1.4 Practice Exercises on Direct and indirect speech

Converting Between Direct and Indirect Speech

This worksheet contains two sections. In the first section, you'll convert direct speech into indirect speech. In the second section, you'll do the reverse by converting indirect speech into direct speech. Pay attention to changes in tense, pronouns, and overall structure.

Section 1: Converting Direct to Indirect Speech

Example: Direct: "President Says, 'We Will Create More Jobs.'" Indirect: The president said that they would create more jobs.

Rewrite the following direct speech headlines into indirect speech:

1. Direct: "CEO Announces, 'We Are Launching a New Product Line.'"

Indirect:

2. Direct: "Mayor Declares, 'The City Will Build a New Park.'"

Indirect: 

3. Direct: "Celebrity Reveals, 'I Am Working on a New Album.'"

Indirect: 

4. Direct: "Teacher Admits, 'I Made a Mistake in Grading.'"

Indirect:

5. Direct: "Coach States, 'Our Team Is Ready for the Championship.'"

Indirect:

Section 2: Converting Indirect to Direct Speech

Example:  Indirect: The president said that they would create more jobs. Direct: "The President said, 'We will create more jobs.'"

Rewrite the following indirect speech into direct speech, using appropriate punctuation and quotation marks:

1. Indirect: The governor announced that they would be investing in infrastructure.

Direct:

2. Indirect: The doctor confirmed that the vaccine was effective.

Direct:

3. Indirect: The astronaut reported that they had landed on Mars.

Direct

4. Indirect: The teacher mentioned that she would be grading the exams over the weekend.

Direct: 

5. Indirect: The author shared that his next book would be a mystery novel.

Direct:

Review and Reflection

Once you've completed both sections, review your answers to ensure you have applied the correct transformations. Check for:

1. Proper tense changes
2. Accurate pronoun adjustments
3. Correct use of punctuation and quotation marks in direct speech

Reflect on the differences between direct and indirect speech and the changes required when transforming from one to the other. What did you find most challenging? Discuss any questions with your instructor or classmates for additional clarification.