Direct and indirect speech: Exclamatory sentences

Sentences that express sudden emotions of joy, surprise, pain and sorrow are called exclamatory sentences.

In order to convert them into indirect speech just follow the directions below.

All the rules we have read in the previous chapter of simple sentences are applies, e.g.

Changes in the tense of reported speech.
Changes in the modal operators.
Changes in time and place.

If you want to read again you must go to direct and indirect: simple sentences.

Other changes

Since exclamatory are the different sentences in function than simple affirmative and negative sentences so there will be some extra changes in them as explained below.

Change in the verb of reporting speech

It is important that the verb of reporting speech is changes in accordance with the nature of reported speech.

See the table below for more details.

 

Examples

He said, “Oh! It’s a bad news.”
He exclaimed with sorrow that it was a bad news.

She said; “Alas! Those days are no more.”
She exclaimed with sorrow that those days were no more.

Use our direct and indirect speech converter and try converting sentences here.

Direct to Indirect Speech Converter

For Universal truth sentences

Write your sentence: Reporting speech of your sentence: Reported speech of your sentence:

Interjection and sign of exclamation

Interjection and sign of exclamation is replaced in indirect speech because the verb of reporting speech is doing the same function and there is no need to use it now.

Above examples may be considered.

Conjunction

When commas are removed in indirect speech two clauses are joined by the conjunction [that].

That is also called demonstrative but here it functions as conjunction because it joins dependent clause (reporting speech) with independent clause (reported speech).

Note: Remember, when [that] acts like demonstrative, like; that book, that house, it is called determiner (as already explained in parts of speech section).

Examples

She said, “What a wonderful weather is this.”
She exclaimed with joy that the weather was wonderful.

He said to me, “Wow! You too are here.”
He exclaimed with joy that I too was there.

Jones said, “Oh God! I cannot expect this.”
Jones exclaimed with sorrow that he could not expect that.

He said, “What a wonderful painting is this.”
He exclaimed with wonder that the painting was wonderful.

Peter said, “Wow! Where have you been for ten long years?”
Peter exclaimed with wonder that where had he been for ten long years.

Watch the video