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 direct form of the following indirect form:

She asked the gardener if he had brought flowers.

  1. She said to the gardener, “Do you bring flowers?”

  2. She asked the gardener, “See you bringing flowers?”

  3. She says to the gardener, “Have you brought flowers?”

  4. She said to the gardener, “Have you brought flowers?”
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

"Have" is changed to "had" when the reporting verb is in past tense.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the correct answer.

What is the indirect speech of the below given sentence? He said to me, “Please help me.”

  1. He requested me to help him.

  2. I was requested to help.

  3. He requested to help him out.

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here, 'said to' will change to 'requested' as 'please' is used and 'me' will change to 'him' according to the reporting speech. 'Out' cannot be used as it is not given in the question statement.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

My mother said, �The sun rises in the east.�

  1. My mother said that the sun rose in the east.

  2. My mother said that the sun has risen in the east.

  3. My mother said the sun rises in the east.

  4. My mother said that the sun rises in the east.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

If the verb in the reported speech is stating a universal truth, a habit or a constant situation, the tense of that verb does not change. Since, the given sentence is a universal truth, only the conjunction that will be used. No other change is required. My mother said that the sun rises in the east.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

My sister cried that she had cut her finger.

  1. My sister cried, �I had cut my finger.�

  2. �I have cut my finger� cried my sister.

  3. �I had cut my finger� my sister cried.

  4. �I am cutting my finger� my sister cried.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

To change from Indirect to Direct Speech, the reporting verb should be changed into the correct tense. Past perfect or simple past tense in indirect remains past tense; thus, the correct option is �I have cut my finger� cried my sister.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

He said, �I am suffering from homesickness�.

  1. He said that I am suffering from homesickness.

  2. He said that he was suffering from homesickness.

  3. He was said to be suffering from homesickness.

  4. He said that I am a sufferer of homesickness.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

If there is 'said' in the direct speech, then the tense of the words inside quotation marks is changed to the past tense. Thus, He said that he was suffering from homesickness.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

He said,� It`s hot today.�

  1. He said that it is hot today.

  2. He said that it was hot today.

  3. He said that it is hot that day.

  4. He said that it was hot that day.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A reporting sentence in simple present is changed to simple past in the reported speech. Also, today is changed to that day. Thus, the correct answer choice is, He said that it was hot that day.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

They said, �We are enjoying the rain.�

  1. They said that we are enjoying the rain.

  2. They said that they are enjoying the rain.

  3. They said that they were enjoying the rain.

  4. They said that we were enjoying the rain.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A direct sentence in present continuous is changed to past continuous in reported speech. Thus, the correct option is They said that they were enjoying the rain.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

She said, �It has been raining for three days.�

  1. She said that it had been raining for three days.

  2. She said that it has been raining for three days.

  3. She said that it had rained for three days.

  4. She is saying that it has been raining for three days.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A sentence in present perfect continuous tense in direct speech is changed to past perfect continuous in indirect speech. Thus, the correct answer is, She said that it had been raining for three days.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

The professor said, �Mathematics is a science.�

  1. The professor said that mathematics was a science.

  2. The professor said that mathematics will be a science.

  3. The professor said that mathematics is a science.

  4. The professor said that mathematics would have been a science.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The tense of reported speech may not change if reported speech is a universal truth though its reporting verb belongs to past tense. Thus, the correct answer is, The professor said that mathematics is a science.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

Modi said, �I met Obama last week�.

  1. Modi said that he had met Obama last week.

  2. Modi said that he had met Obama the previous week.

  3. Modi said that I had met Obama last week.

  4. Modi said that I had met Obama the previous week.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The adverbs of nearness are put into those of distance. Thus, last week becomes the previous week. The pronoun also changes and I becomes he. Thus the correct answer is, Modi said that he had met Obama the previous week.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

Rohan said, �I am going to school�.

  1. Rohan said that he was going to school.

  2. Rohan said that he would be going to school.

  3. Rohan said that he will be going to school.

  4. Rohan said that I was going to school.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Present continuous in direct becomes past continuous in reported speech. The pronoun also changes from I to he. Thus, the correct answer is, Rohan said that he was going to school.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct / Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect / Direct form.

Trisha said, �The third day of the week is Tuesday�.

  1. Trisha said that the third day of the week will be Tuesday.

  2. Trisha said to me that the third day of the week can be Tuesday.

  3. Trisha said that the third day of the week was Tuesday.

  4. Trisha said that the third day of the week is Tuesday.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Whatever may be the tense of the Reporting Sentence, if the Reported Sentence tells a universal fact, no change is made in the tense of the Reported Sentence. Thus, the correct answer is Trisha said that the third day of the week is Tuesday.