Free Direct and Indirect Speech MCQs with Answers

• A. goes
• B. has gone
• C. had gone
• D. will go

Explanation: Reported speech shifts the tense one step back, so a past simple in the original becomes the past perfect, and the phrase the previous…

• A. He said that he is reading a book.
• B. He said that he was reading a book.
• C. He said that I was reading a book.
• D. He said that he has been reading a book.

Explanation: The reporting verb is in the past, so the present continuous shifts back to the past continuous, and the first person pronoun changes to…

• A. She asked where do I live.
• B. She asked where I lived.
• C. She asked where did I live.
• D. She asked where I live?

Explanation: A reported question takes normal statement word order, so the auxiliary do disappears and the verb shifts back to lived.

• A. The traveler said to the farmer, "Where is the nearest inn?"
• B. The traveler said to the farmer, "Which is the way to the nearest inn?"
• C. The traveler said to the farmer, "Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn?"
• D. The traveler said to the farmer, "Can you tell me where is the nearest inn?"Booking Historical Guided Tours

Explanation: The indirect question reports a request for information, so the natural direct form is, “Can you tell me the way to the nearest inn?”…

• A. Mother said me where I am going.
• B. Mother said to me where are you going.
• C. Mother asked where I was going.
• D. Mother asked me where I am going.

Explanation: A reported question uses statement word order, not “are you going,” and the present “are” normally backshifts to “was.” Thus, “Mother…

• A. He asked the hotel receptionist that if he can tell him the tariff of rooms.
• B. He asked the hotel receptionist to tell him the tariff of rooms.
• C. He enquired the hotel receptionist if he can tell him the tariff of rooms.
• D. He asked the hotel receptionist if he could tell him the tariff of rooms.

Explanation: The yes-or-no question changes to an indirect question with “if,” and “can” changes to “could” after the past reporting verb “asked.” The…

• A. He exclaimed with surprise that he is a great teacher.
• B. He exclaimed with surprise that he was a great teacher.
• C. He exclaimed with surprise that he has a great teacher.
• D. He exclaimed with surprise that he had a great teacher.Election Officer Mcqs

Explanation: The exclamation expresses surprise and praise, so “exclaimed with surprise” and “a great teacher” convey its meaning.

• A. He told me that he had expected me to attend the function.
• B. He told me that he expected me to attended the function.
• C. He told me that he expected me to have attended the function.
• D. He told me that he expected me to attend the function.

Explanation: After a past reporting verb, “expect” normally changes to “expected,” while the infinitive “to attend” remains unchanged.

• A. She prayed for the princess that she might live long.
• B. She prayed for the princess that may she live long.
• C. She prayed for the princess that she live long.
• D. She prayed for the princess that she may live long.

Explanation: A reported blessing or wish is introduced with “prayed” and takes “might” after the past reporting verb: “She prayed that the princess…

• A. I asked her why she was sleeping.
• B. I asked her that why she was sleeping.
• C. I asked her that why was she sleeping.
• D. None of these

Explanation: In an indirect question, the question word is followed by normal statement order: “why she was sleeping.” The conjunction “that” is not…

• A. Our guest let us know that he was arriving next week in his last letter.
• B. Our guest let us know that's he are arriving in his last letter.
• C. Our guest let us know in his last letter that he would be arriving next week.
• D. Done of the above

Explanation: Option C preserves the meaning while placing the time phrase naturally after the reporting clause.

• A. Sara exclaimed with sorrow that I have lost my diamond ring.
• B. Sara exclaimed with sorrow that she have lost her diamond ring.
• C. Sara exclaimed with sorrow that I had lost my diamond ring.
• D. Sara exclaimed with sorrow that she had lost her diamond ring.Learning A New Language Online

Explanation: In indirect speech, the exclamation Alas becomes exclaimed with sorrow, I changes to she, and have lost backshifts to had lost.

• A. They said that they won the match.
• B. They exclaimed with joy that they won the match.
• C. They exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
• D. They exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.Downloading Digital Educational Resources

Explanation: Hurrah expresses joy, so said changes to exclaimed with joy. Since the reporting verb is in the past, won changes to had won, and they…

• A. She said that my parents were going to karachi.
• B. She said that my parents gone to karachi.
• C. She said that her parents were going to karachi.
• D. She said that her parents are going to karachi.Booking Historical Guided Tours

Explanation: In reported speech, “my” changes to “her” because the speaker is she, “are going” backshifts to “were going,” and the place name remains…

• A. My friend says I can't help you because I have a lot of work to do.
• B. My friend says he can't help me because he has a lot of work to do.
• C. My friend says he can't help me because he have a lot of work to do.
• D. My friend says that I can't help you I have a lot of work to do.

Explanation: Because the reporting verb “says” is present, the tense need not backshift, but the pronouns change: “I” becomes “he” and “you” becomes…

• A. My friend told me that I will meet you tonight.
• B. My friend told that he will meet me tonight.
• C. My friend told me that he would meet me that night.
• D. My friend said to me that he will meet me that night.

Explanation: After the past reporting verb “said,” “will” changes to “would,” “you” becomes “me,” and “tonight” changes to “that night.” Option c…

• A. She said that she had visited Peshawar the previous day.
• B. She said that I had visited Peshawar yesterday.
• C. She said that she visited Peshawar yesterday.
• D. She said that she has visited Peshawar the previous day.

Explanation: The past simple “visited” normally backshifts to past perfect “had visited” after “said,” while “yesterday” becomes “the previous day.”…

• A. Ahmad said that he have a dental appointment this evening.
• B. Ahmad said that he had a dental appointment this evening.
• C. Ahmad said that he has a dental appointment this evening.
• D. Ahmad said that he had a dental appointment that evening.Educational Resources

Explanation: With the past reporting verb “said,” “have” changes to “had,” and the time expression “this evening” changes to “that evening.” Option d…

• A. He said he need my help now.
• B. He said that he needed my help then.
• C. He said that I needed your help now.
• D. None of these

Explanation: The past reporting verb causes “need” to backshift to “needed,” while “your” changes to “my” and “now” to “then.” Option b correctly makes…

• A. My friend said that he will meet me tomorrow.
• B. My friend said that he would meet me the next day.
• C. My friend said he would meet me tomorrow.
• D. My friend said that he will meet me tomorrow.

Explanation: “Will” changes to “would” after the past reporting verb, and “tomorrow” becomes “the next day.” Since the speaker said “you” to the…