Olibits / English / Direct & Indirect Speech
Primary 5 English: Direct & Indirect Speech Practice
Real Primary 5 English questions on Direct & Indirect Speech, pulled directly from the Olibits question bank — the same questions a child would actually see, not separately written for this page.
Curriculum alignment
English Language Syllabus, Primary (MOE, 2020 syllabus)
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Real Direct & Indirect Speech practice questions
John was curled up on the sofa with a torchlight and said, "I am reading a book," when his sister peeked into the room. His sister later tells their mother what he said. Which sentence below is the correct indirect speech version?
John said that I was reading a book.
John said that he is reading a book.
John said that he was reading a book. ✓
John says that he was reading a book.
The present continuous "am reading" shifts back to the past continuous "was reading" in indirect speech.
Excited about the weekend, the children announced, "We will go to the park," to their teacher on Friday afternoon. The teacher later mentions this to their parents at pickup. Change into indirect speech: "We will go to the park," said the children.
The children said that they would go to the park. ✓
The children say that they would go to the park.
The children said that we would go to the park.
The children said that they will go to the park.
The future tense "will" shifts back to "would" when the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Waiting anxiously at the void deck, Aisyah's mother called her and asked, "Are you coming?" Aisyah later tells her father what her mother had asked. Which is the correct indirect speech version?
She asked him that he was coming.
She asked him if he was coming. ✓
She asked him was he coming.
She asked him if he is coming.
Yes/no questions in indirect speech use "if" or "whether", and the word order changes back to a normal statement.
A new pupil introduced himself to Farhan, who then asked, "Where do you live?" Farhan later tells his mother about the new classmate. Which is the correct indirect speech version?
He asked me where I live.
He asked where do I live.
He asked me where did I live.
He asked me where I lived. ✓
In indirect wh-questions, the question word order changes to statement order, and there is no question mark.