Narration
261 solved SSC CGL English previous year questions on Narration, each with the correct answer and a full explanation.
Q1
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "Why did you give up your job?"
✓ Correct answer: a) He asked her why she had given up her job.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - He asked her why she had given up her job.This is an interrogative sentence (wh- question) and it’s being reported in indirect speech, so the structure will change as follows: Rules to apply:1. Said → changes to asked (since it’s a question).2. "Why did you give up..." → backshift the verb to "had given up" (past simple → past perfect).3. "your" changes based on the subject – here, the subject is likely "her".Other Options: B) Incorrect: "you gave up" is not backshifted, and "you" is not changed to "she".C) Incorrect: "demand" is too strong and grammatically incorrect in structure.D) Incorrect: "requested" is not used for questions, and the verb tense isn't shifted.
Q2
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said that when he was a boy he could stay up as long as he liked.
✓ Correct answer: c) He said,"When I was a boy I could stay up as long as I liked."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — He said,"When I was a boy I could stay up as long as I liked." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: — "he" (third person) changes back to "I" (first person, as the speaker is referring to himself) For this sentence, the tenses remain the same because: — "was" (simple past) remains "was" in direct speech as it refers to a specific past time — "could" (past modal) remains "could" as it's already appropriate for the past time reference — "liked" (simple past) remains "liked" as it maintains the past reference The time clause "when I was a boy" correctly establishes the past time frame, so no further tense changes are needed.IN HINGLISH: Indirect speech को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ जरूरी बदलाव करने होते हैं: Reporting verb "said" में कोई tense change नहीं किया जाता, यह same रहता है। "That" को हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks में लिखा जाता है। Pronouns को original speaker की दृष्टि से बदला जाता है: — "he" (third person) वापस "I" (first person) बन जाता है क्योंकि वक्ताा खुद के बारे में बात कर रहा है। इस sentence में tense change नहीं होता क्योंकि original reference already past time है और context clear है। For this sentence: "was" (simple past) → remains "was" — क्योंकि यह एक specific past time बताता है। "could" (past modal) → remains "could" — यह पहले से ही past context के लिए सही है। "liked" (simple past) → remains "liked" — past reference को maintain करता है, इसलिए change नहीं होगा। | | SSC Time clause “when I was a boy” पहले ही past time frame को स्पष्ट कर देता है, इसलिए tense में और कोई बदलाव आवश्यक नहीं है।
Q3
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "How can a Zebra talk?"
✓ Correct answer: c) He asked how a Zebra could talk.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option C — He asked how a Zebra could talk.Explanation: The given sentence is an interrogative sentence (question form)."How can a Zebra talk?" When converting an interrogative sentence into indirect speech: “said” changes to asked (or inquired).The question form changes into a statement form (no question mark).The auxiliary verb shifts according to tense rule: can → could (because reporting verb “said” is in past tense).The word order becomes: how + subject + verb So the correct indirect form is: He asked how a Zebra could talk.
Q4
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "Good-bye! Dear friend," said the patriot, "we will meet again."
✓ Correct answer: c) Bidding his dear friend good-bye, the patriot said that they would meet again.
ExplanationThe correct alternative to express the given sentence in Indirect speech is: "Bidding his dear friend good-bye, the patriot said that they would meet again." This option accurately transforms the direct speech into indirect speech while maintaining the correct tense changes and attributions.The phrase "bidding his dear friend good-bye" replaces the original statement "Good-bye!Dear friend," as a suitable introduction to the reported speech.The change in tense from "will" to "would" is also applied correctly to the reported speech.
Q5
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. I said to the old man, "Don't sit on that chair; it is broken."
✓ Correct answer: a) I cautioned the old man against sitting on that chair as it was broken.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — I cautioned the old man against sitting on that chair as it was broken.Explanation: To convert direct speech into indirect speech, we follow several rules based on the type of sentence and the verbs used: Sentence Type: The original sentence is an imperative sentence containing a negative command — "Don't sit on that chair..." Reporting Verb: For negative commands or warnings, appropriate reporting verbs include warned, cautioned, or advised instead of "told" or "asked".Since the sentence implies warning due to a broken chair, "cautioned" is the most appropriate verb.Change in Structure: Imperative sentences in indirect speech often use the gerund (-ing form) when followed by "against"."Don't sit" changes to "against sitting".Tense Consistency: The original has "it is broken".As the reporting verb "said" is in the past, shift the tense to past: "is" → "was".Pronouns and Reference Words: "That chair" remains the same in indirect speech.
Q6
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "How I wish they would come!"
✓ Correct answer: b) He exclaimed hopefully that they would come.
ExplanationThe correct answer is Option A. Direct Speech: "He said, 'How I wish they would come!'" Exclamatory Sentence: The expression "How I wish..." conveys a strong desire or hope.Reporting Verb Change: In indirect speech, "said" is changed to "exclaimed" to convey the emotion expressed in the sentence.Conjunction: The exclamatory expression is converted into a statement using "that".Meaning Preserved: Option A correctly conveys the speaker's wish without altering the intended meaning.Therefore, the correct answer is Option A. Correct Sentence: "He exclaimed that he wished they would come." Option B: "He exclaimed hopefully that they would come." Incorrect because it changes the original structure and does not convey the explicit wish expressed by the speaker.Option C: "He exclaimed that he would wish them to come." Incorrect because the construction "would wish" is unnatural and alters the meaning.Option D: "He exclaimed how he wished they would come." Incorrect because the conjunction "how" is unnecessary in indirect narration and makes the sentence awkward.
Q7
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "Why don't you see a doctor?" said Mrs. Lal to Nina.
✓ Correct answer: a) Mrs. Lal asked Nina why she could't see a doctor.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — Mrs. Lal asked Nina why she couldn't see a doctor.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for questions in the form of "Why don't you...?", we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" changes to "asked" since this is a question.For wh-questions, we use the question word "why" directly without adding "that." The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "why she couldn't see" instead of "why don't you see." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener, Nina) changes to "she" The negative form changes: "don't you see" changes to "she couldn't see" The contraction "don't" in present tense becomes "couldn't" (could not) in past tense with backshift We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: "Why don't you...?" format वाले direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय (जब question हो) हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" को "asked" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि यह question है। Wh-questions के लिए question word "why" directly use किया जाता है बिना "that" add किए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "why she couldn't see" न कि "why don't you see." Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "she" (listener Nina) Negative form बदलता है: "don't you see" → "she couldn't see" Present tense में contraction "don't" backshift के साथ past tense में "couldn't" (could not) बन जाता है | | SSC Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q8
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He told his mother that he was starting in two days' time.
✓ Correct answer: a) "I am starting the day after tomorrow, mother,"he said.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — "I am starting the day after tomorrow, mother," he said.Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "told" changes to "said" in direct speech.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: "he" (third person) changes back to "I" (first person, as the speaker is referring to himself) "his mother" becomes the vocative "mother" The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): Past continuous "was starting" changes back to present continuous "am starting" Time expressions change to reflect the original perspective: "in two days' time" changes to "the day after tomorrow" (both mean the same — two days from now) We add a comma before the vocative "mother" and a full stop at the end of the quoted speech.In Hinglish: Indirect speech को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "told" को "said" में बदला जाता है direct speech में। Conjunction "that" हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Pronouns original speaker के perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "he" → "I" (third person से first person, क्योंकि speaker खुद अपनी बात कर रहा है) "his mother" vocative "mother" बन जाता है Tense forward shift होता है (backshift का reverse): Past continuous "was starting" → present continuous "am starting" Time expressions original perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "in two days' time" → "the day after tomorrow" (दोनों का मतलब same है — अभी से दो दिन बाद) Vocative "mother" से पहले comma (,) और quoted speech के अंत में full stop (.) add किया जाता है।
Q9
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The Prime Minister said at a meeting, "There is no need of a working President for the party now."
✓ Correct answer: b) The Prime Minister said at a meeting that there was no need of a working president for the party then.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - The Prime Minister said at a meeting that there was no need of a working president for the party then.Steps involed in conversion:1. Reporting Verb: "said at a meeting" – ये reporting verb past tense में है, तो tense change होगा।2. Reported Speech: "There is no need of a working President for the party now." "There is" → becomes → "There was" "now" → becomes → "then"3. Correct Form: Reporting verb: said at a meeting Reported speech (in indirect): that there was no need of a working President for the party then.Option Check: A. The Prime Minister told a meeting that there was no need of a working President for the party now. ❌ Wrong – “now” should be “then” | | SSC B. The Prime Minister said at a meeting that there was no need of a working president for the party then. ✅ Correct – All parts accurate: “said at a meeting” “was” (past) “then” (instead of now) C. The Prime Minister told a meeting that there was no need of a working President then. ❌ Missing “for the party” D.The Prime Minister addressed a meeting that there was no need of a working President for the party then. ❌ “addressed that” – incorrect reporting verb usage
Q10
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. I can't stand on my head because I am not well."
✓ Correct answer: a) He said that he couldn't stand on his head because he was not well.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — He said that he couldn't stand on his head because he was not well.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb "said." Change pronouns according to the new perspective: "I" (the original speaker) changes to "he" "my" changes to "his" Apply backshift of tenses: "can't" (present modal) changes to "couldn't" (past modal) "am" (present tense of 'be') changes to "was" (past tense) The reporting verb "said" is appropriate for reporting statements.
Q11
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My mother says,"I have often told you not to play with fire."
✓ Correct answer: c) My mother says that she has often told me not to play with fire.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - My mother says that she has often told me not to play with fire.We need to convert this into Indirect Speech.Step-by-step Explanation:1. Reporting Verb: "says" is in present tense, so no change in the tense of the reported speech.2. Pronoun Change: "I" → "she" (referring to mother) "you" → "me" (referring to the speaker)3. Tense: "have told" remains unchanged as the reporting verb is in the present tense.Correct Indirect Speech: My mother says that she has often told me not to play with fire.Options analysis: A) My mother has often told me not to play with fire. → ❌ Changes reporting verb to past perfect — not matching original sentence.B) My mother said that I should not play with fire. → ❌ Reporting verb is "says," not "said" – and "should" wasn’t in the original.C) My mother says that she has often told me not to play with fire. → ✅ Perfect match with the original sentence in structure and tense.D) My mother says that she often tells me not to play with fire. → ❌ Slight meaning shift – continuous habit vs. repeated past act.
Q12
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Mother said,"Don't step out of the house in the summer season."
✓ Correct answer: d) The mother advised the children not to step out of the house in the summer season.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — The mother advised the children not to step out of the house in the summer season.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for negative commands or warnings, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" changes to "advised" since the mother is giving advice/guidance to her children (not threatening or requesting, but caring guidance for their well-being).We need to add an indirect object "the children" to show who received the advice.Negative commands in indirect speech are expressed using "not to + base verb." The negative imperative "Don't step out" becomes "not to step out." The phrases "of the house" and "in the summer season" remain unchanged.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech (negative command/warning) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" को "advised" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि mother अपने children को advice/guidance दे रही है (threatening या requesting नहीं, बल्कि unki well-being के लिए caring guidance)। Indirect object "the children" add करना पड़ता है यह दिखाने के लिए कि advice किसको मिली। Negative commands को indirect speech में "not to + base verb" से express किया जाता है। Negative imperative "Don't step out" बन जाता है "not to step out." Phrases "of the house" और "in the summer season" unchanged रहते हैं। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q13
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Mohan will say, "I want two persons to assist me."
✓ Correct answer: d) Mohan will say that he wants two persons to assist him.
ExplanationThe correct answer is number 4, Mohan will say that he wants two persons to assist him.Reporting verb: "will say" → Future tense (so no tense change is needed in the reported speech).Pronouns: "I" (Mohan is speaking) → becomes "he" "me" → becomes "him" Hence, Option D is the correct answer.
Q14
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "Are you the same person I met in the park?" I asked.
✓ Correct answer: a) I asked the stranger if he was the same person I had met in the park.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - I asked the stranger if he was the same person I had met in the park.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Remove the quotation marks and question mark.Change the question word structure: Yes/No questions (starting with "Are you...") use "if" or "whether" in indirect speech Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Are you" becomes "he was" Apply pronoun changes: "you" (the person being asked) changes to "he" "I" (the original speaker) remains "I" Apply backshift of tenses: "are" changes to "was" "met" (simple past) changes to "had met" (past perfect) The reporting verb "asked" can be followed by an object like "the stranger" for clarity. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — "Are you the same person I met in the park?" I asked। यह Direct Question है। | | SSC जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “asked” past tense में है → tense backshift apply होगा Question word “Are you” → if he was Pronoun shift: “you” → he (stranger के लिए) Past event “I met” → I had met (backshift tense) इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (A) I asked the stranger if he was the same person I had met in the park.
Q15
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The teacher asked the students, "Did the guide bring you right up to top?"
✓ Correct answer: a) The teacher enquired from the students whether the guide had conducted them right upto the top.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The teacher enquired from the students whether the guide had conducted them right upto the top.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for yes/no questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "asked" can be changed to "enquired from" since both are appropriate for questions.For yes/no questions, we use "if" or "whether" as conjunctions to introduce the reported question.The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "whether the guide had conducted them" instead of "Did the guide bring you." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listeners, students) changes to "them" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple past "did...bring" changes to past perfect "had conducted" (or "had brought") The verb "bring" can be replaced with a more formal synonym "conducted" which means "led" or "brought" in this context.The phrase "right up to top" is corrected to "right upto the top" (adding "the" for grammatical correctness).We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (yes/no question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "asked" को "enquired from" में बदला जा सकता है क्योंकि दोनों questions के लिए appropriate हैं। Yes/no questions के लिए "if" या "whether" conjunction use करते हैं reported question introduce करने के लिए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "whether the guide had conducted them" की जगह "Did the guide bring you" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "them" (listeners, students) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple past "did...bring" → past perfect "had conducted" (या "had brought") Verb "bring" को ज्यादा formal synonym "conducted" से replace किया जा सकता है जिसका मतलब "led" या "brought" है इस context में। Phrase "right up to top" को "right upto the top" में correct किया जाता है (grammatical correctness के लिए "the" add करके)। Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q16
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My sister said,"They will contact you as soon as they finish the job."
✓ Correct answer: b) My sister said that they would contact me as soon as they finish the job.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - My sister said that they would contact me as soon as they finish the job.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to apply several changes: Add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb "said." Change pronouns according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener) changes to "me" (the person being told about the conversation) Apply backshift of tenses: "will contact" changes to "would contact" However, in time clauses introduced by words like "as soon as," "when," "after," "before," etc., we typically do not change the tense if it refers to a future action that hasn't happened yet.The present tense "finish" remains unchanged.
Q17
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The teacher said to the children,"The sun always sets in the west."
✓ Correct answer: a) The teacher told the children that the Sun always sets in the west.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option A The teacher told the children that the Sun always sets in the west.Step-by-Step Conversion: Reporting Verb: "said to" changes to "told" (because it is followed by an object – "the children").Connective Word: Use "that" to connect the reported clause.Universal Truth Rule: "The sun always sets in the west" is a universal truth, so no change in tense is required.Final Sentence: The teacher told the children that the sun always sets in the west.
Q18
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Rakesh says," Can you prepare a cup of tea for me, Sunita?"
✓ Correct answer: d) Rakesh asks Sunita if she can prepare a cup of tea for him.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — Rakesh asks Sunita if she can prepare a cup of tea for him.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for yes/no questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "says" changes to "asks" since it's a question (request).Since the reporting verb is in present tense "says/asks", we do NOT apply backshift of tenses.For yes/no questions, we use "if" or "whether" as conjunctions to introduce the reported question.The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "if she can prepare" instead of "Can you prepare." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener, Sunita) changes to "she" "me" (the speaker, Rakesh) changes to "him" The vocative "Sunita" becomes the indirect object after the reporting verb.Since the reporting verb is in present tense, the modal "can" remains as "can" (no backshift).We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (yes/no question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "says" को "asks" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि यह question (request) है। क्योंकि reporting verb present tense "says/asks" में है, हम tenses का backshift नहीं करते। Yes/no questions के लिए "if" या "whether" conjunction use करते हैं reported question introduce करने के लिए। | | SSC Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "if she can prepare" की जगह "Can you prepare" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "she" (listener, Sunita) "me" → "him" (speaker, Rakesh) Vocative "Sunita" reporting verb के बाद indirect object बन जाती है। क्योंकि reporting verb present tense में है, modal "can" → "can" same रहता है (no backshift)। Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q19
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He says, "The sun rises in the east."
✓ Correct answer: c) He says that the sun rises in the east.
ExplanationSince the original sentence is "He says, 'The sun rises in the east.'", the reporting verb is in the present tense ("says"), not past tense.So the correct option is: C) He says that the sun rises in the east.Explanation: When the reporting verb is in the present tense ("says"), the tense in the reported clause usually stays the same."The sun rises" (present simple) remains "the sun rises." Options A and D use "He said" (past tense), which doesn’t match the original present tense "He says." Option B uses "has risen," which changes the meaning and tense unnecessarily.
Q20
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "I am proud of you," father said to me.
✓ Correct answer: b) Father told me that he was proud of me.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the verb used for reporting is "said," which is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to correspond with the past tense.Additionally, the reporting verb "said to" should be replaced with "told" since it is followed by an object.In the given context, the verb "am" is to be substituted with the past tense form "was", while the pronoun "I" is to be replaced with the third-person pronoun "he".Hence option B is the correct answer.
Q21
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My father said, "We have been living here since the day this house was built."
✓ Correct answer: b) My father said that they had been living there since the day that house had been built.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — My father said that they had been living there since the day that house had been built.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "We" (the speaker and his family) changes to "they" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Present perfect continuous "have been living" changes to past perfect continuous "had been living" Simple past passive "was built" changes to past perfect passive "had been built" Adverbs of place change: | | SSC "here" (near to the speaker) changes to "there" (distant from the reporter) Demonstrative pronouns change: "this house" changes to "that house" The time expression "since the day" remains the same as it's part of the clause structure.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" same रहता है। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "We" → "they" (speaker और उसका family) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Present perfect continuous "have been living" → past perfect continuous "had been living" Simple past passive "was built" → past perfect passive "had been built" Adverbs of place बदलते हैं: "here" → "there" (speaker से दूर) Demonstrative pronouns बदलते हैं: "this house" → "that house" Time expression "since the day" same रहता है क्योंकि यह clause structure का हिस्सा है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q22
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The Principal said to us, "Today you will get your diplomas."
✓ Correct answer: a) The Principal told us that on that day we would be getting our diplomas.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The Principal told us that on that day we would be getting our diplomas.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (us).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listeners) changes to "we" "your diplomas" changes to "our diplomas" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Future "will get" changes to conditional "would be getting" (using continuous form for natural flow) Time expressions change to reflect the shift in perspective: "Today" changes to "on that day" We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (us) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "we" (listeners) "your diplomas" → "our diplomas" Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Future "will get" → conditional "would be getting" (natural flow के लिए continuous form use करके) Time expressions shift होते हैं perspective के अनुसार: "Today" → "on that day" | | SSC Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q23
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My mother said, "We went to a market that is five kilometers from here."
✓ Correct answer: c) My mother said that they had gone to a market that was five kilometres from there.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be adjusted accordingly to the past tense.The past indefinite tense is transformed into the past perfect tense.The word denoting proximity will be replaced with words indicating a sense of distance so "here" will change to "there".The subject of the reported speech should be modified to align with the subject of the reporting verb, given that the reported speech contains a first- person plural pronoun.This suggests that the pronoun "we" should be replaced with the pronoun "they." The statement in indirect speech will be: My mother said that they had gone to a market that was five kilometres from there.
Q24
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. She said to the shopkeeper, "My favourite colour is yellow."
✓ Correct answer: c) She told the shopkeeper that her favourite colour was yellow.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option C Reporting Verb: "said to" changes to "told" in indirect speech.Tense Change (Backshifting): Direct: is → Indirect: was (because the reporting verb is in the past tense) Pronoun Change: My → her (since "she" is the speaker)
Q25
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. She said, "I will be making the dinner now, so tell me what you wish to eat?"
✓ Correct answer: b) She said that she would be making the dinner then so we should tell her what we wished to eat.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — She said that she would be making the dinner then so we should tell her what we wished to eat.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: — "I" (the speaker) changes to "she" — "you" (the listener) changes to "we" The tense shifts backward (backshift): — Future continuous "will be making" changes to conditional continuous "would be making" — Simple present "wish" changes to simple past "wished" Time expressions change: — "now" changes to "then" For the question part, we use the question word "what" directly without "that," maintaining the meaning of the inquiry.
Q26
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. They said, "We play cricket every Sunday here at the club."
✓ Correct answer: b) They said that they played cricket every Sunday there at the club.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: If the reporting verb (said) is in past tense but in reported speech, any habitual, historical, proverb and universal truth are given.In this condition, we do not change the tense of the reported speech.Since here a habitual fact has been stated so the tense will not be changed.The changes can only be made in persons of the pronoun and words expressing nearness.So change 'We' into 'they' and 'here' into 'there'.The correct Sentence: They said that they play cricket every Sunday there at the club.
Q27
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The family said, "We were watching TV when we heard the news."
✓ Correct answer: a) The family said that they had been watching TV when they had heard the news.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be adjusted to reflect the past.The phrase "Were watching" will be transformed into "had been watching," while the term "heard" will be modified to "had heard." The subject and object of the reported speech are both referred to as 'We', which is a first-person pronoun.In accordance with the subject of the reporting speech, namely 'The family', the pronoun 'We' will be modified to 'They'.The statement in indirect speech will be: The family said that they had been watching TV when they had heard the news.
Q28
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The officer said, "I am very busy now".
✓ Correct answer: d) The officer said that he was very busy then.
ExplanationThe Correct answer: Option D — The officer said that he was very busy then.Explanation: The original sentence is in Direct speech: "I am very busy now." When converting to Indirect speech, we: Change the present tense ("am") to past tense ("was").Change "now" to "then" because the statement is being reported after the fact.So, the correct transformation is: The officer said that he was very busy then.
Q29
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My brother said, "I can climb this hill in less than an hour."
✓ Correct answer: d) My brother claimed that he could climb that hill in less than an hour.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the reporting verb "said" is observed to be in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to correspond with the past tense.The substitution of "can" with "could" and the alteration of "this hill" to "that hill" are recommended.Hence option D is the correct answer.
Q30
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My brother said to me, "I was upset, but now I am fine."
✓ Correct answer: c) My brother told me that he had been upset, but then he was fine.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the verb used for reporting is "said," which is in the past tense.Therefore, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to correspond with the past tense.The phrase "was upset" should be revised to "had been upset," while "am fine" should be altered to "was fine." Additionally, the term "now" should be substituted with "then," and "said" should be replaced with "told." Hence option C is the correct answer.
Q31
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said to the principal, "I have made a mistake."
✓ Correct answer: b) He told the principal that he had made a mistake.
