OOPT Reported Speech and Indirect Questions

Question 1

She said, 'I will call you tomorrow.' Which is the correct reported speech?

Accepted Answer

She said she would call me the next day.

Answer

Backshifting: 'will' → 'would'. Pronoun change: 'I' → 'she', 'you' → 'me'. Time reference change: 'tomorrow' → 'the next day'. Option B fails to backshift. Option C swaps pronouns incorrectly. Option D keeps 'tomorrow' without changing it.

Question 2

He asked me where _______ from.

Accepted Answer

I came

Answer

In indirect questions the word order reverts to statement order (subject before verb), not question order. Past tense 'came' is used because the reporting verb 'asked' is past. Options B and D use question word order. Option C uses present simple, ignoring backshifting.

Question 3

The officer asked us _______ we had seen anything suspicious.

Accepted Answer

whether

Answer

Yes/no questions are reported with 'whether' or 'if'. 'That' introduces reported statements, not questions. 'What' would introduce a wh-question, implying specific information was seen. 'If that' is not grammatical in this context.

Question 4

My friend told me she _______ the project the previous week.

Accepted Answer

had finished

Answer

Backshifting past simple → past perfect. The original statement was 'I finished the project last week.' Reported in the past, 'finished' becomes 'had finished'. 'Has finished' is present perfect, not backshifted. 'Finished' misses the required backshift. 'Would finish' implies a future action.

Question 5

She asked me _______ I could help her move on Saturday.

Accepted Answer

if

Answer

'If' (or 'whether') links a reported yes/no question. 'That' introduces reported statements. 'Which' and 'what' introduce reported questions requiring specific information, which does not match the yes/no structure here.

(OOPT) Oxford Online Placement Test Practice Test

(OOPT) Oxford Online Placement Test Practice Test

OOPT Reported Speech and Indirect Questions