Competitive English (Direct and Indirect) 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Convert to direct speech: He asked me where I lived.
- He said, "Where do you live?" (Correct answer)
- He said, "Where did you live?"
- He said, "Where you live?"
- He asked, "Where does he live?"
Correct answer: He said, "Where do you live?"
When reversing indirect speech to direct, the past 'lived' reverts to present 'live' and the pronoun shifts to 'you.'
Question 2: Which reporting verb is most appropriate for: "I promise I'll return the book," John said.
- John promised that he would return the book. (Correct answer)
- John told that he would return the book.
- John said to return the book.
- John claimed he will return the book.
Correct answer: John promised that he would return the book.
When the direct speech contains a promise, 'promised' is the most accurate reporting verb to convey intent.
Question 3: Identify the error in this indirect speech: She said that she has gone to the market.
- 'Has gone' should be 'had gone' to follow backshift rules. (Correct answer)
- 'She' should be 'I' since it is indirect.
- 'Said' should be 'told' to be grammatically correct.
- There is no error in the sentence.
Correct answer: 'Has gone' should be 'had gone' to follow backshift rules.
In indirect speech with a past reporting verb, the present perfect 'has gone' must backshift to 'had gone.'
Question 4: Select the correct indirect form of a wh-question: "What time does the train arrive?" he asked.
- He asked what time the train arrived. (Correct answer)
- He asked what time does the train arrive.
- He asked what time the train arrives.
- He asked that what time the train arrived.
Correct answer: He asked what time the train arrived.
Wh-questions in indirect speech use statement word order and shift tense; 'does arrive' becomes 'arrived.'
Question 5: Which pronoun change is correct when converting: "I lost my umbrella," she said.
- She said that she had lost her umbrella. (Correct answer)
- She said that I had lost my umbrella.
- She said that she had lost my umbrella.
- She said that she lost her umbrella.
Correct answer: She said that she had lost her umbrella.
First-person 'I/my' shifts to third-person 'she/her' when the speaker is referred to in indirect speech.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly converts the imperative to indirect speech: "Please sit down," the host said to the guests.
- The host requested the guests to sit down. (Correct answer)
- The host said the guests to sit down.
- The host told the guests sit down.
- The host requested the guests sit down please.
Correct answer: The host requested the guests to sit down.
Polite imperatives ('please') are reported using 'requested + object + to + infinitive.'
Question 7: Which change correctly applies to 'this' and 'these' in indirect speech?
- 'This' becomes 'that' and 'these' becomes 'those.' (Correct answer)
- 'This' becomes 'the' and 'these' becomes 'them.'
- 'This' stays 'this' and 'these' becomes 'those.'
- Neither changes in indirect speech.
Correct answer: 'This' becomes 'that' and 'these' becomes 'those.'
Demonstratives shift away from proximity: 'this' → 'that' and 'these' → 'those' in indirect speech.
Competitive English (Direct and Indirect) 3
Convert to direct speech: He asked me where I lived.