Sentences with Question Tags | English Grammar Advanced - Class 10 PDF Download

Sentences with Question Tags

• In the indirect speech the question-tag is usually left.
• In indirect speech these words are removed and the word ‘respectfully’ is used in the reporting clause.

Example:

• Direct: Mahesh said, “Sir, may I go home?”
  Indirect: Mahesh respectfully asked his sir if he might go home.

Sentences with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’

• Direct: He said, “Can you dance?” And I said, “No.”
  Indirect: He asked me if I could dance and I replied that I couldn’t.
• Direct: My mother said, “Will you come home on time?” And I said, “Yes.”
  Indirect: My mother asked me if I would come home on time and I replied that I would.

Note: ‘Yes’ of ‘No’ hides a complete sentence. Therefore, change yes/no into a short answer.

• Direct: She said to me, “You didn’t break the window, did you?”
  Indirect: She asked me if/whether I had broken the window.
• Direct: He said to Geeta, “You are going to the station, aren’t you?”
  Indirect: He asked Geeta if/ whether she was going to the station.

Sentences with ‘have to’ or ‘had to’

• Change ‘have to’ according to the rules.
• But change ‘had to’ into ‘had had to’ in the indirect speech.

Examples:

• Direct: Hari said, “I have to work a lot.”
  Indirect: Hari said that he had to work a lot.
• Direct: Hari said, “I had to work a lot.”
  Indirect: Hari said that he had had to work a lot.

Sentences with ‘Sir’, ‘Madam’ or ‘Your Honour’ etc.

• Generally, such words are used to show respect to the person concerned.

Exclamations and Wishes

• Direct: Rohan said, “Hurrah! We won the match.”
  Indirect: Rohan exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
• Direct: Reema said, “Alas! Karina’s mother is suffering from cancer.”
  Indirect: Reema exclaimed with sorrow that Karina’s mother was suffering from cancer.
• Direct: The captain said to Kapil, “Bravo! You scored 89 runs.”
  Indirect: The captain exclaimed with praise that he (Kapil) had scored 89 runs.

• Direct: My mother said, “May God bless you!”
  Indirect: My mother prayed to God for my well being.
• Direct: She said, “May God save the country!”
  Indirect: She prayed to God to save the country.
• Direct: They said to the king, “Long live!”
  Indirect: They blessed the king for his long life.

• Direct: Mohan said, “What a pity!”
  Indirect: Mohan exclaimed that it was a great pity.
• Direct: I said, “How stupid he is!”
  Indirect: I exclaimed that it was a very stupid of him.
• Direct: “What a terrible sight it is!” said the traveller.
  Indirect: The traveller exclaimed that it was a very terrible sight.
  All the sentences in inverted commas are exclamatory sentences.

Note:

• Use ‘exclaimed’ in place of ‘said’ in the reporting verb in the indirect speech.
• In Indirect sentences, we use exclamatory sentences as statements.
• Indirect speech begins with that and full stop (•) is used instead of the exclamation mark (!).