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. Jack said, “I have never been to London.”

  1. Jack said that he had never been to London.

  2. Jack said that he has never been to London.

  3. Jack said to me that he have never been to London.

  4. Jack told that he had never been to London.

  5. Dummy
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, the 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. Isabel said,” I will not buy a new Bungalow.”

  1. Isabel said that she would not buy a new bungalow.

  2. Isabel said that she will not buy a new bungalow.

  3. Isabel asked that she would not buy a new bungalow.

  4. Isabel told that she would not buy a new bungalow.

  5. Dummy
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, the  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. Lucy said, “I have had three cars.”

  1. Lucy asked that she has had three cars.

  2. Lucy explained that she has three cars.

  3. Lucy said that she had had three cars.

  4. Lucy told that she have had three cars.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C 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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Subject 'I' become 'She'. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Heena said,” I went skiing.”

  1. Heena told that she has gone skiing.

  2. Heena said that she went skiing.

  3. Heena said that she had gone skiing.

  4. Heena asked that she went skiing.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C 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 past, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past perfect. Subject 'I' become 'She'. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. She asked me,” What is your age?”

  1. She asked me that what my age is.

  2. She asked me what my age was.

  3. She asked me what my age is.

  4. She asked me what your age was.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Jerry said to Jim,” I cannot swim.”

  1. Jerry told to Jim that I could not swim.

  2. Jerry told Jim that he could not swim.

  3. Jerry said to Jim that I could not swim.

  4. Jerry asked to Jim that he could not swim.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In assertive sentences like this, 'Said to' is changed into ‘Told’ and is followed by 'that'. If the Reported verb is in the past tense and the Reported speech is in the present, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Subject 'I' become 'He'. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Jim said to Mary, “Why are you so late?”

  1. Jim asked Mary why you were so late.

  2. Jim asked Mary that why she was so late.

  3. Jim told Mary why you were so late.

  4. Jim asked Mary why she was so late.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This type of question is reported by using 'ask' (or another verb like 'ask') + question word + clause. The clause contains the question, in normal word order and with the necessary tense change.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Mary said,” My parents are clever teachers.”

  1. Mary said that my parents are clever teachers.

  2. Mary asked that her parents were clever teachers.

  3. Mary said that her parents are clever teachers.

  4. Mary said that her parents were clever teachers.

  5. Dummy
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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Hence, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. She said, "I taught online yesterday."

  1. She said that she had taught online the day before.

  2. She asked she had taught online the day before.

  3. She told that she had taught online yesterday.

  4. She said that I had taught online yesterday.

  5. Dummy
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 past, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past perfect. Subject 'I' become 'She'. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. My sister said, “I do not like Pizza.”

  1. My sister said that she did not like pizza.

  2. My sister told that I did not like pizza.

  3. My sister said that she do not like pizza.

  4. My sister said that I do not like pizza.

  5. Dummy
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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Hence, option 1.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Rani said,” My mother does the washing.”

  1. Rani said that my mother does the washing.

  2. Rani asked that her mother does the washing.

  3. Rani told that my mother did the washing.

  4. Rani said that her mother did the washing.

  5. Dummy
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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Hence, option 4.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. A child said, “I can ride a bicycle.”

  1. A child asked that he could ride a bicycle.

  2. A child said that he could ride a bicycle.

  3. A child told that he could ride a bicycle.

  4. A child said that I can ride a bicycle.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B 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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Hence, option 2.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. Frank said,” He has caught a cold.”

  1. Frank said that I had caught a cold.

  2. Frank told that he had caught a cold.

  3. Frank said that he had caught a cold.

  4. Frank said that he has caught a cold.

  5. Dummy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C 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 perfect, the reported speech (during change of narration) converts into the past perfect. Hence, option 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the correct change of narration. My classmate said,” I have your number.”

  1. My classmate said that I had your number.

  2. My classmate told that he had my number.

  3. My classmate said that he has my number.

  4. My classmate said that he had my number.

  5. Dummy
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, the reported speech (while change of narration) converts into the past. Hence, option 4.