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: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

The teacher said to the student, Don' t pretend.

  1. The teacher ordered the student not to pretend.

  2. The teacher was advised by the student not to pretend.

  3. The student was advised by the teacher to stop pretending.

  4. The teacher warned the student against pretending.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Here, reported verb is in past tense (said), so the right substitution for this is 'advised'. No auxilary is required. Reported speech 'Don't pretend' will change into 'not to pretend'. Thus, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

The fox muttered, the grapes are sour.

  1. The fox muttered that the grapes were sour.

  2. The fox was angry as the grapes were sour.

  3. The fox found the grapes sour.

  4. The fox ate the sour grapes.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Reported verb in past remains in past in indirect speech. So, 'fox muttered that'. Also, if reported verb is in past tense, reported speech too changes into past tense. So, the grapes were sour.

Multiple choice

Directions: A sentence has been given in direct form. Out of the four alternatives suggested select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect form.

Don' t argue with me, he said to me.

  1. He asked me not to argue with me.

  2. I am advised not argue with him.

  3. I am told not to argue with him.

  4. I was warned for arguing with him.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

While changing a direct sentence into an indirect one, we keep in mind two major things - reported verb and reported speech. Here, the reported verb said to (which is in the past tense) will remain in the past tense. As it is a warning so 'said to' will become 'warned'. Subject of the reported speech will become an object, so 'me' will be replaced by 'him'.

Multiple choice

Convert into indirect speech “I don't know the way, do you? He asked.”

  1. He said he didn't know the way and asked her if she did.

  2. He said he don't knew the way and asked her if she do.

  3. He said he doesn't know the way and ask her if does.

  4. He said he doesn't know the way and asked her if she do.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In indirect speech, present tense don't changes to past didn't, do becomes did, and you becomes her (assuming female audience).

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He said, “I saw a book here.”

  1. He said that he saw a book.

  2. He said that he saw a book there.

  3. He said that he had seen a book here.

  4. He said that he had seen a book there.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

When the reported verb is in past indefinite tense and the reported speech is also in the past tense, we use past perfect tense for the reported speech in indirect narration. Moreover, 'here' becomes 'there'. So, option 4 is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He said to her, “May you succeed!”

  1. He told her that she might succeed.

  2. He prayed to God that she may succeed.

  3. He wished her success.

  4. He said to her that she might succeed.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In an optative sentence, we use the verb 'wished' or 'prayed'. 'May' becomes 'might'. But in option 3, 'may' is changed to 'might', so option 3 is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

She said, "Two and two makes four."

  1. She told that two and two make four.

  2. She said that two and two made four.

  3. She said that two and two makes four.

  4. She told that two and two made four.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Told' takes an object with it which is missing here. The tense of reported speech does not change in case of a fact or a universal truth.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He asked her if she was coming to the party.

  1. He said to her, “Are you coming to the party?"

  2. He told her if she was coming to the party.

  3. He told to her if she was coming to the party.

  4. He asked her, “Are you coming to the party?"
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Options 2 and 3 are not in direct narration. In direct narration, we prefer 'said' to 'asked' in the reported verb. So, option 1 is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the narration.

He said that he cleans his teeth twice a day.

  1. He said, “I clean my teeth twice a day."

  2. He said, “I clean my teeth twice in a day."

  3. He says, “I clean my teeth twice a day."

  4. He says, “I clean my teeth twice."
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

If the reported speech in direct speech is in past tense, it remains in the same tense in indirect narration. When changing from direct to indirect speech or vice versa, the words remain the same. So, 'twice a day' is the correct usage.