Direct and Indirect Speech For Class 6

Hello kids, We are going to learn Direct and Indirect Speech for class 6. What about its Definition, Examples, and Exercise For for class 6? Here we have given CBSE English Grammar Direct and Indirect Speech for class 6. Let us start with Direct speech and understand both types of speech separately.

What is Direct Speech?

Definition: In this form of speech, the sentences are framed by the words that are spoken by the speaker, there is no change in the words exactly the same words are being reported in the sentence. The words spoken by the speaker are put into quotation marks or in double inverted commas (” “).  In other words, when we repeat the words of the speaker it is said to be direct speech.

Examples of Direct Speech For Class 6

1. He said, “I will go to Mumbai tomorrow”.
2. Satyam said, “I will be there at 2 pm”.
3. Sheelu conveyed, “I am going out today”.
4. “I had a pain in my stomach yesterday”.
5. “Where do you stay”?

From the above examples, it can be figured out that the words are exactly reported by another person hence they are said to be direct speech.

What is Indirect Speech?

Definition: In Indirect narration, the sentences are designed in such a type, the words that are used by the person are not exactly the same as the speaker said or conveyed. Indirect speech is also known as reported speech. It generally talks about the past.

Examples of Indirect speech For Class 6

1. Ram said that he had bought a new car.
2. She said that she will not come to the party.
3. He said that he is living in France.
4. Gargi said that she need help with her homework.
5. She said that she had been waiting for Ram for an hour.

In the above examples, it can be noticed that the words are not exactly the same as the speaker said, hence they fall in the category of indirect speech.

Rules For Direct And Indirect Speech

Let us learn some of the rules for changing direct speech into indirect speech for different tenses.

1. No changes in the tense are made if:

1. Reporting verb is in the present tense.
2. If the reported words are true at the time of reporting.
3. If reported speech reports universal truth.

Some of the examples satisfying the above conditions:

1. Ram says, “I have just arrived”. (Direct Speech)
   Ram says that he has just arrived. (Indirect Speech)
2. Radha said, “I am going tomorrow”. (Direct Speech)
   Radha said that she is going tomorrow. (Indirect Speech)
3. The sunsets in the west. (Direct Speech)
   The sunsets in the west. (Indirect Speech)

2. Changes in tenses

When the reporting is in the past tense, the tense in the indirect speech changes as follows:

i. Simple present changes into simple past.

ii. Present continuous changes to past continuous.

iii. Present perfect changes to past perfect.

iv. Present perfect continuous changes to past perfect continuous.

v. Simple past changes to past perfect.

vi. Past continuous to Past perfect continuous.

vii. In Future tense will changes to would.

1. Ritu said, “I drink hot tea”. (Direct Speech)
   Ritu said that she drank hot tea. (Indirect Speech)
2. Shyam said, “I am reading a novel. (Direct Speech)
   Shyam told me that he was reading a novel. (Indirect Speech)
3. Radha said to me, “I have spent my holidays in Paris. (Direct Speech)
   Radha said that she had spent her holidays in Paris. (Indirect Speech)
4. Rachna said, “I have been waiting for him for two hours. (Direct Speech)
   Rachna complained that she had been waiting for him for two hours. (Indirect Speech)
5. He said, “My mother arrived on Saturday”. (Direct Speech)
   He said that his mother had arrived on Saturday. (Indirect Speech)
6. They said to me, “We were living in America“. (Direct Speech)
   They said that they had been living in America. (Indirect Speech)
7. Richa said, “I will be in the mall”. (Direct Speech)
   Richa said that she would be in the mall. (Indirect Speech)

3. Changes in Modals

Some of the modals change not all modal verbs change. The modals that changes are as follows:

i.) Will changes to would

1. Rachel said, “We will be there”. (Direct Speech)
   Rachel said that they would be there. (Indirect Speech)
2. Priya said to me, “I will go shopping”. (Direct Speech)
   Priya said that she would go shopping. (Indirect Speech)

ii.) Shall change to would ( in questions shall change to should)

1. She said, “I shall need more money for shopping. (Direct Speech)
   She said that she would need more money for shopping. (Indirect Speech)

iii.) can change to could

1. He said, “I can run 2 km”. (Direct Speech)
   He said that he could run 2 km. (Indirect Speech)
2. Vivek said, “I can swim fast”. (Direct Speech)
   Vivek said that he could swim fast. (Indirect Speech)

iv.) may changes to might (if there is a possibility) otherwise may change to could (if it shows permission)

1. Vishal said, “I may come to play “. (Direct Speech)
   Vishal said that he might come to play. (Indirect Speech)
2. He said, “You may wait in the guest room”. (Direct Speech)
   He said that we could wait in the guest room. (Indirect Speech)

4. Changes in time expressions and Adverbs

Some of the common words that change while converting direct speech into indirect speech.

• Today changes to that day/the same day.
• Tomorrow changes to the next day/ the following day.
• Yesterday changes to the day before/ the previous day.
• Now changes to then.
• Ago changes to before.
• Here changes to there.
• This changes to that.

1. He said, “I will be going to Paris tomorrow”. (Direct Speech)
   He said that he would be going to Paris the next day/the following day. (Indirect Speech)
2. Raju said, “We were planning to go Shimla today”. (Direct Speech)
   Raju said that they had been planning to go to Shimla that day/the same day. (Indirect Speech)

Miscellaneous Exercise Direct And Indirect Speech 

Convert the sentences from direct speech to indirect speech given below.

1. The teacher said, “Nobody can answer the questions”.
2. The traffic police asked the man, “Do not park your vehicle here”.
3. The guide said, “You shall go to see the fort”.
4. The Judge said, “Call the victim in the court”.
5. The Principal said, “All the boys are playing in the garden.
6. Ram said, “I like this song”.
7. She said, “I don’t speak Marathi”.
8. Raman said, “I never make mistakes”.
9. He said. “the film has begun at 6 pm”.
10. Chetan said, “I like the book”.

Answer:

1. The teacher said that nobody could answer the questions.
2. The traffic police asked the man that not to park his vehicle there.
3. The guide suggested that we should go to see the fort.
4. The Judge commanded that call the victim in the court.
5. The Principal said that all the boys were playing in the garden.
6. Ram said that he liked that song.
7. She said that she didn’t speak Marathi.
8. Raman said that he never made mistakes.
9. He said that the film had begun at 6 pm.
10. Chetan said that he liked the book.

Quiz: Direct and Indirect Speech for Class 6

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• Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheet for Class 5 with Answers