Question

Convert the following sentences in indirect speech.
(1) My teacher asked, "Are you ill today".
(2) My teacher said, " Why are you disturbing him this time".

Answer 1

Answer:

My teacher said that why am I disturbing him that time

Answer 2

(1) My teacher asked whether I was ill that day.

(2) My teacher asked why I was disturbing him that time.

Explanation:

• The sentences that are given in direct speech must be changed into indirect speech.
• When a sentence is changed into indirect speech, the comma and quotation marks must be removed.
• The entire sentence is converted into past tense. That is the verbs take the past tense form.
• The person within the quotation marks must be changed in reported form accordingly.
• The given sentences are interrogative.
• In sentence (1) the words outside can be the same in reported speech because it already has the word 'asked'. As it is a yes or no question we must use 'whether'.
• The person 'you' becomes 'I'.
• The sentence within the quotation marks must be changed into its past tense. Therefore 'are you' becomes 'I was'.
• 'Today' in direct speech takes it past tense 'that day'.
• The question mark must be removed.
• Hence the answer is: My teacher asked whether I was ill that day.
• In sentence (2) we must used 'asked' because it is a question.
• The words inside the quotation changes into past tense and the person also changes.
• So 'are you' becomes 'I was' .
• 'This time' becomes 'that time'.
• The question mark must be removed.
• Hence the answer is: My teacher asked why I was disturbing him that time.