STUDY /SUPPORT MATERIAL OF ENGLISH FOR CLASS X

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA

Reported Speech

Direct speech repeats, or quotes, the exact words spoken. When we use direct speech in writing,
we place the words spoken between quotation marks (" ") and there is no change in these words.
We may be reporting something that's being said NOW (for example a telephone conversation),
or telling someone later about a previous conversation.
In direct speech we usually put a comma between the reporting clause and the reported clause.
The words of the original speaker are enclosed in inverted commas (“…”). If the reported clause
comes first, we put the comma inside the inverted commas.
If the direct speech is a question or exclamation, we use a question mark or exclamation mark,
not a comma.

Examples

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said.

“Is there a reason for this?” she asked.

“I hate you!” he shouted.

She said, "What time will you be home?" and I said, "I don't know! "

"There's a fly in my soup!" screamed Simone.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said.

When we use reported speech, we are referring to something that was said either by ourselves
or by someone else in the past. So, we normally change the tense of the words spoken.

Examples

She said that she had seen him.

He said that he was tired.

Danish said that he worked in a bank.

She says that she likes ice cream.

Speech reports consist of two parts: the reporting clause and the reported clause. The reporting
clause includes a verb such as say, tell, ask, reply, shout.

Rules for reporting speech

There are following things you should keep in mind:

1. Changes as per Reporting Verb

According to the reporting verb, changes are made in the direct sentence or the sentence in
inverted commas.
• If the reporting verb is in the past tense, then the direct sentence is changed in its past
tense.

Nitya said, “I am hungry.”

Nitya said that she was hungry.

• The tense of direct speech remains unchanged when the reporting verb is in the
present or future tense.

Ishani says, “I am pretty.”

Ishani says that she is pretty.

Rohan will say, “I am going to complete the work.”

Rohan will say that he is going to complete the work.

• If the direct sentence contains the universal truth, then it remains unchanged in the
Indirect Speech.

They said, “The sun rises in the east.”

They said that the sun rises in the east.

2. Change in the perspective, or point of view (Pronouns).

• The first person in reported speech changes according to the subject of reporting speech.
Mary said, “I ate the pie.”
Mary said that she had eaten the pie.
• In Reported Speech change of the second person depends on the object of reporting speech.
I told them, “You have finished your work.”
I told them that they had finished their work.
 • The third person remains unchanged.

The coach said, “Players are ready for their turn”

The coach said that players were ready for their turn.

3. Changes in Time and Place

Time and place references often have to change in Indirect Speech

• Now –> Then

• Thus –> So
• Today –> That day
• Here –> There
• This –> That
• These –> Those
• Tomorrow –> The following day/ The next day/ The day after
• Next week –> The following week/ The next week/ The week after
• Yesterday –> The previous day/ The day before
• Last week –> The previous week/ The week before
• Ago –> Previously/ Before
• Tonight –> That night

4. To "backshift" the tense

We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, we just put 'says'
and then the sentence:

She says, “I like ice cream.”

She says that she likes ice cream.

We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the 'person'
accordingly.

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported
speech:
 TENSE DIRECT SPEECH REPORTED SPEECH

Present Simple She said, “I like Geometry.” She said that she liked Geography.

Present
She said, “I am living in Agra.” She said that she was living in Agra.
Continuous

Past Simple She said, “I bought a car.” She said that she had bought a car.

She said, “I was walking along She said that she had been walking along the
Past Continuous
the street.” street.

She said, “I haven't watched this

Present Perfect She said that she hadn't watched that movie.
movie.”

Present Perfect She said, “I have been taking She said that she had been taking English
Continuous English lessons since August.” lessons since August.

She said, “I’ll help, but I need She said that she would help but she needed
Will
some time.” some time.

She said, “I can speak perfect

Can She said that she could speak perfect English.
English.”

Shall She said, “I shall come later.” She said that she would come later.

She said, “I may go to the

May She said that she might go to the party.
party.”

She said that she must study this weekend.