ExplanationThe correct option is B: "He told the principal that he had made a mistake." This represents the sentence in indirect speech.The original direct speech, "I have made a mistake," changes the verb tense to past tense and the pronoun "I" to "he" in indirect speech.Option A incorrectly uses "have had made" instead of "had made." Option C retains the present tense incorrectly.Option D introduces unnecessary phrasing.
Q32
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. She said, "I love my grandparents thus I take good care of them."
✓ Correct answer: d) She said that she loved her grandparents so she took good care of them.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option D — She said that she loved her grandparents so she took good care of them.Explanation: The reporting verb is “said” (past tense).When the reporting verb is in past tense, we normally apply backshift of tense in indirect speech.Direct sentence: "I love my grandparents thus I take good care of them." Changes: Add "that" after said."I" → she."my" → her.Present tense "love" → past tense "loved." Present tense "take" → past tense "took"."thus" is better replaced with "so" in reported speech.So the correct indirect form becomes: She said that she loved her grandparents so she took good care of them.
Q33
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The old man said to me, "Life has taught me some hard lessons."
✓ Correct answer: d) The old man told me that life had taught him some hard lessons.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the verb used for reporting is "said," which is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to align with the past tense.Additionally, the reporting verb "said to" should be replaced with "told" since it is followed by an object.The verb phrase "has taught" should be modified to "had taught," and the pronoun "me" should be altered to "him." Correct sentence: "The old man told me that life had taught him some hard lessons." Hence, option D is the correct answer.
Q34
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one that best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. They said, "We will not bother the workers."
✓ Correct answer: a) They said that they would not bother the workers.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: Since the reporting verb (said) is in past tense hence the tense of the reported speech must be changed according to the past tense.In reported speech, will has been used as an auxiliary so 'will' is changed into 'would'.The subject of the reported speech must be changed according to the Subject of the reporting verb i.e. 'We' will be changed into 'They'. 'We' is the first- person pronoun.The correct Sentence: They said that they would not bother the workers.
Q35
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The leader said to his gang members, "Now I will tell you my plan."
✓ Correct answer: b) The leader told the gang members that then he would tell them his plan.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — The leader told the gang members that then he would tell them his plan.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (his gang members).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "I" (the speaker) changes to "he" "you" (the listeners) changes to "them" "my plan" changes to "his plan" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Future "will tell" changes to conditional "would tell" Time expressions change to reflect the shift in perspective: "Now" changes to "then" (indicating that moment in the past) We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (his gang members) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "I" → "he" (speaker) "you" → "them" (listeners) "my plan" → "his plan" Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Future "will tell" → conditional "would tell" Time expressions shift होते हैं perspective के अनुसार: | | SSC "Now" → "then" (past में उस moment को indicate करने के लिए) Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q36
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Jyoti said to her sister, "This dress is so pretty."
✓ Correct answer: b) Jyoti said to her sister that that dress was so pretty.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — Jyoti said to her sister that that dress was so pretty.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Demonstrative pronouns change according to distance: — "This dress" (near to the speaker) changes to "that dress" (distant from the reporter) — Note: This results in "that that dress" where the first "that" is the conjunction and the second "that" is the demonstrative pronoun The tense shifts backward (backshift): — Simple present "is" changes to simple past "was" We remove the quotation marks.IN HINGLISH: जब हम direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते हैं, तो कुछ आवश्यक बदलाव करने होते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" में कोई परिवर्तन नहीं होता। Reporting verb के बाद "that" जोड़ाा जाता है। "This dress" (speaker के पास) बदलकर "that dress" (reporter के perspective से दूर) बन जाता है। Note: इससे structure "that that dress" बनती है: पहला that → conjunction दूसरा that → demonstrative pronoun Simple present "is" बदलकर simple past "was" हो जाता है। Quotation marks हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q37
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "This is a bad idea."
✓ Correct answer: c) He said that that was a bad idea.
ExplanationThe correct option is C: "He said that that was a bad idea." This best represents the sentence in indirect speech.The original direct speech, "This is a bad idea," changes to indirect speech by shifting the pronoun "this" to "that" and changing the verb tense to past tense.Option A and option D are incorrect due to awkward phrasing and incorrect word usage.Option B is incorrect because it doesn't change the verb tense to past tense.
Q38
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The clerk said, "What can I do for you?"
✓ Correct answer: a) The clerk asked what he could do for me.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The clerk asked what he could do for me.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for wh-questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" changes to "asked" since it's a question.For wh-questions, we use the question word "what" directly without adding "that." The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "what he could do" instead of "what can I do." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: — "I" (the speaker) changes to "he" — "you" (the listener) changes to "me" The tense shifts backward (backshift): — Modal verb "can" changes to "could" We remove the quotation marks and question mark.
Q39
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The coach said to me, "You have to get up early."
✓ Correct answer: d) The coach told me that I had to get up early.
ExplanationThe correct answer is D: "The coach told me that I had to get up early." This represents the sentence in indirect speech.In indirect speech, verb tenses often shift one step back.The original direct speech, "You have to get up early," changes the present tense "have" to past tense "had" in the reported speech.Options A and B are incorrect due to incorrect tense usage, and option C is also incorrect as it retains the present perfect tense "have had" instead of changing it to "had."
Q40
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. She said to her friend, "What can I do to help you?"
✓ Correct answer: b) She asked her friend what she could do to help her.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the reporting verb is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to reflect the past.As it is an interrogative sentence, the reporting verb should be transformed into "asked".In this case, the question word "what" will function as a conjunction, and the assertive structure will follow.The modal verb "can" should be altered to "could".Hence option B is the correct answer.
Q41
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "The taxi is here," said the watchman.
✓ Correct answer: d) The watchman said that the taxi was there.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the verb used for reporting is "said," which is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech will be modified to correspond with the past tense.The verb "is" should be modified to "was," and the adverb "here" will be replaced with "there." Hence option D is the correct answer.
Q42
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The jeweller said to us, "These diamonds are polished here."
✓ Correct answer: b) The jeweller informed us that those diamonds were polished there.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb 'said' should be replaced with 'informed' since it conveys the act of providing information.Given that the reporting verb is in the past tense, it follows that the reported speech should also be expressed in the past tense.In order to effect this change, it is necessary to replace the verb 'are' with the verb 'were'.Additionally, modify the aforementioned items to the aforementioned ones, and relocate the present location to a different location.The statement in indirect speech will be: The jeweller informed us that those diamonds were polished there.
Q43
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The teacher said to me, "Stand here next to the podium."
✓ Correct answer: c) The teacher told me to stand there next to the podium.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The teacher told me to stand there next to the podium.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for commands or orders, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (me).Note: "told" is directly followed by the object without "to." Commands in indirect speech are expressed using the infinitive structure "to + base verb." The imperative "Stand" becomes "to stand." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "me" (the listener) remains as "me" Adverbs of place change to reflect distance: "here" (near to the speaker) changes to "there" (distant from the reporter) The phrase "next to the podium" remains the same.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Commands/orders वाले direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (me) हो। Note: "told" के बाद directly object आता है बिना "to" के। Commands को indirect speech में infinitive structure "to + base verb" से express किया जाता है। Imperative "Stand" को "to stand" में बदला जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "me" → "me" (listener, same रहता है) Adverbs of place distance reflect करने के लिए बदलते हैं: "here" → "there" (reporter से दूर) Phrase "next to the podium" same रहता है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q44
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said to the doctor, "How soon will I be able to walk again?"
✓ Correct answer: b) He asked the doctor how soon would he be able to walk again.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: As the provided sentence is in the form of an interrogative sentence, the reporting verb 'said' should be replaced with 'asked'.The word 'will' should be replaced with 'would', and the question word 'how' can function as a conjunction on its own, eliminating the need for the conjunction 'that' to connect the two clauses.When the question word "who" is used, it is necessary to employ an assertive sentence structure.The pronoun 'I' should be replaced with the pronoun 'he'.The statement in indirect speech will be: He asked the doctor how soon would he be able to walk again.
Q45
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. She said, "I will have my report finished by tomorrow."
✓ Correct answer: d) She said that she would have her report finished by the next day.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb is in the past tense, therefore, the reported speech must be modified to reflect the past tense.The verb "will have" should be changed to "would have," and the pronoun "I" should be changed to "she", as the first- person pronoun should be adjusted to match the subject of the reported verb.The adverb denoting a future time (tomorrow) will be substituted with the phrase "the next day." The statement in indirect speech will be: She said that she would have her report finished by the next day.
Q46
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My father said to me, "Don't talk to your mother like that."
✓ Correct answer: b) My father warned me not to talk to my mother like that.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The user's text should be rewritten to be more academic.The imperative sentence should be transformed into a reported warning, replacing the reporting verb "said" with "warned." The conjunction "that" will not be employed in this context.It is advised to use the phrase 'not to' instead of 'don't' after being cautioned.Hence option B is the correct answer.
Q47
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. They said, "We are taking the medicines every day."
✓ Correct answer: a) They said that they were taking the medicines every day.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: Since the reporting verb (said) is in past tense hence the tense of the reported speech must be changed according to the past tense.In reported speech, there is present continuous tense and it will be changed into past continuous tense. 'We' is a first-person pronoun so it will be changed according to the Subject of the reporting verb which means 'we' changes into 'They'.The correct Sentence: They said that they were taking the medicines every day.
Q48
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "She is driving a car now after many years."
✓ Correct answer: c) He said that she was driving a car then after many years.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - He said that she was driving a car then after many years.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb "said." Apply backshift of tenses: "is driving" (present continuous) changes to "was driving" (past continuous) Change time references to reflect the shift in temporal perspective: "now" (referring to the present moment when the statement was made) changes to "then" (referring to that past moment from the current reporting perspective) The pronoun "she" remains the same as it's already in third person.Remove quotation marks.
Q49
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My brother said, "I will have finished my work by the time you leave from this place."
✓ Correct answer: d) My brother said that he would have finished his work by the time we left from that place.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be adjusted to the past tense.The verb "will have finished" can be transformed into "would have finished" in the past tense.Similarly, the verb "leave" can be changed to "left" in the past tense.Transform "this place" into "that place".In academic writing, the pronoun 'I' should be replaced with 'He' when referring to a third-person singular subject.Similarly, the pronoun 'You' should be replaced with 'We' when referring to the first-person plural subject.The statement in indirect speech will be: My brother said that he would have finished his work by the time we left from that place.
Q50
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My sister said to me, "You didn't help me yesterday so I will not help you now."
✓ Correct answer: a) My sister said to me that I had not helped her the day before so she would not help me then.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be adjusted to the past tense.The phrase "didn't help" will be revised to "had not helped," while "will not help" will be altered to "would not help." The subjects 'you and I' in the reported speech should be modified to 'I and she'.The objects of reported speech, 'Me and You', should be altered to 'She and Me'.The adverb of time 'Yesterday' will be replaced with the phrase 'The day before'.Please note that in contemporary English, it is irrelevant whether the reporting verb is changed or not when an object is present.For instance, "said + to + object" can be transformed into "told + object".The reporting verb may or may not be altered.The statement in indirect speech will be: My sister said to me that I had not helped her the day before so she would not help me then.
Q51
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Preeti said to her friend, "I am like my mother."
✓ Correct answer: a) Preeti told her friend that she was like her mother.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - Preeti told her friend that she was like her mother.We are converting Direct Speech → Indirect Speech.Step-by-step conversion:1. Reporting Verb: "said to" becomes "told" when followed by a person.2. Tense: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, so we change the tense of the reported speech as well."am" becomes "was".3. Pronoun Change: "I" refers to Preeti, so it changes to "she".Correct Indirect Speech: Preeti told her friend that she was like her mother.
Q52
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Zakir said, "Here is the book that I have been looking for."
✓ Correct answer: c) Zakir said that, there was the book that he had been looking for.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: Since the reporting verb (said) is in the past tense hence the tense of the reported speech must be changed according to the past tense.In reported speech, there is present perfect continuous tense and it will be changed into the past perfect continuous tense.Apart from it 'Is' will be changed into 'Was'.The subject of the reported speech must be changed according to the Subject of the reporting verb, i.e. 'I' will be changed into 'he'.Words expressing nearness in time and place are changed into words expressing distance, i.e. 'Here' should be changed into 'There'.The correct Sentence: Zakir said that, there was the book that he had been looking for.
Q53
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The pilgrim said to me, "When you go down the street, you will see the temple to your right."
✓ Correct answer: b) The pilgrim told me that when I went down the street, I would see the temple to my right.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — The pilgrim told me that when I went down the street, I would see the temple to my right.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (me).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener) changes to "I" (the person being told, from the perspective of the reporter) "your right" changes to "my right" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "go" (in the time clause) changes to simple past "went" Future "will see" changes to conditional "would see" The time conjunction "when" remains the same.The phrase "down the street" and "the temple" remain unchanged.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (me) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "I" (listener, reporter के perspective से) "your right" → "my right" Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "go" (time clause में) → simple past "went" | | SSC Future "will see" → conditional "would see" Time conjunction "when" same रहता है। Phrase "down the street" और "the temple" unchanged रहते हैं। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q54
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "I had not received the passport hence I could not attend the conference held last year."
✓ Correct answer: c) He said that he had not received the passport, hence he could not attend the conference held last year.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, while the reported speech is already in the past perfect tense.Therefore, the verb "could" in the reported speech will remain unchanged."had not received" remains unchanged.The subject (I) of the reported speech will be modified to 'He' in accordance with the subject of the reporting speech, namely "He".The statement in indirect speech will be: He said that he had not received the passport, hence he could not attend the conference held last year.
Q55
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. I said to my father, "I want to build a raft which can hold four people."
✓ Correct answer: d) I told my father that I wanted to build a raft which could hold four people.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — I told my father that I wanted to build a raft which could hold four people.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (my father).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb (only once, not "that that").Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "I" (the speaker) remains as "I" since the same person is reporting "my father" remains the same The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "want" changes to simple past "wanted" Modal verb "can" changes to "could" The rest of the sentence remains the same: "to build a raft which...hold four people." We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (my father) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है (सिर्फ एक बार, "that that" नहीं)। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "I" → "I" (speaker same रहता है क्योंकि वही person report कर रहा है) "my father" same रहता है Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "want" → simple past "wanted" Modal verb "can" → "could" | | SSC Sentence का बाकी हिस्सा same रहता है: "to build a raft which...hold four people." Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q56
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The artist said, "I was painting a picture here at the bank of this river."
✓ Correct answer: c) The artist said that he had been painting a picture there at the bank of that river.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be adjusted to the past.The past continuous tense is transformed into the past perfect continuous tense, specifically "was painting" changes to "had been painting." The pronoun "I" can be replaced with the pronoun 'He', while the word 'Here' can be substituted with 'There'."This" will change to "that".The statement in indirect speech will be: The artist said that he had been painting a picture there at the bank of that river.
Q57
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "My train will reach by noon," he explained.
✓ Correct answer: b) He explained that his train would reach by noon.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the reporting verb "explained" is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech needs to be adjusted to the past as well.Therefore, the phrase "will reach" should be modified to "would reach," and the possessive pronoun "my" should be altered to "his." Hence option B is the correct answer.
Q58
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "Where are you going?" father asked me.
✓ Correct answer: d) Father asked me where I was going.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — Father asked me where I was going.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for wh-questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "asked" remains the same since it's appropriate for questions.For wh-questions, we use the question word "where" directly without adding "that." The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "where I was going" instead of "where are you going." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener) changes to "I" (the person being asked, from the perspective of the reporter) The tense shifts backward (backshift): Present continuous "are...going" changes to past continuous "was...going" We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (wh-question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "asked" same रहता है क्योंकि यह questions के लिए appropriate है। Wh-questions के लिए question word "where" directly use करते हैं बिना "that" add किए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "where I was going" की जगह "where are you going" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "I" (listener, reporter के perspective से) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): | | SSC Present continuous "are...going" → past continuous "was...going" Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q59
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "How often do you go to the temple?" grandmother said to me.
✓ Correct answer: a) Grandmother asked me how often I went to the temple.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: Since it is an interrogative sentence and it starts with a Question word (How often) so the reporting verb 'said' will be changed into 'asked'.That is used in assertive sentences.Here the question word itself works as a conjunction.After 'how often' we will use the assertive structure of the sentence.Since it is present indefinite tense so the assertive structure will be in past indefinite tense as the tense of reported speech will also be changed. 'You' is the second person pronoun so, it will change according to the Object of the reporting verb i.e. into 'I'.The correct Sentence: Grandmother asked me how often I went to the temple.
Q60
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My neighbour said, "I bought a new car last week."
✓ Correct answer: b) My neighbour said that he had bought a new car the week before.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, therefore the tense of the reported speech will be changed to reflect the past.The past indefinite tense is transformed into the past perfect tense, for example, "bought" is changed to "had bought." The pronoun "I" should be replaced with the pronoun "He" in order to align with the subject of the reporting verb.The term "last week" should be revised to "the week before." The statement in indirect speech will be: My neighbour said that he had bought a new car the week before.
Q61
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Zenab said to me, "My father is a dentist."
✓ Correct answer: b) Zenab told me that her father was a dentist.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — Zenab told me that her father was a dentist.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (me).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "My father" (possessive, referring to the speaker's father) changes to "her father" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "is" changes to simple past "was" No changes needed for "a dentist" as it's a noun phrase.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: | | SSC Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (me) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "My father" → "her father" (speaker के father के लिए possessive) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "is" → simple past "was" "a dentist" के लिए कोई बदलाव नहीं क्योंकि यह noun phrase है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q62
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The workman said, "I have been working in this factory since the day it started."
✓ Correct answer: c) The workman said that he had been working in that factory since the day it had started.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option C "The workman said that he had been working in that factory since the day it had started." "said" is the reporting verb.It is in the past tense and is a statement, so we don't use if/whether (those are used for questions)."have been working" (Present Perfect Continuous) → "had been working" (Past Perfect Continuous) Rule: In indirect speech, Present Perfect Continuous changes to Past Perfect Continuous."it started" (Simple Past) → "it had started" (Past Perfect) Rule: Simple past changes to Past Perfect in indirect speech."I" → "he" (because the speaker is "the workman") "this factory" → "that factory" (change of place word in reported speech)
Q63
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The farmer said, "I will be feeding the cows hence I will eat my lunch later."
✓ Correct answer: b) The farmer said that he would be feeding the cows hence he would eat his lunch later.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — The farmer said that he would be feeding the cows hence he would eat his lunch later.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: — "I" (the speaker) changes to "he" — "my" (possessive) changes to "his" The tense shifts backward (backshift) for BOTH clauses: — Future continuous "will be feeding" changes to conditional continuous "would be feeding" — Simple future "will eat" changes to conditional "would eat" The conjunction "hence" and the time expression "later" remain the same.We remove the quotation marks.
Q64
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. I said to my friend, "Be careful, my dog may bite you."
✓ Correct answer: b) I warned my friend to be careful and that my dog might bite him.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - I warned my friend to be careful and that my dog might bite him.Steps involved:1. Reporting Verb: "I said to my friend" → reporting verb hai, jisko hum indirect speech mein usually "warned" banate hain, kyunki sentence ek warning de raha hai.2. Reported Speech Tense Change: “Be careful” → to be careful “may bite” → past form → might bite3. Pronoun Change: “you” → him (because "my friend" is third person) Option Check: | | SSC A. I warned my friend to have been careful and that my dog might be biting him. ❌ Incorrect – "to have been careful" and "might be biting" are grammatically and contextually wrong.B. I warned my friend to be careful and that my dog might bite him. ✅ Correct – Perfect conversion with proper verb and pronoun changes.C. I warn my friend to be careful and that my dog may bite him. ❌ Wrong – “warn” should be in past tense (warned), and “may” → should be might D. I warned my friend for being careful and that my dog might be biting him. ❌ Incorrect – “for being careful” is wrong usage; also “might be biting” is incorrect tense
Q65
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. I said to my wife, "These showpieces look nice."
✓ Correct answer: b) I told my wife that those showpieces looked nice.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: In the provided sentence, the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.Consequently, the tense of the reported speech should be altered to reflect the past.Therefore, the verb "look" should be modified to "looked," and the pronoun "these" should be replaced with "those." Additionally, the verb "said to" should be substituted with "told" since the object "my wife" is specified after the reporting verb.Hence option B is the correct answer.
Q66
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The driver said, "I have been waiting here at the airport for two hours for my master."
✓ Correct answer: a) The driver said that he had been waiting there at the airport for two hours for his master.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option A Correct Indirect Sentence: The driver said that he had been waiting there at the airport for two hours for his master.Explanation: Given Direct Speech: The driver said, "I have been waiting here at the airport for two hours for my master." Step-by-step conversion into Indirect Speech: Reporting Verb The reporting verb is “said” (past tense), so tense backshift rule will apply.Add conjunction In indirect speech, we add “that” after “said.” Pronoun Changes “I” changes to “he” because the driver is speaking about himself. “my” changes to “his” because it refers to the driver’s master.Tense Change Rule: Original tense: have been waiting (Present Perfect Continuous) Since reporting verb is in past (said), we shift one step back: have been waiting → had been waiting (Past Perfect Continuous) Change of Place Word “here” becomes “there” because in indirect speech, place words usually change according to the point of view.Now check other options: Option A → had been waiting + there + his ✔ (All rules correctly followed) Option B → “here” not changed (Incorrect).Option C → “has been waiting” (no tense backshift).Option D → no tense backshift + “here” not changed.Therefore, Option A is correct.
Q67
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "Hurry up, get in the bus" the conductor said to us.
✓ Correct answer: a) The conductor told us to hurry up and get in the bus.
ExplanationThe given statement is in direct narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The provided sentence is in the imperative form.To convert it into reported speech, the reporting verb "said" should be changed to "told," and the conjunction "that" should be replaced with "to" Therefore, the phrase "hurry up" should be connected using "to" instead of "that." Additionally, the verb "get" should be changed to "got." Hence option A is the correct answer. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — "Hurry up, get in the bus," the conductor said to us। यह Direct Command / Instruction है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → told Imperative “Hurry up, get in the bus” → to + verb structure में convert होगा → to hurry up and get in the bus Pronoun “us” same रहेगा। इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (A) The conductor told us to hurry up and get in the bus.
Q68
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. "I always drink warm water in the morning," she said to me.
✓ Correct answer: d) She said to me that she always drank warm water in the morning.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - She said to me that she always drank warm water in the morning.Step-by-step Breakdown: Reporting verb: "said to me" → changes to told me (or "said to me that" for indirect).Tense of reported speech: Simple present ("I always drink...") Since the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense, we apply backshifting: Simple present → Simple past Pronouns: “I” → becomes “she” “my” would become “her” (not used here) Indirect speech version should be: She said to me that she always drank warm water in the morning.Options Analysis: A) She said to me that she always drinks warm water in the morning. ❌ Verb not changed to past (should be "drank") B) She said to me she always drank warm water in the morning. ❌ No "that" – informal, but grammatically acceptable in spoken English, still not the best formal choice.C) She said to me she always drinks warm water in the morning. ❌ Same issue as A — tense not backshifted.D) ✅ She said to me that she always drank warm water in the morning. ✔ Correct tense, pronoun, and structure.
