English Language

Sentence Transformation

558 Questions

Sentence transformation questions evaluate grammatical accuracy in converting sentences between active and passive voice, as well as direct and indirect speech. The focus lies on altering sentence structures without changing the original meaning while maintaining correct tense and verb forms. This is a highly weighted English language topic in SSC and banking exams.

Active and passive voiceDirect and indirect speechNarration changeTense consistencyVerb form transformation

Sentence Transformation Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Change the given direct sentence into an indirect sentence.

Alka said to me, “I shall go to a party tonight”.

  1. Alka told me that I should go to a party tonight.

  2. Alka said that she should be going to a party that night.

  3. Alka told me that she would go to a party that night.

  4. Alka said that she was going to the a party that night.

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The given sentence is in future tense. 'Shall' will be changed to 'would'. In indirect speech the reporting verb ‘said to’ is changed to ‘told’. The inverted commas are replaced by using conjunction - that. The pronoun ‘I’ will be changed to she as it refers to ‘Alka’ and 'tonight' will be changed to 'that night'. The correct option is 3.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the one that best expresses the sentence in indirect/direct speech.

He said to me, “I don't believe you.”

  1. He told me that he didn't believe me.

  2. He told that he didn't believe me.

  3. He said that he didn't believed me.

  4. He told that he didn't believed me.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

When the reporting verb is in the 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.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the one that best expresses the sentence in indirect/direct speech.

He said to her, "Don't read so fast.”

  1. He ordered her not to read so fast.

  2. He advised her don't read so fast.

  3. He said her not to read so fast.

  4. He told her that not to read so fast.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here, reported speech is an imperative sentence, in which an order has been given. So, 'said to' becomes 'ordered' and 'do not' becomes 'not to'.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the one that best expresses the sentence in indirect/direct speech.

Ram said,” Sita loves her friends”.

  1. Ram said that Sita loves her friends.

  2. Ram said that Sita loved her friends.

  3. Ram told that Sita loved her friends.

  4. Ram told that Sita loves her friends.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In intransitive verbs, 'said' remains 'said'. If the reported verb is in past indefinite and reported speech is in present indefinite, the latter converts in past indefinite.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the one that best expresses the sentence in indirect/direct speech.

The sage said, ”God helps those who help themselves”.

  1. The sage said that God helps those who help themselves.

  2. The sage said that God helped those who helped themselves.

  3. The sage said that God helps those who helped themselves.

  4. The sage said that God helped those who help themselves.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tense of reported speech does not change in case of universal truth.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the option that best expresses the sentence in indirect/direct speech.

The boys asked the principal if the college would remain closed the next day.

  1. The boys said to the principal, "Will the college remain closed tomorrow?"

  2. The boys told the principal, "Will the college remain closed tomorrow?"

  3. The boys said, "Will the college remain closed tomorrow?"

  4. The boys said, "Shall the college remain closed tomorrow?"
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In case of transitive verb, reported verb (in direct narration) becomes 'said to'.