Direct Indirect Speech - English Questions and Answers

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English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

He asked me when I had booked the flight tickets.

A

He said to me, “When are you booking the flight tickets?”

B

He said to me, “When do you book the flight tickets?”

C

He said to me, “When did you book the flight tickets?”

D

He said to me, “When you had book the flight tickets?”

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the correct indirect speech form of the given sentence.

Mother said, “I’m worried about your safety.”

A

Mother told me that she was worried about my safety.

B

Mother said she is worried about your safety.

C

Mother said that I was worrying about your safety.

D

Mother told me that she had been worried about my safety.

Solution

option A is correct according to narration rules.

according to the rules, commas should be changed into that

said will remain said (said to in told) 

present tense should be changed into past.

so the correct sentence is, mother said that she was worried about my safety.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

She said, “The stars are shining brightly tonight.”

A

She asked if the stars were shining brightly that night.

B

She said that the stars were shining brightly that night.

C

She said the stars are shining brightly tonight.

D

She said the stars were shining brightly tonight.

Solution

option B is the correct answer.

explanation: 

present continuous tense should be changed into past continuous tense.

said - said (said to- told) 

tonight- that night 

commas- that 

option B satisfies the above conditions

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.

Mother said, “Abhinav slipped while trying to board a bus.”

A

Mother said that Abhinav had slipped while trying to board a bus.

B

Mother told that Abhinav slipped while trying to board a bus.

C

Mother said that Abhinav slipped while trying to board a bus.

D

Mother says that Abhinav slipped while trying to board a bus.

Solution

according to the rules of narrations

past indefinite should be changed into past perfect tense

commas should be changed into that

said into said( said to into told) 

so the correct sentence will be,mother said that abhinay had slipped while trying to board a bus.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.

She said, “It is too good to be true.”

A

She said it were too good to be true.

B

She is saying that it is too good to be true.

C

She says that it is too good to be true.

D

She said that it was too good to be true.

Solution

according to the rules 

said should be changed into said (said to into told) 

present tense  should be changed into past tense( is - was)

commas should be changed into that 

so the correct answer is, option D 

she said that it was too good to be true.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.

The teacher said, “Asif, go and wash your hands.”

A

The teacher told Asif go and wash his hands. 

B

The teacher told Asif to go and wash his hands. 

C

The teacher told Asif go and wash your hands. 

D

The teacher told to Asif to go and wash his hands. 

Solution

rules to make indirect voice of imperative sentence are as follows;

for removal of commas conjunction 'to' is used .

said asif is changed into told asif 

so the correct sentence is option B that is the teacher told asif to go and wash his hands.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

Manan said that he had no work to do that day.

A

Manan says, “I had no work to do that day.”

B

Manan said, “I have no work to do that day.”

C

Manan said, “I have no work to do today.”

D

Manan said, “Have I no work to do today?”

Solution

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the correct indirect speech form of the given sentence.

The teacher said, “You must work hard for your exams.”

A

The teacher was telling her students to work hard for their exams.

B

The teacher was advising her students to do work hard for their exams.

C

The teacher advised her students to work hard for their exams.

D

The teacher told students for working hard for their exams.

Solution

in imperative sentence we change said/said to 

in requested, commanded, advised, ordered, forbade, etc. according to the sense of the sentence

in above sentence we see the sense of advise so the correct answer will be option C 

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

She said to her, “Will you ready my suit tomorrow?”

A

She asked her if she would ready her suit tomorrow.

B

She said her if she would ready her suit tomorrow.

C

She asked her if she would ready her suit the next day.

D

She asked her that if she would ready her suit tomorrow

Solution

according to the rules,

said to will be changed into asked( Interrogative)

commas should be changed into if/whether

affirmative sentence should be used in place of interrogative

tomorrow will be chaned into the next day

​will changes into would.

so the correct answer is, she asked her if she would ready her suit the next day.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. 

Ajay says, “There is going to be a snowfall.”

A

Ajay says that there was going to be a snowfall.

B

Ajay said that there was going to be a snowfall.

C

Ajay says that there is going to be a snowfall.

D

Ajay said that there is going to be a snowfall.

Solution

when the reported verb is in present or future tense, no changes in reported speech tense are done.

so the correct answer for this question is option C

that is  Ajay says that there is going to be a snowfall

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

“Please allow me to leave now,” Ritika said to her teacher.

A

Ritika requested my teacher to allow her to leave now.

B

Ritika requested her teacher to allow me to leave now.

C

Ritika requested her teacher to allow her to leave then.

D

Ritika requested her teacher to allow me to leave then.

