Direct/Indirect Speech

JKSSB Junior Engineer (Mechanical) · English · 77 practice questions with answers and explanations: 40 Easy, 36 Medium, 1 Hard.

Sample questions

Sample Easy question 1

Change to indirect speech: The boy said, "I can swim."

  1. The boy said that he can swim.
  2. The boy said that he would swim.
  3. The boy said that he could swim.
  4. The boy said that I could swim.
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Answer: C. 'Can' → 'could'.

Sample Easy question 2

Change to indirect speech: He said to me, "Close the door."

  1. He asked me that I close the door.
  2. He told me that close the door.
  3. He said me to close the door.
  4. He ordered me to close the door.
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Answer: D. A command is reported with 'ordered/told + object + to + verb'.

Sample Easy question 3

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

  1. She requested that he helped me.
  2. She said him please to help her.
  3. She requested him to help her.
  4. She ordered him to help her.
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Answer: C. A polite request uses 'requested + object + to + verb'.

Sample Medium question 4

Change to indirect speech: He said, "I met her here yesterday."

  1. He said that he had met her there yesterday.
  2. He said that he met her here yesterday.
  3. He said that he had met her here the day before.
  4. He said that he had met her there the day before.
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Answer: D. 'Here' → 'there'; 'yesterday' → 'the day before'; simple past → past perfect.

Sample Medium question 5

Change to indirect speech: She said, "I shall come back today."

  1. She said that she should come back that day.
  2. She said that she would come back that day.
  3. She said that she would come back today.
  4. She said that she will come back today.
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Answer: B. 'Shall' → 'would'; 'today' → 'that day'.

Sample Medium question 6

Change to indirect speech: Mohan said, "My sister is getting married next month."

  1. Mohan said that his sister had been getting married the following month.
  2. Mohan said that my sister was getting married next month.
  3. Mohan said that his sister was getting married the following month.
  4. Mohan said that his sister is getting married the next month.
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Answer: C. 'My' → 'his'; 'next month' → 'the following month'.

Sample Hard question 7

Change to indirect speech: The lawyer said, "If the accused had been careful, he would have escaped."

  1. The lawyer said that if the accused had been careful, he would have escaped.
  2. The lawyer said that if the accused has been careful, he would have escaped.
  3. The lawyer said that if the accused was careful, he would escape.
  4. The lawyer said that if the accused had been careful, he will have escaped.
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Answer: A. A past unreal condition (past perfect) is already as far back as it goes and stays unchanged.

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