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All questions of Direct and Indirect Speech for Class 6 Exam

In the sentence, "She said, 'I am learning French now,'" how would this be reported in indirect speech?
  • a)
    She said that she is learning French now.
  • b)
    She said that she was learning French then.
  • c)
    She said she was learning French now.
  • d)
    She said that she has been learning French now.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Manoj Iyer answered
Understanding Indirect Speech
Indirect speech is a way of reporting what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. When converting direct speech to indirect speech, certain changes must be made to pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions to maintain the meaning.
Analyzing the Original Sentence
The original sentence is:
"She said, 'I am learning French now.'"
In this sentence:
- The speaker (she) is currently learning French.
- The phrase "now" indicates the present time.
Converting to Indirect Speech
When converting to indirect speech, you need to follow these key rules:
- Change in Pronouns: Pronouns may need to be changed based on the subject of the reporting verb. Here, "I" becomes "she."
- Change in Tense: The present tense "am learning" typically changes to the past tense "was learning" when reported.
- Time Expressions: The word "now" often changes to "then" in indirect speech.
Why Option B is Correct
Option B states:
"She said that she was learning French then."
- Tense Change: "am learning" changes to "was learning," which is correct as it reflects the past perspective of the reporting verb "said."
- Time Expression Change: "now" changes to "then," aligning with the shift from present to past.
Why Other Options are Incorrect
- Option A: Uses "is learning," which does not reflect the necessary tense change.
- Option C: Incorrectly retains "now," which should change to "then."
- Option D: Uses "has been learning" which alters the meaning and tense wrongly.
In conclusion, option B accurately reflects the changes needed for proper indirect speech.

Convert the following sentence into Indirect Speech:Direct: The teacher said, "You must complete your homework by tonight."
  • a)
    The teacher said that I must complete my homework by tonight.
  • b)
    The teacher said that I should complete my homework by tonight.
  • c)
    The teacher said that I had to complete my homework by that night.
  • d)
    The teacher told me to complete my homework by tonight.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Aditya Menon answered
Understanding Indirect Speech
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, it is essential to accurately convey the original meaning while making necessary grammatical adjustments. In this case, we analyze the given options based on the original statement.
Original Direct Speech
The teacher said, "You must complete your homework by tonight."
Key Components of the Sentence
- Subject: The teacher
- Verb: said
- Direct Speech Content: "You must complete your homework by tonight."
In indirect speech, we typically need to change the pronouns and adjust the verb form while maintaining the original meaning.
Analysis of Options
- Option A: The teacher said that I must complete my homework by tonight.
- This option maintains "must," which does not convey the urgency implied by the teacher's command.
- Option B: The teacher said that I should complete my homework by tonight.
- "Should" implies a suggestion rather than a requirement, altering the original meaning.
- Option C: The teacher said that I had to complete my homework by that night.
- This option correctly changes "must" to "had to," indicating obligation. Additionally, "by tonight" is changed to "by that night," which is necessary for proper indirect speech.
- Option D: The teacher told me to complete my homework by tonight.
- While somewhat correct, it shifts the structure to an imperative form, which may not fully capture the original meaning of obligation.
Conclusion
The correct answer is Option C because it accurately reflects the teacher's authoritative tone and the obligation to complete the homework while also adapting the time reference appropriately for indirect speech.

Convert the following sentence into Indirect Speech:Direct: She said, "I will be preparing dinner."
  • a)
    She said that she will be preparing dinner.
  • b)
    She said that she would have been preparing dinner.
  • c)
    She said that she would be preparing dinner.
  • d)
    She said that she will prepare dinner.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Understanding Indirect Speech
When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the structure of the sentence changes to report what someone else has said.
Direct Speech Example
In the direct speech example, "She said, 'I will be preparing dinner,'" the speaker indicates a future action that will occur.
Key Changes in Indirect Speech
1. Tense Shift:
- In indirect speech, the future tense "will" typically changes to "would." However, the continuous form "will be preparing" remains as a future continuous form, which is "would be preparing."
2. Pronoun Adjustment:
- The pronoun "I" changes to "she" to reflect the speaker's perspective.
3. Reporting Verb:
- The reporting verb "said" remains unchanged.
Correct Option Analysis
- Option C: "She said that she would be preparing dinner."
- This option correctly uses "would" to indicate the future action and maintains the continuous form "be preparing," accurately reflecting the original meaning.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
- Option A: "She said that she will be preparing dinner."
- "Will" should be changed to "would" in indirect speech.
- Option B: "She said that she would have been preparing dinner."
- This incorrectly uses the perfect continuous form, which is not needed here.
- Option D: "She said that she will prepare dinner."
- "Will" is incorrectly retained instead of changing to "would."
Conclusion
In summary, the correct conversion to indirect speech maintains the intended meaning and grammatical structure, which is why option C is the right choice.

Convert the following sentence into Indirect Speech:Direct: She said, "I met him two days ago."
  • a)
    She said that she met him two days before.
  • b)
    She said that she had met him two days before.
  • c)
    She said that she had met him two days ago.
  • d)
    She said that she meets him two days before.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Vp Classes answered
She said that she met him two days before.
When converting "two days ago" to indirect speech, it changes to "two days before" to reflect the time shift in reported speech.
The verb "met" remains in the past tense as there is no change in the tense when reporting the speech in indirect form.

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