RBSE Solutions Class 10 English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech

Change In Words Expressing Nearness, Time, Table Auxiliaries, Etc.

Change Of Tenses

Exercise Solved

Question 1. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(1) Rakesh says to me, “You are a very good man.”
(2) Sita told Radha. “I shall be reading a book.”
(3) Hari is saying to me, “I will use your motor-cycle as my scooter is not in working order.”
(4) The teacher said to students, "Columbus discovered America."
(5) The doctor said to the patient, “You have suffered a lot.”
(6) I say to Rajeev, “I have borrowed some money from you for 3 months.”
(7) Tara said to Balram, "The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West."
(8) The lecturer said to girls, "I am leaving Jaipur for ever."
(9) Grand-father said, “I have lost my eye-sight.”
(10) The judge said, “The lawyer did not come to the High Court yesterday.”
(11) The old man said to the policeman, “I saw the thief running away.”
Answer:
(1) Rakesh tells me that I am a very good man. When the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense of the reported speech does not change. This helps to show an ongoing or regular statement.
(2) Sita told Radha that she would be reading a book. Here, 'shall' changes to 'would' in indirect speech to reflect the future action from a past perspective.
(3) Hari is telling me that he will use my motor-cycle as his scooter is not in working order. The present continuous reporting verb means the tense inside the reported speech remains unchanged.
(4) The teacher told students that Columbus discovered America. Historical facts or universal truths do not change their tense in indirect speech. This ensures that the statement remains factually correct.
(5) The doctor told the patient that he had suffered a lot. In indirect speech, the past simple often changes to past perfect.
(6) I tell Rajesh that I have borrowed some money from him for 3 months. Since the reporting verb is in the present tense ('say'), the tense of the reported speech remains the same.
(7) Tara told Balram that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This is a universal truth, so its tense does not change in indirect speech, no matter the reporting verb.
(8) The lecturer told girls that he was leaving Jaipur for ever. The present continuous in direct speech changes to past continuous in indirect speech when the reporting verb is in the past.
(9) Grand-father said that he had lost his eye-sight. The present perfect in direct speech changes to past perfect in indirect speech.
(10) The judge said that the lawyer had not come to the High Court the previous day. 'Yesterday' changes to 'the previous day' and past simple changes to past perfect.
(11) The old man told the policeman that he had seen the thief running away. The past simple in direct speech changes to past perfect in indirect speech. Direct speech often uses quotation marks.
In simple words: We change the main verb's tense and time words when moving from direct to indirect speech, unless it's a fact or the main verb is present. The goal is to make it sound like someone is telling you what was said.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to the tense of the reporting verb (says, said, will say). If it's present or future, the reported speech tense usually doesn't change, but pronouns and time words still might.

Question 2. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(1) Mohit said, "They were all careless.”
(2) I said to my father, “I went to see your doctor.”
(3) He will say to me, “I like to play games in the evening.”
(4) The old lady says, "It is going to rain very soon."
(5) He said to me, “I have purchased many new books.”
(6) Radha says to Vallabh, “I shall go to circus tonight.”
(7) Salma said, “My friend is very tall and fat."
(8) Man Singh said to me, “I had been playing chess.”
(9) Anshu said to Manshu, “I cannot trust you now.”
(10) The guest said to the host, “You have given me a hearty feast.”
(11) The M.L.A. said, "I am going to complain to the Minister tomorrow.”
(12) Mother said to father, “Someone is knocking at the door."
(13) Anshu said to Good Luck, "I do not even remember her address.”
Answer:
(1) Mohit said that they all had been careless. The past simple 'were' changes to past perfect 'had been' in indirect speech because the reporting verb is in the past tense.
(2) I told my father that I had gone to see his doctor. The past simple 'went' changes to past perfect 'had gone' as the direct speech expresses a completed action in the past.
(3) He will tell me that he likes to play games in the evening. Since the reporting verb 'will say' is in the future tense, the tense of the reported speech 'likes' remains unchanged, but 'say to' becomes 'tell'.
(4) The old lady says that it is going to rain very soon. As the reporting verb 'says' is in the present tense, the tense of the reported speech 'is going' remains the same.
(5) He told me that he had purchased many new books. The present perfect 'have purchased' changes to past perfect 'had purchased' when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
(6) Radha tells Vallabh that she will go to circus that night. The reporting verb 'says' means the tense of 'shall go' does not change, and 'tonight' becomes 'that night'.
(7) Salma said that her friend was very tall and fat. The present simple 'is' changes to past simple 'was' because the reporting verb 'said' is in the past.
(8) Man Singh told me that he had been playing chess since morning. The past perfect continuous 'had been playing' does not change in indirect speech. This is a rule for certain past tenses.
(9) Anshu told Manshu that she could not trust her then. The modal verb 'cannot' changes to 'could not' in indirect speech, and 'now' changes to 'then'.
(10) The guest told the host that he had given him a hearty feast. The present perfect 'have given' changes to past perfect 'had given' when the reporting verb is in the past.
(11) The M.L.A. said that he was going to complain to the Minister the next day. The present continuous 'am going' changes to past continuous 'was going', and 'tomorrow' changes to 'the next day'.
(12) Mother told father that someone was knocking at the door. The present continuous 'is knocking' changes to past continuous 'was knocking' as the reporting verb is 'said'.
(13) Anshu told Good Luck that she did not even remember her address. The present simple 'do not remember' changes to past simple 'did not remember' because 'said' is a past reporting verb. The word 'even' should also be included for full meaning.
In simple words: When changing to indirect speech, we usually move the verb tense one step back in time if the main reporting verb is in the past. We also change time words like 'now' to 'then' and 'tomorrow' to 'the next day'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to change pronouns, time expressions, and demonstratives (this/that, here/there) along with the verb tense, especially when the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Interrogative Sentences

Question 1. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(1) My friend said to me, “How old are you?"
(2) The visitor asked Samuel, “How many girls are there in your class?”
(3) Father said to me, “What is your problem?"
(4) The teacher asked the boy, “Is this a scorpion or a spider?”
(5) The tourist asked the guide, “Which is the way to the Hawa Mahal?"
(6) I said to the patient, “Why do you worry?”
(7) The villager said to the new-comer, “What are you looking at?"
(8) The robber said to the patient, “Are you not afraid of death?"
(9) The nurse said to the patient, “Are you feeling like shivering?”
(10) I asked Hari Ram, "Do you know Nal and Neel?"
(11) The Maths teacher will ask, “Do you know Simplification?”
(12) Mallory asked Mary, “When will you exchange your old car?”
(13) Uncle asked me, Are you going to Amritsar next month?
(14) Rahim said to Jamil, “Why did you give my books to the book-binder?”
Answer:
(1) My friend asked me how old I was. When the question starts with 'how', we use 'how' as the connector and change the sentence to an assertive form.
(2) The visitor asked Samuel how many girls there were in his class. We use the 'wh-' word (how many) as the connector and adjust the word order to an affirmative statement.
(3) Father asked me what my problem was. The 'what' question also uses 'what' as a connector, followed by the subject and then the verb in the correct tense.
(4) The teacher asked the boy if that was a scorpion or a spider. For 'yes/no' questions, we use 'if' or 'whether' and then convert the sentence to an assertive form.
(5) The tourist asked the guide which the way to the Hawa Mahal was. The 'which' question uses 'which' as the connector and the sentence structure changes from interrogative to assertive.
(6) I asked the patient why he worried. The question begins with 'why', so 'why' acts as the connector, and the tense of 'do you worry' changes to 'he worried' in the past simple.
(7) The villager asked the new-comer what he was looking at. Here, 'what' is used as the connector, and the present continuous 'are you looking' changes to past continuous 'he was looking'.
(8) The robber asked me if I was not afraid of death. For a 'yes/no' question like 'Are you not afraid?', 'if' is used, and the tense changes from present simple to past simple.
(9) The nurse asked the patient if he was feeling like shivering. The present continuous 'Are you feeling' becomes past continuous 'he was feeling', with 'if' as the conjunction.
(10) I asked Hari Ram if he knew Nal and Neel. The question 'Do you know' is a 'yes/no' type, so 'if' is used, and 'do you know' changes to past simple 'he knew'.
(11) The Maths teacher will ask if I know Simplification. Since the reporting verb 'will ask' is in the future tense, the tense of the reported speech 'know' does not change, but 'you' changes to 'I'.
(12) Mallory asked Mary when she would exchange her old car. The 'when' question uses 'when' as the connector, and 'will you exchange' changes to 'she would exchange'.
(13) Uncle asked me if I was going to Amritsar the coming month. This is a 'yes/no' question, so 'if' is used, and 'Are you going' changes to 'I was going', with 'next month' becoming 'the coming month'.
(14) Rahim asked Jamil why he had given his books to the book-binder. The 'why' question uses 'why' as the connector, and the past simple 'did you give' changes to past perfect 'he had given'.
In simple words: When turning questions into indirect speech, we use 'if' or 'whether' for yes/no questions and the 'wh-' word itself for 'wh-' questions. The word order inside the reported speech changes to that of a statement, and we usually change the tense to past.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to remove the question mark and use a full stop at the end of indirect questions. Also, ensure the verb tense and pronouns are correctly shifted.

Question 2. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(1) They asked me, "Do you know the Sharmas?”
(2) I said to them, "Have you taken supper?”
(3) Surya said to him, "Do you know where the cycle-wala is?”
(4) Dara Said to the merchant, “Where did you purchase them from?”
(5) Nalini said to me, “Why are you going to Nagpur at this time?"
(6) Hari asked the stranger, “Where do you belong to?”
(7) Rahman asked Rahim, "Are you preparing for some U.P.S.C. Exam?”
(8) David said to Jonathan, "Am I not his devoted friend?"
(9) The Police Inspector asked me, “Where are you going at this time?"
(10) The maid-servant said to me, “Will you take coffee?"
(11) Mother said to her son, "Did you earn name and fame when you were abroad?”
(12) Father asked mother, “How do you do?"
(13) Hari asked his friend, “What are you doing these days?”
(14) Miss Rose said to the cobbler, “Will you mend my chappals?”
Answer:
(1) They asked me if I knew the Sharmas. This is a 'yes/no' question, so 'if' is used, and 'Do you know' changes to 'I knew'.
(2) I asked them if they had taken supper. The present perfect 'Have you taken' changes to past perfect 'they had taken' and 'if' is used for the 'yes/no' question.
(3) Surya asked him if he knew where the cycle-wala was. 'Do you know' becomes 'he knew', and 'where the cycle-wala is' becomes 'where the cycle-wala was'.
(4) Dara asked the merchant where he had purchased them from. The 'wh-' question uses 'where' as the connector, and the past simple 'did you purchase' changes to past perfect 'he had purchased'.
(5) Nalini asked me why I was going to Nagpur at that time. The 'why' question uses 'why' as the connector, and 'are you going' changes to 'I was going', while 'this time' becomes 'that time'.
(6) Hari asked the stranger where he belonged to. The question 'Where do you belong' uses 'where' as the connector, and 'do you belong' changes to past simple 'he belonged'.
(7) Rahman asked Rahim if he was preparing for some U.P.S.C. Exam. For 'yes/no' questions like 'Are you preparing', 'if' is used, and the tense changes from present continuous to past continuous.
(8) David asked Jonathan if he was not his devoted friend. For 'yes/no' questions, 'if' is used, and the present tense 'Am I' changes to past tense 'he was'.
(9) The Police Inspector asked me where I was going at that time. The 'where' question uses 'where' as the connector, 'are you going' changes to 'I was going', and 'this time' changes to 'that time'.
(10) The maid-servant asked me if I would take coffee. The question 'Will you take' changes to 'I would take' in indirect speech, and 'if' is used.
(11) Mother asked her son if he had earned name and fame when he had been abroad. The past simple 'Did you earn' changes to past perfect 'he had earned' in indirect speech, and 'if' is used as the connector.
(12) Father asked mother how she did. The 'how' question uses 'how' as the connector, and 'do you do' changes to 'she did' in the past simple.
(13) Hari asked his friend what he was doing those days. The 'what' question uses 'what' as the connector, 'are you doing' changes to 'he was doing', and 'these days' becomes 'those days'.
(14) Miss Rose asked the cobbler if he would mend her shoes. The question 'Will you mend' changes to 'he would mend' in indirect speech, and 'if' is used as the connector. It is important to shift pronouns correctly.
In simple words: When turning questions into indirect speech, remember to change the question format to a statement, use 'if' for yes/no questions or the 'wh-' word itself, and adjust tenses and pronouns to match the context.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always ensure the sentence structure changes from interrogative (question) to assertive (statement) in indirect speech. The question mark is replaced by a full stop.

Exercise Solved

Question 1. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
(1) The doctor said to me, “Be careful about your health."
(2) Father said to his sons, "Never tease animals in the zoo."
(3) The Lieutenant said to the soldiers, "Attack the enemy.”
(4) The teacher said to us, “Do your home-work attentively.”
(5) The judge said to the jailer, “Set the prisoner free.”
(6) The Emperor said to the Empress, “Leave me alone.”
(7) The Headmistress said to the peon, “Clean and arrange my office."
(8) The P.T.I. said to students, “Stand up on your benches."
(9) The master said to his servant, “Fetch my clothes from the tailor."
(10) The doctor said to the patient, “Take medicines regularly."
(11) The traffic policeman said to Ramesh yesterday, "Show me your driving-license.”
(12) The King said to his guard, “Be careful while I am asleep.”
(13) Uncle said to aunt, “Go to the physician and bring medicines for me.”
(14) My little sister said, "let us go to market.”
(15) The old drunkard said, "Let me have some vodka.”
Answer:
(1) The doctor advised me to be careful about my health. Imperative sentences are often changed using verbs like 'advised', 'ordered', or 'requested'.
(2) Father advised his sons never to tease animals in the zoo. For negative imperatives, 'never to' or 'not to' is used before the verb.
(3) The Lieutenant ordered (commanded) the soldiers to attack the enemy. 'Ordered' or 'commanded' is suitable when an authority figure gives an instruction.
(4) The teacher advised us to do our home-work attentively. 'Advised' is used for suggestions or good counsel, and 'to' connects the reporting verb to the reported action.
(5) The Judge ordered the jailer to set the prisoner free. An authoritative instruction like this uses 'ordered' in indirect speech.
(6) The Emperor ordered the Empress to leave him alone. A command from royalty is typically reported using 'ordered'. The pronoun 'me' changes to 'him'.
(7) The Headmistress ordered the peon to clean and arrange her office. A superior giving an instruction uses 'ordered'. 'My' changes to 'her' to reflect the speaker.
(8) The P.T.I. ordered the students to stand up on their benches. The instruction from an instructor is best reported with 'ordered' or 'commanded'.
(9) The master ordered his servant to fetch his clothes from the tailor. An instruction from a master to a servant uses 'ordered'. 'My' changes to 'his' for consistency.
(10) The doctor advised the patient to take medicines regularly. This is a recommendation, so 'advised' is the most suitable reporting verb.
(11) The traffic policeman told Ramesh the previous day to show him his driving-license. 'Told' is used for a direct request, and 'yesterday' becomes 'the previous day'.
(12) The King ordered his guard to be careful while he was asleep. The King's instruction is a command, so 'ordered' is appropriate here. The pronoun changes to reflect the king.
(13) Uncle asked aunt to go to the physician and bring medicines for him. For requests or suggestions, 'asked' or 'advised' can be used, with 'me' changing to 'him'.
(14) My little sister proposed that they should go to market. When 'Let us' is used, it often expresses a suggestion, so 'proposed' is fitting, followed by 'that they should'.
(15) The old drunkard wished that he should have some vodka. The phrase 'Let me have' can express a wish or desire, making 'wished' the correct reporting verb, followed by 'that he should have'.
In simple words: When changing an order or request into indirect speech, we use words like 'ordered', 'advised', 'requested', or 'proposed'. We usually add 'to' before the action verb, or 'not to' if it's a negative command.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify the mood of the imperative sentence (command, request, advice, suggestion) to choose the correct reporting verb (order, request, advise, suggest/propose). Also, transform 'Let' constructions correctly.

Exercise Solved

Question 1. Change the following sentences into Indirect:
(1) The passenger said, “Oh! How long the train is.”
(2) Rustam said, “Alas! My son, Sohrab, is dead."
(3) The little people said, “How huge Gulliver is!”
(4) Miranda said, Oh! How cruel my father is!
(5) Uncle said to Sonu, "May you pass with very good marks.”
(6) The small tree said, "Thank God! I am saved."
(7) Princess Aurora said, "What an ungrateful creature it is!"
(8) Roopmati said, Good-bye, "my husband.”
(9) The maid-servant said, “Alas! I have lost my bag."
(10) Father said to his daughter, "May you live long."
(11) People said, "Long live our President."
(12) Longfellow said, “How tall I am.”
(13) The selfish man said, “What an ugly beggar he is!"
(14) The angel said, “How selfish these villagers are!"
(15) The scientist said, “Alas! We are undone!"
Answer:
(1) The passenger exclaimed with surprise and said that the train was very long. Exclamatory sentences often use verbs like 'exclaimed with joy/surprise/sorrow'.
(2) Rustam exclaimed with sorrow and said that his son Sohrab was dead. 'Alas!' indicates sorrow, so 'exclaimed with sorrow' is the appropriate reporting phrase.
(3) The little people exclaimed with wonder and said that Gulliver was very huge. 'How huge' expresses wonder or surprise, leading to 'exclaimed with wonder'.
(4) Miranda exclaimed with sorrow and said that her father was very cruel. The exclamation 'Oh! How cruel' conveys sorrow, so 'exclaimed with sorrow' fits best.
(5) Uncle wished that Sonu might pass with very good marks. 'May you pass' is an optative sentence expressing a wish, hence 'wished that' is used.
(6) The small tree thanked God that it was saved. 'Thank God!' is an expression of gratitude, so 'thanked God' accurately reports the sentiment.
(7) Princess Aurora exclaimed and said that it was a very ungrateful creature. 'What an ungrateful creature' is an exclamation, leading to 'exclaimed' as the reporting verb.
(8) Roopmati bade her husband good-bye. Greetings and farewells like 'Good-bye' are reported using verbs like 'bade'.
(9) The maid-servant exclaimed with sorrow and said that she had lost her bag. 'Alas!' signifies sorrow, and the present perfect 'have lost' changes to past perfect 'had lost'.
(10) Father wished that his daughter might live long. 'May you live long' is an optative sentence expressing a wish, so 'wished that' is used.
(11) People wished their President long life. 'Long live' is an optative expression of a wish or blessing, reported with 'wished'.
(12) Longfellow exclaimed how tall he was. Exclamations with 'How' are converted using 'exclaimed' and converting the statement to an assertive form.
(13) The selfish man exclaimed that he was a very ugly beggar. 'What an ugly beggar' implies an exclamation, so 'exclaimed' is used, and 'a very' is often added for intensity.
(14) The angel exclaimed how selfish those villagers were. Similar to 'how' exclamations, 'exclaimed' is used, and 'these' changes to 'those'.
(15) The scientist exclaimed with sorrow that they were undone. 'Alas!' signifies sorrow, so 'exclaimed with sorrow' is the correct reporting phrase. The original sentence needs a plural subject. The implicit 'we' in "we are undone" changes to 'they'.
In simple words: For sentences showing strong feelings like surprise, joy, or sorrow, we use words like 'exclaimed', 'wished', or 'bade'. We then change the sentence into a simple statement and remove exclamation marks.

🎯 Exam Tip: When converting exclamatory sentences, identify the emotion expressed (joy, sorrow, surprise, anger) and use the appropriate reporting verb (exclaimed with joy, sorrow, etc.). For optative sentences, use 'wished' or 'prayed'.