Q69
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. Manoj said to his friend, "I am very angry with you."
✓ Correct answer: a) Manoj told his friend that he was very angry with him.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - Manoj told his friend that he was very angry with him.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb: "said to" becomes "told" when there is an indirect object (his friend).Add the conjunction "that" to connect the reporting clause with the reported speech.Apply pronoun changes according to the new perspective: "I" (the original speaker, Manoj) changes to "he" "you" (the person being addressed, his friend) changes to "him" Apply backshift of tenses: "am" (present tense) changes to "was" (past tense) Keep the same adjective and preposition structure: "angry with" remains unchanged.Remove quotation marks.
Q70
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The salesman said that he had verified all the bills while the goods were being packed.
✓ Correct answer: d) The salesman said, “I verified all the bills while the goods were being packed.”
ExplanationTo convert the given indirect sentence into direct speech, we need to follow a systematic approach.Let's break down the process step by step.Subject: The salesman Verb: said Reported Speech: he had verified all the bills while the goods were being packed.When converting to direct speech:1. Change Pronouns: Change "he" to "I" since the salesman is speaking about himself.2. Adjust Tenses: "had verified" in past perfect becomes "have verified" in present perfect or "verified" in simple past, depending on context."were being packed" in past continuous can be converted to "are being packed" in present continuous or "were packed" in simple past.3. Punctuation: Add quotation marks and a comma before the spoken words.Now, let's analyze each option provided: Option A: The salesman said, “He had verified all the bills while the goods was being packed.” Issues: Pronoun "He" should be "I"."was" should be "were".Option B: The salesman said, “I am verifying all the bills while the goods are being packed.” Issues: Changes tense incorrectly; it suggests an ongoing action rather than a completed one.Option C: The salesman said, “I have verified all the bills while the goods are packed.” Issues: "are packed" changes the meaning slightly; it implies that packing is complete rather than ongoing.Option D: The salesman said, “I verified all the bills while the goods were being packed.” Analysis: Correctly changes pronouns from "he" to "I".Uses simple past tense appropriately for "verified".Maintains the past continuous form for "were being packed".Hence, the correct answer is Option.D - The salesman said, “I verified all the bills while
Q71
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. Reena said, "What a lovely scene! I wish I could stay here forever!"
✓ Correct answer: c) Reena exclaimed that it was a lovely scene. She further wished that she could stay there forever.
ExplanationCorrect Option: C "Reena exclaimed that it was a lovely scene.She further wished that she could stay there forever." Explanation: When changing from direct to indirect speech, we: Use reporting verbs like exclaimed for strong feelings.Change present tense to past tense: “is” → “was”, “could” stays the same.Adjust pronouns: “I” becomes “she”, “here” becomes “there”.The sentence also expresses a wish, so we use "wished that she could...".This structure follows the rules for both exclamatory sentences and wishes in indirect speech.
Q72
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. She said to her friend, "Where did you go yesterday?"
✓ Correct answer: b) She asked her friend where she had gone the day before.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — She asked her friend where she had gone the day before.When converting a direct question to indirect speech, the following changes typically occur: The reporting verb changes to ‘asked’ or a similar verb.The conjunction ‘where’ is used to introduce the reported clause.The tense of the original verb may change according to the rules of backshifting.Pronouns and time expressions may need to be adjusted to fit the perspective of the reporting speaker.Let’s analyze the options: A. She asked her friend where she went yesterday.This option does not backshift the verb tense from ‘did go’ (simple past) to ‘had gone’ (past perfect), which is typically required when the reporting verb is in the past tense.The time expression ‘yesterday’ should be changed to ‘the day before’ to reflect the shift in time from the perspective of the reporting speech.B. She asked her friend where she had gone the day before.This option correctly backshifts the verb tense from ‘did go’ to ‘had gone’.The time expression ‘yesterday’ is correctly changed to ‘the day before’.C. She asked her friend where she was going yesterday.This option incorrectly uses the past continuous tense ‘was going’, which changes the meaning of the original sentence.D. She asked her friend where had she gone the day before.This option incorrectly retains the direct question word order (‘had she gone’).In indirect questions, the subject typically comes before the verb (‘she had gone’).Therefore, the most appropriate option to change the narration of the given sentence is: B. She asked her friend where she had gone the day before.
Q73
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. He asked me if I would like to take that apartment on rent from the next day.
✓ Correct answer: d) "Would you like to take this apartment on rent from tomorrow?" he said to me.
ExplanationLet's analyze the given sentence and the changes needed when converting from direct to indirect speech: The reporting verb is "asked," which indicates that the sentence is a question.In indirect speech, when converting a question, the structure of the sentence changes slightly.The pronoun "I" remains unchanged because it refers to the speaker in both direct and indirect speech.The original sentence uses the modal "would like." In indirect speech, this remains unchanged."Next day" is a reference to the future, but since we're reporting the speech, it is converted to "tomorrow," which reflects the time shift in indirect speech.In indirect speech, a question is typically reported without the question mark and the word order changes.The auxiliary verb ("would") comes before the subject ("I").Option D: "Would you like to take this apartment on rent from tomorrow?" he said to me.This option correctly maintains the modal verb "would like" and changes the time reference to "tomorrow" from "the next day." The structure of the question is correctly converted into indirect speech, where the question starts with "would" and follows with the subject.The correct answer is D: "Would you like to take this apartment on rent from tomorrow?" he said to me.
Q74
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The little girl asked her mother if she could visit her friend's house.
✓ Correct answer: a) The little girl said to her mother, "Can I visit my friend's house?"
ExplanationThe provided passage pertains to an instance of indirect speech, wherein a young individual is inquiring of her mother whether she may be granted permission to visit the residence of her friend.Option A discusses the appropriate question structure for inquiring about permission using the modal verb "can." "Asked" is changed into "Said" when changing indirect speech to direct speech.Similarly, "Could" is changed into "Can".Therefore , the direct speech of the given sentence will be : The little girl said to her mother, "Can I visit my friend's house?" Hence, the correct answer is "The little girl said to her mother, "Can I visit my friend's house?"
Q75
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. Mother said, "Sonam, don't throw tantrums."
✓ Correct answer: b) Mother told Sonam not to throw tantrums.
ExplanationThe correct answer is: B. Mother told Sonam not to throw tantrums.Explanation: This sentence is in direct speech and needs to be converted to indirect speech.It is an imperative sentence (a command or request), so we use "told" instead of "said" to show instruction.We remove the quotation marks and use "not to" to report the negative command.Option A is in the present tense, which is incorrect.Option C changes the tone from telling to warning, and Option D is grammatically awkward.
Q76
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Major Chaudhry said to the aspirants, "Does everyone understand English?"
✓ Correct answer: c) Major Chaudhry asked the aspirants whether everyone understood English.
ExplanationThe conversion of direct speech to indirect speech involves the transformation of the present simple tense into the past simple tense."Said" will become "Asked" in conversion of direct form to indirect form of speech.Therefore , the indirect form of the sentence will be :Major Chaudhry asked the aspirants whether everyone understood English.Hence, the correct answer is "Major Chaudhry asked the aspirants whether everyone understood English."
Q77
Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. My boss said, "Do you think you can complete the report within five days?"
✓ Correct answer: a) My boss asked me whether I thought I could complete the report within five days.
ExplanationAs we can see that the subject (My boss) is asking a question in the given sentence, The direct question "Do you think you can..." changes to an indirect question "whether I thought I could..." The tense changes from present to past (can → could, think → thought).The pronoun changes from "you" to "I" as the boss is talking to the speaker.Hence, the correct answer is "My boss asked me whether I thought I could complete the report within five days."
Q78
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. I will tell him that I don't want to join the art classes.
✓ Correct answer: a) I will tell him, "I don't want to join the art classes."
ExplanationIf the reporting speech is in the present or future tense, the tense of the reported speech remains unchanged while changing the sentence from indirect form to direct form.Therefore, the correct sentence will be I will tell him, "I don't want to join the art classes." Hence, I will tell him, "I don't want to join the art classes." is the correct answer.
Q79
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. “Press button A to start the machine,” said the instructor to the trainees.
✓ Correct answer: b) The instructor told the trainees to press button A to start the machine.
ExplanationThe indirect form of a sentence is the way we report what someone has said.In indirect speech, we change the tense of the verb, pronouns, and adverbs to reflect the fact that the event is being reported, not actually happening.In the direct form of the sentence, the verb "press" is in the imperative mood."press" changes to "to press".In the indirect form, the verb "told" is used to indicate that the instructor is giving an instruction.The adverb "to start the machine" does not change in the indirect form, because it is not referring to the time of the event, but to the purpose of the instruction.Therefore, the indirect form of the sentence is The instructor told the trainees to press button A to start the machine.
Q80
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. I asked Rahul why he was back so soon.
✓ Correct answer: c) I said to Rahul, “Why are you back so soon?”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C – I said to Rahul, “Why are you back so soon?” Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "asked" in indirect speech becomes "said to" in direct speech when followed by a question.Remove the conjunction and restructure: Remove "why" as a conjunction and restore it as a question word Add quotation marks around the direct question Apply pronoun changes: "he" (referring to Rahul in indirect speech) changes back to "you" (addressing Rahul directly) Apply tense changes (reverse backshift): "was" (past tense in indirect speech) changes back to "are" (present tense in direct speech) Restore proper question structure: Use proper question word order: "Why are you..." instead of "Why you are..."
Q81
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. Anurag says that he would like to be an electronics engineer when he grows up.
✓ Correct answer: d) Anurag says, “I would like to be an electronics engineer when I grow up.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — Anurag says, "I would like to be an electronics engineer when I grow up." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "says" remains in present tense.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: — "he" (third person) changes back to "I" (first person) Since the reporting verb "says" is in present tense, we do NOT reverse the backshift — the tense remains the same: — "would like" stays as "would like" (this is Anurag's expression of preference, not a past tense form) — "grows" stays as "grow" (changes to match the first person subject "I") We add quotation marks.
Q82
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct-indirect) of the given sentence. The Queen said to the ministers, "Cut off the prisoner's head!"
✓ Correct answer: a) The Queen ordered the ministers to cut off the prisoner's head.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The Queen ordered the ministers to cut off the prisoner's head.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for commands or imperative sentences, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to an appropriate verb that reflects the nature of the command.Since "Cut off the prisoner's head!" is a strong command/order (indicated by the exclamation mark), "ordered" is the most suitable reporting verb.Commands in indirect speech are expressed using the infinitive form "to + base verb." The imperative "Cut off" becomes "to cut off." We remove the quotation marks and exclamation mark.No pronoun changes are needed since "the prisoner's head" remains the same object.
Q83
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. He advised me to go abroad for higher studies the following year.
✓ Correct answer: c) He said to me, "You should go abroad for higher studies next year."
ExplanationTo convert the given indirect speech into direct speech, we need to follow specific rules regarding verb forms, pronouns, and expressions of time.Steps for Conversion: Identify the Reporting Verb: The reporting verb is "advised," which indicates a recommendation or suggestion.Direct Speech Structure: The phrase "to go abroad for higher studies" needs to be converted into a command or suggestion in the direct form.Since "advised" suggests a recommendation, we can use "should" or a polite request in the direct speech.Time References: "The following year" refers to the year after the current one and should be adjusted to "next year" in direct speech.Option C is the correct choice because it accurately reflects the necessary changes when converting from indirect speech to direct speech: Use of "should": This conveys the advisory nature of the original sentence.Correct Pronoun: "You" is used appropriately in direct speech.Time Reference: "Next year" aligns with the changes needed for direct speech.This option effectively captures the essence of the original advice given in indirect speech
Q84
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. Mr. Lucas told his wife not to wait for him as he would be late at the studio that night.
✓ Correct answer: d) Mr Lucas said to his wife, "Don't wait for me as I will be late at the studio tonight."
ExplanationThe correct answer is Option D. In the given sentence, the reported speech is an order or request (imperative sentence).When we change it back to direct speech, "not to" becomes "don't"."Him" changes to "me", "would" becomes "will", and "that night" becomes "tonight".Only Option D uses all these changes correctly.So, the correct direct speech is: Mr. Lucas said to his wife, "Don't wait for me as I will be late at the studio tonight."
Q85
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. Sonia says, "I love the monsoons."
✓ Correct answer: d) Sonia says that she loves the monsoons.
ExplanationIf the reporting clause has been given in the present tense or in the future tense then we don't change the tense of the reported speech.Therefore, the changes narration will be: Sonia says that she loves the monsoons.Hence, "Sonia says that she loves the monsoons." is the correct answer.
Q86
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Pushpa said, "I arrived at the workshop an hour ago but nothing much is happening here."
✓ Correct answer: b) Pushpa said that she had arrived at the workshop an hour before but nothing much was happening there.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option B Pushpa said that she had arrived at the workshop an hour before but nothing much was happening there.Step-by-step Conversion to Indirect Speech: Reporting Verb: "said" remains "said" in indirect speech.Time Reference: "an hour ago" changes to "an hour before" (time shift in indirect speech).Tense Change: "arrived" changes to "had arrived" (Past Perfect tense, because the action happened before the moment of speaking)."is happening" changes to "was happening" (Past Continuous, as it refers to an ongoing action in the past).Pronoun and Location Change: "here" changes to "there" (from the speaker's point of view).
Q87
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. I said to Promod, “How did you break your leg?”
✓ Correct answer: b) I asked Promod how he had broken his leg
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — I asked Promod how he had broken his leg.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for wh-questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" since it's a question.For wh-questions, we use the question word "how" directly without adding "that." The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "how he had broken" instead of "how did you break." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener, Promod) changes to "he" "your leg" (possessive) changes to "his leg" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple past "did...break" changes to past perfect "had broken" We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (wh-question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "asked" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि यह question है। Wh-questions के लिए question word "how" directly use करते हैं बिना "that" add किए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "how he had broken" की जगह "how did you break" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "he" (listener, Promod) "your leg" → "his leg" (possessive) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple past "did...break" → past perfect "had broken" Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q88
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Rani said to me, “A monkey bit me in the park.”
✓ Correct answer: c) Rani told me that a monkey had bitten her in the park.
ExplanationThe indirect form of a sentence is the way we report what someone has said.In indirect speech, we change the tense of the verb, pronouns, and adverbs to reflect the fact that the event is being reported, not actually happening.In the direct form of the sentence, the verb "bit" is in the present tense.In the indirect form, the verb "had bitten" is in the past perfect tense, because the event of the monkey biting Rani happened before Rani told me about it.The pronoun "me" in the direct form changes to "her" in the indirect form, to reflect the fact that Rani is the one who was bitten.The adverb "in the park" does not change in the indirect form, because it is not referring to the time of the event, but to the place where it happened.Therefore, the indirect form of the sentence is Rani told me that a monkey had bitten her in the park.
Q89
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. She says that Rani is a talented actress.
✓ Correct answer: b) She says, "Rani is a talented actress."
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Indirect Speech (Present Simple): Subject (She) + Reporting Verb (says) + Conjunction (that) + Reported Speech (Rani is a talented actress).To convert it into Direct Speech, we follow the structure: Subject + Reporting Verb (says) + Comma + Quotation Marks + Reported Speech in its original form.Rewriting using this structure: "She says, 'Rani is a talented actress.' " This matches Option B, which is the correct answer.
Q90
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. "Why is everybody leaving so early today?" said the manager.
✓ Correct answer: a) The manager asked why everybody was leaving so early that day.
ExplanationThe sentence after changing the narration will be:- When transforming a direct statement or narration into an indirect one, the present tense verb 'is/am/are' is modified to 'was/were + V3'.So, the sentence will be "The manager asked why everybody was leaving so early that day." Hence, "The manager asked why everybody was leaving so early that day." is the correct answer.
Q91
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. Rita said, "I'm not feeling well."
✓ Correct answer: c) Rita said that she was not feeling well.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — Rita said that she was not feeling well.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "I" (the speaker, Rita) changes to "she" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Present continuous "am...feeling" (contracted as "I'm") changes to past continuous "was...feeling" The negative structure "not feeling well" remains structurally the same but with changed tense.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" same रहता है। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "I" → "she" (speaker, Rita) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Present continuous "am...feeling" (contracted as "I'm") → past continuous "was...feeling" Negative structure "not feeling well" structurally same रहता है लेकिन changed tense के साथ। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q92
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Taru said, “Kavya is going to her grandmother’s house today for the weekend.”
✓ Correct answer: d) Taru said that Kavya was going to her grandmother’s house that day for the weekend.
ExplanationTo convert the given sentence into indirect speech, let's go through each step:1. Change the tense of the verb "is going" to the past continuous "was going" because it's a shift from direct to indirect speech.2. Adjust the time reference: "Today" should change to "that day" in indirect speech.Analysis of Options: Option A: "Taru said that Kavya is going to her grandmother’s house today for the weekend." Incorrect."Is going" should be changed to "was going," and "today" should be "that day." Option B: "Taru said that Kavya has gone to her grandmother’s house that day for the weekend." Incorrect."Has gone" changes the original meaning from "going to her grandmother's house" (future action) to a completed action, which is incorrect.Option C: "Taru said that Kavya was going to her grandmother’s house today for the weekend." Incorrect.While "was going" is correct, "today" has not been changed to "that day." Option D: "Taru said that Kavya was going to her grandmother’s house that day for the weekend." Correct.This option uses "was going" and changes "today" to "that day." Hence, the correct answer is Option.D - Taru said that Kavya was going to her grandmother’s house that day for the weekend.
Q93
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. The teacher suggested that the PTM be postponed to the third Saturday of the month.
✓ Correct answer: a) The teacher said, "Let's postpone the PTM to the third Saturday of the month. "
ExplanationThe use of the word 'suggested' in the reporting speech in the given statement that the statement in the reported speech should be a proposal/suggestion.We use 'Let's' to show a proposal/suggestion.And it should be used in the reported speech.Out of the given alternatives, 'let's' has been used only in option A. Hence, the correct answer is option A. The correct statement: The teacher said, "Let's postpone the PTM to the third Saturday of the month."
Q94
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. The teacher said to the parents, “Young children are very restless.”
✓ Correct answer: c) The teacher told the parents that young children were very restless.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The teacher told the parents that young children were very restless.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (the parents).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.The subject "Young children" remains unchanged.The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "are" changes to simple past "were" The adjective "very restless" remains the same structurally.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (the parents) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Subject "Young children" unchanged रहता है। Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "are" → simple past "were" Adjective "very restless" structurally same रहता है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q95
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Avika said to her mother, "You are very late today."
✓ Correct answer: a) Avika told her mother that she was very late that day.
ExplanationWhen transforming a direct statement or narration into an indirect one, it is necessary to convert the present verbs 'is/am/are' into their past counterparts 'was/were'.Therefore, the sentence will be "Avika told her mother that she was very late that day." after changing to indirect form.Hence, "Avika told her mother that she was very late that day." is the correct answer. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — Avika said to her mother, "You are very late today." यह Direct Statement है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → told Pronoun “you” → she (mother ke liye) Tense shift: Present “are” → was Time expression “today” → that day इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (A) Avika told her mother that she was very late that day.
Q96
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The policeman told the inspector that he had arrested a man for breaking the lockdown rules.
✓ Correct answer: d) The policeman said to the inspector, “I have arrested a man for breaking the lockdown rules.”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — The policeman said to the inspector, "I have arrested a man for breaking the lockdown rules." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "told" changes to "said to" in direct speech.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: "he" (third person, referring to the policeman) changes back to "I" (first person, as the policeman is speaking about himself) The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): | | SSC Past perfect "had arrested" changes back to present perfect "have arrested" The rest of the sentence remains the same: "a man for breaking the lockdown rules." We add a full stop at the end of the quoted speech.In Hinglish: Indirect speech को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "told" को "said to" में बदला जाता है direct speech में। Conjunction "that" हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Pronouns original speaker के perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "he" → "I" (क्योंकि policeman खुद अपने बारे में बात कर रहा है) Tense forward shift होता है (backshift का reverse): Past perfect "had arrested" → present perfect "have arrested" Sentence का बाकी हिस्सा same रहता है: "a man for breaking the lockdown rules." Quoted speech के अंत में full stop (.) लगाया जाता है।
Q97
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. I said to Taru, "The tyre of my car is punctured."
✓ Correct answer: c) I told Taru that the tyre of my car was punctured.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — I told Taru that the tyre of my car was punctured.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb: "said to" becomes "told" when there is an indirect object (Taru).Add the conjunction "that" to connect the reporting clause with the reported speech.Apply backshift of tenses: "is punctured" (present tense) changes to "was punctured" (past tense) The pronouns remain the same since the speaker is reporting their own words: "I" remains "I" (the same person is reporting) "my car" remains "my car" (still referring to the speaker's car) Remove quotation marks.
Q98
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Mother said to me, “Will you help me in cleaning the house?”
✓ Correct answer: d) Mother asked me if I would help her in cleaning the house.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D – Mother asked me if I would help her in cleaning the house.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb from "said to" to "asked" when reporting a question.For yes/no questions (starting with "Will you..."), we use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Will you help me" becomes "if I would help her" Apply pronoun changes: "you" (the person being asked) changes to "I" (since the speaker is reporting what was asked of them) "me" (Mother referring to herself) changes to "her" Apply backshift of tenses: "will" (future tense) changes to "would" (conditional) Remove the quotation marks and question mark.
Q99
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Addressing a public meeting, Rajnath Singh said, "Whatever talks take place they will be on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir."
✓ Correct answer: a) Addressing a public meeting, Rajnath Singh announced that whatever talks took place, they would be on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — Addressing a public meeting, Rajnath Singh announced that whatever talks took place, they would be on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" can be changed to "announced" since he is making a public declaration at a meeting.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.The participial phrase "Addressing a public meeting" remains the same as it provides context.The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "take place" changes to simple past "took place" Future "will be" changes to conditional "would be" The noun clause "whatever talks take place" maintains its structure but with backshifted tense.The phrase "on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir" remains unchanged.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" को "announced" में बदला जा सकता है क्योंकि वह एक meeting में public declaration कर रहे हैं। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Participial phrase "Addressing a public meeting" same रहता है क्योंकि यह context provide करता है। Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "take place" → simple past "took place" Future "will be" → conditional "would be" | | SSC Noun clause "whatever talks take place" अपना structure maintain करता है लेकिन backshifted tense के साथ। Phrase "on the issue of Pakistan occupied Kashmir" unchanged रहता है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q100
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Rani said, "We are organizing a cleaning programme in the colony tomorrow."
