Reporting the narration is done two ways – Direct or Indirect. The CBSE Class 10 Gramar syllabus includes this reporting in dialogue forms. After that an exercise with blanks to be filled to transform the whole conversation in indirect form. Here are given practice exercises to help practice Dialogue reporting.
Contents showNeha: I’m really looking forward to the class picnic tomorrow.
Namita: Yes, after a long time we will be meeting our friends and teachers.
Neha told Namita (1) ______________ looking forward to the class picnic _____________. Namita agreed that after a long time (2) ______________ friends and teachers.
Answers:
(1) that she was really, the next day
(2) they would be meeting their
Ritika: Can I borrow your Math book for a couple of days?
Mohit: Yes certainly, I have already studied for the test tomorrow.
Ritika asked Mohit (1) ……………. for a couple of days. Mohit agreed and said that (2) ……………. .
Answers:
(1) if she could borrow his Math book
(2) he had already studied for the test the next day.
Biology Teacher: I instructed you to draw the diagram of bacteria. Why did you submit a blank sheet?
Sameer: Sir, I had drawn the diagram of bacteria, but you can’t see it because it is not visible to the naked eye
The biology teacher had instructed Sameer to draw the diagram of a bacterial cell and asked him (a) ……..… a blank sheet. Sameer respectfully answered that he had drawn the diagram but (b) …….…. to the naked eye.
Answers:
(a) why he had submitted
(b) he/ the teacher couldn’t see it because it is not visible
Marie: Did you see my new umbrella? Isn’t it fine?
Tony: Yes, it is! Did you buy it from the mall?
Marie: No, your father has brought it for me.
Marie asked her son Tony (a) …………… and she wanted to know whether it was a fine one. Tony agreed and asked his mother (b) …………… His mother replied in the negative and added that (c) ……………
Answers:
(a) if he had seen her new umbrella
(b) if she had bought it from the mall
(c) his father had brought it for her.
Note: A sentence in Simple Past (verb 2nd form or Did + Verb 1st form) need not always be converted to Past Perfect (had + Verb 3rd form). But it is safe to convert to Past Perfect as others (evaluators) may not be knowing it. Even CBSE marking schemes seem to follow the safe rule i.e. Changing Past Tense to past Perfect tense. An example is given below.
Direct: He said, “I saw the thief myself.”
Indirect: he said that he had seen the thief himself. (The safe rule to follow)
OR
He said that he saw the thief himself. (It is also correct – but mostly not followed)
Garima: So, after a decade in the industry, are you truly ‘satisfied’?
Karan: I love the film industry. It has its flaws though.
Garima: What do you mean by this statement?
Karan: We are a bunch of competitive, ambitious, sometimes petty people. But the passion cements us together.
Garima asked Karan if after a decade in the industry (a) _________. Karan told her (b) _________ although it had its flaws. Garima then enquired (c) _________. Karan explained that they were a bunch of competitive, ambitious, sometimes petty people but the passion cemented them together.
Answers:
(a) he was truly ‘satisfied’
(b) that he loved the film industry
(c) what he meant by that statement
I saw Supanddi standing in the field. When I -(A)- doing there, he -(B)- he was trying to win a Nobel prize. I was confused and enquired how standing in the rice field would help him do so. He stumped me by saying that he -(C)- won Nobel prizes had all been outstanding in their fields!
(A) (a) exclaimed what he was (b) told him what he was (c) asked him what he was (d) says to him about what
(B) (a) ordered that (b) refused that (c) questioned that (d) replied that
(C) (a) has heard that people who has (b) was hearing that people who were (c) had heard that people who had (d) did hear that people who had
Answers:
Charlie: Dear Santa, here is a list if what I want.
Patty: How do you suppose Santa Claus can afford to give away all those toys?
Charlie: Promotion! Don’t kid yourself……Everything these days is promotion! I will bet if the truth were brought about, you will find that he’s being financed by some big eastern chain!
While making the list of what Charlie wanted from Santa Claus, he asked Patty how …..(A)….. all those toys. She said that …..(B)….. and that it was possible as Santa …..(C)….. big eastern chain.
(A) (a) Santa Claus could afford to give away
(b) will give away
(c) gave away
(d) giving away
(B) (a) everything these days were promotion
(b) everything these days was promotion
(c) everything those days was promotion
(d) everything these days was going to be promotion
(C) (a) was financing by some big eastern chain
(b) had been financed by some big eastern chain
(c) was being financed by some big eastern chain
(d) will be financed by some big eastern chain
Answers:
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