HomePrimary 5English GrammarMastering Direct and Indirect Speech for Basic 5 Students

Mastering Direct and Indirect Speech for Basic 5 Students

Direct and Indirect Speech English Grammar

 

Lesson Plan for Basic 5: English Grammar

Topic: Direct and Indirect Speech
Class: Basic 5
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 9–11 years
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

By the end of the lesson, learners should be able to:

  1. Define direct and indirect speech.
  2. Identify the differences between direct and indirect speech.
  3. Convert sentences from direct to indirect speech and vice versa.
  4. Apply the rules of changing pronouns, tense, and time expressions effectively.

Keywords

  • Direct Speech
  • Indirect Speech
  • Tense Changes
  • Quotation Marks
  • Pronouns

Set Induction

The teacher will start the lesson by narrating a brief conversation between two characters, one in direct speech and the other in indirect speech. For example:

  • Direct: “I am learning English,” said John.
  • Indirect: John said that he was learning English.
    The teacher will then ask students to identify the difference between the two.

Entry Behavior

Learners already know how to form basic sentences using simple present and past tenses.

Learning Resources and Materials

  1. A chart showing examples of direct and indirect speech.
  2. Flashcards with rules for changing speech.
  3. A whiteboard and markers.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher will ask students to recall any conversation they have had where they repeated what someone else said to another person.

Embedded Core Skills

  1. Critical Thinking
  2. Communication
  3. Reading and Writing

Reference Books

Lagos State Scheme of Work, Primary 5 English Textbooks

Instructional Materials

  1. Chart of rules for direct and indirect speech.
  2. Examples written on the board.

Lesson Content

1. Direct Speech

  • Definition: The exact words spoken by a speaker, enclosed in quotation marks.
  • Examples:
    • Kofi said, “I want to eat rice.”
    • Sam said, “We are tired.”

2. Indirect Speech

  • Definition: Repeating what the speaker said without using quotation marks. Conjunctions like “that” are introduced.
  • Examples:
    • Kofi said that he wanted to eat rice.
    • Sam said that they were tired.

3. Rules for Converting Speech

  • Tense Changes:
    • Present → Past
    • Present Continuous → Past Continuous
  • Time Expressions:
    • Today → That day
    • Tomorrow → The next day
  • Pronoun Changes:
    • I → He/She
    • We → They

Evaluation

1. Change from Direct to Indirect Speech

a) Jane said, “I have paid my school fees.”
Answer: Jane said that she had paid her school fees.

b) “Nigeria is in West Africa,” the teacher said.
Answer: The teacher said that Nigeria was in West Africa.

c) “Have you seen the head teacher?” Justina asked Stella.
Answer: Justina asked Stella if she had seen the head teacher.

2. Change from Indirect to Direct Speech

a) The man said that he was traveling that day.
Answer: The man said, “I am traveling today.”

b) Tope said that she was hungry.
Answer: Tope said, “I am hungry.”

Class Activity Discussion (FAQs)

  1. What is direct speech?
    Direct speech refers to the exact words spoken by someone, enclosed in quotation marks.
  2. What is indirect speech?
    Indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words.
  3. What happens to tenses in indirect speech?
    Present tenses usually change to past tenses.
  4. Do we use quotation marks in indirect speech?
    No, quotation marks are not used in indirect speech.
  5. What conjunction is commonly used in indirect speech?
    The conjunction “that” is commonly used.

Presentation Steps

  1. Introduction: Teacher revises the concept of direct and indirect speech.
  2. Explanation: Explain the rules and provide examples.
  3. Practice: Students convert sentences between direct and indirect speech.

Teacher’s Activities

  • Explain the rules for changing speech.
  • Provide examples for practice.
  • Monitor and correct students’ work.

Learners’ Activities

  • Listen attentively.
  • Participate in converting sentences.
  • Ask questions where necessary.

Assessment

Convert the following:

  1. Direct to Indirect: “I will see you tomorrow,” Peter said.
  2. Indirect to Direct: Mary said that she loved apples.

Conclusion

The teacher summarizes the rules for changing speech and emphasizes key points such as tense, pronoun, and time expression changes.

