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 3 of 16
- A. I said to her. Were you hungry?
- B. I asked him," Do you hungry?
- C. I said to him." Are you hungry?"
- D. 1 said to him.: Do you are hungry?"
Explanation: The correct structure for transforming an indirect question is to maintain the structure of the original question.
Correct answer: I said to him." Are you hungry?"- A. The teacher said to the student, Stand up.
- B. The teacher said to the students," Stand up.
- C. The teacher advised to the students." Stand up."
- D. The teacher said to the students," stood up."
Explanation: The correct option should maintain the command form. The correct reported speech transformation is: "The teacher said to the students…
Correct answer: The teacher said to the students," Stand up.- A. He told why I had lied.
- B. He asked that I had lied.
- C. He asked why I had lied.
- D. He asked why had I lied.
Explanation: In reported speech, the word order in questions is changed, and the correct structure is: "He asked why I had lied."
Correct answer: He asked why I had lied.- A. He told me to gave him some time.
- B. He requested me to give me some time.
- C. He shouted me to give him some time.
- D. He requested me to give him some time.
Explanation: The correct option in reported speech for a polite request is to use "requested." The correct transformation is: "He requested me to give…
Correct answer: He requested me to give him some time.- A. He said," She was very poor."
- B. He said," He was very poor."
- C. He said," I was very poor."
- D. He asked," I was very poor."
Explanation: The correct transformation for the past perfect tense "had been" is "was." The correct option is: "He said, 'I was very poor.'"
Correct answer: He said," I was very poor."- A. I said," Do you need anything else?"
- B. 1 said," Does she need anything else?"
- C. I said," Do you needed anything else?"
- D. I said," Did you need anything else?"
Explanation: The correct structure for transforming an indirect question is to maintain the structure of the original question.
Correct answer: I said," Do you need anything else?"- A. The teacher told." Be quiet, students.
- B. The teacher said," Be quiet, students."
- C. The teacher asked." Be quiet, students."
- D. The teacher said to the students," Be quiet, students."
Explanation: You are correct. Option B accurately represents the reported speech for an order.
Correct answer: The teacher said," Be quiet, students."- A. She told why I had done that.
- B. She asked why she had done that.
- C. She asked why I had done that.
- D. She asked that if I had done that.
Explanation: In reported speech, the word order in questions is changed, and the correct structure is: "She asked why I had done that."
Correct answer: She asked why I had done that.- A. He advised us kindly to give him some time to think about that.
- B. He requested me kindly to give him some time to think about that.
- C. He requested us kindly to give him some time to think about that.
- D. He requested us kindly to gave him some time to think about that.
Explanation: In reported speech, when expressing a polite request, the correct option is to use "requested" and maintain the adverb "kindly." The…
Correct answer: He requested us kindly to give him some time to think about that.- A. My mother advised her daughter to work hard.
- B. My mother advised my daughter to work hard.
- C. My mother requested her daughter to work hard.
- D. My mother forbade her daughter to work hard.
Explanation: In reported speech, the reporting verb "said" can be transformed to "advised" when conveying advice.
Correct answer: My mother advised her daughter to work hard.- A. He swore to God that he was speaking the truth.
- B. He swore to God that he has been speaking the truth.
- C. He swore to God that he were speaking the truth.
- D. He swore to God that he is speaking the truth.
Explanation: Explanation:In reported speech, when expressing an oath or assurance, the correct option is to use "swore" and maintain the past tense.
Correct answer: He swore to God that he was speaking the truth.- A. The audience wondered and said that she had been singing very beautifully.
- B. The audience wondered and said that she sang very beautifully.
- C. The audience wondered and said that she was singing very beautifully.
- D. The audience wondered and said that he was singing very beautifully.
Explanation: In reported speech, the correct option is to maintain the structure of the original sentence.
Correct answer: The audience wondered and said that she was singing very beautifully.- A. My father said to me," Work hard, if you want to pass."
- B. My father said to me." Worked hard, if you want to pass."
- C. My father said to me," Work hard, that you want to pass.
- D. My father said to me," Work hard, if I want to pass."
Explanation: In reported speech, when conveying advice, the correct option is to use "said" and maintain the structure of the original sentence.
Correct answer: My father said to me," Work hard, if you want to pass."- A. The poor man said," Might you live long!"
- B. The poor man said." May have you live long!"
- C. The poor man says," May you live long!"
- D. The poor man said." May you you live long!"
Explanation: You are correct. Option D accurately represents the reported speech for a prayer.
Correct answer: The poor man said." May you you live long!"- A. The poet wondered and said the sight had been very bewitching.
- B. The poet wondered and said the sight was very bewitching.
- C. The poet wondered and says the sight was very bewitching.
- D. The poet wondered and said the sight is very bewitching.
Explanation: The correct option should maintain the original structure and tense of the sentence in reported speech.
Correct answer: The poet wondered and said the sight was very bewitching.- A. The old man said," May God bless him with a brave son."
- B. The old man said." May God bless me with a brave son."
- C. The old man said." May God bless you with a brave son."
- D. The old man said." May God bless her with a brave son."
Explanation: The correct option should reflect the person for whom the blessing is intended.
Correct answer: The old man said." May God bless you with a brave son."- A. He greeted me respectfully.
- B. He greeted me hopefully.
- C. He greeted me regretfully.
- D. He greets me respectfully.
Explanation: The correct transformation for a greeting is to use "greeted" and maintain the respectful tone.
Correct answer: He greeted me respectfully.- A. He wished to me." Do not let others dictate you."
- B. He said to me." Do not let others to dictate you."
- C. He said to me," Do not let others dictate you."
- D. He said to me." To do not let others dictate you."
Explanation: The correct option should maintain the structure of the original sentence.
Correct answer: He said to me," Do not let others dictate you."- A. The commander ordered the soldiers to fire.
- B. The commander asked the soldiers to fire.
- C. The commander told the soldiers to fire.
- D. The commandet ordered to the soldiers to fire.
Explanation: The correct transformation for an order is to use "ordered." The correct option is: "The commander ordered the soldiers to fire."
Correct answer: The commander ordered the soldiers to fire.- A. He ordered you to pass his suitcase.
- B. He requested me to pass his suitcase.
- C. He requested me pass his suitcase.
- D. He requested you to pass his suitcase.
Explanation: The sentence is a polite request, using the phrase "please" to show courtesy.
Correct answer: He requested me to pass his suitcase.