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English Direct and Indirect Speech Aptitude MCQs

This section provides a set of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on English Direct and Indirect Speech, covering rules, usage, and common errors. Each question includes four answer choices, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation to help you understand the concepts and improve your accuracy. Whether you are preparing for exams or refining your grammar skills, these Direct and Indirect Speech practice questions will enhance your understanding and mastery of reported speech.

List of English Direct and Indirect Speech Aptitude MCQs

Here is a list of the top English Direct and Indirect Speech Aptitude MCQs to test and improve skills:

1. Choose the correct indirect speech for: He said, "I am very tired."

  1. He said that he was very tired.
  2. He said that he is very tired.
  3. He said that he will be very tired.
  4. He said that he had been very tired.

Answer: A) He said that he was very tired.

Explanation:

In indirect speech, the present tense "am" changes to past tense "was" when reporting a statement.

2. Identify the correct direct speech for: She said that she had finished her work.

  1. She said, "I finished my work."
  2. She said, "I have finished my work."
  3. She said, "I had finished my work."
  4. She said, "I will finish my work."

Answer: C) She said, "I had finished my work."

Explanation:

When converting indirect to direct speech, "had finished" remains unchanged as it is already in past perfect tense.

3. Change to indirect speech: He said, "I will go to the market."

  1. He said that he is going to the market.
  2. He said that he was going to the market.
  3. He said that he would go to the market.
  4. He said that he had gone to the market.

Answer: C) He said that he would go to the market.

Explanation:

The future tense "will" changes to "would" in indirect speech.

4. Convert into indirect speech: She said, "I can solve this problem."

  1. She said that she could solve that problem.
  2. She said that she can solve that problem.
  3. She said that she will solve this problem.
  4. She said that she had solved this problem.

Answer: A) She said that she could solve that problem.

Explanation:

The modal verb "can" changes to "could" in indirect speech, and "this" changes to "that."

5. Choose the correct indirect speech: He said, "I am reading a book."

  1. He said that he is reading a book.
  2. He said that he was reading a book.
  3. He said that he had read a book.
  4. He said that he will read a book.

Answer: B) He said that he was reading a book.

Explanation:

The present continuous "am reading" changes to past continuous "was reading" in indirect speech.

6. Convert to direct speech: She said that she would call me later.

  1. She said, "I will call you later."
  2. She said, "I would call you later."
  3. She said, "I have called you later."
  4. She said, "I had called you later."

Answer: A) She said, "I will call you later."

Explanation:

In direct speech, "would" changes back to "will" when the reporting verb is in past tense.

7. Convert into indirect speech: The teacher said, "Honesty is the best policy."

  1. The teacher said that honesty was the best policy.
  2. The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.
  3. The teacher said honesty is best policy.
  4. The teacher said honesty was best policy.

Answer: B) The teacher said that honesty is the best policy.

Explanation:

General truths remain in the present tense in indirect speech.

8. Convert into indirect speech: John said, "I may visit my grandmother tomorrow."

  1. John said that he may visit his grandmother the next day.
  2. John said that he might visit his grandmother tomorrow.
  3. John said that he might visit his grandmother the next day.
  4. John said that he had visited his grandmother the next day.

Answer: C) John said that he might visit his grandmother the next day.

Explanation:

The modal verb "may" changes to "might," and "tomorrow" changes to "the next day" in indirect speech.

9. Choose the correct indirect speech: She said, "Where do you live?"

  1. She asked me where I lived.
  2. She asked me where do I live.
  3. She asked me where I live.
  4. She asked me where I was living.

Answer: A) She asked me where I lived.

Explanation:

In indirect speech, the question form changes to a statement, and "do live" changes to "lived."

10. Convert into indirect speech: He said, "I have completed my homework."

  1. He said that he had completed his homework.
  2. He said that he has completed his homework.
  3. He said that he completed his homework.
  4. He said that he was completing his homework.

Answer: A) He said that he had completed his homework.

Explanation:

The present perfect "have completed" changes to past perfect "had completed" in indirect speech.

11. Convert into indirect speech: He said, "I must finish my work."

  1. He said that he has to finish his work.
  2. He said that he had to finish his work.
  3. He said that he must finish his work.
  4. He said that he finished his work.

Answer: B) He said that he had to finish his work.

Explanation:

The modal verb "must" usually changes to "had to" in indirect speech.

12. Convert into indirect speech: She said, "I was sleeping when you called."

  1. She said that she had been sleeping when I called.
  2. She said that she was sleeping when I called.
  3. She said that she is sleeping when I called.
  4. She said that she had slept when I called.

Answer: A) She said that she had been sleeping when I called.

Explanation:

The past continuous "was sleeping" changes to past perfect continuous "had been sleeping" in indirect speech.

13. Convert into indirect speech: Tom said, "I will help you."

  1. Tom said that he will help me.
  2. Tom said that he would help me.
  3. Tom said that he can help me.
  4. Tom said that he helps me.

Answer: B) Tom said that he would help me.

Explanation:

The future tense "will" changes to "would" in indirect speech.

14. Choose the correct indirect speech: She said, "Do you like ice cream?"

  1. She asked me do I like ice cream.
  2. She asked me that if I liked ice cream.
  3. She asked me whether I liked ice cream.
  4. She asked me if I like ice cream.

Answer: C) She asked me whether I liked ice cream.

Explanation:

In indirect speech, questions are reported with "asked" and "do like" changes to "liked."

15. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "Let’s go for a walk."

  1. He suggested that we go for a walk.
  2. He said that we should go for a walk.
  3. He told that we go for a walk.
  4. He ordered that we should go for a walk.

Answer: A) He suggested that we go for a walk.

Explanation:

"Let's" in direct speech is usually changed to "suggested that" in indirect speech.

16. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "Shut the door!"

  1. She said to shut the door.
  2. She told me to shut the door.
  3. She asked me to shut the door.
  4. She said me to shut the door.

Answer: B) She told me to shut the door.

Explanation:

Commands and requests are reported using "told" or "asked" followed by "to" + verb.

17. Convert into indirect speech: They said, "We are watching a movie."

  1. They said that they were watching a movie.
  2. They said that they are watching a movie.
  3. They said that they had watched a movie.
  4. They said that they watch a movie.

Answer: A) They said that they were watching a movie.

Explanation:

The present continuous "are watching" changes to past continuous "were watching" in indirect speech.

18. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I saw a lion in the jungle."

  1. He said that he saw a lion in the jungle.
  2. He said that he had seen a lion in the jungle.
  3. He said that he has seen a lion in the jungle.
  4. He said that he sees a lion in the jungle.

Answer: B) He said that he had seen a lion in the jungle.

Explanation:

The past simple "saw" changes to past perfect "had seen" in indirect speech.

19. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I don’t know the answer."

  1. He said that he didn’t know the answer.
  2. He said that he doesn’t know the answer.
  3. He said that he knows the answer.
  4. He said that he hadn’t known the answer.

Answer: A) He said that he didn’t know the answer.

Explanation:

The present simple "don’t know" changes to past simple "didn’t know" in indirect speech.

20. Convert into indirect speech: She asked, "Why are you late?"

  1. She asked why I am late.
  2. She asked why I was late.
  3. She asked that why I was late.
  4. She asked me that why I am late.

Answer: B) She asked why I was late.

Explanation:

Questions in indirect speech do not use question marks, and "are" changes to "was."

21. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I have finished my homework."

  1. He said that he has finished his homework.
  2. He said that he had finished his homework.
  3. He said that he finishes his homework.
  4. He said that he is finishing his homework.

Answer: B) He said that he had finished his homework.

Explanation:

The present perfect "have finished" changes to past perfect "had finished" in indirect speech.

22. Convert to indirect speech: She asked, "Did you complete the assignment?"

  1. She asked me if I completed the assignment.
  2. She asked me if I had completed the assignment.
  3. She asked me if I complete the assignment.
  4. She asked me if I was completing the assignment.

Answer: B) She asked me if I had completed the assignment.

Explanation:

The past simple "did complete" changes to past perfect "had completed" in indirect speech.

23. Convert to indirect speech: The teacher said, "Do your homework."

  1. The teacher said me to do my homework.
  2. The teacher asked me to do my homework.
  3. The teacher told me to do my homework.
  4. The teacher ordered me to do my homework.

Answer: C) The teacher told me to do my homework.

Explanation:

In indirect speech, commands use "told" followed by "to" + verb.

24. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "I may go to the party."

  1. She said that she may go to the party.
  2. She said that she might go to the party.
  3. She said that she will go to the party.
  4. She said that she could go to the party.

Answer: B) She said that she might go to the party.

Explanation:

"May" changes to "might" in indirect speech.

25. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I will call you tomorrow."

  1. He said that he would call me the next day.
  2. He said that he will call me tomorrow.
  3. He said that he calls me the next day.
  4. He said that he would call me tomorrow.

Answer: A) He said that he would call me the next day.

Explanation:

"Will" changes to "would," and "tomorrow" changes to "the next day" in indirect speech.

26. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "I was reading a book."

  1. She said that she has been reading a book.
  2. She said that she had been reading a book.
  3. She said that she read a book.
  4. She said that she was reading a book.

Answer: B) She said that she had been reading a book.

Explanation:

Past continuous "was reading" changes to past perfect continuous "had been reading" in indirect speech.

27. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I can solve this problem."

  1. He said that he could solve that problem.
  2. He said that he can solve that problem.
  3. He said that he solved that problem.
  4. He said that he is solving that problem.

Answer: A) He said that he could solve that problem.

Explanation:

"Can" changes to "could" in indirect speech.

28. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "I don’t like spicy food."

  1. She said that she didn't like spicy food.
  2. She said that she doesn't like spicy food.
  3. She said that she likes spicy food.
  4. She said that she hadn’t liked spicy food.

Answer: A) She said that she didn't like spicy food.

Explanation:

Present simple "don’t like" changes to past simple "didn’t like" in indirect speech.

29. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I must complete this task."

  1. He said that he has to complete this task.
  2. He said that he had to complete that task.
  3. He said that he must complete this task.
  4. He said that he is completing this task.

Answer: B) He said that he had to complete that task.

Explanation:

"Must" changes to "had to," and "this" changes to "that" in indirect speech.

30. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "Where have you been?"

  1. She asked me where I have been.
  2. She asked me where I was.
  3. She asked me where I had been.
  4. She asked me where I am.

Answer: C) She asked me where I had been.

Explanation:

Present perfect "have been" changes to past perfect "had been" in indirect speech.

31. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I am going to the market."

  1. He said that he is going to the market.
  2. He said that he was going to the market.
  3. He said that he has gone to the market.
  4. He said that he had gone to the market.

Answer: B) He said that he was going to the market.

Explanation:

Present continuous "am going" changes to past continuous "was going" in indirect speech.

32. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "I had already eaten."

  1. She said that she had already eaten.
  2. She said that she has already eaten.
  3. She said that she ate already.
  4. She said that she was eating already.

Answer: A) She said that she had already eaten.

Explanation:

Past perfect remains the same in indirect speech.

33. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "I will help you with your work."

  1. He said that he will help me with my work.
  2. He said that he would help me with my work.
  3. He said that he is helping me with my work.
  4. He said that he was helping me with my work.

Answer: B) He said that he would help me with my work.

Explanation:

"Will" changes to "would" in indirect speech.

34. Convert to indirect speech: She said, "I must submit this report today."

  1. She said that she must submit that report that day.
  2. She said that she had to submit that report that day.
  3. She said that she must submit this report today.
  4. She said that she is submitting that report that day.

Answer: B) She said that she had to submit that report that day.

Explanation:

"Must" changes to "had to," "this" changes to "that," and "today" changes to "that day."

35. Convert to indirect speech: He said, "Don't be late."

  1. He said not to be late.
  2. He told me not to be late.
  3. He asked me not to be late.
  4. He warned me not to be late.

Answer: B) He told me not to be late.

Explanation:

Negative imperatives in indirect speech use "told" + "not to" + verb.

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