Free Competitive English (Change of Speech) Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: He was told to go to his room and study by his father.
- His father said to him, "Go and study in your room."
- His father said, "Go to your room and study." (Correct answer)
- His father said firmly, "Go and study in your room."
- His father shouted, "Go right now to your study room."
Correct answer: His father said, "Go to your room and study."
The original sentence is in indirect speech, reporting an imperative command. To convert it to direct speech, the command needs to be stated directly by the father. Option B, 'His father said, 'Go to your room and study.',' accurately reflects this direct command, using the appropriate imperative verb form and pronouns as if spoken directly.
Question 2: Please give me more pocket money, he begged his father.
- He pleaded his father to please increase my pocket-money.
- He told his father, "Please increase the pocket-money"
- He asked his father to increase his pocket-money.
- He requested his father to increase his pocket-money. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: He requested his father to increase his pocket-money.
When converting a polite request or plea from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb 'begged' can be replaced by 'requested' or 'asked.' The imperative phrase 'Please give me' transforms into an infinitive phrase, 'to increase his pocket-money,' with the pronoun 'me' changing to 'his.' Option D correctly applies these transformations, creating a grammatically sound indirect request.
Question 3: She mentioned her brother's upcoming nuptials.
- She said, " My brother was getting married."
- She said, "Her brother is getting married."
- She told, "Her brother is getting married."
- She said, "My brother is getting married." (Correct answer)
Correct answer: She said, "My brother is getting married."
The original sentence is in indirect speech, reporting a statement about a future event. To convert it to direct speech, we need to find the original statement as spoken. 'Her brother's upcoming nuptials' translates to 'My brother is getting married' in direct speech, using the present continuous tense for a future arrangement and the correct first-person pronoun 'My brother'.
Question 4: Elvin declared that he was over working for that business.
- Elvin said, "He was tired of that company."
- Elvin said, "I am sick and tired of working for this company." (Correct answer)
- Elvin said,"I will be tired of working for that company."
- Elvin said to me, "I am sick and tired of working for this company."
Correct answer: Elvin said, "I am sick and tired of working for this company."
When converting indirect speech to direct speech, the tense usually shifts forward (past tense 'was over working' becomes present tense 'am sick and tired of working'). The pronoun 'he' changes to 'I' as it's a direct quote, and 'that business' reverts to 'this company.' Option B accurately captures the original sentiment and applies the correct tense and pronoun shifts for direct speech.
Question 5: Why don't you go today? she said to him.
- She said to him why he don
- She asked him why he did not go that day. (Correct answer)
- She asked him why he did not go today
- She asked him not to go that day
Correct answer: She asked him why he did not go that day.
When converting an interrogative sentence from direct to indirect speech, 'she said to him' changes to 'She asked him.' The question word 'why' is retained, and the sentence structure becomes a statement (subject-verb order). The present simple negative interrogative 'don't you go' becomes the past simple negative statement 'he did not go,' and 'today' changes to 'that day' in reported speech.
Question 6: Did the sun rise in the East, the young child asked her mother?
- The little girl asked her mother if the sun rose in the East (Correct answer)
- The little girl said to her mother that the sun rose in the East
- The little girl asked her mother if the sun is in the East
- The little girl said to her mother if the sun roses in the East
Correct answer: The little girl asked her mother if the sun rose in the East
When converting a yes/no question from direct to indirect speech, 'if' or 'whether' is used. The reporting verb 'asked' is appropriate. The simple past interrogative 'Did the sun rise' transforms into a simple past statement 'the sun rose' in indirect speech, maintaining the correct tense shift and structure. Option A correctly applies these rules.
Question 7: I informed him that he was not exerting himself.
- I told him, "You are not working hard."
- I said to him, "You are not working hard." (Correct answer)
- I said to him, "He is not working hard."
- I said, "You re not working hard."
Correct answer: I said to him, "You are not working hard."
To convert indirect speech to direct speech, the tense shifts forward (past tense 'was not exerting himself' becomes present tense 'are not working hard'). The pronoun 'he' changes to 'You' for direct address. 'Informed him that' becomes 'said to him,' and 'exerting himself' is naturally rephrased as 'working hard' to capture the original meaning in direct speech.
Question 8: I know where everyone is, she said her pal.
- She told her friend that she knows where was everyone
- She told that she knew where was everyone
- She told her friend that she knew where was everyone (Correct answer)
- She told her friend that she knew where is everyone
Correct answer: She told her friend that she knew where was everyone
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, 'she said her pal' becomes 'She told her friend.' The present tense verb 'know' correctly shifts to the past tense 'knew.' Similarly, 'everyone is' (present simple) shifts to 'everyone was' (past simple) in the reported clause. While the word order 'where was everyone' is slightly unconventional for an indirect statement, option C correctly handles the main tense shifts and reporting verb.
Question 9: The man said, "No, I refused to confers guilt."
- The man refused to confers his guilt
- The man emphatically refused to confers guilt (Correct answer)
- The man was stubborn enough to confers guilt
- The man told that he did not confers guilt
Correct answer: The man emphatically refused to confers guilt
The direct speech 'No, I refused to confers guilt' indicates a strong refusal. When converting to indirect speech, the 'No' can be conveyed by adding an adverb like 'emphatically' to the verb 'refused.' The phrase 'refused to confers guilt' is already in a past tense form, so it remains largely unchanged in indirect speech, with the added emphasis capturing the original sentiment.
Question 10: A quiet voice behind me murmured, "Are you alone, my son?"
- A soft voice said to me are you alone son
- A soft voice asked that what I was doing there alone
- A soft voice behind me asked If I was alone (Correct answer)
- A soft voice from my back asked If I was alone
Correct answer: A soft voice behind me asked If I was alone
When converting a yes/no question from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb 'murmured' can be replaced by 'asked.' The question 'Are you alone?' transforms into 'if I was alone' in indirect speech, with the tense shifting from present ('are') to past ('was') and the pronoun 'you' changing to 'I.' The address 'my son' is typically omitted or implied in the indirect form.
Question 11: Sandie requested a cup of tea from her butler.
- Sandie said, "Bring me a cup of tea."
- Sandie told her servant, "Bring a cup of tea."
- Sandie said to her servant, "Bring me a cup of tea."
- Sandie said, "Bring me a cup of tea." (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Sandie said, "Bring me a cup of tea."
The original sentence is in reported speech. To convert it back to direct speech, we need to find the exact words Sandie would have used. 'Bring me a cup of tea' is a direct command that accurately reflects the request made by Sandie to her butler.
Free Competitive English (Change of Speech) Questions and Answers
He was told to go to his room and study by his father.