English · Class 5
Direct and Indirect Speech
Learn Direct and Indirect Speech with notes, examples, and practice questions.
3 sections15–25 min read6 MCQs · 2 examples
Chapter Overview
Direct speech quotes exact words: He said, "I am tired." Indirect (reported) speech reports without quotes: He said that he was tired. Class 5 covers statement reporting with tense backshift and pronoun changes.
Direct Speech
- Exact words in quotation marks
- Comma after reporting verb: She said, "Hello."
- Capital letter starting the quote
Indirect Speech
- Remove quotes; often add that
- Present → past: am → was, is → was
- Pronouns change: I → he/she, my → his/her
- Today → that day; tomorrow → the next day
Solved Examples
Step-by-step solutions — read each step before checking the final answer.
Direct to indirect
Change: Anita said, "I love music."
- 1Remove quotes, add that
- 2I → she
- 3love → loved (optional backshift)
Answer
Anita said that she loved music.
Pronoun shift
Ravi said, "My book is lost." → Indirect?
- 1My → his
- 2is → was
- 3Reporting in past
Answer
Ravi said that his book was lost.
Key Points to Remember
- ✓ Quotation marks only in direct speech
- ✓ Tense often shifts back one step
- ✓ Pronouns align with speaker/listener
- ✓ Said/said that/told are common reporting verbs
Exam Tips
- • Remove comma and quotes first
- • Check pronoun for new subject
- • Time words change in indirect speech
Practice MCQs — Direct and Indirect Speech
Test your understanding with topic-wise multiple choice questions. Explanations appear after each answer.
Question 1 of 6Score: 0/0
Direct speech uses: