Free Direct and Indirect Speech MCQs with Answers
306 Direct and Indirect Speech MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Direct speech gives a speaker’s exact words, whereas indirect speech reports the meaning without quotation marks. Questions cover reporting verbs, pronoun changes, tense backshift, time and place expressions, punctuation, and the transformation of questions, commands and requests, including cases where backshift is not required.
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306 questions · page 10 of 16
- A. My brother asked me what was I worried about.
- B. My brother asked me what I was worry about.
- C. My brother told me what I was worried about.
- D. My brother asked me what I was worried about.
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct speech question into indirect speech by using "asked" and adjusting the verb tense…
Correct answer: My brother asked me what I was worried about.- A. He asked me if I would pick him the previous day.
- B. He asked me if I would pick him the next day.
- C. He asked me that I would pick him the next day.
- D. He asked me if I would picked him the next day.
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct speech into indirect speech by using "if" for the yes/no question, adjusting…
Correct answer: He asked me if I would pick him the next day.- A. The teacher asked Usman why he had not come the previous day.
- B. The teacher asked Usman why he had not come the yesterday.
- C. The teacher asked Usman why had he not come the previous day.
- D. The teacher asked Usman why he has not come to previous day.
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct question into indirect speech.
Correct answer: The teacher asked Usman why he had not come the previous day.- A. The teacher advises the boy to work hard.
- B. The teacher advised the boy to works hard.
- C. The teacher advised the boy to work hard.
- D. He teacher advised the boy to work hardly.
Explanation: This option is correct. It accurately converts the imperative direct speech into indirect speech by using the past tense "advised" and…
Correct answer: The teacher advised the boy to work hard.- A. He said that he would went as soon as it was possible.
- B. He said that he would go as soon as it were possible.
- C. He said that he would go as soon as it was possible.
- D. He said that he would have gone as soon as it was possible.
Explanation: This option is correct. It accurately converts the future intention in direct speech into indirect speech by using "would go" and "it was…
Correct answer: He said that he would go as soon as it was possible.- A. My teacher often said to me that if I don't work hard I shall fail.
- B. My teacher often says to me that if I don't work hard I shall fail.
- C. My teacher often says to me that if I did not work hard I would fail.
- D. My teacher often says to me if I don't work hard I would fail.
Explanation: Is the closest to correct among the provided options because, it retains the present tense "says" to reflect the ongoing nature of the…
Correct answer: My teacher often says to me that if I don't work hard I shall fail.- A. The beggar wished that he were the president.
- B. The beggar wished that he was the president.
- C. The beggar wished that he were president.
- D. The beggar wishes that he were the president
Explanation: This option is correct. It accurately conveys the beggar's wish using the past tense "wished" and the subjunctive mood "were" to express…
Correct answer: The beggar wished that he were the president.- A. He said that if he did not work hard, he would have failed.
- B. He said that if he had not worked hard, he would have failed.
- C. He said that if he did not works hard, he would fail.
- D. He said that if he did not work hard, he would fail.
Explanation: This option is correct. It accurately converts the direct conditional statement into indirect speech while maintaining the correct future…
Correct answer: He said that if he did not work hard, he would fail.- A. He said that he did not wish to see any of them.
- B. He said that he does not wish to see any of them.
- C. He said that he did not wishes to see any of them.
- D. He said that he did not wish to saw any of them.
Explanation: This option is correct. It correctly converts the direct speech into indirect speech by using the past tense "did not wish" and the…
Correct answer: He said that he did not wish to see any of them.- A. Andrew told they had not gone to work two days before.
- B. Andrew said that they had not gone to work two days before.
- C. Andrew said he had not gone to work two days before.
- D. Andrew said they did not gone to work two days before
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct speech into indirect speech by using "had not gone" for past perfect tense and…
Correct answer: Andrew said that they had not gone to work two days before.- A. Barbara asked that if she must do the homework that week.
- B. Barbara asks if she must do the homework that week.
- C. Barbara asked if she must do the homework that week.
- D. Barbara asked is she must do the homework that week.
Explanation: This option is almost correct. It uses "asked if" for the indirect question but retains the present modal "must." In indirect speech…
Correct answer: Barbara asked if she must do the homework that week.- A. He ordered you to pass his suit case.
- B. He requested me to pass his suit case.
- C. He requested me pass his suit case.
- D. He requested you to pass his suit case.
Explanation: The sentence is a polite request, using the phrase "please" to show courtesy.
Correct answer: He requested me to pass his suit case.- A. The teacher ordered to go there.
- B. The teacher ordered not to go there.
- C. The teacher orders not to go there.
- D. The teacher ordered to not go there.
Explanation: The original sentence is a command or instruction given by the teacher, and the correct reporting of this sentence would be:"The teacher…
Correct answer: The teacher ordered not to go there.- A. How much do the tickets cost Meg asked.
- B. Meg inquired the cost of tickets.
- C. Meg asked how much the tickets cost.
- D. Meg asked that how much do the tickets costs.
Explanation: The original sentence is a question asked by Meg, and the correct reporting of this sentence would be:"Meg asked how much the tickets cost."
Correct answer: Meg asked how much the tickets cost.- A. He asked whether they were writing the paper.
- B. He asked if they were writing the paper.
- C. . He asked that if they were writing the paper.
- D. He asked if they were writing the paper?
Explanation: The correct answers are A. He asked whether they were writing the paper? and B.
Correct answer: He asked whether they were writing the paper.- A. Maria said that she was dialing my number and I called.
- B. Maria told that she had dialed my number and she had called.
- C. Maria said that she had been dialing my number and I had called.
- D. Maria told that Maria has been dialing my number and I had called.
Explanation: Maria said that she had been dialing my number and you had called.The original sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an…
Correct answer: Maria said that she had been dialing my number and I had called.- A. He said, "I can swim under water for two hours."
- B. He said. "I can swim under water for two hours."
- C. He said, "I can swim under water for two hours".
- D. He said", I can swim under water for two hours."
Explanation: He said that he could swim under water for two hours.The original sentence is a statement about someone's ability, and the correct…
Correct answer: He said, "I can swim under water for two hours."- A. They exclaimed with wonder that she looked very beautiful.
- B. They exclaimed with sorrow that she looks very beautiful.
- C. They exclaimed with wonder, that she looked very beautiful.
- D. They exclaimed with wonder that she looked very beautiful
Explanation: The original sentence is an exclamation of admiration, and the correct reported speech uses the verb "exclaimed" to convey the strong…
Correct answer: They exclaimed with wonder that she looked very beautiful- A. She said that when she enjoyed youth she watched movies.
- B. She said when she was enjoying youth, she watched movies.
- C. She said that when I had enjoyed I had watched movies.
- D. She inquired that when they were enjoying and watching movies.
Explanation: The original sentence is a statement about the past, and the correct reported speech maintains the same tense and pronouns.
Correct answer: She said when she was enjoying youth, she watched movies.- A. He said that it is time they began planning their holidays.
- B. He said that it was time they had begun planning their holidays.
- C. He said it is time they begin planning their holidays.
- D. He said that it was time they began planning their holidays.
Explanation: He said that it was time they began planning their holidays.The original sentence is a statement about the timing of planning holidays…
Correct answer: He said that it was time they began planning their holidays.