Question 1

Convert to indirect speech: "I don't know where my keys are," he said.

Accepted Answer

When converting negative statements in direct speech to indirect speech, the negative form is preserved, but the tense shifts backward. Present simple 'don't know' becomes past simple 'didn't know'. The question-like clause 'where my keys are' becomes a reported clause with the same structure but adjusted pronouns and tenses.

Question 2

Convert to indirect speech: "Can you help me with this problem?" she asked him.

Accepted Answer

When converting a question in direct speech to indirect speech, the question form becomes a reported clause with statement word order. The modal 'can' becomes 'could' in past context. The pronouns shift: 'you' becomes 'him' (the person being addressed), and 'me' becomes 'her' (the speaker). The reporting verb 'asked' is used for questions.

Question 3

He asked me whether I (A) am going / (B) was going / (C) have gone / (D) will go to the market. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), the present continuous tense 'am going' must shift to past continuous 'was going' to maintain tense consistency.

Question 4

Convert to indirect speech: She said to me, "I have completed my homework and I will submit it tomorrow."

Accepted Answer

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, the reporting verb 'said to me' becomes 'told me', and the tenses shift back one step. Present perfect 'have completed' becomes past perfect 'had completed', and future simple 'will submit' becomes conditional 'would submit'. The time reference 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day' or 'the following day'.

Question 5

She said that she (A) has completed / (B) had completed / (C) will complete / (D) completes the project by the deadline. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported clause must shift to a past tense form. Since the action was completed before the moment of speaking (in the past), past perfect 'had completed' is required.

Question 6

He asked me, "Are you coming to the party?" This is converted to indirect speech as: He asked me (A) if I am coming to the party / (B) if I was coming to the party / (C) whether I will come to the party / (D) if I would come to the party.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, the direct question 'Are you coming?' (present continuous) must shift to past continuous ('was coming') because the reporting verb 'asked' is in past tense. Option B is correct.

Question 7

The teacher told the students that they (A) should submit / (B) should have submitted / (C) will submit / (D) would submit their assignments on time.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb, modal verbs also undergo backshift. 'Should' (present modal) becomes 'would' (past modal) in indirect speech. The sentence requires a future-in-the-past sense, making 'would submit' correct. Option D is correct.

Question 8

Convert the following into Indirect Speech:
Direct: She said, "I don't know where he has gone."

(A) She said that she doesn't know where he has gone.
(B) She said that she didn't know where he had gone.
(C) She said that she don't know where he has gone.
(D) She said that she didn't know where he has gone and she is confused.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech after a past tense reporting verb ('said'), both the main clause and the subordinate clause must shift tenses. The present tense 'don't know' → past tense 'didn't know', and the present perfect 'has gone' → past perfect 'had gone'. The pronoun 'I' → 'she'. Option (B) correctly applies all tense shifts and pronoun change. Option (A) fails to shift the main clause tense (retains 'doesn't know'). Option (C) has a subject-verb agreement error ('she don't'). Option (D) adds extra information not in the original statement and fails to shift the present perfect.

Question 9

She said that she (A) has completed / (B) had completed / (C) completes / (D) completed the project before the deadline.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported speech must shift to a past tense. Since the action was completed before another past action (before the deadline), past perfect ('had completed') is required. Option B is correct.

Question 10

The teacher told the students that they (A) should submit / (B) will submit / (C) are submitting / (D) have submitted their assignments on time. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb, modal verbs like 'should' remain unchanged. 'Should' is the appropriate modal to express obligation or advice in reported speech.

Question 11

She said, "I have finished my work." In indirect speech, this becomes: She said that (A) she has finished her work / (B) she had finished her work / (C) she finishes her work / (D) she will finish her work.

Accepted Answer

The direct speech uses present perfect ('have finished'). In indirect speech with past reporting verb ('said'), present perfect shifts to past perfect ('had finished'). Option B is correct.

Question 12

The manager said, "You must complete the report by Friday." In indirect speech, this is: The manager said that (A) I must complete the report by Friday / (B) I had to complete the report by Friday / (C) I should complete the report by Friday / (D) I would complete the report by Friday.

Accepted Answer

The direct speech contains the modal 'must'. In indirect speech with past reporting verb, 'must' shifts to 'had to' (past obligation). Option B is correct.

Question 13

She said that she (A) will attend / (B) would attend / (C) attends / (D) has attended the conference next month. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('said'), the future tense 'will attend' must shift to conditional 'would attend' to maintain consistency with the past context.

Question 14

Choose the correct indirect speech for: She said, 'I am very tired today.'

Accepted Answer

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, the reporting verb 'said' remains unchanged (no indirect object). The pronoun 'I' changes to 'she' to match the subject of the reporting clause. The tense 'am' (present simple) changes to 'was' (past simple) following the backshift rule, since the reporting verb is in the past tense. 'Today' changes to 'that day' as the time reference shifts.

Question 15

The manager told his team that they (A) have worked / (B) had worked / (C) are working / (D) work very hard on the project. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('told'), the present perfect 'have worked' must shift to past perfect 'had worked' to maintain tense consistency and reflect that the action was completed before the moment of speaking in the past.

Question 16

She said that she (A) has completed / (B) had completed / (C) will complete / (D) completes the project by the deadline.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported clause must shift to a past tense form. Since the action was completed before the moment of speaking (in the past), past perfect 'had completed' is required.

Question 17

She said that she (A) has completed / (B) had completed / (C) will complete / (D) completes the project by the deadline. No error

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported clause must shift to a past tense form. Since 'has completed' (present perfect) is being reported after 'said', it must become 'had completed' (past perfect) to maintain tense consistency in indirect speech.

Question 18

She said that she (A) has completed / (B) had completed / (C) will complete / (D) completes the project by the deadline. Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported clause must shift to a past tense form. Since the action was completed before the moment of speaking (in the past), past perfect 'had completed' is required.

Question 19

Select the correct indirect speech for the sentence: She said, "I am writing a letter to my friend."

Accepted Answer

When converting from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb 'said' remains unchanged (no indirect object). The pronoun 'I' changes to 'she' to match the subject. The tense of the reported speech shifts back by one tense: 'am writing' (present continuous) becomes 'was writing' (past continuous). The possessive pronoun 'my' changes to 'her' to maintain reference clarity.

Question 20

She asked him (A) whether he has finished / (B) whether he had finished / (C) whether he will finish / (D) whether he finishes his work.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), when asking about a completed action, the reported clause must use past perfect 'had finished' to show the action was done before the moment of asking.

CDS Direct & Indirect Speech

Direct & Indirect Speech— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Direct & Indirect Speech — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Direct & Indirect Speech