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Reported speech questions, or indirect speech questions, let you tell someone what another person said, without their exact words. It’s like summarising a conversation. Imagine you’re reporting to a friend what your teacher said in class. You wouldn’t quote everything word-for-word. Reported speech keeps the meaning but ditches quotation marks and might adjust tenses to reflect the time difference. Getting reported speech correct can be tricky, but understanding the core grammar makes it much easier. It’s an essential part of English fluency, letting you share information with others effectively. Read this blog on Reported Speech Questions to revise your concepts well.
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Tips and Tricks to Solve Reported Speech Questions
When transforming a sentence from direct speech into reported speech, you will have to change the pronouns, tense, and adverbs of time and place used by the speaker. Let us look at the following tips and tricks to improve your chances of getting reported speech questions correct:
- Solidify your understanding of quoting someone exactly before tackling the reported speech.
- Recognize verbs like “said” or “asked” that introduce reported speech.
- Practice reported speech in present, past, and future tenses to feel comfortable with all.
- Use words like “complain” or “suggest” to show the speaker’s emotions.
- Create dialogues and convert them to reported speech. Read materials and practice converting their direct speech.
Must Read: Direct and Indirect Speech Guide with Exercises
Practice 50+ Reported Speech Questions
Here we have provided a list of reported speech questions for you to practice. Since reported speech questions form an important component of competitive exams it’s advisable to practice as many questions as you can, on this topic:
1. Which of the following represents the correct indirect speech for the sentence: “She said, ‘I am going to the market’?”
A) She says that she is going to the market.
B) She said that she was going to the market.
C) She said she is going to the market.
D) She says she is going to the market.
Answer: B) She said that she was going to the market.
2. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for the sentence: “He exclaimed, ‘What a beautiful sight!'”
A) He exclaimed what a beautiful sight it was.
B) He exclaims what a beautiful sight.
C) He exclaimed what a beautiful sight is.
D) He exclaims what a beautiful sight was.
Answer: A) He exclaimed what a beautiful sight it was.
3. Which option correctly represents the reported speech for: “They asked, ‘Have you finished your homework?'”
A) They ask if you have finished your homework.
B) They asked if you had finished your homework.
C) They asked if you have finished your homework.
D) They ask if you had finished your homework.
Answer: B) They asked if you had finished your homework.
4. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “He said, ‘I will come tomorrow'” into indirect speech?
A) He says that he will come tomorrow.
B) He said that he will come tomorrow.
C) He said that he would come tomorrow.
D) He says that he would come tomorrow.
Answer: C) He said that he would come tomorrow.
5. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “She exclaimed, ‘What a lovely surprise!'”
A) She exclaimed what a lovely surprise it is.
B) She exclaimed what a lovely surprise.
C) She exclaims what a lovely surprise.
D) She exclaimed what a lovely surprise was.
Answer: D) She exclaimed what a lovely surprise was.
6. What is the appropriate indirect speech for: “He said, ‘I have finished the report'”?
A) He says he had finished the report.
B) He says he has finished the report.
C) He said he has finished the report.
D) He said he had finished the report.
Answer: D) He said he had finished the report.
7. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “She asked, ‘Will you come to the party?'”
A) She asks if he would come to the party.
B) She asked if he will come to the party.
C) She asks if he will come to the party.
D) She asked if he would come to the party.
Answer: D) She asked if he would come to the party.
8. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We are planning a vacation.'”
A) They say that they are planning a vacation.
B) They said that they are planning a vacation.
C) They say that they were planning a vacation.
D) They said that they were planning a vacation.
Answer: D) They said that they were planning a vacation.
9. Which option correctly represents the reported speech for: “He asked, ‘Can you help me with this assignment?'”
A) He asks if you can help him with the assignment.
B) He asked if you could help him with the assignment.
C) He asks if you could help him with the assignment.
D) He asked if you can help him with the assignment.
Answer: B) He asked if you could help him with the assignment.
10. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I will be studying all night.'”
A) She said she will be studying all night.
B) She says she will be studying all night.
C) She said she would be studying all night.
D) She says she would be studying all night.
Answer: C) She said she would be studying all night.
11. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “He said, ‘I have been waiting for hours'” into indirect speech?