✓ Correct answer: c) Rani said that they were organizing a cleaning programme in the colony the next day.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — Rani said that they were organizing a cleaning programme in the colony the next day.Type of Sentence: Assertive (Declarative) Sentence – Statement changing from Direct to Indirect Speech Steps Involved:1. Reporting Verb: The reporting verb is "said", and there's no object, so we don’t use "told" (which requires an object).2. Change of Pronoun: “We” depends on context, but generally shifts to “they” when reporting someone else’s speech.3. Backshift of Tense: “Are organizing” (present continuous) → “were organizing” (past continuous) due to the past reporting verb “said.”4. Change of Time Reference: “Tomorrow” → “the next day”
Q101
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. "Reena, I'm surprised you want dinner as we had such a late lunch," said Rajat.
✓ Correct answer: b) Rajat told Reena that he was surprised that she wanted dinner as they had had such a late lunch.
ExplanationThe present continuous tense is transformed into the past continuous tense when converting direct statements or narrations into indirect ones.Therefore, the indirect voice of the sentence would be as : Rajat told Reena that he was surprised that she wanted dinner as they had had such a late lunch.Hence, "Rajat told Reena that he was surprised that she wanted dinner as they had had such a late lunch." is the correct answer.
Q102
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. "I'm so sorry! I totally forgot about the meeting," he said.
✓ Correct answer: b) He apologized and said he had totally forgotten about the meeting.
ExplanationThe correct answer is Option B: "He apologized and said he had totally forgotten about the meeting." Explanation with Structure:1. Direct Speech Structure: Statement: "I'm so sorry!I totally forgot about the meeting," he said.Breakdown: Reporting Verb: "he said" Apology Expression: "I'm so sorry!" Past Event: "I totally forgot about the meeting."2. Indirect Speech Rules: "I'm so sorry!" → Changes to "He apologized." Simple Past ("forgot") → Changes to Past Perfect ("had forgotten").3. Errors in Other Options: Option A: Incorrect tense ("is being sorry" is grammatically incorrect).Option C: Incorrect verb form ("had forgot" should be "had forgotten").Option D: Incorrect structure ("he is very sorry" should be in past tense).Thus, the best transformation is "He apologized and said he had totally forgotten about the meeting."
Q103
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. My brother told me that I could see any film I wanted on TV.
✓ Correct answer: d) My brother said to me, “You can see any film you want on TV.”
ExplanationTo convert the given indirect sentence into direct speech, we will follow a structured approach similar to the previous example.Let's break it down step by step.Subject: My brother Verb: told Reported Speech: I could see any film I wanted on TV.When converting to direct speech:1. Change Pronouns: The pronoun "I" (referring to the speaker) should change to "you" (referring to the listener) since the brother is addressing the speaker.2. Adjust Tenses: "could" (past ability) changes to "can" (present ability)."wanted" (past tense) changes to "want" (present tense) in this context.3. Punctuation: Add quotation marks and a comma before the spoken words.Now, let's analyze each option provided: Option A: My brother said to me, “You could see any film you wanted on TV.” Issues: Incorrectly retains "could" and "wanted," which are in past tense.Option B: My brother said to me, “I could see any film I wanted on TV.” Issues: Incorrectly retains "I," which should be changed to "you," and also keeps the past tense.Option C: My brother said to me, “I can see any film I want on TV.” Issues: Incorrectly retains "I," which should be "you." Option D: My brother said to me, “You can see any film you want on TV.” Analysis: Correctly changes pronouns from "I" to "you." Changes "could" to "can" and "wanted" to "want," maintaining the present tense.Hence, the correct answer is Option.D - My brother said to me, “You can see any film you want on TV.”
Q104
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. Amar urged Amit to stop taking tranquillizers without consulting the doctor.
✓ Correct answer: d) "Amit, please stop taking tranquillizers without consulting the doctor," said Amar.
ExplanationThe term 'please' conveys a sense of making a request, while 'urge' signifies the act of earnestly or persistently attempting to persuade someone to engage in a particular action.The given indirect form indicates that Amit is required to cease the consumption of tranquillizers without seeking prior consultation from a medical professional.Therefore, the direct form of the narration should commence with a verb or directly include a verb.So, the sentence will be "Amit, please stop taking tranquillizers without consulting the doctor," said Amar." Hence, ""Amit,please stop taking tranquillizers without consulting the doctor," said Amar." is the correct answer.
Q105
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The officer told me that I needed to work harder to meet my targets otherwise I would have to leave the company.
✓ Correct answer: c) The officer said to me, "You need to work harder to meet your targets otherwise you will have to leave the company."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The officer said to me, "You need to work harder to meet your targets otherwise you will have to leave the company." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "told" changes to "said to" in direct speech.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: "I" (the person being told) changes back to "You" (direct address) "my targets" changes to "your targets" "I would have to leave" changes to "you will have to leave" The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): Simple past "needed" changes back to simple present "need" Conditional "would have to" changes back to future "will have to" The conjunction "otherwise" remains the same.We add a full stop at the end of the quoted speech.In Hinglish: Indirect speech को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "told" को "said to" में बदला जाता है direct speech में। Conjunction "that" हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Pronouns original speaker के perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "I" → "You" (person being told, direct address) "my targets" → "your targets" "I would have to leave" → "you will have to leave" Tense forward shift होता है (backshift का reverse): Simple past "needed" → simple present "need" Conditional "would have to" → future "will have to" Conjunction "otherwise" same रहता है। Quoted speech के अंत में full stop (.) add किया जाता है।
Q106
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. My friend told me I could stay at his place in Dehradun whenever I wished.
✓ Correct answer: b) My friend said, "You can stay at my place in Dehradun whenever you wish."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - My friend said, "You can stay at my place in Dehradun whenever you wish." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to reverse the changes that were made during the original conversion: Remove "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Change the reporting verb: "told me" can become "said" (since there's a direct object "me," we can use either "said to me" or just "said").Reverse pronoun changes: "I" (the original speaker in indirect speech) becomes "you" (addressing the listener directly) "his" (referring to the friend in indirect speech) becomes "my" (the friend speaking about himself) Reverse tense changes (backshift): "could" (past modal in indirect speech) becomes "can" (present modal in direct speech) Keep the time reference "whenever I wished" as "whenever you wish" with appropriate pronoun and tense changes.
Q107
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. "Can you pay him in cash?" she said to me.
✓ Correct answer: d) She asked me if I could pay him in cash.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - She asked me if I could pay him in cash.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb from "said to" to "asked" when reporting a question.For yes/no questions (starting with "Can you..."), we use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Can you pay him" becomes "if I could pay him" Apply pronoun changes: "you" (the person being asked - me) changes to "I" "him" (the third person) remains "him" The reporting structure shows "she asked me," so "me" is the correct object Apply backshift of tenses: "can" (present modal) changes to "could" (past modal) Remove quotation marks and question mark.
Q108
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. The salesman said to me, "All the gift items are new. We received this consignment yesterday."
✓ Correct answer: b) The salesman informed me that all the gift items were new. He further said they had received that consignment the day before.
ExplanationThe correct answer is Option B. Given Sentence (Direct Speech): The salesman said to me, "All the gift items are new.We received this consignment yesterday." Rule of Narration Change: Direct speech - Indirect speech converts tense one step back (Present - Past) Time expressions also change: "yesterday" - "the day before" "this" - "that" Sentence-wise Conversion: "All the gift items are new" - "all the gift items were new" "We received this consignment yesterday" - "they had received that consignment the day before" Pronoun change: "we" - "they" Reporting Verb: "said to me" - can be written as "informed me" (more formal and appropriate) Therefore, the correct answer is Option B. Correct Sentence: "The salesman informed me that all the gift items were new.He further said they had received that consignment the day before." Additional Notes Option A: Tense mismatch ("are" not changed to "were").Option C: Incorrect structure ("informed to me" is wrong usage).Option D: No tense change and pronoun shift is missing, so the narration is incorrect.
Q109
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Anshul said, "Should we go to the Zoo today?"
✓ Correct answer: a) Anshul wondered if they should go to the zoo that day.
ExplanationIn situations where individuals seek to exhibit a high level of politeness while making requests, soliciting opinions, or acquiring information, it is customary to employ the phrase "I wonder." 'Today' is transformed into 'that day' when a direct statement is converted into an indirect one.Hence, the correct answer is "Anshul wondered if they should go to the zoo that day."
Q110
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The driver said to the passerby, “Do you know the way to the market?”
✓ Correct answer: c) The driver asked the passerby if he knew the way to the market.
ExplanationTo convert the given sentence into indirect speech, let's analyze each part of the sentence:1. Since this is a question, we change "Do you know" to "if he knew" in indirect speech.2. "You" changes to "he" to match the passerby, and the present tense "know" changes to the past tense "knew." Analysis of Options: Option A: "The driver asked the passerby did he know the way to the market." Incorrect.The structure "asked... did he know" is not correct for indirect speech.Option B: "The driver asked the passerby if he knows the way to the market." Incorrect."Knows" should be in the past tense ("knew") in indirect speech.Option C: "The driver asked the passerby if he knew the way to the market." Correct.This option correctly uses "if he knew" in the past tense.Option D: "The driver asked the passerby whether you know the way to the market." Incorrect."You" should be changed to "he" to refer to the passerby.Hence, the correct answer is Option.C - The driver asked the passerby if he knew the way to the market.
Q111
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. The professor said to Piyush, “Will you clean the data and get back to me tomorrow?”
✓ Correct answer: b) The professor asked Piyush if he would clean the data and get back to him the next day.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - The professor asked Piyush if he would clean the data and get back to him the next day.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb from "said to" to "asked" when reporting a question. | | SSC For yes/no questions (starting with "Will you..."), we use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Will you clean the data" becomes "if he would clean the data" Apply pronoun changes: "you" (Piyush being addressed) changes to "he" "me" (the professor referring to himself) changes to "him" Apply backshift of tenses: "will" (future tense) changes to "would" (conditional) Change time references: "tomorrow" changes to "the next day" Remove quotation marks and question mark.
Q112
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. Garima told her friends that she couldn’t go with them to the movie that night as she was very busy.
✓ Correct answer: b) Garima said to her friends, “I can’t go with you to the movie tonight as I am very busy.”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B. Garima said to her friends, “I can’t go with you to the movie tonight as I am very busy.” Type of Sentence: Assertive Sentence – changing from Indirect to Direct Speech Steps Involved:1. Pronoun Changes: Indirect: "she couldn’t go..." → Direct: "I can’t go..." "with them" → "with you" "that night" → "tonight" "she was..." → "I am..."2. Tense Backshift: Since we’re going from indirect to direct speech, reverse the backshift: "couldn't" becomes "can't" "that night" becomes "tonight" "was very busy" becomes "am very busy"3. Check the Options: Option B: Garima said to her friends, “I can’t go with you to the movie tonight as I am very busy.” — Matches the subject, pronouns, and present context of the original dialogue.
Q113
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. Rohan smiled and said that he thought Jojo liked him.
✓ Correct answer: c) Rohan smiled and said, "I think Jojo likes me!"
ExplanationThe present tense in the reported speech is changed into the past simple tense when make a direct statement or narration into an indirect one.We just need to reverse the process as we are changing an active statement into a passive one.So, the direct form of the sentence will be : Rohan smiled and said, "I think Jojo likes me!" Hence , the correct answer is "Rohan smiled and said, "I think Jojo likes me!"
Q114
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct/indirect) of the given sentence. 'Let's not go out today. It's going to be a hot day," he said to me.
✓ Correct answer: a) He suggested that we shouldn't go out that day as it was going to be a hot day.
ExplanationThe contraction "Let's" is employed to discuss suggestions.Therefore, when expressing indirect speech, it is replaced with the modal verb "should." Additionally, the present continuous tense is transformed into the past continuous tense.The sentence will be "He suggested that we shouldn't go out that day as it was going to be a hot day." Hence, "He suggested that we shouldn't go out that day as it was going to be a hot day." is the correct answer.
Q115
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. The Finance Minister said, "The Government will trim the corporate tax gradually to 25 percent for all companies."
✓ Correct answer: b) The Finance Minister said that the Government would trim the corporate tax gradually to 25 percent for all companies.
ExplanationThe Correct answer: B) The Finance Minister said that the Government would trim the corporate tax gradually to 25 percent for all companies.Explanation: The original sentence is in Direct speech: "The Government will trim the corporate tax gradually to 25 percent for all companies." When converting to Indirect speech, we: Change "will" to "would" (as the reporting verb is in the past).The rest of the sentence remains the same.So, the correct indirect form is: The Finance Minister said that the Government would trim the corporate tax gradually to 25 percent for all companies.
Q116
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct / indirect) of the given sentence. The commander ordered his battalion to march on.
✓ Correct answer: d) "March on!" the commander said to his battalion.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in indirect narration: "The commander ordered his battalion to march on." We need to choose the most appropriate direct narration form of this sentence.Let's analyze the options: A. The commander says to his battalion, "March on!" Incorrect tense — "says" is present tense, while the original is in past.B. The commander gives his battalion order, "March on!" Grammatically awkward — should be "gives his battalion an order" — also tense mismatch.C. The commander says to his battalion, "Please march on." Incorrect tone — "Please" turns the command into a polite request, changing the meaning.D. "March on!" the commander said to his battalion.Correct — matches the past tense and keeps the tone of a command.Correct Answer: D "March on!" the commander said to his battalion.
Q117
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The officer ordered the fellow to be arrested.
✓ Correct answer: c) The officer said, "Arrest the fellow."
ExplanationOption C utilizes a language that conveys a sense of order, thus indicating its correctness as the answer.The word "ordered" when changed into the direct form will be an Imperative sentence (V1+object).So, the word "ordered" will change into "Said".Therefore, the direct form of the sentence will be: The officer said, "Arrest the fellow." Hence, the correct answer is "The officer said, "Arrest the fellow."
Q118
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The traveller said that he had come a long way off.
✓ Correct answer: b) The traveller said, "I have come a long way off."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — The traveller said, "I have come a long way off." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech for assertive sentences, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: "he" (third person) changes back to "I" (first person, as the traveller is referring to himself) The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): Past perfect "had come" changes back to present perfect "have come" The phrase "a long way off" remains the same.We add a full stop at the end of the quoted speech.In Hinglish: Indirect speech (assertive sentence) को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" same रहता है। Conjunction "that" हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Pronouns original speaker के perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "he" → "I" (third person से first person, क्योंकि traveller खुद अपनी बात कर रहा है) Tense forward shift होता है (backshift का reverse): Past perfect "had come" → present perfect "have come" Phrase "a long way off" same रहता है। Quoted speech के अंत में full stop (.) add किया जाता है।
Q119
Choose the most appropriate option to change the narration (direct indirect) of the given sentence. Kiran said, "I will reach Patna tomorrow morning."
✓ Correct answer: d) Kiran said that she would reach Patna the next morning.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option D — Kiran said that she would reach Patna the next morning.Explanation: The given sentence is in Direct Speech: Kiran said, "I will reach Patna tomorrow morning." When converting into Indirect Speech, we must apply the following rules: Add “that” after the reporting verb “said.” Change the pronoun: “I” → “she” (because Kiran is the speaker) Apply tense backshift (since reporting verb “said” is in past tense): will → would Change time expression: tomorrow → the next day / the following day tomorrow morning → the next morning Incorrect options: Option A - “will” is not changed to “would.” Option B - Pronoun “I” is incorrect.Option C - Reporting verb changed to present (“says”).Option D - All changes correctly applied.Hence, the correct answer is Option D. The corrected sentence is: Kiran said that she would reach Patna the next morning.
Q120
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. My sister said, "What time will the train reach Bhopal?"
✓ Correct answer: a) My sister asked what time the train would reach Bhopal.
ExplanationThe modal verb 'will' is transformed into 'would' when converting a direct statement into an indirect one.Therefore , the direct form of the sentence will be: My sister asked what time the train would reach Bhopal.Hence, the correct answer is "My sister asked what time the train would reach Bhopal."
Q121
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The lawyer said to me, "There is no proof of your involvement in this case."
✓ Correct answer: b) The lawyer told me that there was no proof of my involvement in that case.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — The lawyer told me that there was no proof of my involvement in that case.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (me).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "your involvement" (possessive, referring to the listener) changes to "my involvement" (referring to the person being told, from the perspective of the reporter) The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "is" changes to simple past "was" Demonstrative pronouns change: "this case" changes to "that case" The phrase "no proof of" remains unchanged structurally.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (me) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "your involvement" → "my involvement" (possessive, listener को refer करते हुए, reporter के perspective से) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "is" → simple past "was" Demonstrative pronouns बदलते हैं: "this case" → "that case" | | SSC Phrase "no proof of" structurally unchanged रहता है। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q122
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Mother said to her, "Paint the river blue."
✓ Correct answer: c) Mother told her to paint the river blue.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.Also, it is an imperative sentence.To change an imperative sentence into indirect speech, we use a to- infinitive."Said" will be changed to "told"."Her" will be the object of "told".Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option C i.e. Mother told her to paint the river blue.
Q123
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. “What a good idea!”, Seema remarked.
✓ Correct answer: b) Seema exclaimed that it was a very good idea.
ExplanationThe Correct answer: Option B — Seema exclaimed that it was a very good idea.Explanation: The sentence “What a good idea!” is an exclamatory sentence.When converting to indirect speech, we: Use a verb like "exclaimed" to express strong feeling.Change present to past tense: "is" → "was" Remove the exclamation and make it a statement.So, "What a good idea!" becomes "that it was a very good idea" in indirect speech.
Q124
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Rahul said to his mother, "Can I go out and play now?"
✓ Correct answer: a) Rahul asked his mother if he could go out and play then.
ExplanationThe given interrogative sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “if” conjunction will be used as it is an interrogative sentence. ‘Said to’ will be changed to ‘asked’ in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is past tense, so it will be changed to past perfect tense in the indirect narration. ‘Can’ will be changed to ‘Could’. ‘Now’ will be changed to ‘Then’.Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “I” will change to 'he'.The sentence in indirect speech will be: Rahul asked his mother if he could go out and play then.
Q125
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Neha exclaimed that it was a very pleasant surprise.
✓ Correct answer: c) Neha said, “What a pleasant surprise!”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — Neha said, "What a pleasant surprise!" Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech for exclamatory sentences, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "exclaimed" changes to "said" in direct speech, with the exclamation expressed through the | | SSC exclamatory structure and exclamation mark.We remove the conjunction "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.The exclamatory statement needs to be converted back to an exclamatory form using "What" or "How." For exclamations with noun phrases, "What" is used: "What a pleasant surprise!" The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): Simple past "was" changes back to simple present "is" — but in exclamatory form, the verb can be omitted: "What a pleasant surprise!" (implied "it is") We add an exclamation mark to indicate the exclamatory nature.We remove "very" when using the exclamatory structure as "What a pleasant surprise!" already conveys strong emotion.In Hinglish: Indirect speech (exclamatory sentence) को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "exclaimed" को "said" में बदला जाता है, और exclamation को exclamatory structure और exclamation mark से express किया जाता है। Conjunction "that" हटा दिया जाता है और direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Exclamatory statement को exclamatory form में convert करना पड़ता है "What" या "How" use करके। Noun phrases वाले exclamations के लिए "What" use होता है: "What a pleasant surprise!" Tense forward shift होता है (backshift का reverse): Simple past "was" → simple present "is" — लेकिन exclamatory form में verb omit हो सकता है: "What a pleasant surprise!" (implied "it is") Exclamatory nature दिखाने के लिए exclamation mark (!) add किया जाता है। "very" को हटा दिया जाता है जब exclamatory structure use करते हैं क्योंकि "What a pleasant surprise!" पहले से ही strong emotion convey करता है।
Q126
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The landlord said to me, "Did you pay the water bill on time?"
✓ Correct answer: a) The landlord asked me if I had paid the water bill on time.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The landlord asked me if I had paid the water bill on time.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for yes/no questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" since it's a question.For yes/no questions, we use "if" or "whether" as conjunctions to introduce the reported question.The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "if I had paid" instead of "Did you pay." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener) changes to "I" (the person being asked, from the perspective of the reporter) The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple past "did...pay" changes to past perfect "had paid" The phrases "the water bill" and "on time" remain unchanged.We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (yes/no question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "asked" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि यह question है। Yes/no questions के लिए "if" या "whether" conjunction use करते हैं reported question introduce करने के लिए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "if I had paid" की जगह "Did you pay" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "I" (listener, reporter के perspective से) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple past "did...pay" → past perfect "had paid" Phrases "the water bill" और "on time" unchanged रहते हैं। Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q127
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The teacher said to me, "You have not submitted the assignment."
✓ Correct answer: c) The teacher told me that I had not submitted the assignment.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech:- The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction will be used."Said to" will be changed to "told" in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is present perfect tense, so it will be changed to past perfect tense in the indirect narration.Also, the second-person pronoun is changed according to the object of the reporting verb, so ‘you’ will change to 'I'.The sentence in indirect speech will be:- The teacher told me that I had not submitted the assignment. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — The teacher said to me, "You have not submitted the assignment." यह Direct Statement है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → told (Indirect me better choice) Tense shift: Present Perfect “have not submitted” → had not submitted (backshift tense) Pronoun “you” → I (speaker के लिए) इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (C) The teacher told me that I had not submitted the assignment.
Q128
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The guard said to the visitors, "Do not take photographs inside the museum."
✓ Correct answer: a) The guard forbade the visitors to take photographs inside the museum.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech:- The inverted commas (“ ”) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration.Here, the sentence in inverted commas is an imperative sentence.Thus, ‘said to’ will be removed and the verb ‘forbade’ will come.Also, if an imperative sentence is there in direct speech, ‘to + V-1’ is used in indirect narration.The sentence in indirect speech: The guard forbade the visitors to take photographs inside the museum.
Q129
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Saaransh said he had solved the crossword the previous day.
✓ Correct answer: d) Saaransh said, “I solved the crossword yesterday.”
ExplanationThe rules for converting indirect to direct speech are as follows: Use the reporting verb, "said".Remove the conjunction "that" and insert quotation marks.Put a comma before the statement.Change the past perfect tense (had solved) into present perfect tense (have solved). 'The previous day' is converted into 'yesterday'.Change the pronoun ‘he’ into ‘I’.Therefore, the sentence in direct Speech will be option D i.e. Saaransh said, “I have solved the crossword yesterday.”
Q130
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The Principal has said, "Mr. Surinder will coach the football team."
✓ Correct answer: c) The Principal said that Mr. Surinder would coach the football team.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct speech.To convert it to indirect speech, we need to follow some rules: The inverted commas (“”) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction will be used.Said will not be changed in indirect narration."Will" will be changed to "would" in indirect narration.The pronoun “he” is changed to “Mr. Surinder” and the adverb “this” is changed to “the” according to the reporter’s perspective.The sentence in indirect speech: The Principal said that Mr. Surinder would coach the football team.
Q131
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. I told my parents not to worry about me.
✓ Correct answer: a) I said to my parents, "Don't worry about me."
