English Language

Direct and Indirect Speech

290 Questions
All Interrogative Sentences 64 Imperative Sentences 63 Tense Sequence Shift 30 Assertive Sentences 23 Exclamatory Sentences 23 Universal Truths and Habits 22 Modal Auxiliary Shift 19 Time and Place Expressions 19 Pronoun Shifts 18 Mixed Sentence Types 5 Question Tags 1

Direct and Indirect Speech Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

Sushmita said, “I like this song."

  1. Sushmita said that she liked that song.

  2. Sushmita told that she liked that song.

  3. Sushmita said that I liked that song.

  4. Sushmita said that she like that song.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'said' remains unchanged and is followed by 'that'. If the Reported verb is in the past tense and the Reported speech is in the present, Reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Subject 'I' become 'She'. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

“I don’t speak French", she said.

  1. She told that she did not speak French.

  2. She said that I did not speak French.

  3. She asked that she do not speak French.

  4. She said that she did not speak French.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'said' remains unchanged and is followed by 'that'. If the Reported verb is in the past tense and the Reported speech is in the present, Reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Subject 'I' become 'She'. Hence, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

You say,” I am a clever girl".

  1. You say that I am a clever girl.

  2. You say that you are a clever girl.

  3. You ask that I am a clever girl.

  4. You ask that you are a clever girl.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'say' remains unchanged and is followed by 'that'. If the reported verb is in the present tense and the reported speech is in the present, reported speech (while change of narration) remains present. Subject 'I' become 'You'. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

The teacher says, “Rani dances on the stage".

  1. The teacher asks that Rani dances on the stage.

  2. The teacher told to Rani to dance on the stage.

  3. The teacher says that Rani dances on the stage.

  4. The teacher says Rani dances on the stage.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'says' remains unchanged and is followed by 'that'. If the reported verb is in the present tense and the reported speech is in the present, reported speech (while change of narration) remains present. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

She said, “I am living in New York".

  1. She said that she is living in New York.

  2. She told that I am living in New York.

  3. She said that she was living in New York.

  4. She asked me that she was living in New York.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences (like this one) 'said' remains unchanged. Pronoun for first person 'I' is 'She'. “She' takes auxiliary 'is/was', but here we need past auxiliary, so 'was'. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

She said, “I am suffering from fever".

  1. She said that I am suffering from fever.

  2. She said that she was suffering from fever.

  3. She told that she is suffering from fever.

  4. She asked that she was suffering from fever.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In an assertive sentence (like this one) 'said' remains unchanged. Pronoun for first person 'I' is 'She'. 'She' takes auxiliary 'is/was', but here we need past auxiliary, so 'was'. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

He says to me, “You have done your homework".

  1. He says that I have done my homework.

  2. He tells me that he has done his homework.

  3. He asks me that I have done my homework.

  4. He tells me that I have done my homework.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, ‘Says to' in reported speech becomes 'tells' and is followed by 'that'. Subject 'You' become 'I'. Hence, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

Raman said to her,” Am I reading a book?”

  1. Raman said to her that he is reading a book.

  2. Raman asked her if he was reading a book.

  3. Raman said to her if he was reading a book.

  4. Raman told her if he is reading a book.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Indirect speech never takes a question mark. If reported verb is in the past, reported speech (in indirect form) becomes past. Past of 'are' is 'was/were' (depending on situation). Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

He said to me, “I shall play now".

  1. She told me that she would play then.

  2. She said to me that she would play then.

  3. She asked me that she would play now.

  4. She said that she would play now.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'said to' becomes 'told'. If the reported verb is in the past tense and the reported speech is in the future, reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. 'Now' becomes 'then'. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

She said to me, "Who teaches you English?”

  1. She asked me who taught me English.

  2. She said to me that who teaches me English.

  3. She told me who taught her English.

  4. She asked me who taught her English.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In interrogative sentences like this, 'said to' becomes 'asked' or 'enquired'. If the reported verb is in the past tense and the reported speech is in the present, reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Moreover, indirect speech never takes question mark. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration.

Our teacher said to us, “We all live on the earth".

  1. Our teacher said to us that we all live on the earth.

  2. Our teacher told us that we all live on the earth.

  3. Our teacher ordered that we all lived on the earth.

  4. Our teacher explained that we all live on the earth.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

‘Said to' in reported speech becomes 'told'. But in cases of 'universal truths', tense of reported speech remains unchanged. Hence, option 2.