Solution

above sentence is an imperative sentence, 

rules for narration are,

we use to in place of commas,

and said is changed into requested/commanded/asked/begged/ordered etc.acording to the context.

now to then.

so the correct answer is option C that is Ritika requested her teacher to allow her to leave then.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

They cried, “Bravo! Well done.”

A

They cried in joy for doing well.

B

They exclaimed with wonder that they had done well.

C

They shouted in joy that they had done well.

D

They cried loudly for doing well.

Solution

for the exclamatory sentence,

rule of narration is as follows:

you change said, said to into exclaimed/expressed/shouted/ + in/with + joy/wonder/happiness/sorrow/surprise etc.

commas in that

tense according to rules,

so the correct answer is option C that is 

they shouted in joy that they had done well.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

“What is Sonia saying?” said Rohit.

A

Rohit asked what Sonia was saying.

B

Rohit asked that what was Sonia saying.

C

Rohit asked what was Sonia saying.

D

Rohit asked what is Sonia saying.

Solution

rules to change the Sentence to indirect speed are as follows.

  • said/said to- asked
  • interrogative sentence- affirmative sentence
  • present continuous- past continuous

so the correct answer is option A.

that is rohit asked what sonia was saying.

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English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

She asked me what my favourite cuisine was.

A

She said to me, “What is your favourite cuisine?”

B

She said to me, “What my favourite cuisine is?”

C

She said to me, “What your favourite cuisine was?”

D

She said to me, “What is my favourite cuisine?”

Solution

here according to rules

said to changed into asked(interoogative)

is/am/are- was /were

interrogative sentence into affirmative sentence.

so the correct answer is option A.

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

The guard told the children to stay away from the flower beds.

A

The guard told to the children, “ Stay away from the flower beds.”

B

The guard says to the children, “ Stay away from the flower beds.”

C

The guard said, “Children, should you stay away from the flower beds.”

D

The guard said, “Children, stay away from the flower beds.”

Solution

following rules have been used here to change the speech of the given sentence.

said,"children, is changed into told children

commas inverted commas changed into to(conjuction for imparative sentence)

remaining sentence remains same.

so the answer is option D

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

She said to him, “May God shower His choicest blessings on you!

A

She wished that God might shower His choicest blessings on him.

B

She wished that God might shower His choicest blessings on you.

C

She wished that God may shower His choicest blessings on you.

D

She wished that may God shower your choicest blessings on Him.

Solution

In the below table, we are sharing how tense changes into Indirect speech.

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

She said to me, “I saw this old man long ago.”

A

She told to me that she had seen that old man long before.

B

She told me that she had seen that old man long before.

C

She said me that she had seen this old man long ago.

D

She said to me that she had seen that old man long ago.

Solution

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.

She exclaimed with sorrow that life had become miserable.

A

She said, “How miserable had become life!”

B

She said, “Life has become miserable.”

C

She said, “Oh! What miserable life has become.”

D

She said, “Alas! How miserable life has become.”

Solution

option D is the correct answer according to the rules

Rules

  1. In direct speech of exclamatory sentence an exclamation mark is used after the interjection or at the end of the sentence. This mark is replaced by a full stop after narration change from direct to indirect speech.
  2. The reporting verb changes to exclaimed with joy/happiness or exclaimed with sorrow or disgust depending on the mood of the sentence. 
  3. After converting the speech, the interjection should be omitted. 
  4. The reporting clause and reported clause is connected with conjunction ‘that

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech.

Mother said to her, “I expected a better result from you.”

A

Mother told her that she expected a better result from you.

B

Mother told her that she was expecting a better result from you.

C

Mother told her that she had expected a better result from her.

D

Mother told her that she expected a better result from her.

Solution

option c is the right answer here according to the rules;

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

English » Direct Indirect Speech

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

He said to me, “Do you own this beautiful car?”

A

He asked me did I own that beautiful car.

B

He asked me if I owned that beautiful car.

C

He asked me that if you owned this beautiful car.

D

He asked to me if you own that beautiful car.

Solution

option b is right according to the rules ,

Direct Speech

Indirect Speech

Present simple

 (Subject +V1st + Object)

Past simple

(Subject +V2 + Object)

Present continuous

 (Subject +is/am/are+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Present perfect

(Subject + has/have+V3+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past simple

(Subject+V2+Object)

Past perfect

(Subject+had+V3+Object)

Past Continuous

(Subject +was/were+V1 +ing+ Object)

Past perfect continuous

(Subject +had been+V1 +ing+ Object)

Future simple

(Subject+ will/shall+V1+object)

Present Conditional

(Subject+ would+V1+object)

Future Continuous

(Subject +will/shall+be+V1 +ing+ Object)

Conditional Continuous

(Subject +would+be+V1 +ing+ Object)