A) He said he had been waiting for hours.
B) He says he had been waiting for hours.
C) He said he has been waiting for hours.
D) He says he has been waiting for hours.
Answer: A) He said he had been waiting for hours.
12. What is the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I am going to visit my grandmother tomorrow'”?
A) She said that she will be visiting her grandmother tomorrow.
B) She said that she would visit her grandmother tomorrow.
C) She says that she will be visiting her grandmother tomorrow.
D) She says that she would visit her grandmother tomorrow.
Answer: B) She said that she would visit her grandmother tomorrow.
13. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “He exclaimed, ‘I cannot believe my eyes!'”
A) He exclaimed that he could not believe his eyes.
B) He exclaimed what he cannot believe his eyes.
C) He exclaims that he cannot believe his eyes.
D) He exclaimed what he cannot believe his eyes.
Answer: A) He exclaimed that he could not believe his eyes.
14. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “They said, ‘We have completed the project ahead of schedule.'”
A) They said that they completed the project ahead of schedule.
B) They say that they have completed the project ahead of schedule.
C) They said that they had completed the project ahead of schedule.
D) They say that they had completed the project ahead of schedule.
Answer: C) They said that they had completed the project ahead of schedule.
15. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “She asked, ‘Did you see the movie last night?'”
A) She asks if you saw the movie last night.
B) She asked if you have seen the movie last night.
C) She asks if you have seen the movie last night.
D) She asked if you had seen the movie last night.
Answer: D) She asked if you had seen the movie last night.
16. What is the correct reported speech for: “He said, ‘I am meeting her at 5 PM today.'”
A) He says he is meeting her at 5 PM today.
B) He says he was meeting her at 5 PM today.
C) He said he is meeting her at 5 PM today.
D) He said he was meeting her at 5 PM today.
Answer: D) He said he was meeting her at 5 PM today.
17. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They asked, ‘Will you be attending the conference?'”
A) They ask if you will be attending the conference.
B) They asked if you are attending the conference.
C) They ask if you will attend the conference.
D) They asked if you would attend the conference.
Answer: D) They asked if you would attend the conference.
18. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “She said, ‘I have already finished my work.'”
A) She says that she already finished her work.
B) She said that she has already finished her work.
C) She says that she had already finished her work.
D) She said that she had already finished her work.
Answer: D) She said that she had already finished her work.
19. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “He asked, ‘Have you seen my keys?'”
A) He asked if you saw his keys.
B) He asks if you saw his keys.
C) He asked if you have seen his keys.
D) He asks if you have seen his keys.
Answer: C) He asked if you have seen his keys.
20. What is the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I will help you with your homework.'”
A) She said she will help me with my homework.
B) She said she helps me with my homework.
C) She says she will help me with my homework.
D) She says she helps me with my homework.
Answer: A) She said she will help me with my homework.
21. Choose the correct reported speech for: “He said, ‘I am going to buy a new car.'”
A) He said that he is going to buy a new car.
B) He said that he was going to buy a new car.
C) He says that he was going to buy a new car.
D) He says that he is going to buy a new car.
Answer: B) He said that he was going to buy a new car.
22. Which option correctly represents the reported speech for: “She asked, ‘Are you coming to the party?'”
A) She asks if he comes to the party.
B) She asked if he is coming to the party.
C) She asks if he came to the party.
D) She asked if he was coming to the party.
Answer: D) She asked if he was coming to the party.
23. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We will be leaving early tomorrow.'”
A) They said they will be leaving early tomorrow.
B) They say they will be leaving early tomorrow.
C) They said they would be leaving early tomorrow.
D) They say they would be leaving early tomorrow.
Answer: C) They said they would be leaving early tomorrow.
24. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “He exclaimed, ‘What a wonderful surprise!'”
A) He exclaimed what a wonderful surprise was.
B) He exclaimed that it was a wonderful surprise.
C) He exclaimed what a wonderful surprise it was.
D) He exclaimed that it is a wonderful surprise.
Answer: C) He exclaimed what a wonderful surprise it was.
25. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “She said, ‘I have never been to Paris'” into indirect speech?
A) She said she has never been to Paris.
B) She says she has never been to Paris.
C) She said she had never been to Paris.
D) She says she had never been to Paris.
