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 14 of 16
- A. They exclaimed with sorrow that they lost the match.
- B. They exclaimed with sorrow we had lost the match.
- C. They exclaimed with sorrow that they have lost the match.
- D. They exclaimed with sorrow that had lost the match.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "They said" becomes "They exclaimed with sorrow" to indicate the strong emotions…
Correct answer: They exclaimed with sorrow that had lost the match.- A. He swore that he was speaking the truth.
- B. He sweared that he was speaking the truth.
- C. He swore that you were speaking the truth.
- D. He swore that he had spoken the truth.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "He said" becomes "He swore" to indicate the strong emphasis on the truth.- "By God" is…
Correct answer: He swore that he was speaking the truth.- A. Somebody asked me if the bus arrives arrive before nine.
- B. Somebody asked me if the bus arrived before nine.
- C. Somebody asked me did the bus arrive before nine.
- D. Somebody asked me if the bus had arrived before nine.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "Does" becomes "arrived" to change the verb tense from present simple to past simple…
Correct answer: Somebody asked me if the bus arrived before nine.- A. The father asked my sons, listen to my words carefully.
- B. The father asked his sons to listen to his words carefully.
- C. The father asked the sons to listened to his words carefully
- D. The father asked his sons to listen his words carefully.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "said" becomes "asked" to indicate the father's request or instruction.- "My" becomes…
Correct answer: The father asked his sons to listen to his words carefully.- A. He said that Pakistan won world cup in 1992.
- B. He said that Pakistan would have won the world cup in 1992.
- C. He said that the Pakistan won the world cup in 1992.
- D. He said that Pakistan won the world cup in 1992.
Explanation: This option is correct. It accurately converts the direct speech into indirect speech while maintaining the same meaning and tense.
Correct answer: He said that Pakistan won the world cup in 1992.- A. The prince said that it gave him great pleasure to be here that evening.
- B. The prince said that it gave him great pleasure to be there this evening.
- C. The prince said that it gave him great pleasure to be there that evening.
- D. The prince said that it gave him great pleasures to be there that evening.
Explanation: This option is correct and uses "that evening" instead of "this evening." The time reference should be consistent with the original direct…
Correct answer: The prince said that it gave him great pleasure to be here that evening.- A. The leader suggested to the people that they would start with a new zeal
- B. The leader suggested to the people that they could start with a new zeal
- C. The leader suggested to the people that they should start with a new zeal
- D. The leader suggested to the people that they must start with a new zeal
Explanation: This option correctly reflects the suggestion made by the leader. "Should" is an appropriate modal verb to convey the suggestion or…
Correct answer: The leader suggested to the people that they should start with a new zeal- A. The gatekeeper requested him to show the ticket
- B. The gatekeeper requested him that show the ticket
- C. The gatekeeper requested him to shows the ticket
- D. The gatekeeper requests him to show the ticket
Explanation: This option correctly converts the direct speech into indirect speech. "Requested" is the right verb to use, and "to show" is the correct…
Correct answer: The gatekeeper requested him to show the ticket- A. He said the peon who he was to say that.
- B. He said that the peon who he was to say that.
- C. He asked the peon who he was to say that
- D. He asked the peon who was he to say that.
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct speech into an indirect question.
Correct answer: He asked the peon who was he to say that.- 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. 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. Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.
- B. Andrew told his sister that he can not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.
- C. Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requests to help her.
- D. Andrew tells his sister that he could not finish homework, and he requested to help her.
Explanation: considered correct because it accurately converts the statement about not finishing homework into indirect speech with the past tense…
Correct answer: Andrew told his sister that he could not finish his homework, and he requested to help her.