About this quiz
54 questions covering every section of the note on direct and indirect speech, including reporting verbs, tense backshift, pronoun and time word changes, statements, questions, commands, exclamations, exceptions and worked examples.
This Lok Sewa practice set has 54 multiple-choice questions (Subject: English · For: Kharidar, Nayab Subba, Section Officer · Level: Medium). Take the quiz above first; after that, use the study list below to revise every question with its correct answer and a short explanation.
Study list: all 54 questions with answers and explanations
In the sentence: Sita said to me, "I like your song." which words are the reporting verb?
- A) I like
- B) your song
- C) said to ✔
- D) Sita
Why: The reporting verb is the verb that introduces the speech, here said to.
Which sentence is correct?
- A) She told that she was busy.
- B) She said me that she was busy.
- C) She told to me that she was busy.
- D) She told me that she was busy. ✔
Why: Told must have an object (me) and takes no to before it; said is used without an object.
Which reporting verb is used in indirect speech for a request?
- A) requested ✔
- B) exclaimed
- C) enquired
- D) suggested
Why: Requests are reported with requested; exclaimed is for exclamations, enquired for questions and suggested for let's.
Change into indirect speech: Bina said, "I am reading a novel."
- A) Bina said that she is reading a novel.
- B) Bina said that she was reading a novel. ✔
- C) Bina said that she had read a novel.
- D) Bina said that she has been reading a novel.
Why: With a past reporting verb, the present continuous (am reading) becomes the past continuous (was reading).
In indirect speech with a past reporting verb, the past simple "I wrote" becomes:
- A) he wrote
- B) he was writing
- C) he has written
- D) he had written ✔
Why: The past simple moves back to the past perfect.
With a past reporting verb, which change is correct?
- A) can becomes could ✔
- B) may becomes must
- C) will becomes shall
- D) could becomes can
Why: Can becomes could, may becomes might, and will becomes would.
Which tense does NOT change in indirect speech, even when the reporting verb is in the past?
- A) Present simple
- B) Past simple
- C) Past perfect ✔
- D) Present perfect
Why: The past perfect has no tense further back, so it stays the same.
Change into indirect speech: Ramesh said to Gita, "I will help you."
- A) Ramesh told Gita that I would help you.
- B) Ramesh told Gita that he would help her. ✔
- C) Ramesh told Gita that she would help him.
- D) Ramesh told Gita that he will help you.
Why: I follows the subject (Ramesh, so he), you follows the object (Gita, so her), and will becomes would.
In indirect speech, "tomorrow" usually changes to:
- A) the previous day
- B) that day
- C) the next day ✔
- D) yesterday
Why: Tomorrow becomes the next day or the following day.
In indirect speech, "ago" changes to:
- A) before ✔
- B) after
- C) then
- D) later
Why: Ago becomes before, just as now becomes then.
Change into indirect speech: Kiran said, "I came here yesterday."
- A) Kiran said that he came here yesterday.
- B) Kiran said that he has come there yesterday.
- C) Kiran said that he had come here the next day.
- D) Kiran said that he had come there the previous day. ✔
Why: Past simple becomes past perfect, here becomes there and yesterday becomes the previous day.
Change into indirect speech: The officer said to us, "You have done well."
- A) The officer told us that we had done well. ✔
- B) The officer told us that you had done well.
- C) The officer said us that we have done well.
- D) The officer told us that they did well.
Why: You follows the object (us, so we), and the present perfect becomes the past perfect.
Change into indirect speech: Mohan said to me, "Are you ready?"
- A) Mohan asked me that I was ready.
- B) Mohan asked me are you ready.
- C) Mohan asked me if I was ready. ✔
- D) Mohan told me that was I ready.
Why: A yes/no question is joined with if or whether, and the subject comes before the verb.
Which joining word is used when reporting a yes/no question?
- A) that
- B) whether ✔
- C) what
- D) because
Why: Yes/no questions are joined with if or whether; that is used for statements.
Change into indirect speech: Puja said to me, "Where do you live?"
- A) Puja asked me where did I live.
- B) Puja asked me that where I lived.
- C) Puja asked me if where I lived.
- D) Puja asked me where I lived. ✔
Why: The wh-word is kept, do is removed, the subject comes before the verb, and no that or if is added.
Change into indirect speech: He said to Bimal, "Why are you late?"
- A) He asked Bimal why he was late. ✔
- B) He asked Bimal why was he late.
- C) He asked Bimal why are you late.
- D) He told Bimal that why he was late.