ExplanationThe rules for converting indirect to direct speech are as follows: Use the reporting verb, "said".Remove the conjunction "that" and insert quotation marks.Put a comma before the statement.Change the sentence to an imperative sentence since the indirect form has 'to- infinitive'.Therefore, the sentence in direct Speech will be option A i.e. I said to my parents, “Don’t worry about me.”
Q132
Select the indirect narration of the given sentence He said to the hotel receptionist, "Can you tell me the tariff of rooms''?
✓ Correct answer: d) He asked the hotel receptionist if he could tell him the tariff of rooms
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - He asked the hotel receptionist if he could tell him the tariff of rooms.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect speech, we need to make several changes:1. Remove the quotation marks and question mark.2. For yes/no questions (starting with "Can you..."), we use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.3. Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Can you tell me" becomes "if he could tell him"4. Apply pronoun changes: "you" (the receptionist being asked) changes to "he" "me" (the original speaker) changes to "him"5. Apply backshift of tenses: "can" (present modal) changes to "could" (past modal)6. The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" when reporting a question.
Q133
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. The boy requested his mother to give him a mango.
✓ Correct answer: d) The boy said to his mother, "Please give me a mango."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — The boy said to his mother, "Please give me a mango." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech for polite requests, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "requested" changes to "said to" in direct speech, with the polite nature expressed through the word "Please." We remove the infinitive structure "to give" and convert it to the imperative "give." Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: "him" (third person, the boy) changes to "me" (first person, as the boy is speaking about himself) The word "Please" is added at the beginning of the command to indicate the polite request nature of the original sentence.We add quotation marks around the direct speech.The article "a" before "mango" remains the same.We add a full stop at the end of the quoted speech.In Hinglish: Indirect speech (polite request) को direct speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "requested" को "said to" में बदला जाता है direct speech में, और polite nature को "Please" word से express किया जाता है। Infinitive structure "to give" को हटाकर imperative "give" में convert किया जाता है। Pronouns original speaker के perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "him" → "me" (third person से first person, क्योंकि boy खुद अपनी बात कर रहा है) | | SSC Word "Please" command की शुरुआत में add किया जाता है original sentence की polite request nature दिखाने के लिए। Direct speech को quotation marks (" ") में लिखा जाता है। Article "a" (mango से पहले) same रहता है। Quoted speech के अंत में full stop (.) add किया जाता है।
Q134
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. He said to his brother, "Pack your bags and leave now."
✓ Correct answer: a) He instructed his brother to pack his bags and leave then.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.Also, it is an imperative sentence.To change an imperative sentence into indirect speech, we use a to-infinitive.We notice that the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’).Hence, a change will be made in the tense of the reported speech.Use the reporting verb ‘instructed’.The pronoun 'your' will be changed into 'his'. ' Now' is changed to 'then'.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option A i.e. He instructed his brother to pack his bags and leave then.
Q135
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The tailor said to him, "Your shirt will be ready by tomorrow."
✓ Correct answer: c) The tailor told him that his shirt would be ready by the next day.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The tailor told him that his shirt would be ready by the next day.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (him).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "Your shirt" (the listener's possession) changes to "his shirt" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Future "will be ready" changes to conditional "would be ready" Time expressions change to reflect the shift in perspective: "tomorrow" changes to "the next day" We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (him) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "Your shirt" → "his shirt" (listener का possession) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Future "will be ready" → conditional "would be ready" Time expressions shift in perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "tomorrow" → "the next day" Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q136
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. She asked her mother where her gold bracelet was.
✓ Correct answer: c) She said to her mother, "Where is my gold bracelet?"
ExplanationTo convert interrogative sentences into direct speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules: The reporting verb 'asked' is changed to ‘said’.Since the reported speech has the interrogative word ‘where’, we use it as it is.The verb 'was' is converted into ‘is’. 'Her' is converted to 'my'.A question mark is placed at the end of the sentence instead of a mark of interrogation.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option C i.e. She said to her mother, “Where is my gold bracelet?”
Q137
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. The young man prayed to God to help him clear that interview.
✓ Correct answer: c) The young man said, "O God! Help me clear this interview."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The young man said, "O God!Help me clear this interview." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech for prayers or requests, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "prayed to God" changes to "said" with an appropriate form of address like "O God!" We remove the conjunction "to" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: — "him" (third person) changes back to "me" (first person) Demonstrative pronouns change: — "that interview" (distant) changes back to "this interview" (near to the speaker) The infinitive structure "to help" becomes the imperative "Help" in direct speech for prayers/requests.
Q138
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said to me," What time is your flight tomorrow?"
✓ Correct answer: c) She asked me what time my flight was the following day.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech:- The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration. ‘Said to’ will be changed to ‘asked’ in indirect narration as reported speech is an interrogative sentence.The tense of reported speech is present tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the indirect narration and the question mark will also be removed.Tomorrow will be changed to the following day.Also, the second-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “Your” will change to 'my'.In the Interrogative type of sentence, we will use inversion inside the inverted commas. i.e. ‘Is your flight’ will be changed to ‘My flight was’.The sentence in indirect speech will be:- She asked me what time my flight was the following day.
Q139
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The Principal says, "Hard work is the key to success."
✓ Correct answer: a) The Principal says that hard work is the key to success.
ExplanationThe correct answer is: A. The Principal says that hard work is the key to success.Explanation: The reporting verb "says" is in the present tense, so the tense of the reported speech remains unchanged."Say" should be, "says" (option B is incorrect).The tense should remain present ("is"), not past ("was"), because the statement is a general truth (options C and D are incorrect)
Q140
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. He said to me, "What are you doing?"
✓ Correct answer: a) He asked me what I was doing.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech:- The inverted commas (“ ”) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “Wh-” word will be used. “Said to” will be changed to “asked” in indirect narration as it is an interrogative sentence.The tense of reported speech is present continuous tense, so it will be changed to past continuous tense in the indirect narration.After the conversion of interrogative sentences from direct to indirect speech, the question mark changes to full stop.In narration change, interrogative sentences change to assertive form (direct to indirect speech) Also, the second-person pronoun “You” is changed according to the object-me of the reporting verb, so ‘you’ will change to 'I'.The sentence in indirect speech: He asked me what I was doing. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence में लिखा है — He said to me, “What are you doing?” यह question sentence है, इसलिए said to → asked में बदलता है। you → I (क्योंकि वो मुझसे बात कर रहा था)। are → was (tense ek step back जाता है)। “what” question word same रहता है। “that” नहीं लगेगा क्योंकि question word पहले से मौजूद है। इसलिए सही उत्तर है - A. He asked me what I was doing.
Q141
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. He said to me, "Your father is waiting for you at the reception."
✓ Correct answer: c) He told me that my father was waiting for me at the reception.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.We notice that the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said').Hence, a change will be made in the tense of the reported speech.Also, the first person of the reported speech is changed according to the subject of reporting verb.The present continuous tense (is waiting) is changed to the past continuous tense (was waiting).The pronouns 'your' is changed to 'my' and 'you' is changed to 'me'.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option C i.e. He told me that my father was waiting for me at the reception.
Q142
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. My neighbour said to me, "Hello! How are you?"
✓ Correct answer: c) My neighbour greeted me and asked how I was.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.Also, it is an exclamatory sentence.To convert exclamatory sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules: Reporting verb ‘said’ should be changed into ‘greeted’ since the neighbour is greeting the subject.The present tense (are) is changed to the past tense (was).The pronoun ‘you’ is changed to ‘I’.A full stop is placed at the end of the sentence instead of an exclamatory mark.Use assertive structure.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option C i.e. My neighbour greeted me and asked how I was.
Q143
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. She said to me, “Have you ever flown a kite?”
✓ Correct answer: b) She asked me if I had ever flown a kite.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.Also, it is an interrogative sentence.To convert interrogative sentences into indirect speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules: The reporting verb ‘said’ is changed to ‘asked’.The reporting speech is in an interrogative structure, so 'if' is used in place of inverted commas. 'Have' is changed to 'had'.The pronoun ‘you’ is changed to 'I'.A full stop is placed at the end of the sentence instead of a mark of interrogation.The interrogative structure is changed to assertive.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option B i.e. She asked me if I had ever flown a kite.
Q144
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. He exclaimed, "What a fine piece of architecture it is!"
✓ Correct answer: d) He exclaimed that it was a fine piece of architecture.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — He exclaimed that it was a fine piece of architecture.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for exclamatory sentences, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "exclaimed" remains the same.We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.The exclamatory structure "What a fine piece of architecture it is!" is converted into a simple statement form: "it was a fine piece of architecture." The exclamatory words "What a" are removed and the sentence is restructured as a statement.The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "is" changes to simple past "was" The pronoun "it" remains the same.We remove the quotation marks and exclamation mark.The emotional/exclamatory nature is preserved through the reporting verb "exclaimed." In Hinglish: Direct speech (exclamatory sentence) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "exclaimed" same रहता है। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Exclamatory structure "What a fine piece of architecture it is!" को simple statement form में convert किया जाता है: "it was a fine piece of architecture." Exclamatory words "What a" हटा दिए जाते हैं और sentence को statement के रूप में restructure किया जाता है। Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): | | SSC Simple present "is" → simple past "was" Pronoun "it" same रहता है। Quotation marks (" ") और exclamation mark (!) हटा दिए जाते हैं। Emotional/exclamatory nature reporting verb "exclaimed" के through preserve रहती है।
Q145
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. Kamal said, "I have done my work."
✓ Correct answer: a) Kamal said that he had done his work.
ExplanationThis is an Assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the present perfect tense (have done) changes to the past perfect tense (had done).The first person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (he) as per the subject “Kamal”.Accordingly, “my” is changed to “his”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Kamal said that he had done his work.
Q146
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The policeman said, "It is clear that this is the work of a professional robber".
✓ Correct answer: c) The policeman said that it was clear that that was the work of a professional robber.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Follow the rules given below to change it to the indirect speech: The reporting verb “said” will remain the same.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the present tense (is) changes to the past tense (was).The pronoun of the reported speech should be changed i.e. ‘this’ will be changed to ‘that’.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: The policeman said that it was clear that that was the work of a professional robber.Hence, "The policeman said that it was clear that that was the work of a professional robber" is the correct answer.
Q147
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "I will work hard to get the first rank in class," said Rohan.
✓ Correct answer: b) Rohan said that he would work hard to get the first rank in class.
ExplanationThis is an Assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the modal verb (will) changes to its past equivalent (would).The first person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (he) according to the subject of the reporting verb i.e. Rohan.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Rohan said that he would work hard to get the first rank in class.Hence, "Rohan said that he would work hard to get the first rank in class" is the correct answer.
Q148
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. The professor said to the media persons, "From our research we have come to the conclusion that there is life on that planet."
✓ Correct answer: c) The professor told the media persons that from their research they had come to the conclusion that there was life on that planet.
ExplanationThis is an Assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The reporting verb “said to” is changed to “told” followed by the object “media persons”.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the present perfect tense (have come) changes to the past perfect tense (had come).And in another clause, the simple present (is) is changed to the simple past (was).The first-person pronouns “we” and “our” will change to “they” and “their”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: The professor told the media persons that from their research they had come to the conclusion that there was life on that planet. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — The professor said to the media persons, "From our research we have come to the conclusion that there is life on that planet." यह Direct Statement है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → told (Indirect me best choice) Pronoun shift: “we” → they (professor ke liye) Tense shift: Present Perfect “have come” → had come Tense shift: Present “is life” → was life Time/possessive expressions adjust according to indirect narration: “our research” → their research इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (C) The professor told the media persons that from their research they had come to the conclusion that there was life on that planet.
Q149
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "Whom did you see at the shopping mall today?" I asked my daughter.
✓ Correct answer: a) I asked my daughter whom she had seen at the shopping mall that day.
ExplanationThe sentence is a direct speech and is an interrogative sentence.To change it into indirect narration: The quotation marks should be removed and the word ‘that’ should be added after the reporting verb ‘asked’.The word order should be changed from question form to statement form.This means that the subject ‘she’ should come before the verb ‘saw’, and the auxiliary verb ‘did’ should be omitted.The tense of the verb ‘saw’ should be changed from simple past to past perfect, to show that the action happened before the reporting time.This means that ‘saw’ should become ‘had seen’.The pronoun ‘you’ should be changed to ‘she’, to match the point of view of the reporter.The adverbs ‘today’ and ‘that day’ should be changed to ‘that day’, to show that the time is relative to the reporting time.Hence, the correct answer is “I asked my daughter whom she had seen at the shopping mall that day”.
Q150
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. Raj said to his friend, "Please help me in this task."
✓ Correct answer: a) Raj requested his friend to help him in that task.
ExplanationReported speech is in Imperative sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration.In imperative sentences, direct speech has a structure: “V-1 + Object”.This is changed to “to + V-1 + Object” in indirect speech.Accordingly, “help me in this task” is converted to “to help me in this task”.The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “requested” in indirect speech as the given sentence has the word “please” that shows request.Also, the pronoun (me) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (him) since it refers to Raj. “This” is changed to “that” in indirect speech.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Raj requested his friend to help him in that task.Hence, " Raj requested his friend to help him in that task " is the correct answer.
Q151
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "Alas, I have broken my brother's watch!" said he.
✓ Correct answer: a) He exclaimed with sorrow that he had broken his brother's watch.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “exclaimed” in indirect speech since it is an exclamatory sentence.Also, based on the interjection used here i.e. “Alas”, we will use “sorrow” with the reporting verb “exclaimed”.Thus, “exclaimed with sorrow” is used.Also, “!” is removed in indirect speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (said), the present perfect tense (have broken) changes to the past perfect tense (had broken).Also, the first person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (he) according to the subject of the reporting verb (He).Accordingly, the possessive determiner (my) is changed to “his”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: He exclaimed with sorrow that he had broken his brother’s watch.
Q152
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "Read the instructions before you start making the dish," Deepa's mother said to her.
✓ Correct answer: d) Deepa's mother told her to read the instructions before she started making the dish.
ExplanationThe given sentence is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.To express the given sentence in indirect speech, follow these steps: Eliminate the quotation marks and add “to” after the reporting verb “said” which should be changed to “told”.Change the tense of the verb in the reported speech from present simple “read” to past simple “read” because the reporting verb is in the past tense “said”.Change the pronoun “you” to “she” according to the object of the reporting verb “her”.Change the expression of time “before” to “earlier” because the reporting verb is in the past tense.The indirect speech sentence is: Deepa’s mother told her that she read the instructions earlier before she started making the dish.
Q153
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "How beautiful she is!" said Betty.
✓ Correct answer: c) Betty exclaimed with joy that she was very beautiful.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.To convert it into indirect narration we need to follow the following steps: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration.The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “exclaimed” in indirect speech since it is an exclamatory sentence.Also, based on the word “beautiful” used here, we will use “joy” with the reporting verb “exclaimed”.Thus, "Exclaimed with joy” is used.Also, the exclamation mark will be removed in indirect speech.We will replace “how” with “very” and make the sentence Assertive.As the reporting verb is in the past tense “said”, the simple present tense “is” will be changed to past perfect tense “was”.Hence, the correct answer is “Betty exclaimed with joy that she was very beautiful”.
Q154
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. The teacher said, "Man is mortal."
✓ Correct answer: d) The teacher said that man is mortal.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct speech of an assertive sentence.The comma and inverted commas will be replaced by the conjunction ‘that’.The given sentence is in the past tense.There is no change in the tense if there is a universal truth.So, with the help of the above rules, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech as:- The teacher said that man is mortal.Hence, "The teacher said that man is mortal" is the correct answer.
Q155
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. Sneha said to me, "I was watching TV."
✓ Correct answer: b) Sneha told me that she had been watching TV.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Follow the rules given below to change it to the indirect speech: The reporting verb “said” is changed to “told”, followed by the object “me”.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the past continuous tense (was watching) changes to the past perfect continuous (had been watching).The first person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun “she” according to the subject of the reporting verb i.e. Sneha.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Sneha told me that she had been watching TV.Hence, "Sneha told me that she had been watching TV" is the correct answer.
Q156
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. The counter clerk asked the visitor, "What is your name?"
✓ Correct answer: d) The counter clerk asked the visitor his name.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration. “Asked” will remain unchanged.We will not use the question word “what” to join the two parts (i.e. reporting verb and the speech).After the verb “asked”, we will directly add the object (visitor).Also, the second person pronoun (Your) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (his) according to the object of the reporting verb (visitor).Note: If gender is not given then we assume it to be of Masculine Gender. “?” is removed and a full stop is used.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: The counter clerk asked the visitor his name.
Q157
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. Kruti asked Gopal, "Have you heard the news about the inauguration of the new bridge?"
✓ Correct answer: a) Kruti asked Gopal if he had heard the news about the inauguration of the new bridge.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech as it quotes the actual words of the speaker.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “if” conjunction is used.Reported speech is in an interrogative structure.Note: we can also use “whether” as a conjunction.As the reporting verb is in the past tense (asked).The present perfect tense in reported speech (have heard) changes to past perfect tense (had heard).Also, the second person pronoun (You) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (he) according to the object of the reporting verb (Gopal).And, “?” is removed and full stop is put since after conjunction we make assertive sentence structure in indirect speech i.e. (Subj + Helping Verb + Main Verb + Object).So, with the help of the above insctructions, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Kruti asked Gopal if he had heard the news about the inauguration of the new bridge. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — Kruti asked Gopal, "Have you heard the news about the inauguration of the new bridge?" यह Direct Question है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो reporting verb “asked” past tense में already है, इसलिए have heard → had heard (backshift tense) Question word “have you” → if Pronoun “you” → he (Gopal के लिए) | | SSC इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (A) Kruti asked Gopal if he had heard the news about the inauguration of the new bridge.
Q158
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The French scientist said, "I want to study how bees and wasps find their way home."
✓ Correct answer: a) The French scientist said that he wanted to study how bees and wasps found their way home.
ExplanationTo convert the given sentence from direct speech to reported speech, follow these steps: Identify the reporting verb and the subject: The reporting verb is "said" and the subject is "The French scientist." Change the pronoun: "I" changes to "he" (as the French scientist is referring to himself).Adjust the verb tense: "Want" changes to "wanted" to reflect the indirect speech reporting present desire in the past.Change the verb tense in the subordinate clause if necessary: "Find" changes to "found" to match the past tense of the main clause.Now, let's match this to the options: Option A: Correct "The French scientist said that he wanted to study how bees and wasps found their way home." This option uses the correct pronoun, verb tense, and subordinate clause tense.Option B: Incorrect "The French scientist said that he wants to study how bees and wasps found your way home." This option incorrectly uses "wants" instead of "wanted" and "your" instead of "their".Option C: Incorrect "The French scientist said that I wanted to study how bees and wasps find their way home." This option incorrectly uses "I" instead of "he" and does not change the tense of "find".Option D: Incorrect "The French scientist said that I want to study how bees and wasps found their way home." This option incorrectly uses "I" instead of "he" and does not change the tense of "want".Therefore, the correct answer is Option.A - The French scientist said that he wanted to study how bees and wasps found their way home.
Q159
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "Is he alright now?" I asked my neighbour's wife about her husband, Mr. Gulyani.
✓ Correct answer: d) I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbour's wife, if her husband was alright then.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.To convert it into indirect narration we need to follow the following steps: The pronouns in the sentence are “I” and “he”.They need to be changed according to the context and point of view of the speaker.In this case, “I” becomes “he” or “she”, depending on the gender of the speaker, and “he” becomes “her husband” or “Mr. Gulyani”.The verb tense in the sentence is present simple.It needs to be changed to past simple, as the reported speech is usually one tense back from the direct speech.In this case, “is” becomes “was”.The word order in the sentence is interrogative.It needs to be changed to declarative, as the reported speech does not use quotation marks or question marks.In this case, the subject “he” comes before the verb “was”, and the sentence ends with a full stop.Hence, the correct answer is “I asked Mrs. Gulyani, my neighbor's wife, if her husband was alright then.”.
Q160
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "I'll see you later," she said.
✓ Correct answer: a) She said that she would see me later.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.To change it into indirect narration we need to follow the following steps: The inverted commas (“”) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the V2 form (‘said’), the modal verb (will) will change to its past equivalent (would).The first-person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (she) according to the subject of the reporting verb i.e. She.The second person pronoun (You) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (me) according to the object of the reporting verb i.e. me.Note: “Me” is assumed to be Listener when explicitly it is not written in the direct speech.Hence, the correct answer is “She said that she would see me later.”
Q161
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. Nelson said, "I was playing cricket."
✓ Correct answer: d) Nelson said that he had been playing cricket.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (said), the past continuous tense (was playing) will change to the past perfect continuous tense (had been playing).The first-person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (he) as per the subject “Nelson”.Note: Whenever the gender of the noun is explicitly not mentioned in the question, we assume it to be of Masculine form.So, with the help of the above instructions, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: Nelson said that he had been playing cricket.
Q162
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "Everything is going to be alright," said the doctor.
✓ Correct answer: b) The doctor said that everything was going to be alright.
ExplanationThe sentence is in direct speech, which means the exact words of the speaker are quoted within quotation marks.To convert it into indirect speech, we need to follow these steps: Remove the quotation marks and introduce a conjunction like that or if after the reporting verb (said).Change the tense of the reported speech according to the tense of the reporting verb.In this case, since the reporting verb is in past tense (said), we need to change the present continuous tense (is going) into past continuous tense (was going).Change the pronouns and adverbs according to the point of view of the reporter.In this case, since the reporter is not the doctor, we need to change everything into all things and alright into well.Hence, the correct answer is “The doctor said that all things was going to be well.”
Q163
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "Is the door closed?" Alka asked Tarun.
✓ Correct answer: d) Alka asked Tarun whether the door was closed.
ExplanationThe sentence is in direct speech.To convert it into reported speech we need to follow some rules: Change the verb tense from present to past, according to the sequence of tenses.For example, “is” becomes “was”.Change the pronouns and possessive adjectives according to the context.Use a conjunction like “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported clause.For example, “whether” is used here.Remove the quotation marks and the punctuation mark at the end of the direct speech.For example, “?” is removed here.Therefore the correct answer is “Alka asked Tarun whether the door was closed”.
Q164
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. He said to me, "It was raining all day."
✓ Correct answer: a) He told me that it had been raining all day.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “told” in indirect speech as it is followed by an object.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (said), the past continuous tense (was raining) will change to the past perfect continuous tense (had been raining).So, with the help of the above instructions, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: He told me that it had been raining all day.
Q165
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "I live in Mumbai," she said.
✓ Correct answer: d) She said that she lived in Mumbai.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the Present Indefinite tense (live) changes to its Past Indefinite tense (lived).The first person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (she) as per the subject “She”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: She said that she lived in Mumbai.
Q166
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said, "I wish I could fly like a butterfly!"
✓ Correct answer: b) She wished that she could fly like a butterfly.
