Direct & Indirect Speech — GK Questions with Answers

1. Change into Indirect form of Narration: The Principal said, "I am very happy to stand before you this morning."
   1. The Principal told that he had been very happy to stand before us that morning.
   2. The Principal said that he is very happy to stand before them this morning.
   3. The Principal stated to us that he was very happy to stand before us the following morning.
   4. The Principal said that he was very happy to stand before them that morning.
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   Answer: (D) The Principal said that he was very happy to stand before them that morning.

   Present → past, I → he, you → them, this morning → that morning.

2. Change from Direct to Indirect: He said, "I’ve misplaced the key to my cupboard."
   1. He told us that he did misplace his cupboard key.
   2. Misplaced the key to the cupboard, he said!
   3. The key to the cupboard has been misplaced.
   4. He said that he had misplaced the key to his cupboard.
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   Answer: (D) He said that he had misplaced the key to his cupboard.

   Present perfect → past perfect; my → his.

3. Choose the correct indirect transformation: "I shall tell him exactly what I think," she said.
   1. She said that she will tell him exactly what she thinks.
   2. She said that she could tell him exactly what she thought.
   3. She said she should tell him exactly what she thinks.
   4. She said she would tell him exactly what she thought.
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   Answer: (D) She said she would tell him exactly what she thought.

   Shall → would, and think → thought.

4. Choose the correct direct narration of: She reminded me to switch off all the lights.
   1. "Remind me to switch off all the lights," she ordered.
   2. "Remember switching off lights," she reminded.
   3. "Remember to switch off all the lights," she said.
   4. "Remember lights to be switched off," she told.
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   Answer: (C) "Remember to switch off all the lights," she said.

   An infinitive in indirect speech comes from an imperative in direct speech.

5. Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Where do you live?"
   1. He asked me where did I live.
   2. He asked me where I lived.
   3. He asked me where do I live.
   4. He told me where I lived.
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   Answer: (B) He asked me where I lived.

   An indirect question takes statement order and drops do.

6. Change into indirect speech: He said, "Are you ill?"
   1. He asked was I ill.
   2. He asked if I was ill.
   3. He said that I am ill.
   4. He asked are you ill.
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   Answer: (B) He asked if I was ill.

   A yes/no question takes if or whether, and loses the inversion.

7. Which is correct?
   1. He told that he was busy.
   2. He said me that he was busy.
   3. He told me that he was busy.
   4. He said to that he was busy.
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   Answer: (C) He told me that he was busy.

   Tell takes a person directly; say does not. Told me that is the correct form.

8. Change into indirect speech: He said, "Alas! I am ruined."
   1. He said that he was ruined.
   2. He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.
   3. He told that alas he is ruined.
   4. He cried that I am ruined.
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

   An exclamation becomes exclaimed with sorrow that….

9. In indirect speech, "yesterday" becomes —
   1. that day
   2. the previous day
   3. the next day
   4. tonight
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   Answer: (B) the previous day

   Yesterday → the previous day or the day before.

10. Change into indirect speech: She said, "Do not touch the wires."
    1. She said not to touch the wires.
    2. She warned me not to touch the wires.
    3. She told that do not touch the wires.
    4. She asked if I touched the wires.
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    Answer: (B) She warned me not to touch the wires.

    A negative command takes not to with a suitable reporting verb.

11. In which case does the tense NOT change in indirect speech?
    1. Where the reporting verb stands in the past
    2. When the reported speech is a universal truth
    3. When the speaker is the same person
    4. When the sentence is a question
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) When the reported speech is a universal truth

    A universal truth keeps its present tense: the earth moves round the sun.

12. Change into indirect speech: He said to her, "You are late."
    1. He told her that she was late.
    2. He said her that she is late.
    3. He told that you are late.
    4. He asked her if she was late.
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) He told her that she was late.

    Second person follows whoever is the object after the reporting verb — you → she.