She said, “I must study this
Must OR
weekend.”
She said she had to study this weekend.
 5. No Change in Verb Tenses in Reported Speech
There is no change in verb tenses in Indirect Speech when:
• The introductory verb is in the Present, Present Perfect or Future.
• If the reported sentence deals with a fact or general truth.
• The reported sentence contains a time clause.
• The verb of the sentence is in the unreal past (the second or the third conditional).
• The subjunctive stays unchanged in the subordinate clause.
• Had better, could, would, used to, should, might, ought to and mustn’t remain
unchanged.
• If the speaker reports something immediately or soon after it was said.

Reporting Verbs:

add comment explain offer state

admit complain hint order suggest

advise confess inform point out threaten

agree confirm insist promise warn

announce continue interrupt protest wonder

answer shout maintain repeat reply

ask demand note enquire claim

Reported Questions

Reported question is when we tell someone what another person asked. The very important thing
though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a question any more. So we need
to change the question to a normal positive sentence.

• When we report questions, we have to pay attention to the auxiliary verb. These are words
like do, be, and have. Yes or no questions begin with an auxiliary. To report that question,
drop the auxiliary, add if and change the order to ,make it a statement:

My friend said to me, "Do you like pizza?"

My friend asked me if I liked pizza.

Our neighbour said, “Have you ever been to Mexico?

Our neighbour asked if I had ever been to Mexico.

• Information questions start with a question (‘Wh’) word. To report on these, simply change
the pronoun and word order. No extra conjunction is used

My grandmother said to us, "Where are you going?"

My grandmother asked us where we were going.

A passenger said to the man at counter, “What time does the train leave?”
A passenger asked the man at counter what time the train left.

• A similar word order switch appears with the verb "be" in questions.

They asked, "When is the party?"

They asked when the party was.

The man said, “Where is the Post Office?”

The man asked where the Post Office was.
Reported Offers, Commands and Requests

Reported Orders, Commands and Requests are formed using the to-infinitive and not to-
infinitive.
The reporting verbs for the orders/ commands/ requests are: order, shout, demand, warn, beg,
command, tell, insist, beseech, threaten, implore, ask, propose, forbid…
When we change from direct to indirect speech, the pronoun and tense changes that are also
needed.

Examples:

He said to me, “Would you like me to help you?”

He offered to help me.

The lady sitting next to me said to me, “Can you hold this for me, please?”
The lady sitting next to me asked me to hold that.

My mother said, “Why don't we check with Joel?”

My mother suggested checking with Joel.

The child said to me, “Please don't smoke.”

The child requested me not to smoke.

He said, “Would you mind coming early tomorrow?”

He asked me to come early the next day.

Father said to the little girl, “Go to bed!”

Father told the little girl to go to bed.
 Exercise

I. Choose the correct option:

1. “I will invite you to my birthday party.” Lina said that……… birthday party.
a) I would invite you to my
b) she would invite me to her
c) if she invited me to her
d) she would invite me to my

2. “Your aunt doesn’t need an operation.” The doctor told me …………

a) that my aunt didn’t need an operation.
b) that my aunt had not needed an operation.
c) if my aunt needed an operation.
d) that my aunt wouldn’t need an operation.

3. “I have seen this movie.” Jyotika told me……….

a) that she has seen that movie.
b) that she had seen this movie.
c) that she had seen that movie.
d) If she had seen that movie.

4. "I was waiting for her but she didn’t come." The detective told his client……………..
a) that he was waiting for her but she didn’t come.
b) that he had been waiting for her but she didn’t come.
c) that he was waiting for her but she hadn’t come.
d) that he had been waiting for her but she hadn’t come.

5. "I'd never been there before." My cousin said …………….

a) if he had never been there before.
b) if he would never been there before.
c) that he had never been there before.
d) that he would never been there before.

6. "Sheetal has been living in Paris for a few months." My mother told my sister………….
 a) that Sheetal had been living in Paris for a few months.
b) that Sheetal had been living in Paris since a few months.
c) if Sheetal had been living in Paris for a few months.
d) that Sheetal would have been living in Paris for a few months.

7. "They would help if they could.” The policeman told victim’s father………..
a) that they would help if they could.
b) that they would have helped if they could.
c) that they must help if they could.
d) that they would have helped if they should.

8. "I didn't have time to do my homework." Chitra said ............

a) that I didn't have time to do my homework.
b) that she didn't have time to do her homework.
c) that she hadn't have time to do her homework.
d) that she didn't had time to do her homework.

