Competitive English (Direct and Indirect) 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A sentence that cannot be directly backshifted in tense is one that expresses:
- A universal truth or scientific fact. (Correct answer)
- A past habit.
- A polite request.
- A conditional sentence.
Correct answer: A universal truth or scientific fact.
Universal truths and scientific facts retain their present tense even in indirect speech because they are always true.
Question 2: Convert to indirect speech: "Can you help me?" she asked him.
- She asked him if he could help her. (Correct answer)
- She asked him can he help her.
- She asked him if he can help her.
- She told him if he could help her.
Correct answer: She asked him if he could help her.
'Can' shifts to 'could' and 'you/me' shift appropriately when forming the indirect question with 'if.'
Question 3: Which of the following correctly reports: "I have been waiting here since morning," he said.
- He said that he had been waiting there since morning. (Correct answer)
- He said that he has been waiting here since morning.
- He said that he had been waiting here since morning.
- He said that he was waiting there since morning.
Correct answer: He said that he had been waiting there since morning.
'Have been waiting' (present perfect continuous) backshifts to 'had been waiting,' and 'here' changes to 'there.'
Question 4: Select the sentence where indirect speech has been applied incorrectly.
- She said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius had been proven. (Correct answer)
- He said that he was tired.
- They told me that they had already eaten.
- She asked if I had finished the task.
Correct answer: She said that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius had been proven.
Scientific facts should retain present tense ('boils'), and the addition of 'had been proven' is grammatically incorrect.
Question 5: What is the reported form of: "Hurry up!" the coach shouted at the players.
- The coach urged the players to hurry up. (Correct answer)
- The coach shouted the players hurry up.
- The coach told that the players should hurry up.
- The coach said the players to hurry up.
Correct answer: The coach urged the players to hurry up.
An imperative delivered with urgency is reported using 'urged + object + to + infinitive.'
Question 6: Identify the correct indirect form: "I don't know the answer," the student said.
- The student said that he didn't know the answer. (Correct answer)
- The student said that he doesn't know the answer.
- The student told that he didn't know the answer.
- The student said that I didn't know the answer.
Correct answer: The student said that he didn't know the answer.
The present 'don't know' shifts to 'didn't know,' and 'I' changes to 'he' in indirect speech.
Question 7: Which is the correct reported speech for: "May I borrow your pen?" she asked.
- She asked if she might borrow my pen. (Correct answer)
- She asked if she may borrow my pen.
- She asked that she may borrow my pen.
- She asked might she borrow my pen.
Correct answer: She asked if she might borrow my pen.
'May' (for permission) shifts to 'might' in indirect speech when the reporting verb is past tense.
Competitive English (Direct and Indirect) 4
A sentence that cannot be directly backshifted in tense is one that expresses: