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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers

When we use the exact words of the speaker, it is called direct speech. Indirect or Reported Speech refers to a sentence reporting what someone has said.

Basic  English Grammar  rules can be tricky. In this article, we’ll get you started with the basics of sentence structure, punctuation, parts of speech, and more.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers PDF

Direct and indirect speech differ in the following aspects:

  • punctuation
  • pronouns and their forms
  • tense forms
  • the reporting verb (introduce/change)
  • words that show time and position
  • that, if, etc. (if necessary)

Punctuation Indirect speech, the exact words of the person (quote) are placed after the introductory clause, it is always set apart by the use of a comma (,) and quotation marks (“’) or (“”).

Also, the first letter of the exact words of the speaker indirect speech is always capitalized. Example:

  • Mother said to me, ‘Please tidy your room.

If the quote is placed at the beginning of the sentence a comma is put before the end quotation mark for a declarative or imperative sentence. A question mark or an exclamatory mark is placed before the end quotation if it is a question or an exclamatory sentence. Examples:

  • “Where are we going for our picnic?’ asked Mira.
  • “What an excellent idea!’ said Sunny.

If the quote is divided into two we can do either of the following: Examples:

  • “That is fine,’ he said. “We don’t mind sharing our room with you.’
  • “No!’ he said. “We can’t check into this hotel.’

In reported (indirect) speech, question marks and exclamations are removed because all sentences are converted to statements. We do not use a comma or quotation marks to set apart the words of the speaker. A comma is used only if the sentence calls for one. Example:

  • Sally told me that Rosie, Anuja and Jenny are going for a movie tomorrow. . .

A. Punctuate the following sentences in direct speech. Insert (*), (,) and (?), (!) or (.).

Question 1. Divya said to me How are you Answer: Divya said to me,‘How are you?’

Question 2. Wow What a wonderful picture said Lucy Answer: ‘Wow! What a wonderful picture! ’ said Lucy.

Question 3. I said I am fine. Have you seen Sunil anywhere Answer: I said, ‘I am fine. Have you seen Sunil anywhere?’

B. There is one punctuation mark missing in each of these sentences. Add it.

Question 1. Urvashi said ‘Our class teacher is on leave today.’ Answer: Urvashi said,‘Our class teacher is on leave today.’

Question 2. “But I saw her in the canteen today, said Heena. Answer: ‘But I saw her in the canteen today,’ said Haya.

Question 3. How sad ’ said Urvashi, “I thought we would have two free periods today.’ Answer: ‘How sad! ’ said Urvashi, ‘I thought we would have two free periods today.’

Pronouns While reporting, we must pay close attention to personal pronouns, possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives—1, we, you, they, he, she, my, our, your, their, his, her, mine, ours, yours, theirs, hers. Examples: 1. Teacher said to me, ‘This is Radhika’s book, please give it to her.’ What would you tell Radhika?—Teacher told me that this was your book and asked me to give it to you. But if you report this to your friend Sashi, you would say—Teacher told me that this was Radhika’s book and asked me to give it to her.

2. His mother said to Raghu, ‘You must work hard.’ His mother told Raghu that he must work hard.

3. Mohan said to me, “My books are on your desk.’ Mohan told me that his books were on my desk.

As we see in these examples, the words we use to refer to people change to match the speaker/ writer and listener/reader.

C. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

Question 1. Manny said to me, “We must play more football.’ Manny told me that ………………………. (we/you) must play more football. Answer: Manny said to me, ‘We must play more football. ’ Manny told me that we (we/you) must play more football.

Question 2. Mr Chandresh said to me, ‘You must visit my house.’ Mr Chandresh insisted that I must visit ………………………. (my/his) house. Answer: Mr Chandresh said to me, ‘You must visit my house. ’ Mr Chandresh insisted that I must visit his (my/his) house.

Question 3. Amrit said to Neeta, ‘Our friends will meet us in Noida.’ Amrit told Neeta that ………………………. (their/our) friends would meet ………………………. (them/us) in Noida. Answer: Amrit said to Neeta, ‘Our friends will meet us in Noida.’ Amrit told Neeta that their (their/our) friends would meet them (them/us) in Noida.

Reporting verbs

We usually use verbs like said (say), told (tell) to introduce what somebody said. Verbs that help us convey what was said are called reporting verbs. They are used in direct and indirect speech.

Says and told are the reporting verbs in the following sentences:

  • He says, “The world is a flat piece of paper.
  • He told me he could help me with my homework.

Said and told are used in similar contexts but in reported speech we say something, and we tell somebody something. In direct speech, we use said to me/him/her, etc. Examples:

  • Dipti said to me, ‘I might not come to school tomorrow.’
  • Dipti said that she might not come to school the next day.
  • Dipti told me that she might not come to school the next day.

D. Fill in the blanks with told or said.

Question 1. Rosy ………………………. that he was going to the supermarket. Answer: Rosy said that he was going to the supermarket.

Question 2. He ………………………. Sonia that he had to get some stationery. Answer: He told Sonia that he had to get some stationery.

Question 3. I ………………………. to him, “You have to hand in your work on time.’ Answer: I said to him, ‘You have to hand in your work on time.’

Question 4. Sameer ………………………. that he that he didn’t believe in aliens. Answer: Sameer said that he didn’t believe in aliens.

Question 5. My grandmother ………………………. me that when she was little, computers were unheard of. Answer: My grandmother told me that when she was little, computers were unheard of.

Some of the other reporting verbs we use are answered, added, promised, replied, suggested, explained, etc. The use of the reporting verb depends on the type of sentence reported.

Interrogative Sentences

While reporting questions we use the reporting verbs asked, enquired, etc. and while reporting the answer to the questions we use verbs like replied, answered, etc. Examples:

  • Salim said to me, ‘Have you read The Wind in the Willows?’ Salim asked me if I had read The Wind in the Willows. I told Salim, ‘Yes, it is my favourite book.’ I replied that I had and that it was my favourite book
  • Tarun said to me, ‘Where is our next class?’ Tarun asked me where our next class was.

A. Punctuate the following sentences in direct speech. Insert (..) and ()

Imperative Sentences While reporting imperative sentences we use a reporting verb to match the mood of the sentence. Apart from say and rell we can also use as request, beg, command in it, ander warm remind, exicowa gesi, pryse, etc. Examples:

  • The Judge said to the people, “Maintain silence.” The Judge ordered the people to maintain silence.
  • I said to John, “Please pass me the salt.” Trieste Jolino pass me the salt.
  • Linda said, ‘Let’s go for a swim. Linda menekled going for a swim

Please note that in reported speech we use the non-finite form of the verbs in quotes. We use infinitive forms (base verb, lo + base verb) or gerund forms (ing).

Exclamatory Sentences While reporting exclamatory sentences we use reporting verbs like exclaimed, admired, apologize cried, wished thanked, etc. Interjections like wow, oh, oh dear, alas, etc. and nouns of addres are removed Examples:

  • Ritu said to me ‘Wow! What a beautiful dress! Ritu admired my dress.
  • I said to my teacher, ‘Good morning, Ma’am!-I wished my teacher good morning
  • ‘Oh, no! I didn’t bring my lunchbox!’ said Deepak. Deepak exclaimed that hadn’t brought his lunchbox.
  • Surya said to Shayan, ‘I am so sorry! Surya apologized to Shayan.

E. Fill in the blanks with appropriate reporting verbs from the box.

1. Sanjay said, ‘Shall we go to the chemistry lab? Sanjay ……………………… to go to the chemistry lab. 2. He said to me, ‘T’ll definitely help you.” He ……………………… to help me. 3. Manish said to me, I’m sorry. I forgot to bring your packet.” Manish ……………………… for forgetting to bring my packet. 4. Natasha said to her little brother, “Don’t cross the street carelessly” Natasha ……………………… her little brother not to cross the street carelessly 5. Nisha said to the receptionist, ‘Is Dr Gregory here?’ Nisha ……………………… if Dr Gregory was there. 6. ‘Oh dear! I have lost my keys!’ said Chandu. Chandu ……………………… that he had lost his keys. Answer: 1. Sanjay said, ‘Shall we go to the chemistry lab?’ Sanjay asked to go to the chemistry lab.

2. He said to me, ‘I’ll definitely help you. He offered to help me.

3. Manish said to me, ‘I’m sorry. I forgot to bring your packet. Manish apologized for forgetting to bring my packet

4. Natasha said to her little brother, ‘Don’t cross the street carelessly. Natasha advised/warmed her little brother not to cross the street carelessly.

5. Nisha said to the receptionist, ‘Is Dr Gregory here?’ Nisha asked if Dr Gregory was there.

6. ‘Oh dear! I have lost my keys! ’ said Chandu. Chandu exclaimed that he had lost his keys.

TENSES When we report a statement, we must look at the tense of the reporting verb.

1. If the reporting verb is in the present tense, we need not change the tense of the rest of the sentence. Examples:

  • a. She says, “They are on their way.’—She says that they are on their way.
  • Kina says, “All birds are friendly.”—Kina says that all birds are friendly.

2. If the reporting verb is in the past tense, we change the tense of the rest of the sentence being reported into corresponding past tense.

Sometimes, when universal truths are being reported we can choose to retain the original tense of the sentence or change it. Examples:

  • Mother said, “The earth revolves around the sun. Mother said that the earth revolves/revolved around the sun.
  • Jose said, “Hot air rises to the top.’ Jose said that hot air rises/rose to the top.

Time And Place Words When there are words that show time and place in direct speech, we have to change them appropriately in reported speech. Example:

  • Rajesh said, “I will finish this project by next week.’
  • Rajesh said that he would finish that project by the following week.

Here are a few such words: But this is done in accordance with the time and place of reporting. The expressions change if the time is long past. They do not change if the speech is reported in the same place and period of time.

  • Sayani says, “I will not come to school tomorrow.’ (said on 12 August)”
  • Sayani says that she will not come to school tomorrow. (also said on 12 August)
  • Sayani told me that she would not come to school the next day. (30 November)

Reporting Conversations

In normal conversation we don’t always speak in full sentences. But while reporting them we must complete these sentences. Avoid using said and told too many times.

Instead, use reporting verbs like added, informed, wanted, etc. Examples:

  • Direct speech:
  • Salim: How is Sanjay?
  • Sanjukta: He is fine now.
  • Salim: Was he seriously ill last month?
  • Sanjukta: Not exactly. But he had some minor ailments. He is at home now.

Reported speech: Salim asked Sanjukta how Sanjay was. She replied that he was fine then. Salim wanted to know if Sanjay had been seriously ill the previous month. Sanjukta said that he had not been seriously ill, but he had had some minor ailments. Then she added that Sanjay was at home then.

Omission Of That

In reported speech, that is often used to introduce the speaker’s words. But even if we omit that, the meaning would remain the same. Examples:

  • Zoey told me (that) Rosie, Anuja and Shehnaaz were going for a movie the next day.
  • Angmo said (that) she might not come to school the next day.

F. Read the following conversation and rewrite it in reported speech. Some reporting verbs you may want to use are informed, congratulated and thanked. Sneha: Good morning, Pari. How are you? Pari: Good morning, Sneha. I am getting on fine. You know, I got selected for the school table tennis team. We are going for the inter-school match on Friday. Sena: Wow! Great! Wish you the best of luck for Friday. I’m sure you’ll win the match. Pari: Thanks, Sneha. I hope we’ll win this time.

Sneha greeted Pari and asked ……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………… Answer: Sneha greeted Pari and asked her how she was. Pari greeted Sneha back and told her that she was getting on fine. She also told Sneha that she had gotten selected for the school table tennis team, and that the team was going for the inter-school match on Friday .

Sneha exclaimed that was great, and then wished Pari the best of luck for Friday. She said that she was sure that Pari would win the match. Pari thanked Sneha and said that she hoped to win that time .

G. Here are a few lines from the famous story The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. Punctuate these sentences. 1. By Jove said Sherlock Holmes this is treasure trove indeed I suppose you know what you have got ……………………………………………………………………………… 2. A precious diamond said Peterson it cuts into glass as though it were putty ……………………………………………………………………………… 3. It is more than a precious stone said Holmes it is the precious stone ……………………………………………………………………………… 4. Not the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle Watson exclaimed ……………………………………………………………………………… 5. Precisely so said Holmes ……………………………………………………………………………… Answer: 1. By Jove said Sherlock Holmes, this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you have got‘ By Jove!’ said Sherlock Holmes, ‘this is treasure trove indeed. I suppose you know what you have got!

2. A precious diamond, sir? said Peterson. It cuts into glass as though it were putty ‘A precious diamond, sir?’ said Peterson. ‘It cuts into glass as though it were putty.’

3. It is more than a precious stone said Holmes it is the precious stone ‘It is more than a precious stone.’ said Holmes, ‘it is the precious stone.’

4. Not the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle Watson exclaimed ‘Not the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle!’ Watson exclaimed.

5. Precisely so said Holmes ‘Precisely so.’ said Holmes.

Reported Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers

Reported speech is when we express or say things that have already been said by somebody else.

Looking for an easy way to Learning of new elementary english grammar and composition for class 8 answers, Solutions. You have to learn basic  English Grammar  topics like Tenses Verbs, Nouns, etc… In this article, we will review the best English Grammer Topics and compare them against each other.

Reported Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers Pdf

When we say things that have been said, we use two ways of expressing it. The first is direct speech when we express what the speaker said as it is and the second is indirect speech where we express what was said in our words.

How do we use reported speech?

Reporting Questions We use a special form when we report questions:

WH – Questions : Where is + Tom’s house? He asked where Tom’s house + was. Where does Tom live? He asked where Tom lived,

Yes/No Questions: Does Tom live in Miami? She asked if Tom lived in Miami. Is Tom happy? She asked if Tom was happy.

Say vs. Tell Say something June : “I love English.” June said (that) she loved English.

Tell someone something June: “I love English.” June told me (that) she loved English.

Modal Verbs and Reported Speech Must, might, could, would, should, and ought to stay the same in reported speech. We usually change may to might.

Reported Requests There’s more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)?

For example:

  • Direct speech: close the window, please
  • Or: Could you close the window please?
  • Or: Would you mind closing the window please?

All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don’t need to report every word when we tell another person about it. We simply use ‘ask me + to + infinitive’:

  • Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.
  • Here are a few more examples:

Reported Orders And finally, how about if someone doesn’t ask so politely? We can call this an ‘order’ in English, when someone tells you very directly to do something.

  • Direct speech: Sit down! In fact, we make this into reported speech in the same way as a request. We just use ‘tell’ instead of ‘ask’:

Changes in words showing proximity (time and place) Study the list given below to revise the changes in words showing the proximity of place and time when converting direct speech to indirect speech.

this becomes that these become those here becomes there now becomes then before becomes earlier/previously today becomes that day tomorrow becomes the next day yesterday becomes the previous day

Reported Speech Practice Exercises for Class 8 CBSE

A. Write the following sentences in indirect speech. The first one has been done for you.

1. He said, “I will meet you outside the post office at three tomorrow afternoon.” He said that he would meet me outside the post office at there the following afternoon .

2. The teacher told us, “The freezing point of water is 0°c.” _______________________________________ 3. “When I dropped the jug, it smashed to pieces,” my little brother says. _______________________________________ 4. The man said, “I have seen you somewhere before.” _______________________________________ 5. The mechanic said, “Your car was ready last night, but you did not come to get it.” _______________________________________ 7. He said, “I shall return your magazines tomorrow.” _______________________________________ 8. “My car broke down, and I had to walk two kilometers to get to a phone-booth,” the man said. _______________________________________ 9. “An English play is being held in the school hall now,” she told us. _______________________________________ 10. “The building burnt down many years before we moved here,” my father told me. _______________________________________

B. Write the following sentences into indirect speech.

1. “Don’t leave your bag out here, Tommy,” Kiren said. _______________________________________ 2. “Stand at attention!” the captain commanded his men. _______________________________________ 3. “Don’t touch it! Leave it alone!” I said _______________________________________ 4. “Please take me to the park, Father,” the little boy said. _______________________________________ 5. “Please tell me exactly what happened,” she said. _______________________________________ 6. “Speak up. I can’t hear you,” he said to the new boy. _______________________________________ 7. “Don’t shake the table while I am writing!” Pawan told his brother. _______________________________________ 8. “Please bring your own plates and spoons,” she told us. _______________________________________ 9. “Return to the ship immediately!” the officer ordered his men. _______________________________________ 10. “Open that drawer and bring me the scissors,” Deepak told his brother. _______________________________________

C. Write the following sentences in indirect speech.

1. “The Prince and Princess lived happily ever after,” the storyteller told the children. _______________________________________ 2. “Don’t push!” the conductor said to the passengers who were boarding the bus. _______________________________________ 3. “I’m sorry but I can’t join you for lunch,” he told his friend. _______________________________________ 4. “Do the exercises from pages sixty to sixty-two,” Miss Malhotra told the pupils. _______________________________________ 5. “Do you know how to operate a computer?” asked the personnel officer. _______________________________________ 6. “Help! Help! Help!” I heard someone shout. _______________________________________ 7. “Are you mad at me?” asked the elder sister. _______________________________________ 8. The cheerleaders shouted, “Hurray! Fight them! Show them all your might!” _______________________________________ 9. “Keep the change,” the rich man said to the waitress. _______________________________________ 10. I said to myself, “I will definitely beat him in the next event.” _______________________________________

D. Rewrite these sentences in direct speech. The first one has been done for you.

1. My mother asked me to buy a dozen eggs from the shop. “Can you buy me a dozen eggs from the shop?” asked my mother .

2. I told myself that I would finish painting the gate by that afternoon. _______________________________________ 3. The judge asked the defendant to speak louder. _______________________________________ 4. The engineer wanted the workers to complete the project by the following day. _______________________________________ 5. Anu reported to the police about her purse being snatched. _______________________________________

E. Use past tenses, present perfect or past perfect tenses to complete the sentences.

We _____________ in Bristol from January to March. (stay) Where is my wine? Someone _____________ my wine! (drink) When you _____________ you _____________ fast? (crash, drive) I’m sorry. Dad isn’t here. He _____________ our neighbour’s flat since the morning. (decorate) What a nice coat! Where _____________ you _____________ it? (buy) At 6 o’clock he _____________ there for three hours! (sit) I want to learn French. But I _____________ yet. (not start) We didn’t want to spend our holiday in Strobl because _____________ already _____________ there. (be) What _____________ ? You are so dirty! (do) Oh, no! I _____________ my way. What shall I do? (lose) Jim _____________ the dishes after dinner. The kitchen sink is full of plates. (not wash) She _____________ three clients since the morning. (contact) I couldn’t help you. I _____________ your problems. (not understand) Does he know about it? _____________ him yet? (tell) Bill admitted that he _____________ the catalogue to the agency. (not send) As soon as I _____________ the message, I _____________ my house (get, leave) While Maggie _____________ a new Jumper, Jill and I _____________ (knit, read) Here he is! He _____________ for me all the time, he _____________ for Ann! (not look, wait) _____________ you in your room at 5.30? Yes, I think I _____________ my suitcase. (be, pack) Nice to meet you! I _____________ uyou for 10 years. What _____________ you _____________ all this time? (not see, do) He _____________ but he’ll be back home today. The doctors ____________ to cure him. (die, manage) After we _____________ to the top of hill we had a great view of the bay. (elimb) The pigeon finally delivered the news after it _____________ for the whole day. (fly)

F. In the following sentences the speakers are all saying something different to what they told you before. Write replies to their statements as given in the example. Example:

  • “I’m going out with Alisha.” But you said you weren’t going out with her .

1. “I haven’t finished my project.” I thought you said ________________ 2. “I’m better at tennis than golf.” But you told me ________________ 3. “I enjoy parties.” I remember you saying ________________ 4. “I’ve got a video recorder.” But you said yesterday ________________ 5. “I’m applying for the job.” I thought you told me ________________ 6. “I like Indian food more than Chinese.” But you said ________________ 7. “I prefer pop music to classical music.” You told me ________________

G. Change the following sentence to indirect speech.

1. Our teacher said, “Time is precious, so spend your free time in the best possible way.” ________________________________________________ 2. “Ugh! This toilet is so smelly,” Rita said. ________________________________________________ 3. Chetan said, “Please buy me a bar of chocolate.” ________________________________________________ 4. “Polish your boots,” the army officer said to his men. ________________________________________________ 5. “Get me a glass of water,” he said to her. ________________________________________________ 6. “What a beautiful car!” he remarked. ________________________________________________ 7. “Please spare me some money,” the beggar said. ________________________________________________ 8. “You must listen to me!” his mother cried. ________________________________________________ 9. “Pass me that salt, please,” the man said to her. ________________________________________________ 10. “Get out or I’ll call the police!” the lady said to him. ________________________________________________

H. Change the following to reported speech by completing the sentence.

1. She asked, “Have you been here before?” She asked me if _________________ 2. “Is your sister still asleep?” my mother asked. My mother asked _________________ 3. The policeman said, “Show me your license.” The policeman demanded _________________ 4. “Shall I open the windows for you?” he asked. He asked me whether _________________ He offered to _________________ 5. “Where will you be going for your holidays?” she asked. She wanted to know _________________ 6. “When will you be visiting the hospital? I want to come along,” she said. She wanted to know _________________ 7. “Is the ship leaving on Monday or Tuesday?” She inquired. She inquired whether _________________ 8. “What’s wrong with your cheek? Have you been fighting again?” my mother asked. My mother asked what _________________ 9. “Did you learn anything interesting at the seminar?” he inquired. He inquired _________________ 10. “The purpose of this project is to encourage teamwork and inculcate a sense of belonging,” he said. He said that _________________

I. Change these sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech. Example

  • “Oh!” she cried in fright on seeing him.
  • “Why did you suddenly appear like this?”

She exclaimed in fright when she saw him and asked him why he had suddenly appeared like that.

1. “I am sorry,” she said to me, “but my brother won’t be back until late tonight.” ___________________________________________________ 2. The guard reported, “I heard some shots and ran out into the compound to investigate.” ___________________________________________________ 3. “When will he be back?” Sheela said. “I have something important to tell him.” ___________________________________________________ 4. “Did you go to the circus that’s performing here?” Jatin asked me. “It was a wonderful show.” ___________________________________________________ 5. “Good morning!” she said when she saw me. “How are you today? I heard you had been quite ill.” ___________________________________________________ 6. “Come here at once!” he ordered the frightened boy. “If you don’t, I shall give you a beating.” ___________________________________________________ 7. “Don’t do too much heavy work now,” the doctor advised Mrs. Birla. “Get as much rest as possible.” ___________________________________________________ 8. “Please come,” he said. “I want to show you my new fish. My father bought it yesterday.” ___________________________________________________ 9. “Are you going out now? If you are, see that you are back by ten,” my mother said to! me. ___________________________________________________ 10. “Yes, please do so,” I answered her. “I will wait here until you return.” ___________________________________________________

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  • English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8

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Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8 - Download Free PDF with Solutions

In simple terms, we can understand direct speech as the precise words that a speaker or writer uses. The spoken words are enclosed in inverted commas in a direct speech. On the other hand, indirect speech entails summarising another person’s words using our own language. In indirect speech, we do not write someone else’s precise words, and we do not use inverted commas. Learning direct and indirect speech in Class 8 is an integral part of their overall grammar syllabus, and having a firm grasp on the topic is essential to score good marks in exams.

In today’s day and age, solely sticking to NCERT textbooks and exercises is not enough. Some extra hand holding goes a long way, and students need some ancillary academic support in the form of revision notes, sample tests, etc. Teachers and parents should go the extra mile to provide children with additional study material from credible sources. 

English Grammar for Class 8 Direct and Indirect Speech Download Free PDF

Today we will study an exciting topic “Reported speech”. Reported speech refers to how we have interpreted the words of the speaker. 

English Grammar

English Grammar

Definition of Reported Speech

In simple terms, Reported speech refers to reporting the speech of the speaker i.e. whether conveying directly the words of the speaker or indirectly conveying after altering the words of the speaker. For good understanding and idea clarity, practice questions and solved examples are provided throughout the article. Let's start our journey on this pretty topic.

The Convey of Speech

The Convey of Speech

Parts of reported speech in a sentence

Reported verb 

Reported speech,

For example, Ram said to me,” he wants to eat pizza”.

Here in the sentence, Ram said to me is the reporting verb, 

And the sentence in inverted commas “he wants to eat pizza” is the reported speech.

The reported verb refers to the simple sentence at the starting of the sentence and reported speech refers to the sentence in inverted commas that defines someone else.

Reporting Verb

The part of the sentence which is not in the inverted commas is called the reported verb.

When we change a direct speech into indirect speech then there are 3 types/ forms of changes that take place.

Change of person

Change of tense and

Change of other parts of speech

For example, Priya said to the class,” keep quiet teacher is coming”.

Here in the sentence, Priya said to the class is the reporting verb.

Reporting Speech

The part of the sentence which is under inverted commas is called reporting speech.

The second part of the sentence refers to some other person, universal facts, imaginary parts, historical facts, happening events, etc.

For example, Shyam said,” taj mahal was built by Shahjahan”

Here the sentence “taj mahal was built by Shahjahan” is the reported speech. 

Basically, there are two types of speech.

Direct speech 

Indirect speech

Direct Speech

Direct Speech

It refers to reporting the exact words spoken by the speaker. There is no change in the verb or the sentence.

For example, Ram said to Riya, “go to school”

Priya asked Ram, “where is her bag”

Ratan enquired Raman,” why was he not picking up her call”.

Rules of Direct Speech

Speech should be opened with quotations or inverted commas.

The word said is used to connect two sentences.

Reporting clause should be used at the end of the sentence.

At the end of the sentence full stop should be placed.

Indirect Speech

Indirect Speech

It is the speech that tells what someone has said but it does not explain the actual words spoken by the person. It just conveys the basic narration of what is being said to the third person.

For example, Ram asked Riya to go to school.

Priya asked Ram where was her bag.

Ratan enquired Raman why was he not picking up her call.

Rules of Indirect Speech

Past tense is used when the situation is uncertain

The present tense of the sentence is changed to the past tense in indirect speech. 

Universal facts tense remains the same.

The use of the word “that” connects the reported verb and reported speech.

Difference Between Direct Speech and Indirect Speech

Difficult words meaning, practice question.

Rewrite the following sentence converting from direct speech to indirect speech.

He asked me “ what is your mother’s name”.

Riya said to the shopkeeper, “ what is the price of the item?”

Ram said, “How is the weather”.

Commander said to militarians, “practice well”.

Honey told his mother, “I am not feeling well”.

The Doctor said, “Health is your wealth”.

Traffic police said, “Don't rush”.

He asked me what my mother's name is.

Riya asked the shopkeeper what the price of the items was.

Ram asked how the weather was.

Commander ordered militarians to practice well.

Honey told he mother that he was not feeling well.

The Doctor advised that health is wealth.

Traffic police asked the public not to rush.

Importance of Learning Direct and Reported Speech Class 8 

Having a firm grasp on direct and reported speech in Class 8 is integral to building the foundation of English grammar for young minds.

Knowing when and how to use direct and indirect speech can help students form grammatically correct sentences.

The essay writing and answer composition skills of young minds improve significantly when they know the nitty-gritty of direct and indirect speech.

Learning the rules of changing speech from direct to indirect enables students to summarise texts more aptly.

