Competitive English (Change of Speech) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: She said, 'I am waiting for the bus.' — What is the correct indirect speech?
- She said that she was waiting for the bus. (Correct answer)
- She said that she is waiting for the bus.
- She said that I was waiting for the bus.
- She said that she will be waiting for the bus.
Correct answer: She said that she was waiting for the bus.
In indirect speech, 'am' shifts to 'was' and 'I' shifts to 'she' based on the reporting subject.
Question 2: He said to me, 'Will you help me?' — Which indirect form is correct?
- He asked me whether I would help him. (Correct answer)
- He asked me if I will help him.
- He told me whether I would help him.
- He asked me that I would help him.
Correct answer: He asked me whether I would help him.
Yes/no questions use 'whether' or 'if', 'will' becomes 'would', and pronouns shift accordingly.
Question 3: The teacher said, 'The earth revolves around the sun.' — Which is the correct indirect form?
- The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun. (Correct answer)
- The teacher said that the earth revolved around the sun.
- The teacher said that the earth had revolved around the sun.
- The teacher said that the earth would revolve around the sun.
Correct answer: The teacher said that the earth revolves around the sun.
Universal truths or scientific facts do not change tense in indirect speech.
Question 4: She said, 'I have finished my homework.' — Identify the correct indirect speech.
- She said that she had finished her homework. (Correct answer)
- She said that she has finished her homework.
- She said that she finished her homework.
- She said that she would have finished her homework.
Correct answer: She said that she had finished her homework.
Present perfect 'have finished' becomes past perfect 'had finished' in indirect speech.
Question 5: He said, 'Open the door.' — What is the correct indirect speech?
- He told me to open the door. (Correct answer)
- He said me to open the door.
- He asked me that I open the door.
- He ordered me that open the door.
Correct answer: He told me to open the door.
Imperative sentences in indirect speech use 'told/asked/ordered + object + to + infinitive'.
Question 6: She said, 'I will come tomorrow.' — Which is the correct indirect speech?
- She said that she would come the next day. (Correct answer)
- She said that she will come the next day.
- She said that she would come tomorrow.
- She said that she came the next day.
Correct answer: She said that she would come the next day.
'Will' becomes 'would' and 'tomorrow' changes to 'the next day' in indirect speech.
Question 7: He said to her, 'Do not touch this.' — Which indirect form is correct?
- He told her not to touch that. (Correct answer)
- He said her not to touch that.
- He asked her that she should not touch that.
- He told her do not touch that.
Correct answer: He told her not to touch that.
Negative imperatives in indirect speech use 'told + object + not + to + infinitive'.
Competitive English (Change of Speech) 2
She said, 'I am waiting for the bus.' — What is the correct indirect speech?