Why: In an indirect question the subject comes before the verb (he was), and are becomes was.
Change into indirect speech: The captain said to the soldiers, "Stand up."
- A) The captain ordered the soldiers that they stand up.
- B) The captain ordered the soldiers to stand up. ✔
- C) The captain asked the soldiers if they stood up.
- D) The captain ordered to the soldiers stand up.
Why: Commands use reporting verb plus object plus to-infinitive.
Change into indirect speech: Rina said to her brother, "Please lend me your bicycle."
- A) Rina requested her brother to lend her his bicycle. ✔
- B) Rina requested her brother please to lend me your bicycle.
- C) Rina ordered her brother that he lend her his bicycle.
- D) Rina requested her brother to lend me his bicycle.
Why: A request uses requested plus object plus to-infinitive; please is dropped, me becomes her and your becomes his.
Change into indirect speech: The teacher said to the boys, "Do not make a noise."
- A) The teacher told the boys do not make a noise.
- B) The teacher told the boys to not making a noise.
- C) The teacher told the boys not to make a noise. ✔
- D) The teacher told the boys that not make a noise.
Why: Negative commands are reported with not to plus the base verb.
Change into indirect speech: Suman said, "Let's go to Lumbini."
- A) Suman ordered them to go to Lumbini.
- B) Suman asked if they went to Lumbini.
- C) Suman told that let them go to Lumbini.
- D) Suman suggested that they should go to Lumbini. ✔
Why: Sentences beginning with let's are reported with suggested or proposed that ... should.
Change into indirect speech: Gita said, "Hurrah! We have won the match."
- A) Gita exclaimed with sorrow that they had won the match.
- B) Gita exclaimed with joy that they had won the match. ✔
- C) Gita said hurrah that we have won the match.
- D) Gita asked with joy if they had won the match.
Why: Hurrah shows joy, so exclaimed with joy is used, we becomes they, and have won becomes had won.
Change into indirect speech: Mina said, "What a beautiful lake Rara is!"
- A) Mina asked what a beautiful lake Rara was.
- B) Mina exclaimed what a beautiful lake is Rara.
- C) Mina exclaimed that Rara was a very beautiful lake. ✔
- D) Mina told that Rara is beautiful lake.
Why: An exclamation becomes a statement with exclaimed that, and what a becomes very.
Change into indirect speech: Hari says, "I am busy."
- A) Hari says that he is busy. ✔
- B) Hari says that he was busy.
- C) Hari said that he was busy.
- D) Hari says that I am busy.
Why: When the reporting verb is in the present tense (says), the tense of the reported speech does not change.
Change into indirect speech: The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun."
- A) The teacher said that the earth moved round the sun.
- B) The teacher said that the earth had moved round the sun.
- C) The teacher said that the earth was moving round the sun.
- D) The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun. ✔
Why: Universal truths and scientific facts keep their tense in indirect speech.
Change into indirect speech: Deepak said to Laxmi, "What are you cooking now?"
- A) Deepak asked Laxmi what was she cooking now.
- B) Deepak asked Laxmi what she was cooking then. ✔
- C) Deepak asked Laxmi if she was cooking then.
- D) Deepak told Laxmi that what she is cooking now.
Why: The wh-word is kept, the subject comes before the verb, are becomes was and now becomes then.
He said, "I am busy." (Indirect)
- A) He said that he was busy. ✔
- B) He said that I am busy.
- C) He said that he is busy now.
- D) He told that he was busy.
Why: Present becomes past and I becomes he.
She said, "I will come tomorrow."
- A) She said that she will come tomorrow.
- B) She said that she would come the next day. ✔
- C) She said that I would come tomorrow.
- D) She told that she would come tomorrow.
Why: will → would; tomorrow → the next day.
Ram said to me, "Open the window."
- A) Ram said me to open the window.
- B) Ram told me that open the window.
- C) Ram told me to open the window. ✔
- D) Ram asked me that I open the window.
Why: Commands use told/ordered + to + verb.
He said to her, "Are you ready?"
- A) He asked her are you ready.
- B) He said to her that she is ready.
- C) He asked her whether was she ready.
- D) He asked her if she was ready. ✔
Why: Yes/no questions use if/whether with statement word order.
She said, "Where do you live?"
- A) She asked where I lived. ✔
- B) She asked where do I live.
- C) She said where I live.
- D) She asked that where I lived.
Why: Wh- questions keep the wh-word, no do, tense moves back.
The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun."
- A) The teacher said that the earth moved round the sun yesterday.