9. "The boss must sign the letter." The new secretary said.........
a) that the boss must sign the letter.
b) if the boss must sign the letter.
c) that the boss must have signed the letter.
d) that the boss would sign the letter.

10. "I went to the cinema yesterday." She said........

a) that she went to the cinema yesterday.
b) that she went to the cinema the previous day.
c) that she had gone to the cinema the previous day.
d) that she would have gone to cinema the previous day.

11. “Where will you stay?” I asked her …

a) if she would stay.
b) where would she stay.
c) where she would stay.
d) where she had stayed

12. “Have you eaten all the cake?” She asked me …

 a) if had I eaten all the cake.
b) have I'd eaten all the cake.
c) if I'd eaten all the cake.
d) if I have eaten all the cake.

13. “How often do you use public transport?” She wanted to know …
a) how often I used public transport.
b) how I used often public transport.
c) how often did I use public transport.
d) If I used public transport often.

14. “Did you see the parade?” She asked us …

a) where we'd seen the parade.
b) whether we'd seen the parade.
c) if we saw the parade.
d) whether we have seen the parade.

15. “When had you last spoken?” I asked her ...

a) whether she had last spoken.
b) when she had last spoken.
c) when has she last spoken.
d) when she had been last spoken.

16. What were you doing at the time?' She asked me …

a) what I'd been doing at the time.
b) what was I doing at the time.
c) what had I been doing at the time.
d) what I was doing at the time.

17. “Can she walk yet?” I wondered …

a) could she walk yet.
b) if can she walk yet.
c) if she could walk yet.
d) whether she could have walked yet.
 18. “What about having the party outside?” She suggested …
a) about having the party outside.
b) having the party outside.
c) to have the party outside.
d) if we will have party outside.

19. “Say hello to Jim” They asked me ............

a) that they said hello to Jim.
b) to say hello to Jim.
c) if I said hello to Jim.
d) If I had said hello to Jim.

20. "Don't try this at home." The stuntman advised the audience............
a) that they didn’t try this at home.
b) that they didn’t try that at home.
c) not to try that at home.
d) if they hadn’t try that at home.

II. Choose the correct option:

A. Mother: Why are you looking so worried?

Daughter: My exams are approaching.
Mother: When will they start?
Daughter: Next month, Mother.
Mother asked her daughter (1) ……… The daughter replied that (2) ………… Mother further
asked (3) ……… The daughter told her mother that they would start in the following month.

1. a) if she was looking very worried.

b) why she was looking very worried.
c) if she had been looking very worried.
d) why she had been looking very worried.

2. a) her exams were approaching.

 b) her exams would be approaching.
c) her exams had been approaching.
d) her exams have been approaching.

3. a) when would they start.

b) when had they started.
c) when they would start.
d) when they would be started.

B. Rama: I am going to jungle.

Sita: Why?
Rama: I have been banished for fourteen years by father.
Sita: Oh! It is very sad. Can I go with you?
Rama: No. Stay at home to take care of my old parents.

On being banished by his father, King Dasharatha, Rama told Sita (4) ______. She asked him
(5) _______. Rama told that (6) _______.Sita exclaimed saying it was very sad and asked Rama
(7) _______. Rama asked her (8) __________of his old parents.

4. a) if he was going to jungle

b) that he had been going to jungle.
c) that he was going to jungle.
d) whether he was going to jungle.

5. a) why he was going to jungle.

b) why was he going to jungle.
c) why he had been going to jungle.
d) why had he been going to jungle.

6. a) he has been banished for fourteen years by father.

b) he was banished for fourteen years by father.
c) he would have been banished for fourteen years by father.
d) he had been banished for fourteen years by father.

7. a) that she could go with him.

 b) if she could go with him.
c) if she could have gone with him.
d) whether she went with him.

8. a) whether she had stayed at home to take care

b) if she stayed at home to take care
c) that stay at home to take care
d) to stay at home to take care

C. Buddha : Honesty is the best policy.

Disciple : Does honesty always pay?
Buddha : It may or may not, but at least you will never feel guilty.