13. "I can drive," he said. In indirect speech this becomes —
    1. he said he can drive
    2. he said he could drive
    3. he said he would drive
    4. he said he might drive
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    Answer: (B) he said he could drive

    Can → could when the reporting verb is in the past.

14. He said, "I must go now." The best indirect form is —
    1. he said he must go now
    2. he said he had to go then
    3. he said he should go then
    4. he said he might go then
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) he said he had to go then

    A one-off compulsion: must → had to, and now → then.

15. He said, "We must respect our elders." Here "must" —
    1. becomes had to
    2. stays must
    3. becomes should
    4. is dropped
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) stays must

    The obligation is lasting, so must is kept.

16. Which of these modals does NOT change in reported speech?
    1. can
    2. may
    3. will
    4. ought to
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) ought to

    Ought to is already an unchanging form, like could, would, should and might.

17. "Let us wait for him," he said. Indirect: —
    1. He told us to wait for him.
    2. He suggested that we should wait for him.
    3. He requested that we might wait for him.
    4. He said that we waited for him.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) He suggested that we should wait for him.

    Let us is a suggestion → suggested that we should.

18. "Let me go home," the boy said. Indirect: —
    1. The boy suggested that he should go home.
    2. The boy requested that he might be allowed to go home.
    3. The boy ordered that he go home.
    4. The boy said that he went home.
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    Answer: (B) The boy requested that he might be allowed to go home.

    Let me asks permission → requested that he might be allowed to.

19. He said, "Ram, shut the door." The word "Ram" in indirect speech —
    1. stays inside the reported words
    2. moves into the reporting clause as the object
    3. is dropped altogether
    4. becomes a subject
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) moves into the reporting clause as the object

    It becomes He asked Ram to shut the door.

20. He said, "I am tired. Where is my bag?" The correct indirect form is —
    1. He said that he was tired and where his bag was.
    2. He said that he was tired and asked where his bag was.
    3. He asked that he was tired and where was his bag.
    4. He said that he is tired and asks where his bag is.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) He said that he was tired and asked where his bag was.

    Each part keeps its own reporting verb — said that… and asked where…

21. "Yes," he said. The better indirect form is —
    1. He said yes.
    2. He replied in the affirmative.
    3. He said that he would.
    4. He agreed yes.
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) He said that he would.

    Both are accepted, but repeating the verb — said that he would — is shorter and clearer.

22. He said to himself, "I have been a fool." Indirect: —
    1. He told himself that he had been a fool.
    2. He thought that he had been a fool.
    3. He said that he has been a fool.
    4. He exclaimed that he was a fool.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) He thought that he had been a fool.

    Reporting one’s own mind takes thought or wondered.

23. He said, "Alas! I have lost my purse." Indirect: —
    1. He said that alas he had lost his purse.
    2. He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his purse.
    3. He exclaimed with joy that he had lost his purse.
    4. He asked whether he had lost his purse.
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    Answer: (B) He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his purse.

    Alas disappears into exclaimed with sorrow.

24. She said, "What a beautiful garden!" Indirect: —
    1. She said that it was a beautiful garden.
    2. She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful garden.
    3. She asked what a beautiful garden it was.
    4. She exclaimed what a beautiful garden.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful garden.

    What a goes, and the adjective is strengthened with very.

25. Which sentence is WRONG?
    1. He asked where I lived.
    2. He asked that where I lived.
    3. He said that he was busy.
    4. He asked whether I was coming.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) He asked that where I lived.

    Never put that before a question word.

26. He said, "You are coming, aren’t you?" In reported speech the question tag —
    1. is kept as it is
    2. disappears
    3. becomes a separate sentence
    4. becomes "isn’t it"
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) disappears

    The tag disappears: He asked whether I was coming.

27. "Good night," he said to me. Indirect: —
    1. He said good night to me.
    2. He bade me good night.
    3. He told me good night.
    4. He exclaimed good night.
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) He bade me good night.

    Greetings and partings take wished, greeted or bade.

More chapters in this subject

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