Question 2. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
1. Ravi said to Raju, “How much money did you earn yesterday?”
2. Manoj said to Geeta, “Where are my children?”
3. Ram said to Sita, “What are you looking for?"
4. Mother said to me, “Can you solved all the sums?"
5. Reeta said to Veena, “Where will Mohan go tomorrow?"
6. He said to them, “Why did you laugh at me?”.
7. The tourist said, “How beautiful this scenery is?"
8. The teacher said, "Don't fly kites for such a long time.”
9. The guide said to visitors, "Don't drive so fast.”
10. Mohan said to Ram, "Please don't tease me."
11. The teacher said to his students, "Can we make electricity?”
12. I said to her, "Will Ashoka buy a motor-cycle next month?"
13. Sheru said to the tailor, “Is my shirt ready?”.
14. Ravi said to her, “Why should I buy a dictionary for you?”
15. The policeman said to me, “What is your destination?”
16. Sweta said to her uncle, “Will you buy me a doll?"
17. Someone asked Priydarshini, "Why do you play with a foreign doll?"
18. Neetu said to Richa, “Is your brother in the school now?”
19. You said to Bharat, Do you live in Ayodhya?
20. Pope said to Alexander, “Will you buy me a poster of Lord Krishna?”
21. I said to Rama Kant, “Can you spare some money for me?”
22. Mahesh said to Suresh, “When will you return my money?”
23. I said to Shashtriji, "May you win the election.”
24. Meeta said to her brother, “When will you reach Rangoon?”
25. The officer said to the clerk, “Have you reach Rangoon?”
26. The teacher said to the students, “Where did you go yesterday.”
27. The teacher said to Rani, “Will you lend me your pen?”
28. Mother wrote to father, “It may rain here tomorrow.”
29. My neighbour said, “When do you go for a walk."
30. I said to my teacher, “Please give me a book of History.”
31. I said to my younger sister, “On what day do you keep fast?”
Answer:
1. Ravi asked Raju how much money he had earned the previous day. Changing time expressions like "yesterday" to "the previous day" is key in indirect speech.
2. Manoj asked Geeta where his children were. Pronouns like "my" also change to "his" in reported speech.
3. Ram asked Sita what she was looking for. Remember to change the question format to a statement in indirect speech.
4. Mother asked me if I could solve all the sums. Using "if" or "whether" is important for yes/no questions.
5. Reeta asked Veena where Mohan would go the next day. "Tomorrow" changes to "the next day" when reporting speech.
6. He asked them why they had laughed at him. The question structure changes to a statement when reporting a question.
7. The tourist exclaimed with joy and said that the scenery was very beautiful. Exclamatory sentences become statements expressing emotion.
8. The teacher forbade (them) to fly kites for such a long time. Negative commands often use "forbid" or "advised not to."
9. The guide forbade the visitors to drive so fast. Using "forbade" clearly states that driving fast was not allowed.
10. Mohan requested Ram not to tease him. Polite requests use "requested" and an infinitive verb.
11. The teacher asked his students if they could make electricity. The modal verb "can" changes to "could" in indirect speech.
12. I asked her if Ashoka would buy a motor-cycle the next month. "Next month" changes to "the next month" or "the following month."
13. Sheru asked the tailor if his shirt was ready. The tense often shifts back one step in time in indirect speech.
14. Ravi asked her why he should buy a dictionary for her. The reported question uses "why" followed by a statement structure.
15. The policeman asked me what my destination was. The word order changes from question to statement in indirect speech.
16. Sweta asked her uncle if he would buy her a doll. "Will" changes to "would" in reported speech.
17. Someone asked Priyadarshini why she played with a foreign doll. Ensure the verb tense changes correctly, such as "play" to "played."
18. Neetu asked Richa if her brother was in the school then. "Now" changes to "then" in indirect speech.
19. You asked Bharat if he lived in Ayodhya. Present tense verbs usually change to past tense.
20. Pope asked Alexander if he would buy him a poster of Lord Krishna. The reporting verb "said" changes to "asked" for questions.
21. I asked Rama Kant if he could spare some money for me. "Can" changes to "could" and pronouns adjust.
22. Mahesh asked Suresh when he would return his money. "When" introduces the reported question, followed by a statement.
23. I wished that Shashtriji might win the election. "May" often changes to "might" in optative sentences.
24. Meeta asked her brother when he would reach Rangoon. Ensure the tense of the verb "will reach" changes to "would reach."
25. The officer asked the clerk if he had typed all the letters. "Have typed" changes to "had typed" for past perfect.
26. The teacher asked the students where they had gone the previous day. "Yesterday" changes to "the previous day."
27. The teacher asked Rani if she would lend him her pen. "Will" changes to "would" and pronouns adjust correctly.
28. Mother wrote to father that it might rain there the next day. "May" changes to "might" and "tomorrow" to "the next day."
29. My neighbour asked when I went for a walk. The present tense verb "go" changes to "went" in reported speech.
30. I requested my teacher to give me a book of History. "Please" indicates a polite request, which translates to "requested."
31. I asked my younger sister on what day she kept fast. The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" for questions.
In simple words: When you change what someone said into indirect speech, you need to change words like "yesterday" to "the previous day" and change the verb tense. Questions become statements, and commands often use words like "asked" or "requested."

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to changes in pronouns, verb tenses (especially back-shifting), and time/place expressions (like "here" to "there", "now" to "then") when converting from direct to indirect speech.

Question 3. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
1. I said to the soldier, "Tell me what you will do with the gun.”
2. Mother said to her sister, “We are giving a party tomorrow.”
8. I asked her, “Why do you sing till late at night?"
9. Lata said to Malti, “How do you look so cheerful today?”
10. Mira said to Krishna, “Why don't you speak to me?”
11. Satan said to Mira, "Do not tell a lie.”
12. Sohan said to Mohan, “What will your mother do tomorrow?”
13. Neeru said to Viru, “Will you lend me some money.”
14. Johnson said to Howard, “I am going to New York next month.”
15. I said to her, “Is your money safe in the bank?”
16. The lion said to the tiger, “Why do you eat meat?”
Answer:
1. I told / asked the soldier to tell me what he would do with the gun. This changes the direct question into a reported statement.
2. Mother told/informed her sister that they were giving a party the next day. The tense and time expression ("tomorrow" to "the next day") change correctly.
8. I asked her why she sang till late at night. The question "Why do you sing?" becomes a reported statement "why she sang."
9. Lata asked Malti how she looked so cheerful that day. "Today" changes to "that day" in indirect speech.
10. Mira asked Krishna why he did not speak to her. Negative questions are reported using "why he did not speak."
11. Satan ordered Mira not to tell a lie. Commands, especially negative ones, use reporting verbs like "ordered" or "advised."
12. Sohan asked Mohan what his mother would do the next day. The future tense in direct speech ("will do") changes to "would do."
13. Neeru asked Viru if he would lend her some money. For a yes/no question, "if" or "whether" introduces the reported speech.
14. Johnson told Howard that he was going to New York the next month. "Next month" becomes "the next month" or "the following month."
15. I asked her if her money was safe in the bank. The direct question about money safety becomes a reported statement.
16. The lion asked the tiger why it ate meat. Questions starting with "why" keep "why" in indirect speech, followed by a statement.
In simple words: When you change sentences to indirect speech, you often change the verb's time, switch "today" to "that day" and "tomorrow" to "the next day," and make questions sound like normal sentences. For commands, you use words like "ordered" or "requested."