Answer: C) She said she had never been to Paris.
26. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I had already finished my dinner.'”
A) She says that she had already finished her dinner.
B) She said that she had already finished her dinner.
C) She said that she has already finished her dinner.
D) She says that she has already finished her dinner.
Answer: B) She said that she had already finished her dinner.
27. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “They asked, ‘Did you enjoy the movie last night?'”
A) They ask if you enjoyed the movie last night.
B) They asked if you had enjoyed the movie last night.
C) They asked if you enjoy the movie last night.
D) They ask if you had enjoyed the movie last night.
Answer: B) They asked if you had enjoyed the movie last night.
28. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “He said, ‘I am meeting them at the airport.'”
A) He said he is meeting them at the airport.
B) He said he was meeting them at the airport.
C) He says he is meeting them at the airport.
D) He says he was meeting them at the airport.
Answer: B) He said he was meeting them at the airport.
29. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “She said, ‘I will have completed the assignment by tomorrow.'”
A) She said that she will have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
B) She said that she would have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
C) She says that she will have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
D) She says that she would have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
Answer: B) She said that she would have completed the assignment by tomorrow.
30. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “He said, ‘I am going to visit my parents next weekend'” into indirect speech?
A) He says that he is going to visit his parents next weekend.
B) He said that he is going to visit his parents next weekend.
C) He said that he was going to visit his parents the following weekend.
D) He says that he was going to visit his parents next weekend.
Answer: C) He said that he was going to visit his parents the following weekend.
31. What is the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I had been waiting for you for hours.'”
A) She says she had been waiting for you for hours.
B) She said she had been waiting for you for hours.
C) She says she has been waiting for you for hours.
D) She said she has been waiting for you for hours.
Answer: B) She said she had been waiting for you for hours.
32. Choose the correct reported speech for: “He said, ‘I have been working on this project since morning.'”
A) He said he has been working on that project since morning.
B) He said he has been working on this project since morning.
C) He said he had been working on this project since morning.
D) He said he had been working on that project since morning.
Answer: C) He said he had been working on this project since morning.
33. Which option correctly represents the reported speech for: “She asked, ‘Did you see the new exhibit at the museum?'”
A) She asked if you see the new exhibit at the museum.
B) She asked if you saw the new exhibit at the museum.
C) She asked if you have seen the new exhibit at the museum.
D) She asked if you had seen the new exhibit at the museum.
Answer: B) She asked if you saw the new exhibit at the museum.
34. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “He exclaimed, ‘What an incredible achievement!'”
A) He exclaimed what an incredible achievement was.
B) He exclaimed what an incredible achievement.
C) He exclaimed that it was an incredible achievement.
D) He exclaimed that it is an incredible achievement.
Answer: C) He exclaimed that it was an incredible achievement.
35. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “They asked, ‘Are you coming to the party tomorrow?'”
A) They asked if you will come to the party tomorrow.
B) They asked if you are coming to the party tomorrow.
C) They asked if you will be coming to the party tomorrow.
D) They asked if you are going to come to the party tomorrow.
Answer: C) They asked if you will be coming to the party tomorrow.
36. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “She said, ‘I will have to finish the project by Friday.'”
A) She says she will have to finish the project by Friday.
B) She said she will have to finish the project by Friday.
C) She says she had to finish the project by Friday.
D) She said she had to finish the project by Friday.
Answer: D) She said she had to finish the project by Friday.
37. What is the correct reported speech for: “He said, ‘I am going to buy a new house.'”
A) He says that he is going to buy a new house.
B) He said that he was going to buy a new house.
C) He says that he was going to buy a new house.
D) He said that he is going to buy a new house.
Answer: B) He said that he was going to buy a new house.
38. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We are planning a surprise party for John.'”
A) They said they are planning a surprise party for John.
B) They said they were planning a surprise party for John.
C) They say they were planning a surprise party for John.
D) They say they are planning a surprise party for John.
Answer: B) They said they were planning a surprise party for John.
39. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “She said, ‘I will visit my grandparents next month.'”
A) She said that she will visit her grandparents next month.
B) She said that she would visit her grandparents next month.
C) She says that she will visit her grandparents next month.
D) She says that she would visit her grandparents next month.
