Direct & Indirect Speech — Set 10
Questions 91–100 of 140
"I have already informed them about this," she said. Convert to indirect.
Correct Answer: B. She said she had already informed them about that
Present perfect 'have informed' changes to past perfect 'had informed'. The demonstrative 'this' changes to 'that'. The adverb 'already' remains unchanged. The correct form is 'She said she had already informed them about that'.
Convert: "I haven't made up my mind yet," he said.
Correct Answer: B. He said he hadn't made up his mind yet
Present perfect negative 'haven't made' changes to past perfect 'hadn't made'. The possessive 'my' changes to 'his'. The adverb 'yet' remains. The correct form is 'He said he hadn't made up his mind yet'.
"Do you think I will succeed?" she asked. Convert to indirect.
Correct Answer: B. She asked if I thought I would succeed
Yes/no questions use 'if' or 'whether' in indirect speech. Both the main verb 'think' and the embedded 'will succeed' change to past forms. The correct form is 'She asked if I thought I would succeed'.
Convert: "Whose book is this?" he asked.
Correct Answer: C. He asked whose book that was
In wh-questions, word order becomes statement order and tense changes. The demonstrative 'this' can change to 'that', and the verb changes from present to past. The correct form is 'He asked whose book that was'.
"What have you been doing all day?" she asked. Report this.
Correct Answer: B. She asked what I had been doing all day
In wh-questions, present perfect continuous 'have been doing' changes to past perfect continuous 'had been doing'. The correct form is 'She asked what I had been doing all day'. Mastering this concept helps in solving grammar-based questions in competitive examinations like SSC and banking exams.
Convert: "How long will you stay?" he asked.
Correct Answer: C. He asked how long I would stay
In wh-questions, the word order changes from question to statement form. Future 'will stay' changes to 'would stay'. The correct form is 'He asked how long I would stay'.
"Why didn't you come yesterday?" she asked. Convert to indirect.
Correct Answer: C. She asked why I hadn't come the day before
In wh-questions, past simple 'didn't come' often changes to past perfect 'hadn't come'. Time references change: 'yesterday' becomes 'the day before'. The correct form is 'She asked why I hadn't come the day before'.
Convert: "Which dress do you prefer?" she asked.
Correct Answer: C. She asked which dress I preferred
In wh-questions, word order becomes statement order. The verb changes from present 'prefer' to past 'preferred'. The pronoun 'you' changes to 'I'. The correct form is 'She asked which dress I preferred'.
"Could you please help me carry this?" she asked. Convert to indirect.
Correct Answer: B. She asked if I could help her carry that
Polite questions with 'could' use 'if' in indirect speech. The pronoun 'you' changes to 'I', 'me' to 'her', and 'this' to 'that'. The correct form is 'She asked if I could help her carry that'.
"Isn't it a beautiful day?" she said. Convert to indirect.
Correct Answer: D. She remarked that it was a beautiful day
Rhetorical questions and exclamations are often converted to statements. The reporting verb may change to 'remarked'. The form 'She remarked that it was a beautiful day' captures the intended meaning of the original rhetorical question.