MCQ
Narration — Direct to Indirect speech MCQ - Practice Questions with Answers
Solve 15 Narration — Direct to Indirect speech questions for RAS/RPSC preparation.
Practice questions
Q1Select the correctly reported form of the direct question when it is reported after the next day: The officer said to the male applicant, "Did you submit the form yesterday?"
In indirect speech, a yes/no question takes 'if' or 'whether', the reporting verb changes to 'asked', and the word order becomes subject + verb. The cues are the past reporting verb and the past time word 'yesterday', so 'did submit' becomes 'had submitted' and 'yesterday' becomes 'the previous day'. Only option B applies all these changes correctly.
Q2Statement 1: In indirect speech, a wh-question keeps its question word such as 'where', 'why', or 'how'. Statement 2: In indirect speech, a wh-question normally keeps the interrogative order of the direct question. Direct speech: He said to me, "Where do you live?" Reported later using the usual tense backshift, which of the following is correct?
In indirect speech, a wh-question retains the wh-word but changes to statement order. Here 'where' is retained, 'do you live' becomes 'I lived', and 'you' refers to the listener, so it becomes 'I'. Therefore, only Statement 1 is correct and the indirect form is: He asked me where I lived.
Q3Select the correct indirect form of the sentence, using the standard past-tense backshift: Ravi said to Sita, "Where did you keep the keys?"
A wh-question in indirect speech keeps the wh-word and uses statement word order. The cue is 'Where did you keep', so 'said to' becomes 'asked', 'did' is dropped, and the clause becomes 'where she had kept'. Since standard backshift is required, past simple becomes past perfect. 'You' refers to Sita and becomes 'she'. Therefore, only option C is correct.
Q4Assertion (A): In indirect speech, 'must' expressing compulsion is usually changed into 'had to' when the reporting verb is in the past. Reason (R): Words showing time, such as 'today', may also change according to the reporting time. Direct speech: The clerk said, "I must submit the file today." Reported the next day using the usual tense backshift, choose the correct option.
When 'must' expresses compulsion and the reporting verb is past, it usually changes to 'had to'. When the sentence is reported the next day, 'today' changes to 'that day'. Here the clerk's 'I' becomes 'he', 'must submit' becomes 'had to submit', and 'today' becomes 'that day'. Only option D applies both true rules correctly.
Q5Choose the correct indirect form of the sentence, reported later using the usual tense backshift: Direct speech: Ravi said, "I am preparing the report now."
When direct speech is reported later after a past reporting verb, the present continuous changes to the past continuous, and 'now' changes to 'then'. Here 'am preparing' becomes 'was preparing', Ravi's 'I' becomes 'he', and 'now' becomes 'then'. Only option A applies all three changes correctly.
You've seen 5 of 15 sample questions
Unlimited practice on Narration — Direct to Indirect speech comes with the RAS Test Series + Practice pack or Gate Pass.
More questions
6Match List I with List II and choose the correct code. List I: 1. She said, "I will help you tomorrow." 2. He said, "Alas! I have lost my purse." 3. Mohan said, "May you succeed!" 4. The boy said, "Let us play here." List II: a. Optative sentence b. Exclamatory sentence c. Suggestion with 'let us' d. Assertive sentence with time change
7Which option incorrectly changes the sentence into indirect speech? Direct speech: The teacher said to the boys, "Do not make a noise."
8Select the correct indirect narration, reported later using the usual tense backshift. Direct speech: Sita said to Mohan, "Have you completed the form?"
9Choose the correct indirect form of the sentence, using the standard past-tense backshift: He said to me, "I am waiting for your reply."
10Choose the correct indirect narration of the sentence when it is reported after that day: Ravi said, "I am preparing the report today."
11Read the assertion and reason, then choose the correct option. Assertion (A): The indirect form of 'The teacher said, "The earth moves round the sun"' is 'The teacher said that the earth moves round the sun.' Reason (R): When the reporting verb is in the past tense, every tense in the reported speech must always be changed.
12Which one of the following is incorrect as an indirect narration of the given polite command when it is reported later? The supervisor said to the clerk, "Please check these entries carefully."
13Statement 1: In indirect speech, "will" generally changes to "would" when the reporting verb is in the past. Statement 2: In indirect speech, "can" generally changes to "could" when the reporting verb is in the past. Which option correctly reports the sentence when Meena was speaking to the narrator and the sentence is reported the next day? Meena said, "I can finish the work and I will call you tonight."
14Which option incorrectly changes the given direct speech into indirect speech? The teacher said to the students, "Do not waste your time."
15Assertion (A): The sentence "The children said, 'Hurrah! We have won the match.'" may be reported as "The children exclaimed with joy that they had won the match." Reason (R): In indirect speech, an exclamatory sentence is changed into an assertive form, and the interjection is expressed through the reporting phrase. Choose the correct option.