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to choose the correct reporting verb (asked, told, ordered, requested, wished) based on the type of sentence (question, statement, command, wish) in direct speech.

Question 4. Change the following sentences into Indirect Speech:
1. My friend said to me, “I can see the lake from my window.”
2. Bunyan said, “Can you read Latin, Harish?”
8. They said, "Are you going to see the exhibition?"
9. Wife of the deceased person said, “Alas! I am undone.”
10. They said, “We have won the debate competition.”
11. They said, “We must be punctual to the minute."
12. Sita said, " Shall I ever forget Lord Ram.”
13. They said to their cook, “Prepare the breakfast early today."
14. They said to me, “Many happy returns of the day."
20. My brother said to me, “Where were you yesterday?”
21. My servant said to me, “I have been waiting here for you for six hours.”
22. Our Principal said to us, “English is a very useful language and is very easy to learn.”
23. I said to him, "How long have you been studying French?”
24. I said, "Long live our C.M.”
Answer:
1. My friend told me that he could see the lake from his window. The modal verb "can" changes to "could" in indirect speech.
2. Bunyan asked Harish if he could read Latin. For questions, "if" or "whether" is used, and "can" becomes "could."
8. They asked if we were going to see the exhibition. The question structure changes to a statement, introduced by "if."
9. Wife of the deceased person exclaimed with sorrow and said that she was undone. Exclamatory sentences often become statements showing strong emotion.
10. They said that they had won the debate competition. The present perfect "have won" changes to past perfect "had won."
11. They said that they must be punctual to the minute. "Must" can remain unchanged or change to "had to" depending on context, but here it conveys a strong obligation.
12. Sita wondered and asked if she would ever forget Lord Ram. The future tense with "shall" changes to "would" in reported speech.
13. They ordered their cook to prepare the breakfast early that day. "Today" becomes "that day" when reporting.
14. They wished me many happy returns of the day. Wishes are reported using "wished" followed by the appropriate clause.
20. My brother asked me where I had been the previous day. "Yesterday" becomes "the previous day" and the tense shifts.
21. My servant told me that he had been waiting there for me for six hours. The present perfect continuous "have been waiting" changes to past perfect continuous "had been waiting."
22. Our Principal told us that English was a very useful language and was very easy to learn. This is a universal truth, so the tense of the reported speech does not change.
23. I asked him how long he had been studying French. The question is reported using "how long" followed by a statement structure.
24. I wished that our C.M. might live long/I wished our C.M. long life. Optative sentences (wishes) are often reported using "wished" and "might."
In simple words: When we report what someone said, we often change words like "can" to "could" and "yesterday" to "the previous day." Commands become "ordered," and wishes use "wished." Universal truths don't change their tense.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always check for universal truths or habitual facts; their tenses usually remain unchanged even in indirect speech, unlike other statements.

Board Questions Solved

Question 1. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. The young seagull said, "I am too young to fly.”
2. Santosh said to me, “Will you bring me a gift?"
3. The doctor said to the lady, “Take the medicines daily.”
4. Vivek said to Ajay, “Where do you live?'
Answer:
1. The young seagull said that he was too young to fly. This is a simple statement conversion where the tense shifts back.
2. Santosh asked me if I would bring her/him a gift. For a direct question, "will" changes to "would" in indirect speech.
3. The doctor advised the lady to take the medicines daily. Commands are often changed using reporting verbs like "advised" or "ordered."
4. Vivek asked Ajay where he lived. The question "Where do you live?" is converted into a statement in reported speech.
In simple words: When changing to indirect speech, statements shift their tense, questions use "if" or "where" and change to a statement form, and commands use verbs like "advised."

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify the type of sentence (statement, question, command) first, as this determines the reporting verb and overall structure of the indirect speech.