ExplanationThis is an exclamatory sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used. “Said” changes to “wished” in indirect speech since it is an exclamatory sentence that reflects the wish of the subject “she”.Also, “!” is removed in indirect speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the tense should be changed but here already past equivalent form of the modal verb “can” i.e. “could” is in the direct speech.So, we won’t change it.Also, the first-person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (she) according to the subject of the reporting verb i.e. “She”.Hence, the correct answer is "She wished that she could fly like a butterfly."
Q167
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. "Good gracious! It's snowing!" he said.
✓ Correct answer: d) He exclaimed with astonishment that it was snowing.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — He exclaimed with astonishment that it was snowing.Explanation: The sentence "Good gracious!It's snowing!" is an exclamatory sentence, expressing astonishment.While converting such sentences into indirect speech, we:1. Use reporting verbs like "exclaimed with astonishment" (as emotion is involved).2. Change the tense: "It's snowing" → "it was snowing" (present → past).3. Remove exclamatory words (Good gracious!) and express the feeling through the reporting verb.
Q168
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Manan said that he had no work to do that day.
✓ Correct answer: a) Manan said, “I have no work to do today.”
ExplanationThe given statement is in indirect narration.We must follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: Note that by changing indirect speech into direct speech “that day” becomes “today”.Accordingly, we can rule out options B and D. Now considering the C option, it has an interrogative mark, and also the tense has not been changed that way it would be incorrect.So, the correct answer is: Manan said, “I have no work to do today”.
Q169
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. "We had opened the lock." they told me.
✓ Correct answer: c) They told me that they had opened the lock.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction will be used.The tense of the reported speech is past perfect tense, so there will be no change in the tense in the indirect narration. 'We' will be changed to 'They' in indirect narration.The sentence in indirect speech will be: They told me that they had opened the lock.
Q170
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. I said to you, "He cannot be trusted completely."
✓ Correct answer: a) I told you that he could not be trusted completely.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb “said to” will be changed to “told” followed by the object “you”.Inverted commas will be removed and “that” will be added.Since the reporting verb is in V-2 form, the modal “can” will be changed to “could”.The pronoun “he” will remain the same.The sentence in indirect speech will be: I told you that he could not be trusted completely.Hence, option A is the correct answer.
Q171
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said, "It is too good to be true."
✓ Correct answer: b) She said that it was too good to be true.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech as it quotes actual words.The inverted commas (“ ”) and comma (,) used in direct speech are removed in indirect speech. 'Said' will remain the same.The conjunction “that” is added in indirect speech and ‘is’ will be changed to ‘was’.So, with the help of the above instructions, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: She said that it was too good to be true.
Q172
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The old man said to her, "Good luck to you! May you succeed in your venture!"
✓ Correct answer: c) The old man wished her good luck and prayed that she might succeed in her venture.
ExplanationThis is an optative sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction is used.Reporting verb “Said to” changes to “wished” and “prayed” for two clauses in indirect speech.Also, “!” is removed in indirect speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the modal verb (may) changes to its past equivalent (might).Also, the second person pronoun (You) of the reported speech is changed to pronoun (she) according to the subject of the reporting verb (i.e. her).Accordingly, possessive form “your” is changed to “her” After conjunction “that”, the structure of assertive sentence is followed.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: The old man wished her good luck and prayed that she might succeed in her venture.Hence, option C is the correct answer.
Q173
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Granny said to Nina, "I don't know why you think it is so wonderful."
✓ Correct answer: b) Granny said to Nina that she didn't know why she thought it was so wonderful.
ExplanationTo convert the direct speech sentence into indirect speech, we need to follow the standard rules for reporting speech, which include changing pronouns, verb tenses, and time expressions.1. Reporting verb: "said to" changes to "said that."2. Pronoun changes: "I" (Granny) changes to "she." "you" (Nina) changes to "she."3. Tense changes: "don't know" changes to "didn't know." "think" changes to "thought." "is" changes to "was." Now, let's look at the options: Option A: Granny said to Nina that she doesn't know why she thinks it was so wonderful. - Incorrect, as "doesn't know" should be "didn't know," and "thinks" should be "thought." Option B: Granny said to Nina that she didn't know why she thought it was so wonderful. - Correct, as it reflects all the necessary changes accurately.Option C: Granny said to Nina that she hadn't known why she was thinking it was so wonderful. - Incorrect, as "hadn't known" and "was thinking" are not suitable in this context.Option D: Granny said to Nina that I don't know why you think it is so wonderful. - Incorrect, as it retains the direct speech format and doesn't change pronouns or tenses.The correct answer is: (B) Granny said to Nina that she didn't know why she thought it was so wonderful.
Q174
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The doctor exclaimed with relief that he didn't need to go out in the rain.
✓ Correct answer: a) The doctor said, "Thank God! I needn't go out in the rain."
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option A The correct direct form is: The doctor said, "Thank God!I needn't go out in the rain." Explanation: Given sentence is: The doctor exclaimed with relief that he didn't need to go out in the rain.While converting into direct speech: “he” changes to “I” because the doctor himself is speaking. “didn't need to” changes back to its original form in direct speech — “needn't go.” “exclaimed with relief” shows emotion, so we use an expression like “Thank God!” Quotation marks are added.Option A correctly expresses relief and uses proper structure.Other options have grammatical mistakes like “didn't needed” and “needn't to,” which are incorrect.The correct direct form is: The doctor said, "Thank God!I needn't go out in the rain."
Q175
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said to her mother, "May I have another slice of cake?"
✓ Correct answer: c) She asked her mother if she might have another slice of cake.
ExplanationThis is an interrogative sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “if” conjunction is used.Note: we can also use “whether” as a conjunction. “Said to” changes to “asked” in indirect speech as the given sentence is interrogative.Note: Other reporting verbs for interrogative structure: enquire, demand, question.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the modal verb (May) changes to its past equivalent (Might).Also, the first-person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun “she” according to the subject of the reporting verb (She).And “?” is removed and a full stop is put since we make assertive sentence structure in indirect speech i.e. (Subject + Helping Verb + Main Verb + Object).So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: She asked her mother if she might have another slice of cake.Hence, option C is the correct answer.
Q176
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. The judge asked the prisoner if he had anything to say for himself.
✓ Correct answer: d) The judge said to the prisoner, "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
ExplanationThe given sentence is of indirect speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The reporting verb “asked” will be changed to “said to” followed by the object “prisoner”. “If” will be removed and inverted commas will be added.The pronouns “he” and “himself” will be changed to the second person pronouns “you” and “yourself”.The speech is an interrogative sentence which will begin with “do”.Insert a question mark at the end of the interrogative sentence.Change the tense of the speech from the simple past to the simple present tense.The sentence in direct speech will be: The judge said to the prisoner, “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Hence, option D is the correct answer.
Q177
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The children said to the nurse, "Reema slipped and fell from the stairs."
✓ Correct answer: a) The children told the nurse that Reema had slipped and fallen from the stairs.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The children told the nurse that Reema had slipped and fallen from the stairs.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect (reported) speech, we need to make several changes: Change the reporting verb: "said to" becomes "told" when there is an indirect object (the nurse).Add the conjunction "that" to connect the reporting clause with the reported speech.Apply backshift of tenses: "slipped" (simple past) changes to "had slipped" (past perfect) "fell" (simple past) changes to "fallen" (past participle, completing the past perfect structure "had fallen") The pronoun "Reema" remains the same as it's already in third person.Remove quotation marks and the period becomes part of the reported clause.
Q178
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The captain told the crew that the ship had to reach London that night.
✓ Correct answer: b) The captain said to the crew, "The ship has to reach London tonight."
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in indirect Speech.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are used in Direct Narration and thus added in direct Narration.Conjunction “that” is removed in direct speech.Reporting verb “told” changes to “said to” in direct speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘told”), verb “had” is changed to its present equivalent “has” in direct speech.Time word “that night” is changed to “tonight” in direct speech.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into direct speech: The captain said to the crew, “The ship has to reach London tonight.” Hence, The captain said to the crew, “The ship has to reach London tonight.” is the correct answer.
Q179
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. I prayed that his mother might recover soon.
✓ Correct answer: c) I said, "May your mother recover soon!"
ExplanationThe rules for converting indirect to direct speech are as follows:1. Use the reporting verb, "said"2. Remove the conjunction "that” and insert quotation marks.3. Put a comma before the statement.4. Since the subject is offering prayers for his mother, use 'may' at the start of the sentence.5. Change the pronoun 'his' into 'your'.6. Since the sentence is an exclamatory sentence, use exclamation mark at the end.Therefore, the sentence in direct Speech will be option c i.e. I said, “May your mother recover soon!” Hence, the correct answer is "I said, "May your mother recover soon!"
Q180
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The captain said that the crew had to leave the ship at Liverpool.
✓ Correct answer: a) The captain said, "The crew have to leave the ship at Liverpool."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - The captain said, "The crew have to leave the ship at Liverpool." Let's understand the transformation from indirect to direct speech: Step-by-step Breakdown:1. Reporting Verb: “said” is used → no change needed.2. Tense in Reported Speech: “had to leave” is the past form of “have to leave” (obligation).So, in direct speech, we must restore it back to the present tense → “have to leave”.3. Subject: “The crew” is third person plural, so “have to leave” is correct (not “has”).Let’s evaluate options: A) ✅ The captain said, "The crew have to leave the ship at Liverpool." ✔ Correct use of tense and plural verb “have”.B) The captain said to the crew, "Leave the ship at Liverpool." ❌ This changes the sentence to imperative (an order), not a statement of necessity.C) The captain said, "The crew could leave the ship at Liverpool." ❌ Changes “had to” (obligation) to “could” (permission).D) The captain said, "The crew has to leave the ship at Liverpool." ❌ Incorrect subject-verb agreement — “crew” (as a group of people) is plural here, so “have” is correct.
Q181
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Sanjeev said that he would surely succeed.
✓ Correct answer: c) Sanjeev said, "I will surely succeed."
ExplanationThe rules for converting indirect to direct speech are as follows:1. Use the reporting verb, "said”.2. Remove the conjunctions "that” and insert quotation marks.3. Put a comma before the statement.4. Change the past tense (would) into present tense (will).5. Change the pronoun ‘he’ into ‘I’.Therefore, the sentence in direct Speech will be option C i.e. Sanjeev said, “I will surely succeed.” Hence, the correct answer is Sanjeev says, "I surely will succeed."
Q182
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Radha said, “Why didn’t he forward his petition to me?”
✓ Correct answer: a) Radha enquired why he had not forwarded his petition to her.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - Radha enquired why he had not forwarded his petition to her.The given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration."Said" will be changed to "enquired" in indirect narration, and the question mark (?) will also be removed as the sentence is Interrogative.The tense of the reported speech is past indefinite tense, so it will be changed to past perfect tense in the indirect narration. 'Me' will be changed to 'Her'.
Q183
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. They cried, "Bravo! Well done."
✓ Correct answer: a) They shouted in joy that they had done well
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option A — They shouted in joy that they had done well Explanation: The given sentence is: They cried, "Bravo!Well done." “Bravo!Well done.” is an expression of praise and appreciation.When changing such exclamatory sentences into indirect speech: Rule: Remove the inverted commas.Change the exclamatory words (Bravo, Hurrah, Alas, etc.) into suitable expressions like exclaimed with joy, shouted in joy, praised, etc. Change the tense according to reporting verb rules (present → past if reporting verb is past).Here, “Well done” becomes “had done well” (past perfect, because reporting verb “cried” is in past tense).So the correct indirect form is: They shouted in joy that they had done well.Let us understand the given options: Option A: They shouted in joy that they had done well — Correct.It properly converts the exclamation into indirect speech and changes tense correctly.Option B: They cried in joy for doing well — Incorrect.The structure “for doing well” is grammatically wrong here.Option C: They cried loudly for doing well — Incorrect.It does not correctly change the exclamatory sentence into reported speech.Option D: They exclaimed with wonder that they had done well — Incorrect. “With wonder” is not suitable for praise like “Bravo!Well done.” Hence, the correct answer is Option A.
Q184
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. You told me that you had not slept the previous night and could not work then.
✓ Correct answer: b) You said to me, "l did not sleep last night and cannot wotk now."
ExplanationTo express the given indirect speech sentence in direct speech, let's break it down:1. Reporting verb: "You told me" will be changed to "You said to me" in direct speech.2. Pronoun change: In direct speech, "you" changes back to "I."3. Past perfect tense: "Had not slept the previous night" will change to simple past, "did not sleep last night."4. Time expression change: "Previous night" changes back to "last night" and "then" changes back to "now" in direct speech.Now, let's match this to the options: Option A: You said to me, "I have not slept last night and could not work then." - Incorrect, as "have not slept" should be in the simple past, and "then" should be "now." Option B: You said to me, "I did not sleep last night and cannot work now." - Correct, as it correctly reflects the changes from past perfect to simple past and time expressions.Option C: You said to me, "You did not sleep the previous night and could not work now." - Incorrect, because "you" should change back to "I," and "previous night" should be "last night." Option D: You said to me, "I have not slept the previous night and cannot work then." - Incorrect, as "have not slept" should be in simple past, and "then" should be "now." The correct answer is: (B) You said to me, "I did not sleep last night and cannot work now."
Q185
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. He said to his brother, "Where did you go for a pienic?"
✓ Correct answer: a) He asked his brother where he had gone for a picnic.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “asked” since the speech is an interrogative sentence.Inverted commas will be removed and the question word “where” will be used to join the reporting verb with the speech.Since the reporting verb is in V-2 form, the tense of the speech will change from the simple past to the past perfect tense.Also, the structure will be made assertive.The second person pronoun “you” will be changed according to the object (brother) to “he”.The question mark will be removed and a full stop will be added at the end.The correct answer is: (A) He asked his brother where he had gone for a picnic.
Q186
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. The doctor said that they had performed their bit.
✓ Correct answer: c) The doctor said, "We have performed our bit."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - The doctor said, "We have performed our bit." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to reverse the changes that were made during the original conversion: Remove "that" and add quotation marks around the direct speech.Change pronouns back to the original speaker's perspective: "they" (third person in indirect speech) changes back to "we" (first person in direct speech) "their" changes back to "our" Reverse the backshift of tenses: "had performed" (past perfect in indirect speech) typically comes from "have performed" (present perfect in direct speech) The reporting verb "said" remains in past tense as it reflects when the statement was made.
Q187
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. He said, 'Let us wait for the award.'
✓ Correct answer: a) He proposed that they should wait for the award.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction will be used. 'Said' will be changed to 'proposed' in indirect narration as the sentence is Imperative. 'Let us' will be changed to 'They should' in indirect narration as we knowm that the sentence is Imperative.The sentence in indirect speech will be: He proposed that they should wait for the award.
Q188
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. She enquired if all those potatoes were to be peeled for dinner.
✓ Correct answer: c) She said, "Are all these potatoes to be peeled for dinner?"
ExplanationThis is an interrogative sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are added in direct speech. “If” (used as conjunction in indirect speech) is removed in direct speech. “Enquired” changes to “Said” in direct speech as given sentence is interrogative.Note: Other reporting verbs for interrogative structure: question, demand.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (“enquired”), simple past tense “were to be peeled” changes to simple present tense “are to be peeled”.And, “?” is added and full stop is removed since in direct speech we have to retain the interrogative structure (Helping verb + Subject).Helping verb “Are” is used as question word.Determiner “those” is changed to “these” in direct speech.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into direct speech: She said, “Are all these potatoes to be peeled for dinner?” Hence, She said, "Are all these potatoes to be peeled for dinner?" is the correct answer.
Q189
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Latika said to him, “I got a hefty discount on this television.”
✓ Correct answer: c) Latika told him that she had got a hefty discount on that television.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - Latika told him that she had got a hefty discount on that television.The given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration, and the “that” conjunction will be used."Said" will be changed to "told" in indirect narration.The tense of the reporting speech is "past indefinite tense", so it will be changed to "past perfect tense" in the indirect narration."This" will be changed to "that" in indirect narration.Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, so “I” will change to "she."
Q190
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Priya said, "Yes, I am confounded."
✓ Correct answer: c) Priya admitted that she was confounded.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction will be used.Said will be changed to admitted in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is present tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the indirect narration.Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “I” will change to 'she'. 'Am' will be changed to 'Was' in indirect narration.The sentence in indirect speech will be: Priya admitted that she was confounded.
Q191
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. "Please lend me some money, Raman. I need it urgently," said Sumesh.
✓ Correct answer: a) Sumesh requested Raman to lend him some money as he needed it urgently.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - Sumesh requested Raman to lend him some money as he needed it urgently.Given (Direct Speech): "Please lend me some money, Raman.I need it urgently," said Sumesh.This is a request, so we'll use "requested" in indirect speech.Step-by-step transformation:1. Reporting verb: "said" becomes "requested" (because it's a polite request with “please”).2. Person and pronouns: me → him (Sumesh speaking about himself) I → he, and need → needed (backshift of tense)3. No quotes in reported speech — everything is rephrased as one sentence.Option Analysis: A) ✅ Sumesh requested Raman to lend him some money as he needed it urgently. ✔ Perfect — correct verb, pronouns, and tense shift.B) ❌ Uses direct speech style ("please lend me..."), no tense change — incorrect.C) ❌ "requested to Raman" is grammatically wrong.Also contains unnecessary "please".D) ❌ Uses "me" and "I", which are incorrect in indirect speech.
Q192
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. She asked if anyone had found her brooch.
✓ Correct answer: c) She said, "Has anyone found my brooch?"
ExplanationThis is an interrogative sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are added in direct speech. “If” (used as a conjunction in indirect speech) is removed in direct speech. “Asked” changes to “Said” in direct speech as the given sentence is interrogative.Note: Other reporting verbs for interrogative structure are question and demand.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (“asked”), the past perfect tense “had found” changes to present perfect tense “has found”.The possessive pronoun “her” is changed to “my” to show the connection of the speaker (i.e., “She”) with “brooch”.And, “?” is added and a full stop is removed since in direct speech we have to retain the interrogative structure (Helping verb + Subject).The helping verb “Has” is used as a question word.Hence, "She said, "Has anyone found my brooch?" is the correct answer.
Q193
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. "Remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows," said the contractor to the worker.
✓ Correct answer: d) The contractor instructed the worker to remove al the stains carefully and clean the windows.
ExplanationTo convert the given direct speech into indirect speech, let's break it down:1. Identify the reporting verb: Since the contractor is giving an instruction or command, we use a suitable reporting verb such as "instructed".2. Change the imperative to an infinitive: The imperative command "Remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows" should be changed to "to remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows" in indirect speech.Now, let's match this to the options: Option A: The contractor said to the worker that you should remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows. - Incorrect, as "you" should be replaced with "the worker" or a third-person pronoun.Option B: The contractor requested the worker to remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows. - Incorrect, because "requested" is not suitable here.The contractor is giving an instruction, not making a request.Option C: The contractor told the worker that by removing all the stains carefully, the windows will be cleaned. - Incorrect, as this changes the meaning of the sentence.It is not about future results but an instruction.Option D: The contractor instructed the worker to remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows. - Correct, as it uses "instructed" appropriately for the command and maintains the meaning of the original sentence.The correct answer is: (D) The contractor instructed the worker to remove all the stains carefully and clean the windows.
Q194
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. She said to me, “You will speak at the conference tomorrow.”
✓ Correct answer: d) She told me that I would speak at the conference the next day.
ExplanationWhen converting a direct statement into reported speech (indirect speech), there are certain rules to follow:1. Change of Pronouns: Pronouns may need to be changed to match the subject/object of the reporting verb.In this case, "You" changes to "I" to match the object "She told me."2. Change of Verb Tense: The future tense ("You will speak") generally changes to the past tense ("I would speak") in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense."Tomorrow" becomes "the next day" to reflect the time shift in reported speech.So, option D, "She told me that I would speak at the conference the next day," correctly converts the direct statement into reported speech, maintaining the proper tense and pronoun agreement.This makes the sentence grammatically correct and contextually accurate.Option A uses "that day," which doesn't correctly reflect the future timing mentioned in the original sentence.Option B uses "the next day," but it introduces uncertainty with "might speak," which is not in line with the original statement's certainty.Option C uses "today," which is not accurate because the original sentence mentions "tomorrow," indicating a future event.
Q195
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Father told the children that there was some good news for them that day.
✓ Correct answer: a) Father said to the children, "There is some good news for you today."
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are used in Direct Narration and thus added in direct Narration.Reporting verb “Told” changes to “said to” in the direct speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘told”), the verb “was” is changed to its present equivalent “is” in direct speech.The objective form of the pronoun (them) in the subordinate clause is changed to pronoun (you) as per the object “children”.Time word “that day” is changed to “today”.Hence, the correct answer is Father said to the children, "There is some good news for you today.". 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — Father told the children there was some good news for them that day. यह Indirect Speech है। जब इसे Direct Speech में बदलते हैं, तो reporting verb “told” → said to होगा। Pronoun “for them” → for you (Direct Speech में listener के लिए)। Time expression “that day” → today (Direct Speech में)। इसलिए सही उत्तर है — ✅ (A) Father said to the children, "There is some good news for you today."
Q196
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. I asked him if it had never occurred to him that he was in the wrong profession.
✓ Correct answer: b) I said to him, "Has it never occurred to you that you are in the wrong profession?"
ExplanationTo convert interrogative sentences into direct speech, follow the following rules along with the above-mentioned rules: The reporting verb ‘asked' is changed to ‘said’.Since the reported speech is having interrogative word ‘if’ and the helping verb 'had' is used, use 'has' as the interrogative word in the direct speech.The verb ‘had occurred’ is converted into ‘has occurred’.The pronouns 'him' and 'he' are changed into 'you'.A question mark is placed at the end of the sentence instead of a mark of interrogation.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option B i.e. I said to him, “Has it never occurred to you that you are in the wrong profession?” Hence, the correct answer is I said to him, "Has it never occurred to you that you are in the wrong profession?"
Q197
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The doctor said to Anita, "Are you feeling better now?
✓ Correct answer: a) The doctor asked Anita if she was feeling better then.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — The doctor asked Anita if she was feeling better then.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for yes/no questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" since it's a question.For yes/no questions, we use "if" or "whether" as conjunctions to introduce the reported question.The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "she was feeling" instead of "are you feeling." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: — "you" (the listener) changes to "she" The tense shifts backward (backshift): — Present continuous "are...feeling" changes to past continuous "was...feeling" Time expressions change to reflect the shift in perspective: — "now" changes to "then" We remove the quotation marks and question mark.
Q198
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. She said to me, "Don't worry about me."
✓ Correct answer: d) She told me not to worry about her.
ExplanationThe given sentence is of direct speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The reporting verb “said” will be changed to “told”, followed by the object “me”.Inverted commas will be removed.Since the reported speech is an imperative sentence that begins with “don’t”, we will use – “not to”.The first person pronoun “me” will be changed according to the subject (she) to “her”.The sentence in indirect speech will be: She told me not to worry about her.Hence, option D is the correct answer.
Q199
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. Mother said to her, “I expected a better result from you.”
✓ Correct answer: a) Mother told her that she had expected a better result from her.
ExplanationAs we need to convert the sentence into indirect speech, the intention here is to tell something to the other person, so ‘said to’ will be changed to ‘told’.We need to use ‘that’ as per the rule in place of inverted commas. ‘I’ here indicates the speaker which is the Mother, so it needs to be changed to ‘she’.Since the given sentence is in past tense, in indirect speech it will be changed to past perfect.So, we need to use ‘had expected’.The object ‘you’ will be changed to ‘her’.Thus the correct answer is option A. correct indirect speech: Mother told her that she had expected a better result from her.
Q200
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. Mother told Avika that those flowers were not to be thrown that day.
✓ Correct answer: d) Mother said to Avika, "These flowers are not to be thrown today."
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are added in direct speech. “That” (used as conjunction in indirect speech) is removed in direct speech.Reporting verb “Told” changes to “Said to” in direct speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (“told”), simple past tense “were” changes to simple present tense “are”.Time word “that day” is changed to “today” in direct speech.Determiner “those” is changed to “these” in direct speech.Also, determiner “that” is changed to “this”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into direct speech: Mother said to Avika, “These flowers are not to be thrown today.” Hence, "Mother said to Avika, "These flowers are not to be thrown today." is the correct answer.
Q201
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Shravan said that the prisoner had slept throughout the journey.
✓ Correct answer: d) Shravan said, "The prisoner slept throughout the journey."
ExplanationThe sentence is in indirect speech and it is an assertive sentence.In this sentence, the reporting verb is "said," and the reporting clause is "that the prisoner had slept throughout the journey." Convert the indirect speech into a direct quote while adjusting the tense of the reported speech Change the past perfect tense "had slept" to the past simple tense, "slept." The direct speech will be: Shravan said, "The prisoner slept throughout the journey." Hence, option D is the correct answer.
Q202
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. I told you that I had bought a new book for you the day before.
✓ Correct answer: c) I said to you, "I bought a new book for you yesterday."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - I said to you, "I bought a new book for you yesterday." To convert the sentence from indirect speech to direct speech, follow these steps: Identify the reporting verb and the reported statement: The reporting verb is "told," and the reported statement is "that I had bought a new book for you the day before." Adjust the time expression: "The day before" in indirect speech becomes "yesterday" in direct speech.Adjust the tense: The past perfect tense "had bought" is converted to the simple past "bought" in direct speech.Now, let's match this to the options: Option A: Incorrect "I told to you, 'I have bought a new book for you yesterday.'" This is incorrect because "have bought" (present perfect) is used instead of the simple past "bought," and "told to you" is incorrect.Option B: Incorrect "I said to you, 'I have bought a new book for you the day before.'" This is incorrect because "the day before" should be replaced with "yesterday" in direct speech.Option C: Correct "I said to you, 'I bought a new book for you yesterday.'" This option is correct with the correct tense (simple past "bought") and time expression ("yesterday").Option D: Incorrect "I said to you, 'You have bought a new book for me the day before.'" This option is incorrect because it changes the subject from "I" to "You," and the tense is also incorrect.
Q203
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. She said that she could not believe him.
✓ Correct answer: c) She said, “I cannot believe him.”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - She said, “I cannot believe him.” The given statement is in indirect speech.The following guidelines will be used to transform the provided statement of indirect speech into direct speech: When we switch to direct speech, "said" will become the reporting verb.The subordinate clause of indirect speech will become reporting speech.The conjunction 'that' will be eliminated.We will shift the past tense of indirect speech into the present tense; for example, "could" will be transformed into "can." The first person of direct speech shifts depending on the subject of the reporting verb; the subject of the subordinate clause, which is "she", will now be stated to be "I".
Q204
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. The secretary assures the audience that he/she is going to help them.
✓ Correct answer: b) The secretary says to audience, “I am going to help you.”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - The secretary says to audience, "I am going to help you." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to reverse the changes that were made during the original conversion: The reporting verb "assures" is in present tense, so in direct speech it should remain in present tense as "says to." Change pronouns back to the original speaker's perspective: "he/she" (third person in indirect speech) changes back to "I" (first person in direct speech) "them" (third person referring to the audience) changes back to "you" (second person, addressing the audience directly) Reverse any tense changes: "is going to help" in indirect speech indicates this was originally "am going to help" in direct speech (present continuous future) Add quotation marks around the direct speech.Remove "that" which was used to connect the clauses in indirect speech.
Q205
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. We asked them who had called them.
✓ Correct answer: d) We said to them, "Who called you?"
ExplanationThe given sentence is in indirect narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The inverted commas (“ “) that are not used in Indirect Narration will be added in Direct Narration."Asked" will be changed to "Said to" in the direct narration as the sentence is Interrogative.The tense of the reported speech is past perfect tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the direct narration. 'Them' will be changed to 'You' in direct narration.The sentence in indirect speech will be: We said to them, "Who called you?"
Q206
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. He said that he was sorry for all that.
✓ Correct answer: d) ""I am sorry for all this," he said.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - "I am sorry for all this," he said.Steps involved in converting the given sentence into direct speech: Identify the sentence type: The given sentence is in indirect speech (statement form) and needs to be converted into direct speech.Change the reporting verb: The reporting verb "said that" in indirect speech changes to "said" in direct speech.Restore the original pronouns and demonstratives: "he was sorry" (third person, past tense) changes back to "I am sorry" (first person, present tense, as originally spoken)."that" in indirect speech changes back to "this" in direct speech.Reintroduce quotation marks: The sentence in direct speech must be enclosed in quotation marks.
Q207
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. My sister suggested that we go for a walk in the fresh air.
✓ Correct answer: d) My sister said, "Let us go for a walk in the fresh air."
ExplanationThis is an imperative sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are used in Direct Narration and thus added in direct Narration.In the imperative sentences, when we have “Suggested” as a reporting verb in indirect speech then we use “said” as reporting verb and “Let” as a verb inside the inverted commas in direct speech to keep the sense of “suggestion”.Accordingly, we will use the structure that starts with reporting verb “said” and “Let” inside the inverted commas.Object after the verb “Let” is changed as per the objective form of “We”.Note: When “we” is retained in indirect speech then it means speaker and listener both are included.That’s why in the above sentence we have retained “We” in the form of “us” in direct speech.We have not converted it to “me” because that will include only the speaker which is incorrect.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into direct speech: My sister said, “Let us go for a walk in the fresh air.” Hence, option D is the correct answer.
Q208
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Raza requested his parents to forgive him that time and promised never to play truant again.
✓ Correct answer: a) Raza said to his parents, "Please forgive me this time. I promise never to play truant again."
ExplanationConverting to Direct Speech:1. Requested his parents to forgive him → “Please forgive me”2. that time → becomes this time (in direct speech)3. promised never to play truant again → “I promise never to play truant again.” Correct Option: Option A - Raza said to his parents, "Please forgive me this time.I promise never to play truant again." This matches all elements of the indirect sentence: Polite request = "Please forgive me" “that time” → "this time" Promise = “I promise...”
Q209
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Priya assured me, "I can stay in tonight."
✓ Correct answer: b) Priya told me that she could stay in that night.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - Priya told me that she could stay in that night.The given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration, and the “that” conjunction will be used."Assured" will be changed to "told" in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reporting speech is present tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the indirect narration."Tonight" will be changed to "that night".Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting verb, so “I” will change to "she."
Q210
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The teacher says, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."
✓ Correct answer: d) The teacher says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — The teacher says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.When converting a sentence from direct to reported speech, it’s important to consider the tense of the reporting verb and whether the statement is a universal truth or a habitual fact.The sentence “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction” is a statement of a scientific law, which is considered a universal truth.Here’s how we handle the conversion: Reporting Verb Tense: If the reporting verb is in the present tense (as in ‘says’), we generally do not change the tense of the reported clause.Universal Truths: Statements of universal truths remain in the present tense even when reported in the past tense.Conjunction: We often introduce the reported clause with ‘that’ in reported speech.Given these rules, let’s evaluate the options: A. The teacher says every action had an equal and opposite reaction.This option incorrectly changes the tense of the reported clause to the past tense, which should not be done for universal truths.B. The teacher said that every action had an equal and opposite reaction.While ‘said’ is correctly in the past tense, changing the tense of the reported clause to past tense is not appropriate for a universal truth.C. The teacher said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.This option correctly maintains the present tense of the reported clause, but the reporting verb ‘said’ is in the past tense, which is not consistent with the original sentence. | | SSC D. The teacher says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.This option correctly maintains the present tense of both the reporting verb and the reported clause, which is appropriate for a universal truth.It also correctly introduces the reported clause with ‘that’.
Q211
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "What a hopeless fellow you are!" said the teacher to the student.
✓ Correct answer: b) The teacher told the student that he was a very hopeless fellow.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - The teacher told the student that he was a very hopeless fellow.To convert the given direct speech into indirect speech, let's analyze the sentence: Step-by-step explanation:1. Identify the sentence type: Exclamatory sentence expressing strong emotion (disappointment).2. Change reporting verb: said to → told (since it's directed speech).3. Convert exclamation to a statement: "What a hopeless fellow you are!" becomes → that he was a very hopeless fellow (change you → he, are → was due to backshift of tense).4. Avoid exclamatory tone in indirect speech — it's reported as a statement, not with “what” or “how”.
Q212
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Professor told me that I could not rescue myself from that bait.
✓ Correct answer: d) Professor said to me, "You cannot rescue yourself from this bait."
ExplanationThe given sentence is in indirect narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The inverted commas (“ “) that are not used in Indirect Narration will be added in Direct Narration and “that” conjunction will not be used."Told" will be changed to "said to" in the direct narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is past tense, so it will be changed to present tense in the direct narration. 'That' will be changed to 'This' in direct narration.Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “I” will be changed to 'You' in the direct narration. 'Myself' will be changed to 'Yourself' in direct narration.The sentence in indirect speech will be: Professor said to me, "You cannot rescue yourself from this bait".
Q213
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Leena said that his relatives were landing the next day.
✓ Correct answer: d) Leena said, "His relatives are landing tomorrow."
ExplanationThe given sentence is in indirect narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The inverted commas (“ “) that are not used in Indirect Narration will be added in direct Narration and “that” conjunction will not be used.The tense of the reported speech is past continuous tense, so it will be changed to present continuous tense in the direct narration."The next day" will be changed to "Tomorrow" in direct narration.The sentence in direct speech will be: Leena said, "His relatives are landing tomorrow".
Q214
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. He said that something might be missing in there.
✓ Correct answer: a) He said, “Something may be missing in here.”
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - He said, “Something may be missing in here.” To convert it to direct speech, we need to directly quote what "He said." Here's how we do it: Change the reporting verb: In the reported speech sentence, "He said" is the reporting verb.In direct speech, we use quotation marks to directly quote what was said.In reported speech, "there" is used as a reference.In direct speech, we often use "here" for the sake of clarity.Change the modal verb: "might" in reported speech can be changed to "may" in direct speech for a more straightforward representation.So, the resulting direct speech sentence is: He said, "Something may be missing in here."
Q215
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. The shopkeeper apologised for the mistake he had made in his calculations.
✓ Correct answer: d) The shopkeeper said, "I am sorry. I made a mistake in my calculations."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - The shopkeeper said, "I am sorry.I made a mistake in my calculations." Key steps to follow in converting reported speech to direct speech: Identify the reporting verb: In reported speech, the verb used for reporting is "apologised".Determine the pronouns: "He" (in "he had made") refers to the shopkeeper.So, in direct speech, it should be "I" (because the shopkeeper is the one speaking)."His calculations" should be changed to "my calculations" because the shopkeeper is referring to his own calculations.Tense change: In the reported speech, the shopkeeper’s apology is in the past tense ("apologised").In direct speech, "apologised" becomes "I am sorry" or "I apologise", since apologies are usually expressed in the present tense in direct speech.Structure of direct speech: The shopkeeper’s apology should be expressed as "I am sorry" or "I apologise" in a direct quote, and the mistake he made should be stated in a simple past tense.
Q216
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. The driver asked a passerby if he could tell him the way to the market.
✓ Correct answer: c) The driver said to a passerby, "Can you tell me the way to the market?"
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — The driver said to a passerby, "Can you tell me the way to the market?" Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "asked" changes to "said to" since we're converting back to direct speech format.We remove the conjunction "if" and add quotation marks around the direct question.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: — "he" (referring to the passerby) changes back to "you" — "him" (referring to the driver) changes back to "me" The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): — Past modal "could" changes back to present modal "can" The sentence structure remains as a question.
Q217
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Shyam asked me how I had persuaded his sister.
✓ Correct answer: c) "How did you persuade my sister?” Shyam asked me.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - "How did you persuade my sister?” Shyam asked me.To convert the given sentence from indirect speech to direct speech, follow these steps: Identify the reporting verb and the subject: The reporting verb is "asked," and the subject is "Shyam".Recognize the tense of the reporting speech: The sentence uses the past perfect tense "had persuaded".Convert the reporting verb to its present tense form if required: Since we are converting to direct speech, we keep "asked" in the same form but change the pronouns and tenses as per the context.Change the pronoun from third person to second person: "I" becomes "you" (as Shyam is addressing the speaker directly).Adjust the verb tense: The past perfect tense "had persuaded" changes to past simple "did you persuade" in direct speech.Introduce the reported speech with a question word: "How" remains unchanged.
Q218
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Renu said to her brother, "You were watching the show without me."
✓ Correct answer: a) Renu told her brother that he had been watching the show without her.
ExplanationThe sentence is in direct speech and it is an assertive sentence.When we convert direct speech to indirect speech, we need the following rules: In this case, "said" is changed to "told" as the verb is followed by an object.First person pronoun changes according to the subject of the sentence.So, "me" will change to "her".Second person pronoun changes according to the object of the sentence.So, "you" will change to "he".Past continuous tense "were watching" changes into past perfect continuous tense "had been watching".So, the correct indirect form is: Renu told her brother that he had been watching the show without her.Hence, option A is the correct answer. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — Renu said to her brother, "You were watching the show without me।" यह Direct Statement है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → told Pronoun “you” → he (her brother के लिए) Tense backshift: Past Continuous “were watching” → had been watching Pronoun “me” → her इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (A) Renu told her brother that he had been watching the show without her.
Q219
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. "Please wait for me at the coffee shop in case I am late," said Reema to her friend.
✓ Correct answer: c) Reema told her friend to wait for her at the coffee shop in case she was late.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — Reema told her friend to wait for her at the coffee shop in case she was late.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for polite requests (using "Please"), we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (her friend).The word "Please" is removed, and the polite request is expressed through the infinitive structure.Polite requests in indirect speech are expressed using the infinitive structure "to + base verb." The imperative "wait" becomes "to wait." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "me" (the speaker, Reema) changes to "her" "I" (the speaker in the conditional clause) changes to "she" The tense shifts backward (backshift) in the conditional clause: Simple present "am late" changes to simple past "was late" The phrase "at the coffee shop" and "in case" remain the same.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech (polite request, "Please" के साथ) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (her friend) हो। Word "Please" हटा दिया जाता है, और polite request को infinitive structure से express किया जाता है। Polite requests को indirect speech में infinitive structure "to + base verb" से express किया जाता है। Imperative "wait" बन जाता है "to wait." Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "me" → "her" (speaker, Reema) "I" → "she" (conditional clause में speaker) Conditional clause में tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "am late" → simple past "was late" Phrase "at the coffee shop" और "in case" same रहते हैं। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q220
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. She said, “I am in no mood to work now.”
✓ Correct answer: c) She said that she was in no mood to work then.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - She said that she was in no mood to work then.In reported or indirect speech, when we change a direct statement into reported speech, we often need to make some changes to tenses and pronouns to reflect the shift in time and perspective.Let's break down the sentence transformation: The reporting verb "said" remains the same.The pronoun "she" remains the same because it refers to the same person.The tense of the verb "am" changes from present to past.This is because, in reported speech, we typically shift the tense of the original sentence back one step in time."Am" (present) becomes "was" (past).The phrase "to work now" changes to "to work then." This change in time reference is necessary to maintain the correct sequence of events.
Q221
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select 'No substitution required'. Would you have been so kind as to close the window?
✓ Correct answer: b) Would you be
ExplanationThe underlined part needs to be grammatically corrected.The given sentence is interrogative.The structure of such a sentence is ‘would + subject + verb’s base form + object?’ ‘Would’, here, is used to show a polite request to someone.E.g.:- Would you be able to close the door?Thus, ‘Would you be’ is the most suited one.The correct sentence should be:- Would you be so kind as to close the window?Hence, option B is the correct answer.
Q222
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The professor said, "I want you to pursue your dreams".
✓ Correct answer: b) The professor said that he wanted me to pursue my dreams.
ExplanationWhen converting a direct statement into reported speech (indirect speech), there are certain rules to follow:1. Change of Pronouns: Pronouns may need to be changed to match the subject/object of the reporting sentence.In this case, "I" changes to "he" to match the subject "The professor," and "you" changes to "me."2. Change of Verb Tense: The present tense ("I want you to pursue") generally changes to the past tense ("he wanted me to pursue") in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense.So, option B, "The professor said that he wanted me to pursue my dreams," correctly converts the direct statement into reported speech, maintaining the proper tense and pronoun agreement.This makes the sentence grammatically correct and contextually accurate.Options A and C do not properly change the pronouns and verb tenses to match the reported speech rules.Option D is grammatically incorrect as it doesn't reflect the original statement correctly.It suggests that "I wanted you to pursue your dreams," which is not the intended meaning.
Q223
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. She said to me, “The charlatan will be breaking into the safe.”
✓ Correct answer: a) She told me that the charlatan would be breaking into the safe.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction will be used.Said to will be changed to told in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is future continuous tense, so it will be changed to "would + be + V+ing" in indirect speech.The sentence in indirect speech will be: She told me that the charlatan would be breaking into the safe.
Q224
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. She asked me why I had been smoking that day.
✓ Correct answer: a) She said to me, “Why were you smoking today?”
ExplanationThe given sentence is in indirect narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The inverted commas (“ “) that are not used in Indirect Narration will be added in direct Narration and “that” conjunction will not be used. 'Asked' will be changed to 'said to' in direct narration.The tense of the reported speech is past perfect continuous tense, so it will be changed to past continuous tense in the direct narration."That day" will be changed to "today".Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “I” will change to 'you'.The sentence in direct speech will be: She said to me, “Why were you smoking today?”
Q225
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. She said, "She must leave all the bad habits."
✓ Correct answer: c) She said that she had to leave all the bad habits.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction will be used.The tense of the reported speech is present tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the indirect narration."Must" will be changed to "Had to" in indirect narration.The sentence in indirect speech will be: She said that she had to leave all the bad habits.
Q226
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. He told me not to jump to any conclusion.
✓ Correct answer: a) He said to me, "Don't jump to any conclusion."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - He said to me, "Don't jump to any conclusion." Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech, especially for negative commands or instructions, we need to make several changes: The indirect construction "told me not to" becomes a direct negative imperative using "Don't" + base verb.The reporting verb "told" can be changed to "said to" when converting to direct speech, as both are acceptable for reporting commands.Add quotation marks around the directly quoted speech.The infinitive "to jump" in indirect speech becomes the base form "jump" in the direct imperative. 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — He told me not to jump to any conclusion। यह Indirect Command / Advice है। जब इसे Direct Speech में बदलते हैं, तो reporting verb “told” → said to (Direct Speech में) “not to jump” → don’t jump (Direct Speech में negative imperative) Pronoun “me” same रहेगा। इसलिए सही direct sentence है — ✅ (A) He said to me, "Don't jump to any conclusion."
Q227
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. “Please allow me to leave now,” Ritika said to her teacher.
✓ Correct answer: b) Ritika requested her teacher to allow her to leave then
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B - Ritika requested her teacher to allow her to leave then.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The word "Please" indicates a polite request, so the reporting verb "said" changes to "requested." Apply pronoun changes: "me" (the original speaker, Ritika) changes to "her" "her teacher" remains the same since it's already in third person Change time references: "now" in direct speech changes to "then" in indirect speech because we're reporting from a different time perspective For requests using "Please + imperative," we use the structure: "requested + object + to + infinitive" Remove quotation marks and the word "Please." 🅷 + 🅴 In Hinglish Sentence है — “Please allow me to leave now,” Ritika said to her teacher। यह Direct Request है। जब इसे Indirect Speech में बदलते हैं, तो: Reporting verb “said to” → requested Pronoun “me” → her (Ritika के लिए) Time expression “now” → then इसलिए सही indirect sentence है — ✅ (B) Ritika requested her teacher to allow her to leave then.
Q228
Select the-correct indirect form of the given- sentence. Madhurima explained, "I am planning to quit my graduation."
✓ Correct answer: c) Madhurima explained that she was planning to quit her graduation.
ExplanationWhen converting a direct statement into reported speech (indirect speech), there are certain rules to follow: Change of Pronouns: Pronouns may need to be changed to match the subject of the reporting sentence.In this case, "I" changes to "she" to match the subject "Madhurima." Change of Verb Tense: The present tense ("am planning") generally changes to the past tense ("was planning") in reported speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense.There's no need to use past perfect ("had been planning") in this context because the original sentence is already in the present tense, and the reporting verb ("explained") is in the past tense.Past perfect is used when there's a need to indicate that an action happened before another action in the past.So, option C, "Madhurima explained that she was planning to quit her graduation,"
Q229
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The investigator asked me, "Did you see or hear anything in the dead of night?"
✓ Correct answer: c) The investigator asked me if I had seen or heard anything in the dead of night.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - The investigator asked me if I had seen or heard anything in the dead of night.Explanation: When converting a direct question to indirect (reported) speech, we need to make several changes: Remove the quotation marks and question mark.For yes/no questions (starting with "Did you..."), we use "if" or "whether" to introduce the reported question.Change the word order from question form to statement form: "Did you see or hear" becomes "if I had seen or heard" Apply pronoun changes: "you" (the person being asked) changes to "I" (since the speaker is reporting what was asked of them) Apply backshift of tenses: "Did you see" (simple past in question form) changes to "had seen" (past perfect) "hear" becomes "heard" (past perfect) The reporting verb "asked" remains the same as it's appropriate for questions.
Q230
Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence. Taru asked Kavya if she would help her in setting up her new dressing table.
✓ Correct answer: b) Taru said to Kavya, "Will you help me in setting up my new dressing table?"
