Narration exercises

 

1. “The man who was wearing a black coat might have escaped through the backdoor,” said the detective. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The detective said that the man who had been wearing a black coat might have escaped through the backdoor.

2. She asked him, “Why didn’t you call me when you arrived?” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She asked him why he hadn’t called her when he had arrived.

3. He said that he would have helped me if I had asked. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said, “I would have helped you if you had asked.”

4. I asked her why she had been crying since morning. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: I said to her, “Why have you been crying since morning?”

5. “Let no one enter this room without my permission,” the officer commanded. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The officer commanded that no one should enter that room without his permission.

6. He ordered the guards not to let anyone in without his permission. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said to the guards, “Do not let anyone in without my permission.”

7. “Had I known about the delay, I wouldn’t have come so early,” she said. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She said that if she had known about the delay, she wouldn’t have come so early.

8. She said that she wished she had taken the opportunity when it was offered. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: She said, “I wish I had taken the opportunity when it was offered.”

9. The prophet said, “Speak the truth even if it is bitter.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The prophet advised to speak the truth even if it was bitter.

10. The judge advised the witness to tell the truth regardless of the consequences. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: The judge said to the witness, “Tell the truth regardless of the consequences.”

11. He said to me, “If you had come earlier, you could have met the principal.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He told me that if I had come earlier, I could have met the principal.

12. The scientist said, “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius under normal pressure.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The scientist said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius under normal pressure.

13. The officer said, “You must report to the headquarters by tomorrow morning.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The officer said that I had to report to the headquarters by the next morning.

14. She asked, “Would you mind closing the window?” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She politely asked if I would mind closing the window.

15. He said that he had been wondering whether she would accept the offer. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said, “I was wondering whether she would accept the offer.”

16. The teacher said, “Let’s revise the poem once more before the exam.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The teacher suggested that they should revise the poem once more before the exam.

17. She said that she could not recall where she had kept the key. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: She said, “I can’t recall where I kept the key.”

18. “Why on earth didn’t you tell me the truth?” he said angrily. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He asked angrily why I hadn’t told him the truth.

19. The child said to the magician, “Please show me another trick!” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The child requested the magician to show him another trick.

20. She remarked that the view from the top of the hill was breathtaking. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: She said, “The view from the top of the hill is breathtaking.”

21. He said to the old man, “Could you please tell me the way to the museum?” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He respectfully asked the old man if he could tell him the way to the museum.

22. The manager said that the report should have been submitted the previous week. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: The manager said, “The report should have been submitted last week.”

23. She said, “No sooner had I left the house than it started to rain.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She said that no sooner had she left the house than it had started to rain.

24. He exclaimed with pride that his team had won the championship. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said, “Hurrah! My team has won the championship!”

25. “What do you think you’re doing?” the teacher said sternly. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The teacher sternly asked what I thought I was doing.

26. He said to her, “You could have passed the exam if you had studied seriously.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He told her that she could have passed the exam if she had studied seriously.

27. The captain said, “Had we not acted quickly, the ship would have sunk.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The captain said that if they had not acted quickly, the ship would have sunk.

28. The lawyer asked the witness, “Did you see the accused near the bank on Friday?” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The lawyer asked the witness whether he had seen the accused near the bank on Friday.

29. He said that he was not sure whether he would be able to attend the meeting. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said, “I am not sure whether I will be able to attend the meeting.”

30. She exclaimed with surprise that the baby had spoken a full sentence. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: She said, “Wow! The baby has spoken a full sentence!”

31. “You should have listened to my advice,” said the mentor. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The mentor said that I should have listened to his advice.

32. He confessed that he had been cheating in the exam. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: He said, “I have been cheating in the exam.”

33. “How foolish of me to forget my own birthday!” she said to herself. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She exclaimed to herself how foolish she had been to forget her own birthday.

34. The journalist inquired, “Is it true that the government is planning to raise taxes?” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The journalist inquired whether it was true that the government was planning to raise taxes.

35. The speaker said, “Had we united earlier, the outcome would have been different.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The speaker said that if they had united earlier, the outcome would have been different.

36. She told me that she had barely reached home when the storm began. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: She said to me, “I had barely reached home when the storm began.”

37. “Let us not argue over petty issues,” said the chairman. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The chairman suggested that they should not argue over petty issues.

38. He said, “I am not the kind of person who gives up easily.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He said that he was not the kind of person who gave up easily.

39. The mother advised her child not to speak with strangers. (Indirect to Direct)

Answer: The mother said to her child, “Don’t speak with strangers.”

40. “I can’t believe it’s already been a year since we met,” she said. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She said that she couldn’t believe it had already been a year since they had met.

41. He said, “Good morning, Sir.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He greeted Sir with a good morning.

42. She said, “Goodbye, everyone. I’ll miss you.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She bade everyone goodbye and said that she would miss them.

43. They said, “Thank you for your help.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: They thanked me for my help.

44. He said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: He apologized and said that he hadn’t meant to hurt me.

45. The teacher said, “Welcome to your first day of school!” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The teacher welcomed the students to their first day of school.

46. “Congratulations on your success!” said the principal. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The principal congratulated me on my success.

47. She said, “Happy birthday, dear!” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: She wished her dear friend a happy birthday.

48. I said, “Farewell, my friend. May we meet again!” (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: I bade my friend farewell and wished that we might meet again.

49. “Excuse me, may I come in?” said the boy. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The boy politely asked to be excused and if he might come in.

50. “Happy New Year to all!” shouted the crowd. (Direct to Indirect)

Answer: The crowd wished everyone a happy New Year.

Happy learning 😁