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.
Last updated
306 questions · page 11 of 16
- A. He urged me to going home together.
- B. He suggested me that we should go home together.
- C. He proposed to me to go home together.
- D. He suggested me to let's go home with him
Explanation: The original sentence is a suggestion or invitation, and the correct reported speech uses the verb "proposed" to convey the idea.
Correct answer: He proposed to me to go home together.- A. The poet says that the butterflies could fly, but humans could not.
- B. The poet says that the butterflies can fly, but humans cannot.
- C. The poet says that the butterflies could fly, but humans cannot.
- D. The poet said that the butterflies can fly, but humans cannot.
Explanation: The original sentence is a statement about the ability of butterflies and humans, and the correct reported speech maintains the same tense…
Correct answer: The poet says that the butterflies can fly, but humans cannot.- A. Juliet told that they had better stay at home.
- B. Juliet said that they had better stayed at home.
- C. Juliet said that they had better stay at home.
- D. Juliet said that they had better to stay at home.
Explanation: The original sentence is a statement advising someone to stay at home, and the correct reported speech maintains the same wording and tense.
Correct answer: Juliet said that they had better stay at home.- A. You tell that we could not defeat you.
- B. You tell that you cannot defeat us.
- C. You say that we cannot defeat you.
- D. You said that you could not defeat us.
Explanation: The original sentence is a statement of defiance, and the correct reported speech maintains the same wording and tense, with a change in…
Correct answer: You say that we cannot defeat you.- A. They tell me that they are ready to help us.
- B. They said that we are ready to help us.
- C. They told that they are ready to help you.
- D. They say that I am ready to help them.
Explanation: The original sentence is an offer of assistance, and the correct reported speech maintains the same wording and tense, with a change in…
Correct answer: They told that they are ready to help you.- A. Knows
- B. Know
- C. knew*
- D. Knew
Explanation: "The teacher asked the little boy if he knew the correct answer to the question."This option is correct because it uses the past tense…
Correct answer: knew*- A. The basics of computer are known to me.
- B. The basic of computer are known to me.
- C. The basics of computer is known to me.
- D. The basics of computer are known by me.
Explanation: "The basics of computer are known to me." - This correctly transforms the sentence into passive voice, indicating that I have knowledge of…
Correct answer: The basics of computer are known to me.- A. He told me that he had seen my friend at the cinema tomorrow,
- B. He told me that he saw my friend at the cinema the day before.
- C. He told me that he has seen my friend at the cinema the day before.
- D. He told me that he had seen my friend at the cinema the day before.
Explanation: "He told me that he had seen my friend at the cinema the day before," is correct because it accurately changes the tense to past perfect…
Correct answer: He told me that he had seen my friend at the cinema the day before.- A. The teacher ordered to me to write my name on that paper.
- B. The teacher ordered me to write my name on that paper.
- C. The teacher forbade me to write my name on that paper.
- D. The teacher asked to me to write my name on that paper
Explanation: "The teacher ordered me to write my name on that paper." - This is the correct transformation because it changes the direct speech to…
Correct answer: The teacher ordered me to write my name on that paper.- A. He prayed for me that I might live long.
- B. He prayed for me that I may live long.
- C. He said for me that I might live long.
- D. He prayed for me that I might be live long
Explanation: Option A correctly conveys the meaning of the original statement in indirect speech, where "prayed" reflects the sentiment of wishing…
Correct answer: He prayed for me that I might live long.- A. I forbade them not to write on their desks.
- B. I advised them to write on their desks.
- C. I forbade them to write on their desks.
- D. I asked them to write on their desks.
Explanation: A correctly transforms the sentence into indirect speech, maintaining the meaning that he expressed a wish or prayer for the listener to…
Correct answer: I forbade them not to write on their desks.- A. He asked me how much I had paid for that book.
- B. He asked me how much I paid for that book.
- C. He asked me how much did I paid for that book.
- D. He asked me how much I have paid for that book
Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("asked") and adjusts the tense to past perfect ("had paid") to reflect the past time frame…
Correct answer: He asked me how much I had paid for that book.- A. She asked me if I had known where Mrs. Baker lived.
- B. She asked me if I knew where Mrs. Baker lived.
- C. She asked me do I knew where Mrs. Baker lived
- D. She asked me if I do know where Mrs. Baker lived
Explanation: Option B correctly changes the reporting verb ("asked") and adjusts the tense to past tense ("knew") to match the time frame of the…
Correct answer: She asked me if I knew where Mrs. Baker lived.- A. The students asked if they could postpone the test until Monday
- B. The students ask if they can postpone the test until Monday.
- C. The students tell if they could postpone the test until Monday
- D. The student asked that they could postpone the test until Monday
Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("asked") and adjusts the tense to indicate possibility ("could postpone") in indirect speech.
Correct answer: The students asked if they could postpone the test until Monday- A. Mayor Reed said that he would have run for re-election this year
- B. Mayor Reed said that he will run for re-election that year.
- C. Mayor Reed told that he would run for re-election that year.
- D. Mayor Reed said that he would run for re-election that year.
Explanation: Option D correctly changes the reporting verb ("said") and adjusts the tense to indicate future intention in the past ("would run").
Correct answer: Mayor Reed said that he would run for re-election that year.- A. The little girl said which way she should go.
- B. The little girl asked which way she should go.
- C. The little girl ask which way she should go.
- D. The little girl told which way she should go.
Explanation: Option B correctly changes the reporting verb to "asked" and maintains the structure of the question.
Correct answer: The little girl asked which way she should go.- A. She said to wait there till she returned.
- B. She requested to wait there till she returned.
- C. Option C is grammatically incorrect because it uses "to be wait" instead of "to wait."Option D changes the tense to present ("returns"), which does not match the past tense of the original statement.
- D. She requested to wait there till she returns.
Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("said") and maintains the structure and tense of the original request.
Correct answer: She said to wait there till she returned.- A. The judge said to call the next witness.
- B. The judge ordered to called the next witness
- C. The judge orders to be call the next witness.
- D. The judge ordered to call the next witness.
Explanation: Option A correctly changes the reporting verb ("said") and maintains the structure of the command.
Correct answer: The judge said to call the next witness.- A. The speaker ordered to be quiet and listen to his words.
- B. The speaker ordered be quiet and listen to his words.
- C. C. The speaker ordered to be quiet and listen to my words.
- D. The speaker order to quiet and listen to his words.
Explanation: Option C correctly changes the reporting verb ("said" to "ordered") and maintains the structure of the command.
Correct answer: C. The speaker ordered to be quiet and listen to my words.- A. Jessica advised her son to play football in the garden.
- B. Jessica forbade her son that play football in the garden.
- C. Jessica forbade her son not to play football in the garden.
- D. Jessica forbade her son to play football in
Explanation: Option D correctly reflects the statement in indirect speech where "forbade" is used to indicate a prohibition, and "to play football in…
Correct answer: Jessica forbade her son to play football in