Direct and Indirect Speech worksheet | Grade1to6 - Free Printable

Here’s how to change each direct speech sentence into indirect speech, with explanations for each transformation.

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✔ General Rules for Indirect Speech:

- Remove quotation marks.
- Change the verb tense (usually back one step — present → past, past → past perfect).
- Adjust pronouns and time/place words if needed (e.g., “now” → “then”, “here” → “there”).
- Use reporting verbs like *said*, *told*, *asked*, *exclaimed*, etc.
- For questions, use *if/whether* or rephrase as a statement.
- For commands/suggestions, use *to + verb* or *that + subject + should/must*.

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## 🔢 Solutions:

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1. I said, “Let’s go and play now”.

> I suggested that we go and play then.

✔ Explanation:
“Let’s” becomes “we should” or “we go” in indirect speech. “Now” changes to “then”. Since it’s a suggestion, “suggested” is appropriate.

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2. He said, “Come back home soon, it may rain”.

> He told me to come back home soon because it might rain.

✔ Explanation:
“Come back” is a command → use “told me to come back”. “May” becomes “might” in reported speech. Added “because” to connect the two ideas smoothly.

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3. She said, “The movie was boring”.

> She said that the movie had been boring.

✔ Explanation:
Past simple (“was”) → past perfect (“had been”) in indirect speech when reporting later. But since “was” already refers to the past, sometimes it’s acceptable to keep “was” — especially in informal contexts. However, strictly grammatically, “had been” is more accurate.

> 💡 *Alternative acceptable answer:* She said the movie was boring. *(common in everyday usage)*

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4. They said, “Everyone can join us for the picnic”.

> They said that everyone could join them for the picnic.

✔ Explanation:
“Can” → “could” (modal verb backshift). “Us” → “them” to match the speaker’s perspective.

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5. John said, “It is frustrating that the WiFi is slow today”.

> John said that it was frustrating that the WiFi was slow that day.

✔ Explanation:
Present simple “is” → past simple “was”. “Today” → “that day”. All verbs shift back in time.

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6. Chan exclaimed, “Isn’t this boring to do”.

> Chan exclaimed that it was boring to do.

✔ Explanation:
Exclamatory question “Isn’t this...?” becomes a statement “it was boring...”. The negative question becomes a positive statement in indirect speech.

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7. Mom said, “It is time that you started studying”, to Eva.

> Mom told Eva that it was time she started studying.

✔ Explanation:
“It is time that...” structure often remains unchanged in reported speech, but “is” → “was”. “You” → “she” (since Mom is speaking to Eva). “Told” is better than “said to” here.

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8. Teacher said, “It is important to wake up on time on school days”.

> The teacher said that it was important to wake up on time on school days.

✔ Explanation:
“It is” → “it was”. The infinitive phrase “to wake up...” stays the same. No need to change “school days” unless context implies a different time frame.

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9. ‘Do you have green legs?’ Asked the little girl to the giant.

> The little girl asked the giant if he had green legs.

✔ Explanation:
Yes/no question → use “if” or “whether”. “Do you have” → “he had” (pronoun and tense shift). Reporting verb “asked” is correct.

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## 📝 Final Answers Summary:

1. I suggested that we go and play then.
2. He told me to come back home soon because it might rain.
3. She said that the movie had been boring. *(or: was boring)*
4. They said that everyone could join them for the picnic.
5. John said that it was frustrating that the WiFi was slow that day.
6. Chan exclaimed that it was boring to do.
7. Mom told Eva that it was time she started studying.
8. The teacher said that it was important to wake up on time on school days.
9. The little girl asked the giant if he had green legs.

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✔ These answers follow standard Grade 6 grammar rules for converting direct to indirect speech. Great job practicing!