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Direct and Indirect Speech MCQ for Bank exams

MCQ Direct and Indirect Speech
  1. They said, “Madam, the time is over.”
    A. They said respectfully that the time was over.
    B. They respectfully said, Madam the time was over.
    C. They said with respect that the time was over
    D. It was said that the time was over respectfully.

Answer: A
The direct speech is in present tense, it should thus be converted into past tense. “Is” will therefore change into “was”. We need not mention the word “madam” here.
  1. He says that he wants to buy that pen.
    A. He said, “He wants to buy this pen”.
    B. He says, “He wants to buy this pen”.
    C. He says, “He wants to buy that pen”
    D. He said, “He wants to buy that pen”.

Answer: B
If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech. This verb could be in any tense i.e. present , past, or future. Thus the sentence within quotes will remain as it is, and “says” will remain “says”. Only change here would be “this” to “that”.
  1. She says, “I shall go to Bombay”
    A. She says that she will go to Bombay
    B. That she will go to Bombay was said by her
    C. She said that she will go to Bombay
    D. Bombay will be gone to by her.

Answer: A
If the reporting speech is in present tense or future tense, then no change is required to be made in the verb of reported speech. This verb could be in any tense i.e. present , past, or future. Thus the sentence within quotes will remain as it is, and “says” will remain “says”. Here, “shall” is changed into “will”.
  1. Teacher said to the students, “The sun rises in the East.”
    A. Teacher said that the Sun rises in the East.
    B. Teacher told the students that the sun rose in the East.
    C. Teacher told the students that the sun rises in the East.
    D. The students were told by the teacher that they rise in the East.

Answer: C
If the reporting speech is a universal truth, the tense of the reported speech remains unchanged. Here the universal truth is : “the sun rises in the East”. Thus, this part of the sentence will remain as it is.
  1. He said to me, “While she was eating, he was playing.”
    A. He told me that while she was eating, he was playing.
    B. He said that she was eating while he was playing.
    C. It was said by him that, while she was eating he was playing.
    D. I was told by him that she had been eating while he had been playing.

Answer: A
When the reported speech is reported in past tense, then the indirect speech will have the same tense.
  1. She said that she was going to the market that day.
    A. She said that, “I am going to the market today.”
    B. She said, “I am going to the market that day.”
    C. She said, “I am going to the market this day.”
    D. She said, “I am going to the market today.”

Answer: D
If the reporting verb is in present tense, then reported verb will be changed as per the following criterion, i.e. present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense. Here, “today” will change into “that day”.
  1. He said he was going to call Maria.
    A. He said, “I am going to call Maria.”
    B. He said that, “I am going to call Maria.”
    C. He said, “I was going to call Maria.”
    D. He said, “I had called Maria.”

Answer: A
If the reporting verb is in present tense, then reported verb will be changed as per the following criterion, i.e. present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense.
  1. She said, “I can help you tomorrow.”
    A. She said that she could help me tomorrow.
    B. She said that she would help me the next day.
    C. She said that she could help me the next day.
    D. She said that she will help me tomorrow.

Answer: C
If the reporting verb is in present tense, then reported verb will be changed as per the following criterion, i.e. present indefinite tense is changed into past indefinite tense. Here, “tomorrow” will change into “the next day”.
  1. Radhika said, “I am very busy now.”
    A. Radhika said that she was very busy then.
    B. Radhika said that she had been very busy then.
    C. Radhika said that she was very busy.
    D. Radhika said that she had been very busy.

Answer: A
If the direct speech is in simple present tense, then it changes to simple past tense. The word “now” will change into “then”.
  1. “I am reading a novel”, he explained.
    A. He explained that he was reading a novel.
    B. He explained that he had been reading a novel.
    C. He explained that he is reading novel.
    D. He said that he was reading a novel.


Answer: A
If the direct speech is in simple present tense, then it changes to simple pa