understand the lesson yesterday".
➤ Mr. Gayan said that he had not understand the lesson the following day.
😐......................................................
Sajendra Kumara
Answers: Mithun said that he would like to eat an icecream. Romesh said that his uncle had bought a new car the previous week. Mrs,Renuka told me that she wanted to talk with my mother. Tony says that he is going to follow a computer course. Mr.Gayan said that he had not undesrstood the lesson the previous day.
Activity : 7
Write in indirect speech what Mrs. Lalitha told her students last Monday.
1. "I'm going to organize a field trip soon"
2. " You will have a parents' meeting before the trip"
3. " I have to discuss the trip with the principal."
4. "All the students must participate in the trip."
5. " You have to write a report after the trip."
6. " I will inform the date of the trip after the discussion."
e.g. Mrs. Lalitha said that she was going to organize a field trip soon.
Mrs. Lalitha said that she had to discuss the trip with the principal.
Mrs. Lalitha said that all the students must/ had to participate in the trip.
Mrs. Lalitha said that the students / they would have to write a report after the trip.
Mrs. Lalitha said that she would inform the date of the trip after the discussion
Mrs. Lalitha said they would have a parents' meeting before the trip.
Activity: 8
Read the following conversation between Sugath and Ajith , and complete the paragraph.
Sugath: Why didn't you come to school yesterday?
Ajith: I had a party at home. I went to bed late.
Sugath: Mrs. Theja started a new grammar lesson yesterday and she also told us to write an essay.
Ajith: Can you lend me your English note book? I will return it tomorrow.
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Sugath asked Ajith why he 1)................... to school the day before. Ajith replied that he 2)........................ a party at home and he 3)....................... to bed late. Sugath told Ajith that Mrs. Theja 4)......................... a new grammar lesson the previous day and she also had told them to write an essay. Then Ajith asked if Sugath 5)........................ him his English note book. He said that he 6).................................... .
had not come / had had / had gone / had started / could lend / would return it the next day.
would not attend Aruni's party / had to attend another party /was going to sing some songs at the party / had not been invited to the party / he could come late.