- B) The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun. ✔
- C) The teacher said the earth had moved round the sun.
- D) The teacher told that the earth moves round the sun.
Why: Universal truths keep the present tense.
He said, "I have finished my work."
- A) He said that he has finished my work.
- B) He said that he finished his work now.
- C) He said that he had finished his work. ✔
- D) He says that he had finished his work.
Why: Present perfect becomes past perfect.
She said, "I saw him yesterday."
- A) She said that she saw him yesterday.
- B) She said that she has seen him the day before.
- C) She told she had seen him yesterday.
- D) She said that she had seen him the day before. ✔
Why: Past simple → past perfect; yesterday → the day before.
"Please help me," she said to him.
- A) She requested him to help her. ✔
- B) She ordered him to help me.
- C) She said him please help her.
- D) She requested that he helps me.
Why: Polite requests use requested + to.
He said, "Don't make noise."
- A) He told us to not making noise.
- B) He told us not to make noise. ✔
- C) He said us don't make noise.
- D) He told that we don't make noise.
Why: Negative commands: told + not to.
She said, "What a beautiful day!"
- A) She said what a beautiful day it is.
- B) She asked what a beautiful day.
- C) She exclaimed that it was a beautiful day. ✔
- D) She told it is a beautiful day.
Why: Exclamations become exclaimed that.
He said, "Let's go home."
- A) He told let us go home.
- B) He said that let's go home.
- C) He ordered to go home.
- D) He suggested that we should go home. ✔
Why: Let's → suggested/proposed that we should.
In indirect speech, "here" changes to:
- A) there ✔
- B) this
- C) now
- D) that day
Why: Here → there.
In indirect speech, "now" changes to:
- A) there
- B) then ✔
- C) that
- D) today
Why: Now → then.
In indirect speech, "this" usually changes to:
- A) these
- B) those
- C) that ✔
- D) it
Why: This → that.
In indirect speech, "can" changes to:
- A) could ✔
- B) would
- C) might
- D) should
Why: Can → could.
In indirect speech, "may" changes to:
- A) could
- B) might ✔
- C) would
- D) must
Why: May → might.
He said, "I am reading a book."
- A) He said that he is reading a book.
- B) He said that he had read a book.
- C) He said that he was reading a book. ✔
- D) He said that I was reading a book.
Why: Present continuous → past continuous.
She asked me, "Did you call him?"
- A) She asked me did I call him.
- B) She asked me if I called him now.
- C) She asked that I had called him.
- D) She asked me if I had called him. ✔
Why: Past simple question → if + past perfect.
Father said, "Work hard."
- A) Father advised me to work hard. ✔
- B) Father said me work hard.
- C) Father advised that work hard.
- D) Father told work hard.
Why: Advice → advised + to.
He said, "I must go now."
- A) He said that he must go now.
- B) He said that he had to go then. ✔
- C) He said that I had to go then.
- D) He told that he must went then.
Why: Must (obligation) → had to; now → then.
The direct speech of "He asked me what my name was" is:
- A) He said, "What was my name?"
- B) He asked, "What is my name?"
- C) He said to me, "What is your name?" ✔
- D) He said to me, "What my name is?"
Why: Reverse the changes made in indirect speech.
Reporting verb "said to" for a question changes to:
- A) told
- B) ordered
- C) exclaimed
- D) asked ✔
Why: Questions are reported with asked.
Reporting verb "said to" for a statement usually changes to:
- A) told ✔
- B) asked
- C) requested
- D) exclaimed
Why: Statements to a listener use told.
"I will help you," he said to me.
- A) He told me that I would help you.
- B) He told me that he would help me. ✔
- C) He said me he will help me.
- D) He asked me that he would help me.
Why: will → would; pronouns change to fit the speaker.
She said, "I was ill."
- A) She said that she was being ill.
- B) She said that she is ill.
- C) She said that she had been ill. ✔
- D) She said that I had been ill.
Why: Was → had been.
He said, "Good morning, sir."
- A) He said good morning sir to him.
- B) He told good morning to sir.
- C) He asked good morning to sir.
- D) He wished the officer good morning. ✔
Why: Greetings are reported with wished.
In indirect speech, "tomorrow" becomes:
- A) the next day ✔
- B) yesterday
- C) the previous day
- D) that day
Why: Tomorrow → the next/following day.
In indirect speech, "last week" becomes:
- A) next week
- B) the previous week ✔
- C) that week
- D) this week
Why: Last week → the week before / the previous week.