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: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after the change of narration.

Nick said to me, “When did you buy this pen?” Nick asked me _________.

  1. when I was to buy that pen

  2. when I would buy that pen

  3. when I had bought that pen

  4. when I was buying that pen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. The word 'said' changes to 'asked' because the reporting speech is in interrogative form. Hence, option (3) is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after the change of narration.

Ron said, “May God bless you!” Ron_________.

  1. exclaimed with wish that God might bless me

  2. expressed a wish that God might bless me

  3. asked God to bless me

  4. shouted with joy to bless me
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

As the reporting speech is in an exclamatory form, the word 'said' changes to the expression 'expressed a wish'. Hence, option (2) is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

My mother said to me, “Do not have so many friends.” My mother forbade me

  1. to have so many friends.

  2. not to have so many friends.

  3. to have been so many friends.

  4. to possess so many friends.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

First option is correct.  As the reporting speech is in imperative, the word 'said' changes to 'forbade' as a directive is being issued.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

Sally said to me, “Are you meeting me today?” Sally enquired from me

  1. whether I am meeting her that day.

  2. whether I was meeting her today.

  3. whether I was meeting her that day.

  4. I was meeting her that day.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Third option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. As the reporting speech is in interrogative, the word 'said' changes to 'enquired'. 'today' changes to 'that day'. Word 'whether' is introduced in the sentence. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

He said, “I am reading my book”. He

  1. told that he is reading his book.

  2. told that he was reading his book.

  3. said that he was reading his book.

  4. asked that he was reading his book.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Third option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after the change of narration.

He said to me, “You can teach me." He ________.

  1. said to me that I can teach him

  2. told to me that I can teach him

  3. asked me that I can teach him

  4. told me that I could teach him
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

As the reporting speech is in imperative form, the word 'said' changes to 'told' and modal 'could' is introduced in the sentence. Hence, option (4) is correct.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

The father said, “He is a good boy”. The father

  1. said that he is a good boy.

  2. told that he is a good boy.

  3. said that he was a good boy.

  4. told that he was a good boy.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Third option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

She said to me, “I will see you as soon as possible.” She told me

  1. that she sees me as soon as gets a time.

  2. that she would see me as soon as possible.

  3. she would saw me whenever she got time.

  4. that she would have seen me whenever she gets time.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Option (2) is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

Sherry told me, “do you know where the bank is?"

Sherry asked me

  1. if I knew where the bank was.

  2. where is the bank?

  3. whether I know the bank.

  4. to know if I will tell her about bank.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

First option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. The word 'told' would be replaced with 'asked' because the reporting speech is interrogative. 

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick out the correct alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

Her father said to her mother, “Excuse the daughter”. Her father

  1. requested her mother to excuse the daughter.

  2. asked her mother to excuse the daughter.

  3. asked her mother to have excused the daughter.

  4. asked her mother to have been excused.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Second option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. As the reporting speech is in imperative, the word 'said' changes to 'asked'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

Greg asked me, “Have you read that novel?” Greg asked me

  1. if he was reading that novel.

  2. if he had read that novel.

  3. if I had read that novel.

  4. if I was reading that novel.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Third option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. As the reporting speech is in interrogative, the word 'said' changes to 'asked'. 'you' changes to 'I' as the question is directed to the speaker itself.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the alternative that completes the sentence after change of narration.

Mother said to us, “Don't quarrel among yourselves.” Mother

  1. forbade us to quarrel among ourselves.

  2. asked us not to quarrel among ourselves.

  3. asked us that not to quarrel among ourselves.

  4. asked us to quarrel not among ourselves.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

First option is correct. The tense of the sentence changes into 'past' tense because the reporting verb in direct voice (said) is in past tense. As the reporting speech is an imperative (no subject has been used), the word 'said' changes to 'forbade'.