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 7 of 16
- A. That
- B. Can
- C. If
- D. Could
Explanation: "She said that she was going to the theatre and wanted to know if I could accompany him."This option is correct.
Correct answer: If- A. Have
- B. Has
- C. Had
- D. Having
Explanation: "The players exclaimed with joy that they had won the match."This option is correct because "had" is the past tense form which correctly…
Correct answer: Had- 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. 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. She asked how much that coat does cost.
- B. She asked how much does that coat costs.
- C. She asked how much does that coat cost.
- D. She asked how much that coat costed.
Explanation: Option C correctly changes the reporting verb ("asked") and the tense ("cost" for past tense) to match the reported question.
Correct answer: She asked how much does that coat cost.- 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. 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 them to be quiet and listen to his words.
- B. The speaker ordered be quiet and listen to his words.
- 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 A is correct because it properly transforms the direct command into indirect speech.
Correct answer: The speaker ordered them to be quiet and listen to his 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 the garden.
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 the garden.- A. Sarah tells that help Peter's sister.
- B. Sarah asked to help Peter's sister.
- C. Sarah asked that help Peter's sister.
- D. Sarah said to help Peter's sister.
Explanation: Option D correctly transforms the direct speech into indirect speech where "said to help Peter's sister" maintains the structure of the…
Correct answer: Sarah said to help Peter's sister.- A. He thanked me.
- B. He said and thanked me.
- C. He thanks me.
- D. He thank me.
Explanation: Option A correctly conveys the meaning of "He said, 'Thank you.'" in indirect speech by using "thanked" to indicate expressing gratitude.
Correct answer: He thanked me.137. Change into indirect narration Andrew to his sister: "I can't finish my homework. Please help me."
- 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.- A. She asked respectfully if could I give her the glass on the table.
- B. She asked respectfully that I could give her the glass on the table.
- C. She asked respectfully if I could give her the glass on the table.
- D. She asked that if I could give her the glass on the table.
Explanation: Option C correctly uses "asked respectfully if" to introduce the reported question and maintains the politeness of the original request.
Correct answer: She asked respectfully if I could give her the glass on the table.- A. He told us that his dogs had not been barking at us.
- B. He told us that his dogs were not barking at us.
- C. He told us that his dogs had not been barked at us.
- D. He told to us that his dogs have not been barking at us.
Explanation: The original sentence "My dogs were not barking at you" is in the simple past tense, but when reported indirectly, the tense changes to…
Correct answer: He told us that his dogs had not been barking at us.- A. She told to me that her father has been going to my house yesterday.
- B. You told him that her father had gone to your house yesterday.
- C. She told me that her father had gone to my house the previous day.
- D. She told me that her father had been going to my house the previous day.
Explanation: The original sentence is a direct quote, and option C is the most accurate indirect quote.
Correct answer: She told me that her father had gone to my house the previous day.