Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration) MCQs

Solved English MCQs on changing direct speech to indirect speech: tense changes, pronouns, time words, questions, commands and exclamations.

1. 1

   Change into indirect speech: He said, "I am busy."

   AHe said that he has been busy.BHe said that I am busy.CHe said that he was busy.DHe said that he is busy.

   Correct answer: C. He said that he was busy.

   With a past reporting verb (said), the present tense moves back to the past (am → was), and "I" becomes "he".

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2. 2

   Change into indirect speech: She said, "I will come tomorrow."

   AShe said that I would come tomorrow.BShe said that she came the next day.CShe said that she would come the next day.DShe said that she will come tomorrow.

   Correct answer: C. She said that she would come the next day.

   "Will" becomes "would", and "tomorrow" becomes "the next day".

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3. 3

   Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Where do you live?"

   AHe asked me where did I live.BHe asked me where I lived.CHe asked me where do I live.DHe told me where I lived.

   Correct answer: B. He asked me where I lived.

   Questions become statements in indirect speech (no question word order), and "said to" becomes "asked".

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4. 4

   Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Are you ready?"

   AHe asked me that I was ready.BHe asked me was I ready.CHe said me if I am ready.DHe asked me if I was ready.

   Correct answer: D. He asked me if I was ready.

   Yes/no questions are reported with "if" or "whether": "He asked me if I was ready."

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5. 5

   Change into indirect speech: The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun."

   AThe teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.BThe teacher said that the earth had moved round the sun.CThe teacher told that the earth is moving round the sun.DThe teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

   Correct answer: D. The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.

   Universal truths keep their present tense in indirect speech.

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6. 6

   Change into indirect speech: He said, "I have finished my work."

   AHe said that he finished his work.BHe said that he had finished his work.CHe said that I had finished my work.DHe said that he has finished his work.

   Correct answer: B. He said that he had finished his work.

   Present perfect (have finished) becomes past perfect (had finished).

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7. 7

   Change into indirect speech: She said to him, "Please help me."

   AShe ordered him to help her.BShe said him to help me.CShe requested him to help her.DShe told him that please help her.

   Correct answer: C. She requested him to help her.

   Polite requests with "please" are reported with "requested" + to-infinitive.

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8. 8

   Change into indirect speech: Father said to me, "Work hard."

   AFather advised me that I work hard.BFather advised me to work hard.CFather asked me if I worked hard.DFather said me work hard.

   Correct answer: B. Father advised me to work hard.

   Advice and commands are reported with a verb like advised/ordered + object + to-infinitive.

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9. 9

   Change into indirect speech: The officer said to the soldiers, "Stand still."

   AThe officer ordered the soldiers to stand still.BThe officer said the soldiers to stood still.CThe officer requested the soldiers stand still.DThe officer asked the soldiers if they stood still.

   Correct answer: A. The officer ordered the soldiers to stand still.

   A firm command is reported with "ordered" + object + to-infinitive.

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10. 10

    Change into indirect speech: He said, "Alas! I have failed."

    AHe exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed.BHe asked if he had failed.CHe said alas that he failed.DHe exclaimed with joy that he had failed.

    Correct answer: A. He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed.

    Exclamations are reported with "exclaimed with sorrow/joy" and the interjection is dropped.

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12. 11

    Change into indirect speech: She said, "I am reading a book."

    AShe said that she is reading a book.BShe said that she was reading a book.CShe said that she has read a book.DShe said that she reads a book.

    Correct answer: B. She said that she was reading a book.

    Present continuous (am reading) becomes past continuous (was reading).

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13. 12

    In indirect speech, the word "now" usually changes to:

    ALaterBTodayCSoonDThen

    Correct answer: D. Then

    Time and place words shift: now → then, here → there, today → that day.

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14. 13

    In indirect speech, "yesterday" usually changes to:

    AThat dayBThe previous dayCTodayDThe next day

    Correct answer: B. The previous day

    "Yesterday" becomes "the previous day" (or "the day before"), and "tomorrow" becomes "the next day".

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15. 14

    In indirect speech, "here" usually changes to:

    AThereBHenceCNearDWhere

    Correct answer: A. There

    Words of nearness change to words of distance: here → there, this → that, these → those.

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16. 15

    In indirect speech with a past reporting verb, "can" changes to:

    ACanBMayCCouldDShould

    Correct answer: C. Could

    Modals move back: can → could, will → would, may → might, shall → should.

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17. 16

    Change into indirect speech: He said, "I may go to Lahore."

    AHe said that he might go to Lahore.BHe said that he may go to Lahore.CHe said that he could go to Lahore.DHe said that I might go to Lahore.

    Correct answer: A. He said that he might go to Lahore.

    "May" becomes "might" after a past reporting verb.

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18. 17

    Change into indirect speech: Ahmed said, "I bought this car last year."

    AAhmed said that he has bought that car last year.BAhmed said that I had bought that car the previous year.CAhmed said that he bought this car last year.DAhmed said that he had bought that car the previous year.

    Correct answer: D. Ahmed said that he had bought that car the previous year.

    Simple past becomes past perfect, "this" becomes "that" and "last year" becomes "the previous year".

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19. 18

    If the reporting verb is in the present tense, as in "He says, 'I am tired'," the indirect speech is:

    AHe says that he is tired.BHe said that he was tired.CHe says that he had been tired.DHe says that he was tired.

    Correct answer: A. He says that he is tired.

    When the reporting verb is in the present (says), the tense inside the reported speech does not change.

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20. 19

    Change into indirect speech: She said to me, "Don't make a noise."

    AShe asked me that I don't make a noise.BShe told me to not making a noise.CShe told me not to make a noise.DShe told me don't make a noise.

    Correct answer: C. She told me not to make a noise.

    Negative commands use "told/ordered + object + not to + verb".

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21. 20

    Change into indirect speech: He said, "What a beautiful view it is!"

    AHe said what a beautiful view it is.BHe asked what a beautiful view it was.CHe exclaimed with sorrow that it was a beautiful view.DHe exclaimed that it was a very beautiful view.

    Correct answer: D. He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful view.

    Exclamations of wonder become statements with "exclaimed that" and "very" in place of "what a".

    hardShow answer