Direct & Indirect Speech MCQs

Correct Answer: She asked me to write it down for her

The phrase 'Could you...' is a polite request; in indirect speech, it is best expressed using an infinitive structure (asked me to).

Correct Answer: He says that he worked as a manager

Because the reporting verb 'says' is in the present tense, the tense inside the quotation marks does not need to backshift.

Correct Answer: He exclaimed with wonder that it was a very beautiful day.

Exclamatory sentences are converted by using 'exclaimed with wonder' and changing the verb to past tense.

Correct Answer: They said that they would visit London following week.

In indirect speech, 'we' becomes 'they', 'will' becomes 'would', and 'next week' becomes 'the following week'.

Correct Answer: He ordered not to sleep

The negative command 'Don't sleep' is typically reported using an imperative structure like 'ordered not to'.

Correct Answer: He remarked that two and two make four

When reporting universal truths or mathematical facts, the tense remains in the present simple, even if the reporting verb is in the past.

Correct Answer: The old lady asked her son if it was not his duty to help her in her old age.

When converting an interrogative sentence in direct speech to indirect, 'said to' becomes 'asked', and the question structure is changed to a statement format using 'if' or 'whether'.

Correct Answer: John told his mother that he would go to bed then.

In indirect speech, the pronoun 'I' changes to 'he', 'shall' changes to 'would', and 'now' changes to 'then'.

Correct Answer: Mathew suggested that they should go for a picnic on Friday.

When reporting a proposal or suggestion starting with 'Let us', 'suggested that they should' is the standard formal structure.

Correct Answer: Diana exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

In indirect speech, the exclamation 'Hurrah' is converted to 'exclaimed with joy' and the tense shifts to past perfect 'had won'.

Correct Answer: She said that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

Universal truths retain their original tense in indirect speech regardless of the reporting verb tense.

Correct Answer: He says that he does not obey his parents.

When the reporting verb is in the present tense ('says'), the tense of the reported speech does not change.

Correct Answer: I requested her to sit down.

When changing imperative sentences with 'please' into indirect speech, 'said to' changes to 'requested' and the infinitive 'to' is added before the verb.

Correct Answer: He asked the teacher if he thought his essay was good.

When converting an interrogative sentence to indirect speech, 'said to' changes to 'asked', and the present tense verb 'think' changes to the past tense 'thought'.

Correct Answer: Waseem said that if he worked hard, he would succeed.

When changing to indirect speech, first-person pronouns change to third-person, and present tense verbs backshift to past tense.

Correct Answer: My friend asked me if my father had returned from Karachi.

When changing interrogative sentences to indirect speech, the reporting verb becomes 'asked', and the present perfect tense changes to past perfect.

Correct Answer: The worker said that he had not done anything wrong.

In indirect speech, the present perfect tense 'have not done' changes to the past perfect 'had not done'.

Correct Answer: He asked me if I would accompany him.

For an interrogative sentence, 'said to' becomes 'asked' and 'will' changes to 'would' in indirect speech.

Correct Answer: The Captain commanded his men to stand at ease.

In indirect speech for military orders, 'said to' is replaced with 'commanded' or 'ordered'.

Correct Answer: He says that he will go there.

When changing from direct to indirect speech, if the reporting verb ('says') is in the present tense, the tense inside the quotes does not change to past, but pronouns change according to the subject.

Correct Answer: The mother prayed that her son might be successful.

Optative sentences expressing a wish or prayer change 'said' to 'prayed/wished', and 'may' transforms into its past form 'might'.

Correct Answer: Murad said that he had completed his master the previous year

Past simple changes to past perfect ('had completed'), and 'last year' changes to 'the previous year' in indirect speech.

Correct Answer: The man requested the officer to help him.

In indirect speech, a sentence starting with 'Please' is converted using the reporting verb 'requested'.

Correct Answer: I asked him why he was working so hard.

In indirect speech, the interrogative sentence structure changes to an assertive form and present continuous becomes past continuous.

Correct Answer: He exclaimed that it was a very cold day.

For an exclamatory sentence, "said to" changes to "exclaimed," and "what a" is often replaced by adding an intensifier like "very."

Correct Answer: The student pleaded that he was not guilty

The verb 'pleaded' effectively captures the emotional defense and tone of the original sentence 'Sir, I am not guilty'.

Correct Answer: He remarked that two and two makes four.

Since 'two and two makes four' is a universal truth, the tense of the reported speech does not change.

Correct Answer: He told me that he had often told me not to play with fire.

When changing to indirect speech, 'said to' becomes 'told' and the present perfect tense 'have told' shifts to the past perfect tense 'had told'.

Correct Answer: Ali asked how long it would take to travel from Germany to South Africa.

In indirect speech, the interrogative sentence structure changes to an assertive form, and 'will' changes to 'would'.

Correct Answer: I asked him why he was working so hard.

The reported speech question shifts from the present continuous to the past continuous, and the word order becomes assertive (subject before verb).

Correct Answer: None of these

The correct indirect speech is: He told me that he wanted me to attend the party. Since it isn't listed, 'None of these' is correct.

Correct Answer: not to be late

In reported speech, a negative imperative command changes to 'not to' + infinitive verb.

Correct Answer: He said that he couldn't drive them home.

In indirect speech, the present tense modal 'cannot' changes to the past tense 'could not'.

Correct Answer: The officer threatened to dismiss the peon if he did not do his duty well.

The original statement is a warning or threat. Converting it into reported speech accurately captures the intention by using 'threatened'.

Correct Answer: They said that they took exercise every day

In reported speech, the present simple 'take' changes to the past simple 'took', and 'we' changes to 'they'.

Correct Answer: Saleem said that he did not eat mangoes

In reported speech, the present simple 'do not' changes to the past simple 'did not' when the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Correct Answer: The dying soldier wished to have a look at the battlefield

The imperative structure expressing a strong desire changes into an infinitive phrase with 'wish' to reflect the soldier's longing.

Correct Answer: You requested your father to grant him leave for some time.

The word 'Please' indicates a request, which converts the reporting verb to 'requested' in indirect speech.

Correct Answer: The general commanded the soldiers to march forward and attack the foe.

A general giving instructions to soldiers is issuing a command, hence 'commanded' is the appropriate reporting verb.

Correct Answer: She told me to go upstairs

Imperative sentences in direct speech are changed to infinitive phrases (to + verb) in indirect speech.

Correct Answer: The boy pleaded with respect that he was not guilty

The word 'Sir' is replaced by 'with respect', and 'said' becomes 'pleaded'. 'I am' changes to 'he was' in indirect speech.

Correct Answer: Kiran proposed to Sana that they should go out for a walk

Sentences starting with 'Let us' expressing a suggestion are changed using 'proposed' or 'suggested' followed by 'that they should'.

Correct Answer: He looked at the boy sternly and asked him what he had run away for

In indirect speech, the simple past tense ('did you run') changes to the past perfect ('had run') and the question structure shifts to an affirmative structure.