Lastly, indirect and direct speech introduces young students to the fundamentals of quoting, which is an aspect of grammar that they will need for years on end.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech for Class 8 Students

Riya said, “I am going on a long vacation.” – Direct Speech

Riya said that she was going on a long vacation. – Indirect Speech

The stranger asked me, “Where is your house?” – Direct Speech

The stranger asked me where my house was. – Indirect Speech

Rina asked Steve if he had overheard her conversation. – Indirect Speech

Rina asked Steve, “Did you overhear my conversation?” – Direct Speech

The direct and indirect speech exercises for Class 8 with answers PDF should include simple and relatable examples like the ones stated above.

Interesting Facts about Direct and Indirect Speech for Class 8 Students

While changing a sentence from direct to indirect speech, we use the conjunction ‘that.’

Likewise, while changing a sentence from direct to reported speech, the tense of the verb is changed from present to past.

Direct speech helps in defining the character of a person.

The prolonged use of direct speech in an essay can slow its pace. However, the use of indirect speech smoothens the pace of a writeup.

If the reported speech expresses some universal truth, then we do not have to change the tense of the sentence.

All direct and indirect worksheets with answers in Class 8 ought to be an amalgamation of examples, definitions, and interesting facts to make learning more interesting for young minds. 

Important Topics of Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8 

The 17th Chapter of the Class 8 NCERT grammar book is on direct and indirect speech. Below are the topics students will learn from this chapter. 

Understanding direct speech

Understanding indirect speech

Rules for changing direct speech into indirect speech

Exceptions to rules

Therefore, all direct and indirect speech exercises for Class 8 with answers PDF should encompass the following topics.

Learn English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech with PDFs

Meticulously designed by the subject matter experts of Vedantu, the English grammar PDFs for Class 8 students on direct and indirect speech are the one-stop destination for all young minds keen on expanding their horizons. The PDFs include reported speech exercises for Class 8 CBSE with answers , tips and tricks to learn grammar faster, sample question papers, etc.

The PDFs of Vedantu are downloadable from the comfort of your homes.

They are free.

The content is regularly updated by Vedantu’s subject matter experts.

The PDFs contain more than 50 examples of direct and indirect speech exercises.

So, do not wait any longer and download Vedantu’s PDFs now to watch your child reach new academic zeniths.

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FAQs on English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8

1. What is direct narration?

When we quote the exact words of the speaker, then it is direct narration.

2. What is the indirect speech of the sentence – Rima said, “The sun rises in the east.”

Rima said that the sun rises in the east.

3. When should I use direct speech in a sentence?

The ideal time to use direct speech is when you want to precisely quote the words of some other person. Direct speech can help break the monotony in an essay and make it more interesting to readers. 

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English Grammar Lessons And Worksheets

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Direct And Indirect Speech Exercise For Class 8

by Manjusha · September 16, 2021

Sentences are given in the direct speech. Change them into indirect speech. You can learn about the rules of direct and indirect speech here.

Direct and indirect speech exercise for class 8

1. The man said, ‘I am waiting for the bus.’

2. Suma said, ‘Last week, I attended a seminar on the harmful consequences of global warming.’

3. Julia said, ‘I will be delighted to help.’

4. The plumber said, ‘I have fixed the leakage in the bathroom.’

5. The teacher said, ‘All students should submit their assignments before Friday.’

6. The master told the servant, ‘Clean the barn before you leave.’

7. The doctor said to the patient, ‘You have to quit smoking.’

8. The mother said to the boy, ‘I am taking you to the doctor.’

9. The girl said, ‘I am hungry.’

10. The clerk said to the manager, ‘I want to leave early today.’

1. The man said that he was waiting for the bus. (Present continuous in the direct speech becomes past continuous in the indirect speech.)

2. Suma said that she had attended a seminar on the harmful consequences of global warming the previous week. (Simple past in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech)

3. Julia said that she would be delighted to help. (Will in the direct speech becomes would in the indirect speech.)

4. The plumber said that he had fixed the leakage in the bathroom. (Present perfect in the direct speech becomes past perfect in the indirect speech.)

5. The teacher said that all students had to submit their assignments before Friday. (Should in the direct speech becomes had to in the indirect speech.)

6. The master instructed the servant to clean the barn before he left. (Imperatives are reported with to-infinitives.)

7. The doctor told the patient to quit smoking. / The doctor told the patient that he had to quit smoking.

8. The mother told the boy that she was taking him to the doctor.

9. The girl said that she was hungry .

10. The clerk told the manager that he wanted to leave early that day. (Simple present in the direct speech becomes simple past in the indirect speech.)

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Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets. You may also want to check out my other blogs IELTS Practice and NCERT Guides

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises For Class 8 [PDF Available]

indirect speech exercises grade 8

  • Updated on  
  • Jan 2, 2024

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Direct and Indirect Speech for Class 8: This concept of direct and indirect speech is one of the most fundamental topics in English Vocabulary . Language is used to convey one’s thoughts and feelings, therefore, one must understand the importance of direct and indirect speech . Do you wish to improve your English learning skills? Then you have come to the right place. We have compiled this blog, especially for Class 8 students. 

In this blog, you will get to learn about what direct and indirect speech for class 8 and how they should be used in sentences. 

This Blog Includes:

What is direct speech, what is indirect speech, direct and indirect speech for class 8, direct and indirect speech exercise 1, direct and indirect speech exercise 2.

Direct Speech is a sentence where the speaker’s exact words are reproduced in speech marks (also known as quotation marks or inverted commas). 

Here are some of the formulas of direct speech.

Simple Present Tense:

(Subject +Verb + Object),

Present continuous and Present Perfect Tense:

(Subject +is/am/are+Verb +ing+ Object) and

(Subject + has/have+Verb+Object) respectively.

  • Marie said, “I’ll come back in 15 minutes.”
  • Ram said, “You must give men another opportunity.”
  • She said,” I wish I were that rich.”
  • My mother said to me, “May you get well soon.”
  • She said to me, “May you live long.”

Also Read: Reported Speech Rules with Tips and Exercises for Students

Indirect speech is when it tells you what someone said but does not use the person’s actual words. 

Here are some formulas for indirect speech:

Past Simple Tense did + V1 V2

Past Progressive Tense was /were + V4

Past Perfect Tense had + V3

  • I told her I was not very happy at work.
  • They told us they were going back to their village.
  • She said she had been working out at the gym.
  • He said that Julia would be late at work.

Also Read: Direct and Indirect Speech: Comprehensive Guide with Exercises  

Now that we have talked about both direct and indirect speech. The students need to practice and test their knowledge. Moving ahead, we have compiled a few exercises on direct and indirect speech for Class 8 students. Have a look at them. 

Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech.

  • Direct: He said, “I am going to the park.” 
  • Direct: “I have completed my homework,” said Marie.
  • Direct: “It’s raining outside,” she said.
  • Direct: “We will visit the church tomorrow,” they told us. 
  • Direct: “I love waffles,” he exclaimed.

Check Your Answers:

  • He said he was going to the park.
  • Marie said she had completed her homework.
  • She said that it was raining outside.
  • They told us that they would visit the church tomorrow.
  • He exclaimed that he loved waffles.

Also Read: Tenses Rules: Charts, Examples, Types [PDF Available]

Rewrite the following paragraph into indirect speech.

Direct: “I can’t come to the party,” Julia said. “I have a nail appointment. Andrew won’t be able to make it either. He’s stuck in traffic. But we hope you all have a fantastic time.”

Julia said that she couldn’t come to the party as she had a nail appointment. She also mentioned that Andrew wouldn’t be able to make it as he was stuck in traffic. However, they hoped that everyone would have a fantastic time.

Also Check: Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Simply use the reporting verb, “say” or “said” in its correct tense. Make sure you remove the conjunctions such as “that”, “if”, “to” and “whether”. Lastly, insert quotation marks, question marks, exclamation and full stop.

For simple present tense, the formula is (Subject +V1st + Object). While the formula for Present continuous and Present perfect the formula can be (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object) and (Subject + has/have+V3+Object) respectively.

The clauses of direct speech are the reporting clause and the reported clause.

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  • Class 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech

indirect speech exercises grade 8

Class 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech. When we use the actual words of the speaker, we use Direct Speech but when we report what he said in our own words, we use Indirect Speech. The actual words of the speaker are called Reported Speech and the verb introducing the Reported Speech is called the Reporting Verb. What a person says can be written in direct or indirect speech whereas the mode of narration which we use to report others’ thoughts and speech is known as indirect or reported speech.

Grade 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech

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The intricacies of language and expression become evident when one dives into the fascinating realm of Direct and Indirect Speech. Platforms dedicated to NCERT Solutions, such as Tiwari Academy, provide valuable insights into this topic, ensuring students grasp its nuances as presented in Chapter 16 of Class 8 English Grammar.

Direct Speech : This form of expression captures the verbatim words of a speaker, preserving its original essence. Enclosed within quotation marks, it presents an authentic representation of what someone stated. For instance, She said, “I am going to the market.” Here, the speaker’s exact words “I am going to the market” exemplify Direct Speech.

Indirect (or Reported) Speech : In contrast, Indirect Speech relays the essence of what was spoken but paraphrases it, translating the speaker’s words into the reporter’s own linguistic style. Using our earlier example, the Indirect Speech would be: She said that she was going to the market. Notice the subtle shift in words and tenses.

Direct Speech

  • The Reported Speech is put within Inverted Commas . (“ ”)
  • The First word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital Letter.
  • The Reported Speech is separated by a comma (,) from the Reporting Verb.

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In the realm of English grammar, two crucial terms stand out: Reported Speech : This refers to the actual words or the content of what the speaker articulated. It becomes the crux of our conversion from direct to indirect speech. Reporting Verb : The verb, often ‘said’ or ‘told’, which introduces the Reported Speech, playing a pivotal role in setting the context for the narration.

Indirect Speech

  • Inverted Commas (“ ”) are not used in Reported Speech. It is generally introduced by the Conjunction if., that, what, why, etc.
  • The comma separating the Reporting Verb from the Reported Speech is removed.
  • The Tense of the Reporting Verb is never changed.
  • The Question Mark (?) and the Mark of Exclamation (!) are not used.
  • The Interrogative, the Imperative and the Exclamatory sentences are put as statements.

Change of the Tense

While changing Direct Speech into indirect Speech, the rule of Sequence of Tenses is followed. If the Reporting Verb is in the Present or Future Tense, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is not changed at all.

If the Reporting Verb is in the Past Tense, the Tense of the Reported Speech will change.

If the Reported Speech expresses some Universal Truth, Factual Truth, Habitual Fact, Custom, Proverb, Natural Fact, Historical Fact and Scientific Fact, the tense of the verb in the Reported Speech is not changed into the Past, but remains exactly.

The dynamic shift between Direct and Indirect Speech offers versatility in communication. While Direct Speech provides immediacy and emotional resonance by capturing the exact words, Indirect Speech offers flexibility, allowing the narrator to frame the information in a manner that aligns with the broader narrative.

Students diving into this chapter, with resources like those available at Tiwari Academy, will benefit from numerous examples and exercises. These are designed to instill confidence in them to switch between Direct and Indirect modes of speech seamlessly, enriching their expressive capabilities and bolstering their command over English communication.

Class 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech

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Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheet For Class 8 CBSE

by Manjusha · Published March 6, 2022 · Updated April 30, 2024

Sentences are given in the direct speech. Change them into indirect speech.

1. ‘I have lost my phone,’ said Rani.

2. ‘Do you know who I am?’ she asked me.

3. ‘I would like a cup of coffee,’ the woman said.

4. ‘Can I talk to the manager?’ the girl asked the receptionist.

5. ‘I want to get this document translated into Spanish,’ she said.

6. ‘I met with an accident in the morning,’ he said to his manager.

7. ‘The soup is too salty,’ the boy said.

8. ‘Have you seen my key?’ Rahim said to his mother.

9. ‘I have read that novel,’ she said.

10. ‘Where is my bag?’ she asked.

11. ‘You will pay for your action,’ she said.

12. ‘We do not permit smoking in the house,’ they said.

1. Rani said that she had lost her phone.

2. She asked me if / whether I knew who she was.

3. The woman said that she would like a cup of coffee.

4. The girl asked the receptionist if she could talk to the manager.

5. She said that she wanted to get that document translated into Spanish.

6. He told his manager that he had met with an accident that morning.

7. The boy complained that the soup was too salty.

8. Rahim asked his mother if she had seen his key.

9. She said that she had read t hat novel.

10. She asked where her bag was.

11. She threatened me that I would pay for my action.

12. They said that they do not / did not permit smoking in the house.

  • Direct and indirect speech worksheet for class 7
  • Direct and indirect speech worksheet for classes 7 and 8
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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

Turn the following sentences into indirect speech.

1.    John said, ‘I am very busy now.’ 2.    He said, ‘The horse has been fed.’ 3.    ‘I know her name and address,’ said John. 4.    ‘German is easy to learn,’ she said. 5.    He said, ‘I am writing letters.’ 6.    ‘It is too late to go out,’ Alice said. 7.    He said to me, ‘I don’t believe you.’ 8.    He says, ‘I am glad to be here this evening.’ 9.    He said to me, ‘What are you doing?’ 10.    ‘Where is the post office?’ asked the stranger. 11.    He said, ‘Will you listen to me?’ 12.    John said to Peter, ‘Go away.’ 13.    She said to me, ‘Please wait here till I return.’ 14.    ‘Call the witness,’ said the judge. 15.    The speaker said, ‘Be quiet and listen to my words.’

1.    John said that he was very busy then. 2.    He said that the horse had been fed. 3.    John said that he knew/knows her name and address. (Note that the tenses may not change if the statement is still relevant or if it is a universal truth.) 4.    She said that German is/was easy to learn. 5.    He said that he was writing letters. 6.    Alice said that it was too late to go out. 7.    He told me that he didn’t believe me. OR He said he didn’t believe me. 8.    He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9.    He asked me what I was doing. 10.    The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11.    He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.    John ordered Peter to go away. 13.    She asked me to wait there till she returned. 14.    The judge commanded them to call the first witness. 15.    He urged them to be quiet and listen to them.

