Competitive English (Change of Speech) 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: They said, 'We were playing cricket.' — Which is the correct indirect form?
- They said that they had been playing cricket. (Correct answer)
- They said that they were playing cricket.
- They said that they have been playing cricket.
- They said that they would be playing cricket.
Correct answer: They said that they had been playing cricket.
Past continuous 'were playing' becomes past perfect continuous 'had been playing' in indirect speech.
Question 2: She said, 'I may go to the party.' — Identify the correct indirect speech.
- She said that she might go to the party. (Correct answer)
- She said that she may go to the party.
- She said that she would go to the party.
- She said that she could go to the party.
Correct answer: She said that she might go to the party.
The modal 'may' shifts to 'might' in indirect speech.
Question 3: He asked, 'Where does she live?' — Which is the correct indirect speech?
- He asked where she lived. (Correct answer)
- He asked where does she live.
- He asked where she lives.
- He asked where did she live.
Correct answer: He asked where she lived.
In indirect speech, question word order reverts to statement order and tense shifts back.
Question 4: The coach said, 'Work hard and you will succeed.' — Identify the correct indirect form.
- The coach advised that if they worked hard, they would succeed. (Correct answer)
- The coach said to work hard and they will succeed.
- The coach told that work hard and you will succeed.
- The coach ordered them that they should work hard and succeed.
Correct answer: The coach advised that if they worked hard, they would succeed.
Conditional imperative sentences in indirect speech use an 'if' clause with appropriate tense shift.
Question 5: She said, 'I had already eaten when he arrived.' — Which is the correct indirect speech?
- She said that she had already eaten when he had arrived. (Correct answer)
- She said that she had already eaten when he arrived.
- She said that she has already eaten when he arrived.
- She said that she already ate when he arrived.
Correct answer: She said that she had already eaten when he had arrived.
Past perfect remains past perfect and the simple past 'arrived' also shifts to past perfect.
Question 6: He said, 'Let us go for a walk.' — Which is the correct indirect speech?
- He proposed that they should go for a walk. (Correct answer)
- He said let us go for a walk.
- He suggested them to go for a walk.
- He told that they go for a walk.
Correct answer: He proposed that they should go for a walk.
'Let us' suggestions are reported using 'proposed/suggested + that + subject + should + verb'.
Question 7: She said to him, 'Please help me with this.' — Identify the correct indirect form.
- She requested him to help her with that. (Correct answer)
- She said him to please help her with that.
- She told him to please help her with that.
- She asked him that he help her with that.
Correct answer: She requested him to help her with that.
Polite requests with 'please' are reported using 'requested + object + to + infinitive'.
Competitive English (Change of Speech) 3
They said, 'We were playing cricket.' — Which is the correct indirect form?