Direct and Indirect Speech MCQs with Answers and Explanations for Competitive Exams

Question #1

Share Report

She said, 'I am going to the market.'

A. She said that she went to the market.

B. She said that she is going to the market.

C. She said that she was going to the market.

D. She said that she will go to the market.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option C

Explanation:
The reporting verb is in the past tense ('said'), so the present continuous tense ('am going') changes to past continuous ('was going'). Pronoun 'I' changes to 'she'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #2

Share Report

He said, 'I have finished my work.'

A. He said that he had finished his work.

B. He said that he has finished his work.

C. He said that he finished his work.

D. He said that he will finish his work.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
Present perfect tense ('have finished') changes to past perfect ('had finished') when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Pronoun changes accordingly.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #3

Share Report

They said, 'We were playing cricket.'

A. They said that they are playing cricket.

B. They said that they had been playing cricket.

C. They said that they were playing cricket.

D. They said that they have been playing cricket.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option B

Explanation:
Past continuous ('were playing') changes to past perfect continuous ('had been playing') in indirect speech.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #4

Share Report

She said, 'I will help you.'

A. She said that she would help me.

B. She said that she helped me.

C. She said that she would help you.

D. She said that she will help me.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
'Will' changes to 'would'. The pronoun 'you' changes to 'me' because the speaker is reporting the speech.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #5

Share Report

He said, 'I can solve this problem.'

A. He said that he could solve that problem.

B. He said that he could solve this problem.

C. He said that he can solve this problem.

D. He said that he can solve that problem.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
'Can' changes to 'could'. The demonstrative 'this' changes to 'that'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #6

Share Report

He said, 'I bought a car yesterday.'

A. He said that he buys a car the previous day.

B. He said that he had bought a car yesterday.

C. He said that he bought a car yesterday.

D. He said that he had bought a car the previous day.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option D

Explanation:
Simple past ('bought') changes to past perfect ('had bought'). 'Yesterday' changes to 'the previous day'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #7

Share Report

She said to me, 'Please open the window.'

A. She said me to open the window.

B. She told me that open the window.

C. She requested me to open the window.

D. She requested that I open the window.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option C

Explanation:
Imperative sentence with 'please' changes to reporting verb 'requested' and to-infinitive structure.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #8

Share Report

The doctor said to the patient, 'Take this medicine twice a day.'

A. The doctor said the patient to take this medicine twice a day.

B. The doctor advised the patient to take that medicine twice a day.

C. The doctor told to the patient take this medicine twice a day.

D. The doctor advised the patient to take this medicine twice a day.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option B

Explanation:
Imperative sentence: 'said to' changes to 'advised'. 'This' changes to 'that'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #9

Share Report

He said, 'Let us go for a walk.'

A. He suggested that we should go for a walk.

B. He told us to go for a walk.

C. He suggested that they should go for a walk.

D. He said to let us go for a walk.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option C

Explanation:
Sentences starting with 'Let us' (suggestions) are reported using 'suggested that + subject + should + verb'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #10

Share Report

She said, 'He might come to the party.'

A. She said that he may come to the party.

B. She said that he might come to the party.

C. She said that he can come to the party.

D. She said that he might have come to the party.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option B

Explanation:
'Might' does not change in indirect speech.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #11

Share Report

He said, 'Alas! I have lost my wallet.'

A. He said that he lost his wallet.

B. He exclaimed that he had lost his wallet.

C. He said with sorrow that he lost his wallet.

D. He exclaimed with sorrow that he had lost his wallet.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option D

Explanation:
Exclamatory sentence with 'Alas!' is reported using 'exclaimed with sorrow'. Present perfect changes to past perfect.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #12

Share Report

She said, 'How beautiful the garden is!'

A. She exclaimed that the garden is very beautiful.

B. She admired that the garden was beautiful.

C. She said how beautiful the garden was.

D. She exclaimed with admiration that the garden was very beautiful.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option D

Explanation:
Exclamatory sentence with 'How' is reported using 'exclaimed with admiration' and changing the structure. 'Is' changes to 'was'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #13

Share Report

He said, 'I will meet you tomorrow.'

A. He said that he will meet me tomorrow.

B. He said that he will meet me the next day.

C. He said that he would meet me tomorrow.

D. He said that he would meet me the next day.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option D

Explanation:
'Will' changes to 'would'. 'Tomorrow' changes to 'the next day'. 'You' changes to 'me'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #14

Share Report

They said, 'We are going to the cinema tonight.'

A. They said that they are going to the cinema tonight.

B. They said that they were going to the cinema that night.

C. They said that they are going to the cinema that night.

D. They said that they were going to the cinema tonight.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option B

Explanation:
'Tonight' changes to 'that night'. Present continuous changes to past continuous.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #15

Share Report

He said, 'I have been living here for five years.'

A. He said that he had been living there for five years.

B. He said that he had been living here for five years.

C. He said that he has been living here for five years.

D. He said that he has been living there for five years.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
Present perfect continuous changes to past perfect continuous. 'Here' changes to 'there'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #16

Share Report

She said, 'I must go now.'

A. She said that she had to go now.

B. She said that she must go then.

C. She said that she had to go then.

D. She said that she must go now.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option C

Explanation:
'Must' changes to 'had to'. 'Now' changes to 'then'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #17

Share Report

Ravi said, 'I was working on this project.'

A. Ravi said that he had been working on that project.

B. Ravi said that he was working on that project.

C. Ravi said that he had been working on this project.

D. Ravi said that he worked on that project.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
Past continuous changes to past perfect continuous. 'This' changes to 'that'.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #18

Share Report

The manager said, 'You are late today.'

A. The manager said to me that you are late today.

B. The manager told me that I was late that day.

C. The manager said that I am late today.

D. The manager told me that I am late that day.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option B

Explanation:
'Said to' changes to 'told'. Pronoun 'you' changes to 'I'. 'Today' changes to 'that day'. Present tense changes to past.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #19

Share Report

She said to her brother, 'Don't make a noise.'

A. She told her brother not to make a noise.

B. She forbade her brother to make a noise.

C. She forbade her brother from making a noise.

D. She said to her brother don't make a noise.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation:
Negative imperative is correctly reported as 'told + object + not + to-infinitive'. While 'forbade' is also used, its structure is 'forbade + object + to-infinitive' (without 'not'), so option A is incorrect.

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Question #20

Share Report

He said, 'I did not understand the question.'

A. He said that he doesn't understand the question.

B. He said that he has not understood the question.

C. He said that he did not understand the question.

D. He said that he had not understood the question.

View Answer & Solution Discuss

Get Complete Subject PDF for English

Correct Answer: Option D

Explanation:
Simple past negative changes to past perfect negative ('had not understood').

This question belongs to: English Direct Indirect Speech

Direct Indirect Speech MCQs

Practice Questions

More English Topics