 

Fill-in-the-Blank Questions with Options

  1. Direct speech uses ______ to enclose the exact words spoken.
    a) Apostrophes
    b) Quotation marks
    c) Brackets
    d) Hyphens
    Answer: b) Quotation marks
  2. Indirect speech is also called ______.
    a) Quoted speech
    b) Reported speech
    c) Tense speech
    d) Commanded speech
    Answer: b) Reported speech
  3. In indirect speech, quotation marks are ______.
    a) Repeated
    b) Omitted
    c) Emphasized
    d) Enlarged
    Answer: b) Omitted
  4. The conjunction commonly used in indirect speech is ______.
    a) If
    b) That
    c) When
    d) Because
    Answer: b) That
  5. In indirect speech, “today” changes to ______.
    a) Yesterday
    b) Tomorrow
    c) That day
    d) The next day
    Answer: c) That day
  6. “I” in direct speech changes to ______ in indirect speech.
    a) He/She
    b) You
    c) They
    d) We
    Answer: a) He/She
  7. In indirect speech, “we” changes to ______.
    a) Me
    b) They
    c) Us
    d) I
    Answer: b) They
  8. In indirect speech, the simple present tense changes to ______.
    a) Present continuous
    b) Simple past
    c) Present perfect
    d) Future tense
    Answer: b) Simple past
  9. The sentence “I am working,” she said changes to ______ in indirect speech.
    a) She said that she was working.
    b) She said that I was working.
    c) She said she is working.
    d) She said that they are working.
    Answer: a) She said that she was working.
  10. “Tomorrow” in direct speech changes to ______ in indirect speech.
    a) That day
    b) The next day
    c) Yesterday
    d) The previous day
    Answer: b) The next day
  11. Indirect speech often uses words like ______ instead of “said.”
    a) Ordered
    b) Whispered
    c) Told
    d) All of the above
    Answer: d) All of the above
  12. “She is happy,” becomes ______ in indirect speech.
    a) She said that she is happy.
    b) She said that she was happy.
    c) She said that she were happy.
    d) She said that she will be happy.
    Answer: b) She said that she was happy.
  13. “Last week” in direct speech becomes ______ in indirect speech.
    a) The following week
    b) The last week
    c) The previous week
    d) A week later
    Answer: c) The previous week
  14. “We are ready,” he said becomes ______ in indirect speech.
    a) He said that they are ready.
    b) He said that we are ready.
    c) He said that they were ready.
    d) He said that we were ready.
    Answer: c) He said that they were ready.
  15. “Have you eaten?” she asked becomes ______ in indirect speech.
    a) She asked if I had eaten.
    b) She asked if I have eaten.
    c) She asked if I am eating.
    d) She asked I eat.
    Answer: a) She asked if I had eaten.

15 FAQs with Answers for Better Understanding

  1. What is direct speech?
    Direct speech uses the exact words spoken by a person enclosed in quotation marks.
  2. What is indirect speech?
    Indirect speech is reporting what someone said without using their exact words or quotation marks.
  3. Why do we use indirect speech?
    Indirect speech is used to summarize or report someone’s words in a concise manner.
  4. What happens to tenses in indirect speech?
    The tenses usually change to reflect that the statement was made in the past.
  5. What is the role of quotation marks in direct speech?
    Quotation marks enclose the exact words spoken by a person.
  6. What word is often added in indirect speech?
    The conjunction “that” is often added after verbs like said or told.
  7. How does “today” change in indirect speech?
    “Today” becomes “that day.”
  8. What pronouns change in indirect speech?
    Pronouns like “I” change to “he” or “she,” and “we” changes to “they.”
  9. Can indirect speech use quotation marks?
    No, indirect speech does not use quotation marks.
  10. Does indirect speech always need “that”?
    No, “that” is optional in some cases but often used for clarity.
  11. What is the difference between direct and indirect speech?
    Direct speech uses quotation marks, while indirect speech reports the message without them.
  12. What does “last week” become in indirect speech?
    It becomes “the previous week.”
  13. Do question sentences change in indirect speech?
    Yes, questions often start with “if” or “whether” in indirect speech.
  14. How does “I am tired” change to indirect speech?
    It becomes: He/she said that he/she was tired.
  15. What happens to modal verbs in indirect speech?
    Modal verbs like “will” change to “would,” and “can” changes to “could.”

10 Evaluation Questions

  1. Define direct speech.
  2. Define indirect speech.
  3. Write two examples of direct speech.
  4. Write two examples of indirect speech.
  5. Change the sentence: “I love apples,” said Mary, into indirect speech.
  6. Convert the sentence: John said that he was reading into direct speech.
  7. What does “tomorrow” change to in indirect speech?
  8. How does the pronoun “we” change in indirect speech?
  9. Convert: “I will visit you next week,” she said, into indirect speech.
  10. What are the major rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech?

Direct and Indirect Speech English Grammar

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