Question 1

Convert to indirect speech: "Where are you going?" the mother asked her son.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, wh-questions (where, what, who, etc.) are converted using 'asked + wh-word + statement form'. The question 'Where are you going?' becomes 'where he was going'. The present continuous 'are going' becomes past continuous 'was going', and the pronoun 'you' becomes 'he'.

Question 2

Convert to indirect speech: The teacher said to the students, "You must submit your assignments by Friday."

Accepted Answer

When converting to indirect speech with 'said to', the structure becomes 'told'. The modal 'must' in reported speech becomes 'had to' when the reporting verb is in past tense. The time reference 'Friday' remains unchanged if it is still in the future from the reporting moment, but the pronoun 'you' becomes 'them'.

Question 3

Convert to indirect speech: "I will help you if you ask me," he said to her.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, 'said to' becomes 'told'. The future tense 'will help' becomes 'would help', and the conditional 'if you ask' becomes 'if she asked' (shifting to past tense in the conditional clause as well). The pronoun 'you' becomes 'her' and 'me' becomes 'him'.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 5

Convert to indirect speech: "Don't be late for the meeting," the manager said to the team.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, imperative sentences (commands, requests, advice) are converted using 'told + object + (not) to + infinitive'. The negative imperative 'Don't be late' becomes 'not to be late'. The pronoun 'you' (implied in the imperative) becomes 'them', and 'said to' becomes 'told'.

Question 6

Convert to indirect speech: "Have you finished your work?" she asked him.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech, interrogative sentences (questions) are converted using 'asked + object + if/whether + statement form'. The question 'Have you finished your work?' becomes a statement 'if he had finished his work'. The present perfect 'have finished' becomes past perfect 'had finished', and the pronoun 'you' becomes 'he'.

Question 7

She said that she (A) doesn't like / (B) didn't like / (C) hasn't liked / (D) wouldn't like chocolate.

Accepted Answer

In reported speech with a past reporting verb, a general statement about a permanent preference (simple present in direct speech) must backshift to simple past. The statement is about a general truth, not a specific time.

Question 8

He asked me whether I (A) will go / (B) would go / (C) am going / (D) have gone to the conference next week.

Accepted Answer

In reported speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), the future tense in direct speech must backshift to conditional (would). The phrase 'next week' indicates a future event from the past moment of speaking.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

In reported speech, when the reporting verb is in past tense ('said'), the reported clause must shift to a past tense. Since the action was completed before the deadline (a past point in time), past perfect is required.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

In reported speech with a past reporting verb, modal verbs must also backshift. 'Must' becomes 'had to' in reported speech to maintain the past tense framework.

Question 11

The manager told the team that they (A) have achieved / (B) had achieved / (C) are achieving / (D) achieve their targets successfully.

Accepted Answer

In reported speech with a past reporting verb, present perfect in direct speech must backshift to past perfect. The action is completed before the moment of reporting.

Question 12

She asked him whether he (A) can help / (B) could help / (C) will help / (D) would have helped her with the project.

Accepted Answer

In reported speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), the modal 'can' in direct speech must backshift to 'could'. This reflects the past context of the question.

Question 13

The principal said that the students (A) have completed / (B) had completed / (C) completed / (D) were completing their project before the deadline, and she was impressed with their dedication.

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 (completing the project) occurred before the reporting verb, past perfect ('had completed') is required to show the sequence of events clearly.

Question 14

She told me that she (A) will attend / (B) would attend / (C) attends / (D) has attended the conference next month, but she was uncertain about the travel arrangements.

Accepted Answer

When the reporting verb is in past tense ('told'), a future action in the reported clause must be expressed using 'would' (conditional past), not 'will' (simple future). This maintains consistency in the indirect speech structure.

Question 15

The teacher asked the students whether they (A) have understood / (B) had understood / (C) understand / (D) understood the concept that was explained in the previous lesson.

Accepted Answer

In indirect interrogative speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), the reported clause must shift to past tense. Since the concept was explained in a previous lesson (before the asking), simple past 'understood' is appropriate, or past perfect if emphasizing prior completion. Here, simple past 'understood' is correct because it refers to the moment of understanding during the previous lesson.

Question 16

He remarked that the company (A) has been / (B) had been / (C) is / (D) was expanding its operations in Asia for the past three years, and profits were increasing steadily.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('remarked'), a present perfect continuous action must shift to past perfect continuous. The phrase 'for the past three years' indicates an action that started in the past and continued up to the moment of speaking, requiring past perfect continuous ('had been expanding').

Question 17

The witness told the court that the accused (A) has confessed / (B) had confessed / (C) confesses / (D) was confessing to the crime before the police arrived, which was crucial evidence.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('told'), an action that occurred before another past action must use past perfect ('had confessed'). The confession happened before the police arrived, establishing a clear sequence of past events.

Question 18

She said that she (A) would have completed / (B) will have completed / (C) would complete / (D) will complete the assignment by the time he arrives, so there was no need to worry.

Accepted Answer

In indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('said'), a future action that will be completed before another future event requires the conditional perfect ('would have completed'). This shows that the assignment's completion will precede his arrival.

SSC GD Constable 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