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Home › Exam notes › OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher › Direct & Indirect Speech

Direct & Indirect Speech

English Language

Useful for: OSSC RHT — Regular High School Teacher, OSEPA Primary Teacher / JT Category-I, OSEPA Upper Primary — Arts, OSEPA Upper Primary — Science, OSSC English, OSSSC Govt Physical Education Teacher (PET), OSSSC Govt TGT Arts, OSSSC Govt TGT Science — CBZ

and 4 more exams

OSSSC Govt TGT Science — PCM, SSB Language Teachers, SSB Lecturer (Degree Colleges), SSB TGT Arts

हिंदी में पढ़ें

Overview

Narration changes reported words into indirect speech with changes of pronoun, tense, time words and sentence type.

Key points

  • Statements: said → said that; said to → told.
  • Back-shift: is → was, has done → had done, will → would, can → could.
  • Questions: yes/no → if/whether; wh-questions keep the wh-word; statement order.
  • Commands/requests: told/ordered/requested + object + (not) to + verb.
  • Time words: today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, ago → before.

Explanation

  • No back-shift for universal truths or when the reporting verb is in the present.
  • Exclamations: exclaimed with joy/sorrow that…
  • "Let’s" → suggested that we should…
  • Pronouns change according to the speaker and listener.

Step by step

  1. Read the full sentence or passage first.
  2. Apply the exact grammar or vocabulary rule.
  3. Re-read the final answer in context.

Examples

  • He said, "I will finish it tomorrow." → He said that he would finish it the next day.
  • She asked me, "Where do you live?" → She asked me where I lived.
  • He said, "Let’s go for a walk." → He suggested that we should go for a walk.

Traps and advanced points

  • Trap: Keeping question word order.
  • Trap: Back-shifting universal truths.
  • Trap: Forgetting time-word changes.

Quick revision

  • One tense back.
  • If/whether for yes/no questions.
  • Let’s → suggested.

Practice MCQs

  1. Before the Jaipur interview, Tara said, “I am calm.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Tara said that I am calm.
    2. Tara said that she is calm yesterday.
    3. Tara told that she was calm.
    4. Tara said that she was calm.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Tara said that she was calm.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  2. Before the Jaipur interview, Arjun said, “I am prepared.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Arjun said that I am prepared.
    2. Arjun told that he was prepared.
    3. Arjun said that he is prepared yesterday.
    4. Arjun said that he was prepared.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (d) Arjun said that he was prepared.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  3. Before the Jaipur interview, Asha said, “I am tired.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Asha said that I am tired.
    2. Asha told that she was tired.
    3. Asha said that she was tired.
    4. Asha said that she is tired yesterday.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Asha said that she was tired.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  4. Before the Jaipur interview, Ravi said, “I am confident.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Ravi said that he was confident.
    2. Ravi told that he was confident.
    3. Ravi said that I am confident.
    4. Ravi said that he is confident yesterday.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (a) Ravi said that he was confident.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  5. Before the Jaipur interview, Meera said, “I am busy.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Meera said that I am busy.
    2. Meera said that she is busy yesterday.
    3. Meera said that she was busy.
    4. Meera told that she was busy.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Meera said that she was busy.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  6. Before the Jaipur interview, Kabir said, “I am careful.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Kabir said that he is careful yesterday.
    2. Kabir told that he was careful.
    3. Kabir said that he was careful.
    4. Kabir said that I am careful.

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    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Kabir said that he was careful.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  7. Before the Jaipur interview, Nisha said, “I am optimistic.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Nisha said that I am optimistic.
    2. Nisha said that she is optimistic yesterday.
    3. Nisha said that she was optimistic.
    4. Nisha told that she was optimistic.

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    Show answer

    Answer: (c) Nisha said that she was optimistic.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  8. Before the Jaipur interview, Dev said, “I am late.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Dev said that he is late yesterday.
    2. Dev said that he was late.
    3. Dev told that he was late.
    4. Dev said that I am late.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (b) Dev said that he was late.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

  9. Before the Mysuru interview, Meera said, “I am busy.” Choose the correct indirect form.

    1. Meera said that she is busy yesterday.
    2. Meera said that she was busy.
    3. Meera said that I am busy.
    4. Meera told that she was busy.

    Read chapter notes · Similar questions

    Show answer

    Answer: (b) Meera said that she was busy.. With a past reporting verb, present tense generally backshifts.

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Notes and questions are written by Kundali IQ for practice. They are not official papers; always check the latest official notification for the syllabus and pattern.