Buddha in his preaching said that (9) ……… A disciple asked him (10) …...… Buddha replied
(c) …….. but at least he would never feel guilty.

9. a) honesty was the best policy.

b) honesty is the best policy
c) honesty has been the best policy
d) honesty had been the best policy

10. a) if honesty always paid.

b) did honesty always pay.
c) whether honesty always pay.
d) had honesty always paid.

11. a) if it might or might not

b) whether it might or might not
c) that it may or may not
d) that it might or might not

D. Mother: You seem so tired. Take some rest.

 Suraj: I can’t even think of relaxing. I have lots of homework to do.
Mother: You should not take so much of stress.
Suraj: Don’t worry. Please give me a hot cup of tea.

Mother told Suraj that (12)…………and advised him (13)………… Suraj replied (14)………
The mother advised him (15) ............. Suraj told his mother (16)……… and requested her (17)
………

12. a) he seems so tired

b) he seemed so tired
c) he has seemed so tired
d) he had seemed so tired

13. a) to take some rest.

b) that he took some rest.
c) if he took some rest.
d) that he had taken some rest.

14. a) that he could not even think of relaxing as he has lots of homework to do.
b) whether he could not even think of relaxing as he had lots of homework to do.
c) if he could not even think of relaxing as he would have lots of homework to do.
d) that he could not even think of relaxing as he had lots of homework to do.

15. a) to not take so much of stress

b) do not take so much of stress
c) did not take so much of stress
d) not to take so much of stress

16. a) don’t worry

b) to not worry
c)had not worried
d) not to worry

17. a) to give him a hot cup of tea.

 b) please give him a hot cup of tea.
c) if she gave him a hot cup of tea.
d) if she had given him a hot cup of tea.

E. Pig: See how strong and hefty I am. Even Jumbo was afraid of me.
Animals: Jumbo, was it out of horror?
Jumbo: I could have happily crushed the dirty pig under my heels but I avoided it so
that I do not become dirty.

The jaunty pig said (18)…….. He further added (19)…….. All the animals enquired of Jumbo if
that had been out of horror. Jumbo replied that he could have happily crushed the dirty pig under
his heels but he (20)……..

18. a) if he was very strong and hefty

b) that he had been very strong and hefty
c) that he was very strong and hefty
d) whether he had been very strong and hefty

19. a) that even Jumbo was afraid of him.

b) if even Jumbo had been afraid of him.
c) that even Jumbo had been afraid of him.
d) that even Jumbo would be afraid of him.

20. a) avoided it so that he did not become dirty.

b) had avoided it so that he had not become dirty.
c) had avoided it so that he did not become dirty.
d) avoided it so that he had not become dirty.
 Answers
I.

1. b) she would invite me to her

2. a) that my aunt didn’t need an operation.

3. c) that she had seen that movie.

4. d) that he had been waiting for her but she hadn’t come.

5. c) that he had never been there before.

6. a) that Sheetal had been living in Paris for a few months.

7. a) that they would help if they could.

8. c) that she hadn't have time to do her homework.

9. a) that the boss must sign the letter.

10. c) that she had gone to the cinema the previous day.

11. c) where she would stay.

12. c) if I'd eaten all the cake.

13. a) how often I used public transport.

14. b) whether we'd seen the parade.

15. b) when she had last spoken.

16. a) what I'd been doing at the time.

17. c) if she could walk yet.

18. c) to have the party outside.

19. b) to say hello to Jim.

20. c) not to try that at home.

II.
A. 1. b) why she was looking very worried
2. a) her exams were approaching.
3. c) when they would start.

B. 4. c) that he was going to jungle.

5. a) why he was going to jungle.
6. d) he had been banished for fourteen years by father.
7. b) if she could go with him.
8. d) to stay at home to take care

C. 9. b) honesty is the best policy

10. a) if honesty always paid
11. d) that it might or might not

D. 12. b) he seemed so tired

13. a) to take some rest.
14. d) that he could not even think of relaxing as he had lots of homework to do.
15. d) not to take so much of stress
16. d) not to worry
17. a) to give him a hot cup of tea.

E. 18. c) that he was very strong and hefty

19. c) that even the Jumbo had been afraid of him.
20. c) had avoided it so that he did not become dirty.