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Time to study language

You have learnt about direct and indirect speech. In this chapter, we will learn to change
interrogative sentences—wh questions and yes/no questions—and imperative sentences into
indirect speech.

• When we report wh questions, the indirect speech is introduced by verbs such as asked,

enquired, etc. For example,

♦ Rikki-tikki-tavi said, ‘What is the matter?’

Rikki-tikki-tavi asked what the matter was.

♦ Nag said, ‘Why should not I eat birds?’

Nag asked why he should not eat birds.

• While reporting yes/no questions, we use if or whether. For example,

♦ Rikki-tikki-tavi said, ‘Is it right for you to eat fledglings out of a nest?’

Rikki-tikki-tavi asked if it was right for him to eat fledglings out of a nest.

• When we report commands and requests, the indirect speech is introduced by verbs
expressing a command or request. The reporting verb said is changed to ordered,

requested or advised, warned, invited, etc. For example,
♦ Chuchundra said, ‘Don’t kill me, Rikki-tikki.’

Chuchundra requested Rikki-tikki not to kill him.

Now, change these sentences to indirect speech.

1. Jasmeet said, ‘Oh no, I’ve lost my passport!’

2. ‘Did you enjoy the party?’ asked my friend.
3. ‘Are you going to the market?’ she asked me.

4. The old woman said, ‘Will someone help me?’

5. The lady said to the salesman, ‘Go away.’

Time to learn new words

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech that imitates the sounds associated with the objects or
actions they refer to. For example, Rikki-tikki-tavi was named so because of his war cry
‘Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!’.

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