Change the following into indirect speech.

1. ‘What do you want?’ he said to her.

2. He said, ‘How is your mother?’

3. ‘Are you free?’ he asked.

4. He said to us, ‘Why are you all wasting your time?’

5. ‘Are you coming from India?’ the princess asked the handsome boy.

6. The poor man exclaimed, ‘Will none of you help me?’

7. The slave asked his master, ‘What have I done to deserve so severe a blow?’

8. ‘Can you speak English?’ she asked me.

9. ‘Have you anything to say on behalf of the accused?’ the judge said to the lawyer.

10. ‘Have you anything to tell me, little bird?’ asked Ulysses.

Answers

1. He asked her what she wanted.

2. He asked how my/his/her father was.

3. He asked whether I / he/she was free.

4. He asked us why we were all wasting our time.

5. The princess asked the handsome boy whether he was coming from India.

6. The poor man exclaimed whether none of them would help him.

7. The slave asked his master what he had done to deserve so severe a blow.

8. She asked me if I could speak English.

9. The judge asked the lawyer if he had anything to say on behalf of the accused.

10. Ulysses asked the little bird whether it had anything to tell him.