Answer: B) She said that she would visit her grandparents next month.
40. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “He said, ‘I will finish the report by tomorrow'” into indirect speech?
A) He said that he will finish the report by tomorrow.
B) He said that he would finish the report by tomorrow.
C) He says that he will finish the report by tomorrow.
D) He says that he would finish the report by tomorrow.
Answer: B) He said that he would finish the report by tomorrow.
41. Choose the correct reported speech for: “She said, ‘I have been studying French for two years.'”
A) She said that she has been studying French for two years.
B) She said that she had been studying French for two years.
C) She says that she has been studying French for two years.
D) She says that she had been studying French for two years.
Answer: B) She said that she had been studying French for two years.
42. Which of the following correctly represents the reported speech for: “He asked, ‘Can you pass me the salt?'”
A) He asked if you can pass him the salt.
B) He asked if you could pass him the salt.
C) He asks if you could pass him the salt.
D) He asks if you can pass him the salt.
Answer: B) He asked if you could pass him the salt.
43. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We will be attending the seminar next week.'”
A) They said they will be attending the seminar next week.
B) They said they would be attending the seminar next week.
C) They say they will be attending the seminar next week.
D) They say they would be attending the seminar next week.
Answer: B) They said they would be attending the seminar next week.
44. Select the option that correctly portrays the reported speech for: “He said, ‘I will have completed my degree by next year.'”
A) He said that he will have completed his degree by next year.
B) He said that he would have completed his degree by next year.
C) He says that he will have completed his degree by next year.
D) He says that he would have completed his degree by next year.
Answer: B) He said that he would have completed his degree by next year.
45. Which of the following correctly transforms the direct speech “She said, ‘I am going to visit my friend in the hospital tomorrow'” into indirect speech?
A) She said that she was going to visit her friend in the hospital the following day.
B) She said that she was going to visit her friend in the hospital tomorrow.
C) She says that she was going to visit her friend in the hospital tomorrow.
D) She says that she was going to visit her friend in the hospital the following day.
Answer: A) She said that she was going to visit her friend in the hospital the following day.
46. What is the appropriate indirect speech for: “He said, ‘I am going to the gym later today.'”
A) He said that he is going to the gym later that day.
B) He said that he was going to the gym later that day.
C) He says that he is going to the gym later that day.
D) He says that he was going to the gym later that day.
Answer: B) He said that he was going to the gym later that day.
47. Choose the correct reported speech for: “She said, ‘I had just finished cooking dinner when you called.'”
A) She said that she had just finished cooking dinner when you called.
B) She says that she had just finished cooking dinner when you called.
C) She said that she has just finished cooking dinner when you called.
D) She says that she has just finished cooking dinner when you called.
Answer: A) She said that she had just finished cooking dinner when you called.
48. Which option correctly represents the reported speech for: “He asked, ‘Did you receive my email yesterday?'”
A) He asked if you received his email yesterday.
B) He asked if you have received his email yesterday.
C) He asks if you received his email yesterday.
D) He asks if you have received his email yesterday.
Answer: A) He asked if you received his email yesterday.
49. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We have been waiting for the bus for an hour.'”
A) They said they have been waiting for the bus for an hour.
B) They said they had been waiting for the bus for an hour.
C) They say they have been waiting for the bus for an hour.
D) They say they had been waiting for the bus for an hour.
Answer: B) They said they had been waiting for the bus for an hour.
50. Choose the appropriate indirect speech for: “They said, ‘We will be attending the seminar next week.'”
A) They said they will be attending the seminar next week.
B) They said they would be attending the seminar next week.
C) They say they will be attending the seminar next week.
D) They say they would be attending the seminar next week.
Answer: B) They said they would be attending the seminar next week.
FAQs
Examples include: She said she was tired. He told me he had finished his work. They mentioned they were going on vacation.
Change the tense, pronouns, and adverbs as needed, and remove the question mark. For instance, “He asked, ‘Are you coming?'” becomes “He asked if I was coming.”
Examples: “I am going to the market,” she said. “Stop right there!” he yelled. “It’s a beautiful day,” they exclaimed.
Change the tense, pronouns, and adverbs, and use if or whether. For instance, “She asked, ‘Are you okay?'” becomes “She asked if I was okay.”
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