Question 2. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. Gopal said to the bookseller, “Please provide me some new books.”
2. The bookseller asked Gopal, “Which book do you want?”
Answer:
1. Gopal requested the bookseller to provide him some new books. The word "Please" indicates a polite request, which translates to "requested" in indirect speech.
2. The bookseller asked Gopal which book he wanted. The question "Which book do you want?" is changed into a statement starting with "which book."
In simple words: Polite requests use "requested," and questions keep their question word (like "which") but change into a statement form.

🎯 Exam Tip: Commands starting with "Please" indicate a request, while those without might indicate an order or advice, affecting the choice of reporting verb.

Question 3. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. Rita said to Amar, "Have you seen my diary?"
2. Amar said, “Is it she one with a brown cover?”
3. Rita said to Amar, “Oh yes, brother!"
4. Amar said to Rita, "I saw it lying on the new shelf in our drawing room."
Answer:
1. Rita asked Amar if he had seen her diary. The question "Have you seen?" changes to "if he had seen" in indirect speech.
2. Amar asked her if that was the one with a brown cover. "Is it she one" changes to "if that was the one" as the sentence is converted.
3. Rita asserted with surprise. Exclamations like "Oh yes, brother!" are reported as assertions expressing emotion.
4. Amar told Rita that he had seen that lying on the new shelf in their drawing room. "I saw" changes to "he had seen" to reflect the past tense shift.
In simple words: Questions use "if" and change their verb tense. Exclamations turn into statements that show feelings. Simple past tense verbs (like "saw") become past perfect ("had seen") in indirect speech.

🎯 Exam Tip: Indirect speech often requires changing simple past tense to past perfect tense (e.g., "I saw" to "he had seen") for accurate time sequencing.

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. Mother: Don't go near the fire, children.
Children: O.K. Mama, we won't.
Answer:
1. The mother warned the children not to go near the fire. The children replied in affirmation and said that they wouldn't. Commands are reported using verbs like "warned" or "advised," and responses are reported accordingly.
In simple words: The mother told her children not to go near the fire, and the children agreed they would not.

🎯 Exam Tip: When reporting dialogues, break down each speaker's turn and report their statements/commands/questions separately, choosing appropriate reporting verbs.

Question 5. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. Radha : Where are you going?
Rekha : I am going to buy some green vegetables.
2. Teacher: Students don't make a noise in the class.
Students: Sir, shall we learn the spelling?
Answer:
1. Radha asked Rekha where she was going. Rekha replied that she was going to buy some green vegetables. The conversation is reported by changing tenses and pronouns.
2. Teacher forbade the students to make a noise in the class. Students asked the teacher respectfully if they should learn the spelling. Commands become "forbade" or "ordered not to," and polite questions use "respectfully asked."
In simple words: Radha asked Rekha her plans, and Rekha explained she was buying vegetables. The teacher told students to be quiet, and they asked politely if they could learn spellings.

🎯 Exam Tip: When reporting dialogues, remember to use different reporting verbs like "asked," "replied," "forbade," or "suggested" based on what each person said.

Question 6. Rewrite the following sentences changing them into indirect speech:
1. Ramesh : Ravi, what are you doing these days?
Ravi: Ramesh, I am working in a glass factory.
Answer:
1. Ramesh asked Ravi what he was doing those days. Ravi replied that he was working in a glass factory. The present continuous tense changes to past continuous, and "these days" changes to "those days."
In simple words: Ramesh asked Ravi what he was busy with, and Ravi told him he was working in a glass factory.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember to change present continuous tense to past continuous tense (e.g., "are doing" to "was doing") and adjust time expressions like "these days" to "those days" in indirect speech.

Question 7. Read the following dialogue and then complete the report by transforming the sentences from direct to reported speech. Write your answer in your answersheet with correct number. Do not copy the whole dialogue and report.
Anjali: Aunty, I want to know something about computer.
Aunty: Do you know what a calculator is?
Anjali told her aunty that ................(a)................ Her aunty asked her ................(b)................
Answer:
Anjali told her aunty that she wanted to know something about computer. Aunty asked her if she knew what a calculator is. The dialogue is transformed by changing the sentences into reported speech and connecting them logically.
In simple words: Anjali told her aunt she wanted to learn about computers, and her aunt asked if she knew what a calculator was.

🎯 Exam Tip: For fill-in-the-blank reporting, ensure you correctly convert the tense, pronouns, and sentence type (statement, question) of the original direct speech.