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 9 of 16
161. Change into indirect narration The boy said to the teacher, "Will you check my homework today?"
- A. The boy asked the teacher if she would check his homework that day?
- B. The boy asked the teacher if she will check his homework that day.
- C. The boy asked the teacher that she would check his homework that day.
- D. The boy asked the teacher if she would check his homework that day.
Explanation: "Will you" becomes "if she would" (change from direct question to indirect question)- "my" becomes "his" (change from first person to…
Correct answer: The boy asked the teacher if she would check his homework that day.- A. He said that the horse died the day before.
- B. He said that the horse had died yesterday.
- C. He said that the horse had died the day before.
- D. He said that the horse had been died the day before.
Explanation: "Yesterday" becomes "the day before" (change from direct speech to indirect speech, to maintain the same time relation)No need to change…
Correct answer: He said that the horse died the day before.- A. He said that the peon had rung the bell when he reached school.
- B. He said that the peon rung the bell when he reached school.
- C. He said that the peon had rung the bell when he had reached school.
- D. He said that the peon had rang the bell when he reached school.
Explanation: "I" is changed to "he" to maintain the third-person perspective.- The verb tense "had rung" remains the same, as it is already in the past…
Correct answer: He said that the peon had rung the bell when he reached school.- A. He asked how I had got into that house.
- B. He asked how had I got into that house.
- C. He asked how I had got into this house.
- D. He asked how I had got into that house?
Explanation: Here's why:- "He said" is changed to "He asked" to indicate that the original sentence was a question.- "you" is changed to "I" to…
Correct answer: He asked how I had got into that house.- A. The poor request us to help them.
- B. The poor request to help them please.
- C. The poor request help them please.
- D. The poor request for someone to help them.
Explanation: Option B is correct because it effectively transforms the direct speech into indirect speech while maintaining the original intent of the…
Correct answer: The poor request us to help them.- A. They say that they were all our Pakistani brothers.
- B. They say that they were all their Pakistani brothers.
- C. They say that they had been all their Pakistani brothers.
- D. They say that they are all our Pakistani brothers.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "They say" remains the same, as it's the reporting verb.- "They are" remains the same…
Correct answer: They say that they are all our Pakistani brothers.- A. They exclaimed with joy that it was very fine day.
- B. They exclaimed with joy that it was a very fine day.
- C. They exclaimed with joy that is a very fine day.
- D. They exclaimed with joy what a fine day it was.
Explanation: The correct option is: They exclaimed with joy what a fine day it was. This sentence maintains the exclamatory form and appropriately…
Correct answer: They exclaimed with joy what a fine day it was.- A. Ali said if I had worked, I would have passed.
- B. Ali said that if I had worked, I would have passed.
- C. Ali said that if I had worked, I would pass.
- D. Ali said that if I worked, I would have passed.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "you" becomes "I" to maintain the correct pronoun perspective.- The verb tense remains…
Correct answer: Ali said that if I had worked, I would have passed.- A. Arthur said that well, it may be.
- B. Arthur said that it might be.
- C. Arthur said that well, it might be.
- D. Arthur said that it might be, well.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "Well" is an adverb that can be omitted in indirect speech, as it's not essential to…
Correct answer: Arthur said that it might be.- A. She said when she was enjoying youth she watched movies.
- B. She said that she was enjoying youth, she watched movies.
- C. She said that when she was enjoying youth, she had watched movies.
- D. She said that when she was enjoying youth she was watching movies.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "I" becomes "she" to maintain the correct pronoun perspective.- "was enjoying" remains…
Correct answer: She said that when she was enjoying youth, she had watched movies.- A. They said that they had been watching that movie.
- B. They said that they were watching that movie.
- C. They said that they had been watching the movie.
- D. They said that they watched the movie.
Explanation: When converting from direct to indirect speech, the verb tense often shifts to a past form.
Correct answer: They said that they had been watching the movie.- A. He prayed that my master may rest in heaven.
- B. He prayed that my master might rest in heaven.
- C. He prayed that his master might rest in heaven.
- D. He prayed their master might rest in heaven.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech:- "He said to me" becomes "He prayed" to indicate the verb of wishing or praying.- "May"…
Correct answer: He prayed that my master might rest in heaven.- A. She wished that there was no ill will.
- B. She wished that there should be no ill will.
- C. She wished their should be no ill will.
- D. She wished that there should be no ill will!
Explanation: When converting the direct speech, "She said, 'Let there be no ill will,'" into indirect speech, it is important to maintain the mood of…
Correct answer: She wished that there should be no ill will.- 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 they had lost the match.
Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, it is important to capture the original emotion, which is done here with 'exclaimed with…
Correct answer: They exclaimed with sorrow that they 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. 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 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. The teacher asked who wishes to be the monitor.
- B. The teacher asked that wished to be the monitor.
- C. The teacher said who wished to be the monitor.
- D. The teacher asked who wished to be the monitor.
Explanation: This option is correct. It properly converts the direct speech question into indirect speech by using "asked" and changing "wishes" to…
Correct answer: The teacher asked who wished to be the monitor.