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Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

Direct and indirect speech is one topic in English grammar that confuses most language learners. It need not necessarily be so; if you understand how it works, you can easily use it in your writing.

Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers

When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb , pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

indirect speech exercises grade 8

Exercise 1: Change into indirect speech

Read the following sentences and convert them into indirect speech.

  • Rahul told to me, “When are you leaving?”
  • “Where do you live?” the stranger asked Aladdin.
  • The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”
  • Dhronacharya said to Arjun, “Shoot the bird’s eye.”
  • “Call the first convict,” said the jury.
  • “Call the ambulance,” said the man.
  • Bruce said to me, “I shall do the work.”
  • My mother said to me, “You were wrong.”
  • Mr Richard said to me, “Please wait here till I return.”
  • The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”
  • Raj said, “Alas! My pet died.”
  • Ruchi said, “I may go there.”
  • Bucky said to Steve, “Do you hear me?”
  • The boy said, “Let me come in.”
  • Granny said to me, “May God bless you.”

Answers –

  • Rahul asked me when I was leaving.
  • The stranger asked Aladdin where he lived.
  • The teacher asked Shelly why he was laughing.
  • Dhronacharya ordered Arjun to shoot the fish’s eye.
  • The jury ordered to call the first convict.
  • The man urged to call the ambulance.
  • Bruce said to me he would do the work.
  • My mother told me that I was wrong.
  • Mr Richard requested me to wait there till he returned.
  • The captain applauded me, saying that I had played well.
  • Raj exclaimed sadly that his pet died.
  • Ruchi said that she might go there.
  • Bucky asked Steve if he heard him.
  • The boy asked to let him come in.
  • Granny prayed that God might bless me.

Convert the following into Direct Speech

Read the following passage and convert it into direct speech.

One of them told Issac that the latter had forgotten one thing that belonged to a mill. Issac enquired what that was. The friend asked where the miller was. Issac replied that (absence of the miller) was true – and he must look for one.

“But Issac,” said one of them, “you have forgotten one thing that belongs to a mill.”

“What is that?” asked Issac.

“Why, where is the miller?” said his friend.

“That is true – I must look for one,” said Issac.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct narration.

When the actual words/sentences as spoken by the speaker are quoted in a speech, it’s called direct speech/narration.

What is indirect speech?

When the quoted speech is reported in the form of a narrative without changing the meaning of the actual quotation/words by the speaker, it’s called indirect speech/narration.

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My brother says “I met Tom at the party last night”

My brother says that he had met Tom at the party last night.

My brother said that he had met Tom at the party last night.

My brother says that he met Tom at the party last night.

My brother says that he meets Tom at the party last night”

Mary told John “my father warned me last night”

Mary told John that her warned her last night.

Mary told John that her father had warned her last night.

Mary told John that his father had warned me last night.

Mary told John that her father warns her last night.

Demian said, “I am going out of town.”

Demian said that I am going out of town.

Demian said that he is going out of town.

Demian said that he went out of town.

Demian said that he was going out of town.

He asked me “Open your book!”

He asked me to open my book.

He asked me opening my book.

He asked me to open your book.

He asks me to open my book.

The teacher said to the students “Be quiet while I am talking”

The teacher said to the students to be quiet while she is talking.

The teacher said to the students to be quiet while I am talking.

The teacher said to the students to be quiet while she told.

The teacher said to the students to be quiet while she talks.

Mother asked John, "Don't smoke too much!"

Mother asked John to do not smoke too much.

Mother asked John that not t smoke too much.

Mother asked John to not smoke too much.

Mother asked John to smoke too much.

John asked Mary, "Why do you get angry with me?"

John asked Mary why she got angry with him.

John asked Mary why she gets angry with him.

John asked Mary why she had gotten angry with him.

John asked Mary why she is angry with him.

Mr. Burchell asked the girl, "What is your name?"

Mr. Burchell asked the girl what is your name.

Mr. Burchell asked the girl what was your name.

Mr. Burchell asked the girl what is her name.

Mr. Burchell asked the girl what her name was.

We asked them, "Will you go to the movie with us?"

We asks them whether they will go to the movie with us.

We asks them whether they would go to the movie with us.

We asked them whether they would go to the movie with us.

We asked them whether they will go to the movie with us.

Mother asked Ben, "Are you going to marry her?"

Mother asked Ben if he was going to marry her.

Mother asked Ben if he is going to marry her.

Mother asks Ben if he is going to marry her.

Mother asks Ben if he was going to marry her.

  • 11. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 1. How do we write the following in direct speech? Kelly said I am feeling sick today. Kelly said "I am feeling sick today." Kelly said, "I am feeling sick today". Kelly said, "I am feeling sick today." Kelly said, "I am feeling sick today?
  • 12. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 2. What is missing in the sentence that follows? James asked "Are you coming to my house today?" ! ? , .
  • 13. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 3. Which of the following sentences is correct? Mai said, "My family is going to the market today." "We want candy!" The children shouted. "I told you not to go there." My father said. Chloe asked, "where is my timetable?"
  • 14. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 4. Which of these is correct?  "Could you help me carry these bags?" He asked. "Could you help me carry these bags?" he asked. "Could you help me carry these bags" he asked? "Could you help me carry these bags," he asked?
  • 15. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 5. Which of these is correct? Jamal said, “We passed by a beautiful lake in Goa". Jamal said, We passed by a beautiful lake in Goa. Jamal said, “We passed by a beautiful lake in Goa.” Jamal said, “we passed by a beautiful lake in Goa.”
  • 16. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 6. What's missing from this sentence? He said, “be quiet, please, and listen to my words.”  Quotation marks A capital letter An exclamation mark A question mark
  • 17. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 7. Which is correct?  He said, “Could you please repeat the question"? He said, Could you please repeat the question?” He said, "could you please repeat the question?” He said, “Could you please repeat the question?”
  • 18. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 8.What's wrong with this sentence? I said to him, “Why are you working so hard”?  "Why" should be lowercased There should not be a comma before the spoken words begin. There should be a full-stop after "hard". The question mark should be eN closed by quotation marks.
  • 19. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 9. What needs to be corrected? Kiran asked, "did you see the match on television last night" add a question mark at the end. capitalize did and add a question mark after night. capitalize did and add an exclamation mark at the end. capitalise "did" and add a question mark at the end.
  • 20. Multiple Choice Edit 45 seconds 1 pt 10. Which of these is correct? "We lost our keys last night", my parents said. "We lost our keys last night," my parents said. "We lost our keys last night", My parents said. "We lost our keys last night." My parents said.

