Direct and Indirect Speech Worksheets | Reported Speech Practice | Grammar Set

Direct and indirect speech gives students a lot of trouble, mostly because a single sentence can change its tense, its pronoun, and its time word all at once. This worksheet set slows that process down so students can practice one shift at a time before they put the whole rule together.

Direct and indirect speech practice for grade 7 grammar

The lesson plan included in the download prints “Grade: Grade 7”, so the set is written for that level of grammar review. Any class working on direct and indirect speech can still use it, since the rules covered are the standard ones: tense backshift, pronoun changes, and time or place words such as now, tomorrow, here, and this.

What students actually do

Each part of the worksheet moves through direct and indirect speech from a different angle, so students see the rule applied in more than one way before the set is done. Part 1 is a multiple choice quiz on the rules themselves. One question asks what direct speech is, another asks what the word “now” becomes in indirect speech, and a third asks which reporting verb usually introduces a question.

Part 2 asks students to convert direct speech to indirect speech, giving a direct quote and four possible indirect versions to choose from. For example, students see “She said, ‘I am reading a book,'” and pick the sentence that correctly shifts it to “she was reading a book.” Other items in this part cover “John said, ‘I finished my homework'” and “They said, ‘We will go to the park.'”

Part 3 works the other way. Students read an indirect sentence, such as “He said that he was tired,” and choose the direct quote it came from. A few more items ask them to turn “She told me to close the door” and “He asked if I could help him” back into quoted speech.

Part 4 removes the multiple choice options and asks students to fill in a blank using a word bank at the top of the worksheet. Sentences like “Direct: ‘I am happy.’ -> Indirect: He said that he _____ happy” require the student to supply the exact word.

Part 5 is a short reading passage about two characters, Maya and Leo, finding a hidden map. Students then report lines from the story in indirect speech, such as Maya’s line “I found a hidden map!” and Leo’s question “Where does it lead?” One question also asks students to pick out the direct speech in the passage itself.

What is in the download

The download has four separate PDF documents. The student worksheet runs 18 pages and holds all five parts described above.

A plain answer key gives the correct answer for every question across 12 pages, useful for quick grading. A longer teacher key spans 36 pages and adds a short explanation, a common mistake to watch for, and a quick tip for each question, which makes it easier to go over answers with the class or use it for self checking.

The one page lesson plan lays out a 90 minute class built around the worksheet, including a warm up game, direct instruction on the three main changes, guided practice on the board, and an exit ticket idea.

How to use this resource

Teachers can run the full 90 minute lesson plan as written, or pull just the worksheet for homework, a sub plan, or extra practice after a grammar unit. The parts are separated cleanly enough to assign one section at a time, which works well for early finishers or a quick warm up drill.

At home, a parent can use the plain answer key to check work quickly, or switch to the teacher key when a child asks why an answer is correct and needs the reasoning spelled out. The reading passage in Part 5 also gives students a chance to apply direct and indirect speech to a short story instead of isolated sentences, which some learners find easier to hold onto.

Everything in this set is provided as a PDF, so it prints straight from any printer without extra formatting. Take a look at the preview pages before buying to see the exact layout and question style.

This set of reported speech worksheets works well alongside other grade 7 grammar worksheets you may already be using, and if reported speech is just one grammar topic you are covering this term, browse the full grammar collection or the wider worksheets section for more practice sets, and check the ELA category for related reading and language resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in this direct and indirect speech resource?

The download has a student worksheet with 18 pages, an answer key with 12 pages, a teacher key with 36 pages of explanations and common mistakes for each question, and a lesson plan with 1 page built around a 90 minute class.

What grade level is this worksheet set for?

The lesson plan is written for grade 7. The rules covered are standard reported speech rules, so teachers working with nearby grades on the same topic can also use the set.

Does the answer key explain why each answer is correct?

The plain answer key just lists the correct answer for each question. The longer teacher key goes further, adding a short reason, a common mistake to watch for, and a quick tip for every question.

What kinds of questions are on the worksheet?

Students answer multiple choice questions on the rules, convert quoted sentences to indirect speech and back again, fill in blanks using a word bank, and report lines of dialogue from a short reading passage about two characters finding a hidden map.

Can this be used for homework or a substitute lesson?

Yes. The worksheet sections are separated clearly enough to assign one part at a time, and the included lesson plan can guide a substitute teacher through a full class period if needed.