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Reported speech

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  1. Reported (indirect) speech to Direct Speech

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

  2. Reported speech

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

  3. reported speech practice

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

  4. direct and indirect speech past tense exercises

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

  5. English Quiz On Direct And Indirect Speech

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

  6. CHANGE THE DIRECT SPEECH INTO INDIRECT SPEECH. EXERCISE 1

    indirect speech exercises grade 8

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  1. Narration

  2. Direct and Indirect Speech in English Grammar (Part 1)

  3. Direct And Indirect Speech

  4. Indirect Speech

  5. Direct and indirect Speech

  6. Reported Speech||Class- 8||BBC Worksheet||Classroom Assignment-82

COMMENTS

  1. Reported Speech Exercises for Class 8 With Answers CBSE

    2. When the Reporting Verb is in Past Tense. When the reporting verb is past tense, the change of reported speech takes place as shown below. Read the following examples. Direct The man said to the boy, " You are not serious about your studies.". Indirect The man told the boy that he was not serious about his studies.

  2. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers

    Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers PDF. Direct and indirect speech differ in the following aspects: Indirect speech, the exact words of the person (quote) are placed after the introductory clause, it is always set apart by the use of a comma (,) and quotation marks ("') or ("").

  3. Reported Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers

    Reported Speech Practice Exercises for Class 8 CBSE. A. Write the following sentences in indirect speech. The first one has been done for you. 1. He said, "I will meet you outside the post office at three tomorrow afternoon.". He said that he would meet me outside the post office at there the following afternoon.

  4. English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8

    Direct and Indirect Speech Class 8 - Download Free PDF with Solutions. In simple terms, we can understand direct speech as the precise words that a speaker or writer uses. The spoken words are enclosed in inverted commas in a direct speech. On the other hand, indirect speech entails summarising another person's words using our own language.

  5. Direct And Indirect Speech Exercise For Class 8

    Direct and indirect speech exercise for class 8. 1. The man said, 'I am waiting for the bus.'. 2. Suma said, 'Last week, I attended a seminar on the harmful consequences of global warming.'. 3. Julia said, 'I will be delighted to help.'. 4. The plumber said, 'I have fixed the leakage in the bathroom.'.

  6. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises For Class 8 [PDF Available]

    Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise 1. Convert the following sentences from direct to indirect speech. Direct: He said, "I am going to the park.". Direct: "I have completed my homework," said Marie. Direct: "It's raining outside," she said. Direct: "We will visit the church tomorrow," they told us. Direct: "I love waffles ...

  7. Class 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech

    on October 25, 2023, 5:50 AM. Class 8 English Grammar Chapter 16 Direct and Indirect Speech. When we use the actual words of the speaker, we use Direct Speech but when we report what he said in our own words, we use Indirect Speech. The actual words of the speaker are called Reported Speech and the verb introducing the Reported Speech is called ...

  8. Reported Speech Exercises for Class 8 CBSE With Answers

    1. Use conjunction 'that' to connect the speech with reporting verb. 2. Change tenses according to the rules learnt in PART-II. 3. 'Said' is mostly changed into 'exclaimed' (sometimes 'applauded saying') 4. Replace 'what' or 'how' with 'very' (sometimes 'big' or 'great'). 5.

  9. CBSE Class 8 English Grammar Reported Speech

    1. There are two different ways in which we can report the words of a speaker : (a) Direct Speech or Direct Narration. (b) Indirect Speech or Indirect Narration. 2. (a) Direct Speech contains the actual words of the speaker ; as— Sarla said, "My father has a roaring business in Mumbai.".

  10. Reported Speech Exercises

    Perfect English Grammar. Here's a list of all the reported speech exercises on this site: ( Click here to read the explanations about reported speech ) Reported Statements: Present Simple Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy) (in PDF here) Present Continuous Reported Statement Exercise (quite easy)

  11. Reported Speech Exercise 8

    English grammar exercise about reported speech with the future simple. Login Contact Courses Membership Speaking Explanations Exercises Method. Reported Speech Exercise 8. Perfect English Grammar. This reported speech exercise looks at statements with the future simple (future with will).

  12. Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheet For Class 8 CBSE

    10. He said that he was watching a movie at 8 pm the previous night. 11. Susie called me a liar. 12. Mother said that she would call me when dinner was ready. See also. Direct and indirect speech worksheet for classes 7 and 8; Changing yes/no questions from direct speech to indirect speech; Direct and indirect speech worksheet for class 8

  13. Direct And Indirect Speech Worksheet For Class 8 CBSE

    The girl asked the receptionist if she could talk to the manager. 5. She said that she wanted to get that document translated into Spanish. 6. He told his manager that he had met with an accident that morning. 7. The boy complained that the soup was too salty. 8. Rahim asked his mother if she had seen his key.

  14. Reported speech

    Reported speech 2. Reported requests and orders. Reported speech exercise. Reported questions - worksheet. Indirect speech - worksheet. Worksheets pdf - print. Grammar worksheets - handouts. Grammar - lessons. Reported speech - grammar notes.

  15. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercise

    8. He says that he is glad to be here this evening. (When the reporting verb is in the present tense, adverbs of time and place do not normally change in indirect speech.) 9. He asked me what I was doing. 10. The stranger asked where the post office is/was. 11. He asked me if I would listen to him. 12.

  16. Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises

    Direct and Indirect Speech Exercises with Answers. When converting direct speech to indirect speech or vice-versa, you will have to take care to convert the verb, pronoun and the adverb appropriately. Go through the following exercises and try them out. Answers are given below each exercise; refer to them to see if your answers are right.

  17. Indirect speech

    Questions and imperatives in indirect speech. Download full-size image from Pinterest. We use the normal order of words in reported questions: subject + verb. We don't use an auxiliary verb like do or did. When we report an order or instruction, we use the form ask or tell someone to do something. Pronoun changes in indirect speech

  18. Grade 8_Direct and Indirect Speech

    Grade 8_Direct and Indirect Speech. 1. Multiple Choice. My brother says that he had met Tom at the party last night. My brother said that he had met Tom at the party last night. My brother says that he met Tom at the party last night. 2. Multiple Choice. Mary told John that her warned her last night.

  19. Reported Speech online exercise for Grade 8

    Level: Grade 8. Language: English (en) ID: 78911. 01/04/2020. Country code: PL. Country: Poland. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) This is an activity to revise statements and questions in reported speech.

  20. PDF Direct speech

    Indirect speech: The girl said that she liked singing. Direct speech: Rahul said, 'I will have to reach home by 8.30.' Indirect speech: Rahul said that he would have to reach home by 8.30. Direct speech: Alina said, 'I met James yesterday.' Indirect speech: Alina said that she had met James the previous day. 3. Use pronouns appropriately.

  21. Reported speech online exercise for grade 8

    Liveworksheets transforms your traditional printable worksheets into self-correcting interactive exercises that the students can do online and send to the teacher. ... grade 8. Language: English ... School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: Reported speech (2013113) rewrite the sentences. Other contents ...

  22. Reported speech online exercise for Grade 8

    Liveworksheets transforms your traditional printable worksheets into self-correcting interactive exercises that the students can do online and send to the teacher. ... Grade 8. Language: English ... /12/2020. Country code: JO. Country: Jordan. School subject: English Language (1063135) Main content: Reported speech statements (1224950) From ...