ExplanationThe given sentence is of indirect speech.Follow the rules given below to change it to direct speech: The reporting verb “asked” will be changed to “said to” followed by the object “Kavya”.Inverted commas will be added.Change the modal “would” to “will” in the direct speech.Since the speech is an interrogative sentence, the speech will begin with the modal “will”.The pronoun “she” will change to “you” and “her” will change to “me” and “my”.The question mark will be added.Now, let's match this to the options: Option A: Incorrect - "Will you help me in setting up her new dressing table?" uses "her" instead of "my".Option B: Correct - "Will you help me in setting up my new dressing table?" uses the correct pronouns and structure.Option C: Incorrect - This is a "how" question instead of a "will" question, which changes the meaning.Option D: Incorrect - It uses "her" instead of "my" and changes the meaning by introducing "would." The correct answer is: (B) Taru said to Kavya, "Will you help me in setting up my new dressing table?"
Q231
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. Rahul said to Mohit, "I am taking my family to Kashmir for a vacation tomorrow."
✓ Correct answer: a) Rahul told Mohit that he was taking his family to Kashmir for a vacation the following day.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A — Rahul told Mohit that he was taking his family to Kashmir for a vacation the following day.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" when there is an indirect object (Mohit).We add the conjunction "that" after the reporting verb.Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "I" (the speaker, Rahul) changes to "he" "my family" (possessive) changes to "his family" The tense shifts backward (backshift): Present continuous "am taking" changes to past continuous "was taking" Time expressions change to reflect the shift in perspective: "tomorrow" changes to "the following day" or "the next day" The phrases "to Kashmir" and "for a vacation" remain unchanged.We remove the quotation marks.In Hinglish: Direct speech को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "told" में बदला जाता है जब indirect object (Mohit) हो। Reporting verb के बाद conjunction "that" add किया जाता है। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "I" → "he" (speaker, Rahul) "my family" → "his family" (possessive) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Present continuous "am taking" → past continuous "was taking" | | SSC Time expressions shift होते हैं perspective के अनुसार: "tomorrow" → "the following day" या "the next day" Phrases "to Kashmir" और "for a vacation" unchanged रहते हैं। Quotation marks (" ") हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q232
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The little girl said, "This bicycle is mine."
✓ Correct answer: a) The little girl said that that bicycle was hers.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option A - The little girl said that that bicycle was hers.Type of Sentence: Assertive Sentence – changing from Direct to Indirect Speech Steps Involved:1. Identify the Reporting Verb: The reporting verb is "said" (no object), so "that" will be used in indirect speech.2. Pronoun & Determiner Changes: "This" → "that" (because of change in narration) "is" → "was" (past tense, as reporting verb is in past) "mine" → "hers" (subject is "the little girl")3. Check Each Option: A ✅: "The little girl said that that bicycle was hers." ✔ Correct pronoun, determiner, and tense.B ❌: Doesn't change tense or "this" – wrong.C ❌: Doesn't change tense or pronoun – incorrect.D ❌: Incomplete and grammatically incorrect.
Q233
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. She asked if she could help him with his packing.
✓ Correct answer: b) She said, "Can I help you with your packing?"
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option B — She said, "Can I help you with your packing?" Explanation: When converting indirect speech to direct speech for interrogative sentences, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "asked" changes to "said" since we're converting back to direct speech format (as seen in all options).We remove the conjunction "if" and add quotation marks around the direct question.Pronouns change according to the original speaker's perspective: — "she" (the speaker) changes back to "I" — "him" (the listener) changes back to "you" — "his" (possessive for the listener) changes back to "your" The tense shifts forward (reverse of backshift): — Past modal "could" changes back to present modal "can" We add a question mark "?" and remove the full stop to retain the interrogative structure.
Q234
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Smriti greeted me and asked me where I was working then.
✓ Correct answer: c) Smriti said to me, "Hello! Where are you working now?"
ExplanationThis is an interrogative sentence.The given sentence is in indirect speech because it does not quote actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into direct Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) are added in direct narration and “Where” is used to initiate the interrogative structure. “Greeted” changes to “Hello!” and “Asked” changes to “Said to” in direct speech.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (“asked” and “greeted”).Past continuous tense (was working) changes to present continuous tense (are working) in direct speech.Also, the pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (you) according to the object (me).And, “?” is added and the full stop is removed since in direct speech we have to retain the interrogative structure (Helping verb + Subject).Hence, the correct answer is Smriti said to me, "Hello!Where are you working now?".
Q235
Select the correct direct form of the given sentence. Rahul said that he had slipped and fallen on the marshy land.
✓ Correct answer: c) Rahul said, "I slipped and fell on the marshy land."
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C - Rahul said, "I slipped and fell on the marshy land." Step-by-step Explanation:1. Reporting verb “said” – it stays the same in direct speech.2. Pronoun "he" becomes "I" (because Rahul is talking about himself).3. "Had slipped and fallen" is the past perfect tense.In direct speech, it usually changes back to simple past: "I slipped and fell..." Direct speech: Rahul said, "I slipped and fell on the marshy land." Option analysis: A) Rahul said, "I slipped and fallen on the marshy land." ❌ Incorrect verb form — “fallen” should be “fell” with “slipped”.B) Rahul said, "He have slipped and fallen on the marshy land." ❌ “He have” is grammatically incorrect; also “he” is wrong pronoun.C) ✅ Rahul said, "I slipped and fell on the marshy land." ✔ Correct tense, pronoun, and structure.D) Rahul said, "He slips and falls on the marshy land." ❌ Present tense – doesn't match the original past perfect meaning.
Q236
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The captain announced, "The flight will be delayed due to bad weather."
✓ Correct answer: c) The captain announced that the flight would be delayed due to bad weather.
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct speech are removed in Indirect speech and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘announced”), the modal verb “will” is changed to “would” to show the possible future action/event.Note: “Will” is converted to “should” only when the sentence shows the sense of “suggestion”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: The captain announced that the flight would be delayed due to bad weather.Hence, option C is the correct answer.
Q237
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said, "It is my birthday next week."
✓ Correct answer: c) She said that it was her birthday the following week.
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration are removed in Indirect Narration and the “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), the verb “is” is changed to its past equivalent “was”.The possessive form of the pronoun (My) of the reported speech is changed to the pronoun (her) as per the subject “She” because it is of feminine gender.The time word “next week” is changed to “the following week”.Hence, the correct answer is "She said that it was her birthday the following week."
Q238
Select the most appropriate indirect form of the given sentence. "I finished my assignment two hours ago," she said.
✓ Correct answer: b) She said that she had finished her assignment two hours before.
ExplanationThis is an assertive sentence.The given sentence is in Direct Speech.The given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration is removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction is used.As the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’), simple past tense (finished) changes to past perfect tense (had finished).First person pronoun (I) of the reported speech is changed to pronoun (She) according to the subject (i.e. “She”).Also, possessive pronoun “my” is changed to “her” in accordance with “She” (feminine gender).Second person pronoun (You) of the reported speech is changed to pronoun (She) according to the object of reporting verb (i.e. mother: a feminine gender).Time word “ago” is changed to “before”.So, with the help of the above structures, we can convert the given sentence into indirect speech: She said that she had finished her assignment two hours before.Hence, "She said that she had finished her assignment two hours before." is the correct answer.
Q239
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. Kavya said to her husband, "I don't mind being a busy woman."
✓ Correct answer: d) Kavya told her husband that she did not mind being a busy woman.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in direct narration.Follow the rules given below to change it to indirect speech: The inverted commas (“ “) used in Direct Narration will be removed in Indirect Narration and “that” conjunction will be used.Said to will be changed to told in indirect narration as it is followed by an object.The tense of the reported speech is present tense, so it will be changed to past tense in the indirect narration.Also, the first-person pronoun is changed according to the subject of the reporting speech, so “I” will change to 'She'.The sentence in indirect speech will be: Kavya told her husband that she did not mind being a busy woman.
Q240
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. The teacher said to Anu, "I am very disappointed with your work."
✓ Correct answer: a) The teacher told Anu that she was very disappointed with her work.
ExplanationThe given sentence is in Direct Speech because it quotes actual words.Therefore, it must be changed into Indirect Speech.We notice that the reporting verb is in the Past tense (‘said’).Hence, a change will be made in the tense of the reported speech. 'Am' is changed to 'was'.The pronouns 'I' will be changed into 'she' and 'your' is changed into 'her'.Therefore, the sentence in Indirect Speech will be option A i.e. The teacher told Anu that she was very disappointed with her work.
Q241
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. The teacher said, "Asif, go and wash your hands."
✓ Correct answer: d) The teacher told Asif to go and wash his hands.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D - The teacher told Asif to go and wash his hands.Step-by-step Explanation:1. Reporting Verb – "said" becomes "told" (because the teacher is giving an order/instruction).2. Use "to" + base form to report a command/request: → told Asif to go and wash...3. Pronoun Change: "your" becomes "his" (Asif's hands).Indirect Speech: The teacher told Asif to go and wash his hands.Option analysis: A) The teacher told Asif go and wash your hands. ❌ Missing "to", and "your" should be "his".B) The teacher told Asif go and wash his hands. ❌ Missing "to".C) The teacher told to Asif to go and wash his hands. ❌ Incorrect use of "told to Asif".We say "told Asif" (not "told to").D) ✅ The teacher told Asif to go and wash his hands. ✔ Correct structure, verb, and pronoun change.
Q242
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. He said to me, "Do you own this beautiful car?"
✓ Correct answer: c) He asked me if I owned that beautiful car.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option C — He asked me if I owned that beautiful car.Explanation: When converting direct speech to indirect speech for yes/no questions, we need to make several changes: The reporting verb "said to" changes to "asked" since it's a question.For yes/no questions, we use "if" or "whether" as conjunctions to introduce the reported question.The sentence structure changes from interrogative to declarative word order: "if I owned" instead of "Do you own." Pronouns change according to the new perspective: "you" (the listener) changes to "I" (the person being asked, from the perspective of the reporter) The tense shifts backward (backshift): Simple present "do...own" changes to simple past "owned" Demonstrative pronouns change: "this beautiful car" changes to "that beautiful car" We remove the quotation marks and question mark.In Hinglish: Direct speech (yes/no question) को indirect speech में बदलते समय हमें कुछ बदलाव करने पड़ते हैं: Reporting verb "said to" को "asked" में बदला जाता है क्योंकि यह question है। Yes/no questions के लिए "if" या "whether" conjunction use करते हैं reported question introduce करने के लिए। Sentence structure interrogative से declarative word order में बदलता है: "if I owned" की जगह "Do you own" नहीं। Pronouns नए perspective के अनुसार बदलते हैं: "you" → "I" (listener, reporter के perspective से) Tense backward shift होता है (backshift): Simple present "do...own" → simple past "owned" Demonstrative pronouns बदलते हैं: "this beautiful car" → "that beautiful car" Quotation marks (" ") और question mark (?) हटा दिए जाते हैं।
Q243
Select the correct indirect speech form of the given sentence. The teacher said, "You must work hard for your exams."
✓ Correct answer: d) The teacher advised her students to work hard for their exams.
ExplanationThe Correct Answer: Option D — The teacher advised her students to work hard for their exams.Explanation: Let's break down the conversion from direct to indirect speech: Sentence Type: The given sentence is a statement in the form of strong advice — “You must work hard...” uses "must", indicating necessity or strong recommendation.So, the reporting verb should convey this tone (e.g., "advised," not just "told" or "was telling").Reporting Verb: Since the original sentence implies advice, the correct reporting verb is “advised.” Pronoun Changes: Original: "You must work hard for your exams." → Becomes: "her students... their exams" (assuming the speaker is a female teacher and speaking to her class).Even if not specified, "her students" is grammatically accepted here.Sentence Structure: The direct speech contains "must work hard", but in indirect speech, the modal "must" is often retained if the intention is strong advice.However, if the sentence is being reported with a verb like "advised," then the structure typically becomes: “to + base form verb” → "to work hard"
Q244
Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence. He said to me, "How delighted I am to see your work!"
✓ Correct answer: d) He exclaimed that he was very delighted to see my work.
Explanation| | SSC The Correct Answer: Option D — He exclaimed that he was very delighted to see my work.Explanation: This is a case of converting an exclamatory sentence in direct speech to indirect speech.Let's break it down step-by-step: Change the Reporting Verb: Since this is an exclamatory sentence expressing strong emotion, we replace “said to” with “exclaimed”.So, “He said to me” becomes “He exclaimed”.Change of Pronouns: “I” (speaker) becomes “he” in indirect speech. “your” becomes “my”, as "me" was the listener.Tense Shift (Backshifting): “am” (present tense) becomes “was” (past tense).Maintain the Emphasis: The word “very” is used to retain the strong emotion expressed in “How delighted...” Often, “How delighted I am...” becomes “that he was very delighted...” in reported narration.Omit the Exclamation Structure: Remove the exclamatory format and restructure it as a reported clause using “that”.
Q245
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. Raghav said to Meera, “Are you upset with me?”
✓ Correct answer: b) Raghav asked Meera if she was upset with him.
ExplanationTo convert the given direct speech into reported speech, we need to follow certain rules and consider the context of the conversation.Here’s the analysis of the original sentence and the provided options.Steps for Conversion: Identify the Reporting Verb: The reporting verb here is “said to,” which can be replaced with “asked” since the sentence is a question.Change of Pronouns: The pronouns need to be changed according to the perspective of the reported speech.In this case: "you" (Meera) becomes "she." "me" (Raghav) becomes "him." Change of Tense: Since the original sentence is in the present tense (“Are”), it will change to the past tense (“was”) in reported speech.Structure of the Reported Speech: When reporting questions, we often use “if” or “whether” to introduce the reported question.Option B: Raghav asked Meera if she was upset with him.Correct Pronoun Change: The pronoun “him” correctly refers to Raghav.The sentence structure accurately reflects the original question in the reported speech.The tense change from present to past is also correctly applied (“are” to “was”).Thus, Option B correctly expresses the original direct speech in reported speech.
Q246
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. Joey said to the girl, “How are you doing?”
✓ Correct answer: d) Joey asked the girl how she was doing.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into reported speech, we need to ensure that we accurately change the structure while maintaining the original meaning.Let's analyze the options in detail.Conversion Rules: Change of Pronouns: The pronoun "you" will change to "she" in the reported speech, as we are reporting what Joey said about the girl.Change of Verb Tense: The present tense "are" needs to be converted to the past tense "was" in reported speech.Structure: Reported speech does not use quotation marks, and we need to ensure the sentence structure is appropriate for indirect questioning.Interrogative to Declarative: When converting a question to reported speech, it’s common to use "how" as a conjunction without changing its form.Option D: "Joey asked the girl how she was doing." This option correctly changes "you" to "she" and converts "are" to "was," maintaining the original inquiry about the girl's state.The structure "how she was doing" is appropriate for reported speech.Hence, "Option D" is the correct answer.
Q247
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. I said to Mohan, "He has a green book."
✓ Correct answer: c) I told Mohan that he had a green book.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into indirect speech, we need to follow certain grammatical rules.Let's analyze the options step by step.Conversion Rules: Change of Pronouns: The pronoun "he" remains "he" because it refers to the same person.The speaker "I" will be reported as "I." Change of Verb Tense: The present tense "has" needs to be converted to the past tense "had" in reported speech.Structure: When converting to indirect speech, we do not use quotation marks, and we introduce the reported speech with "that." Grammar: Ensure that the verb forms are correct for the new tense.Option C: "I told Mohan that he had a green book." This option correctly changes "has" to "had," which is the appropriate past tense form.It maintains the proper structure for indirect speech.Hence, "Option C" is the correct answer.
Q248
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. She said impatiently, "I don't need any help."
✓ Correct answer: b) She said impatiently that she didn’t need any help.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into indirect speech, we need to evaluate each option carefully based on the rules of changing from direct to indirect speech.Here’s a detailed explanation of the changes and the reasoning behind each option.Conversion Rules: Change of Pronoun: In indirect speech, the pronoun "I" changes to "she" because the speaker is now being referred to indirectly.Change of Verb Tense: The present tense "don’t" (do not) should change to the past tense "didn’t" (did not) when converting to indirect speech.Omission of Quotation Marks: In indirect speech, quotation marks are removed as we are no longer quoting the exact words spoken.Maintaining the Impatient Tone: The adverb "impatiently" can be retained in indirect speech to indicate how the statement was made.Option B: "She said impatiently that she didn’t need any help." The pronoun "I" has been correctly changed to "she." The verb "don’t" has been changed to the past tense "didn’t." The tone "impatiently" is appropriately retained.Hence, Option B is the correct answer.
Q249
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. "So help me heaven!", the man cried, "I shall never lie again."
✓ Correct answer: b) The man called upon heaven to witness his resolve that he would never lie again.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into indirect speech, we must follow specific grammatical rules and appropriately convey the meaning and tone of the original statement.Let’s break down the changes and analyze each option in detail.Conversion Rules: Remove Quotation Marks: In indirect speech, quotation marks are not used.Change Pronouns: Adjust pronouns according to the context."I" will become "he" when reporting.Change the Verb Tense: "I shall" changes to "he would" in the context of future intention.Use Appropriate Reporting Verb: The reporting verb should reflect the emotional tone of the original statement."Cried" may be translated to "called upon" or "requested." Maintain the Meaning: The essence of the original statement should remain intact.Remove Exclamatory Tone: Exclamatory phrases should be appropriately transformed to maintain the meaning without the exclamation.Option B: "The man called upon heaven to witness his resolve that he would never lie again." "Called upon" is an appropriate reporting verb reflecting the urgency and emotional tone."Witness his resolve" effectively conveys the original intention of calling for divine help.The future tense "shall never lie" is correctly transformed to "would never lie." Hence, Option B is the correct answer.
Q250
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. I warned Rita not to be late the next day.
✓ Correct answer: d) I warned Rita, “Don’t be late tomorrow”.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into direct speech, we need to analyze each option based on the rules of changing from indirect to direct speech.Here’s a detailed explanation of the changes and reasons for each option.Conversion Rules: Change of Verb Form: In direct speech, the verb should be in the imperative form to convey a command or warning.For example, "Don't be late" effectively communicates the warning.Change of Time Reference: "The next day" can be directly translated to "tomorrow" in direct speech since the reference point is now the present moment of speaking.Structure of Direct Speech: The direct speech needs to be framed within quotation marks and must begin with the speaker's warning.Option D: "I warned Rita, 'Don’t be late tomorrow.'" This option correctly uses the imperative form "Don't be late" to express the warning.It maintains the proper structure by directly quoting the warning and changing "the next day" to "tomorrow." Hence, Option D is the correct answer.
Q251
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. He said, "I bought this book for my brother."
✓ Correct answer: b) He said that he had bought that book for his brother.
ExplanationTo select the option that correctly expresses the given sentence in indirect speech, let’s analyze the original sentence and each provided option in detail: Changes in Indirect Speech: Pronoun Change: "I" changes to "he" because the perspective shifts from the speaker to the reporter.Verb Tense Change: The verb "bought" is in the past tense, which should typically be reported in the past perfect tense (had bought) in indirect speech.Demonstrative Change: "This" should change to "that" as it refers to something mentioned previously.Option B: He said that he had bought that book for his brother."had bought" is the correct past perfect form, indicating that the action was completed before the reporting."that" correctly replaces "this," aligning with the indirect speech format.The pronoun "he" is correctly used to replace "I." The correct option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech is Option B: He said that he had bought that book for his brother.This option correctly reflects the changes in pronouns, verb tense, and demonstrative.
Q252
Select the most appropriate option in direct speech.
✓ Correct answer: a) The principal said to me, “You are in-charge of the admission cell.”
ExplanationTo select the most appropriate option for expressing the given sentence in direct speech, let's analyze each option: Option A: "The principal said to me, “You are in-charge of the admission cell.”: This option uses the correct verb "said." The phrase "to me" is appropriately included.The content of direct speech is correctly quoted with quotation marks.Option B: "The principal say me, “You are in-charge of the admission cell.” The verb "say" is in the present tense, whereas it should be "says" to match the singular subject.The phrase "say me" is incorrect; it should be "says to me." Option C: "The principal said to I, “You are in-charge of the admission cell.” The use of "I" is incorrect; it should be "me" as the object of the preposition.The verb "said" is correct, but the object pronoun is not.Option D: "The principal said me, You are in-charge of the admission cell." The phrase "said me" is incorrect; it should be "said to me." The content of direct speech is missing quotation marks.The most appropriate option for expressing the given sentence in direct speech is Option A: "The principal said to me, “You are in- charge of the admission cell.” This option is grammatically correct and retains the original meaning.
Q253
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. The mother said that the kids were playing.
✓ Correct answer: d) The mother said, “The kids are playing”.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into direct speech, we need to evaluate each option based on the rules of changing from indirect to direct speech.Here’s a detailed explanation of the changes and reasons for each option.Conversion Rules: Change of Verb Tense: In direct speech, the verb "were" (past continuous) may need to change to "are" (present continuous) if the context suggests that the action is still relevant or ongoing at the moment of speaking.Pronoun Adjustments: The pronoun "the kids" remains the same since it refers to the subject being talked about.Punctuation: Direct speech requires quotation marks to enclose the spoken words.Option D: "The mother said, 'The kids are playing.'" This option uses the present continuous verb "are playing," which suggests the action is currently ongoing, which aligns well with the context that the mother is likely speaking in the present about the kids' current activity.The reporting verb "said" is in the correct past form, accurately indicating that the mother made the statement at a previous time.Hence, Option D is the correct answer.
Q254
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. He said, “Two and two make four.”
✓ Correct answer: b) He said that two and two make four.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into indirect speech, we must analyze each option based on the rules of converting direct speech to indirect speech.Here’s a detailed breakdown of the changes needed and the reasoning behind each option.Conversion Rules: Change of Verb Tense: In general, when converting from direct to indirect speech, present tense verbs in the statement can change to past tense.However, there are exceptions, especially for universal truths or facts that remain true regardless of the time of reporting.The statement "Two and two make four" is a mathematical fact and typically retains the present tense when reported.Omission of Quotation Marks: In indirect speech, quotation marks are removed because we are no longer quoting the exact words spoken.Retaining the Content of the Statement: Since "two and two make four" is a universally accepted fact, it can remain in the present tense.Option B: "He said that two and two make four." The reporting verb "said" is correctly in the past tense.The statement "two and two make four" remains in the present tense, which is appropriate because it is a universal truth.Hence, Option B is the correct answer.
Q255
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Harry said that he would not be in town on Friday.
✓ Correct answer: b) Harry said, “I will not be in town on Friday”.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into direct speech, we need to analyze each option based on the rules of changing from indirect to direct speech.Here’s a detailed explanation of the changes and reasons for each option.Conversion Rules: Change of Verb Form: In direct speech, the verb should be in the present tense.Since "would" indicates a future action from the past perspective, it translates to "will" in direct speech.Pronoun Adjustment: The pronoun "he" (referring to Harry) should change to "I" when converting to direct speech because Harry is now speaking about himself directly.Time Reference: The time reference "on Friday" remains the same since it is still applicable.Option B: "Harry said, 'I will not be in town on Friday.'" This option correctly uses the past verb "said" to indicate that Harry is making a statement.The conversion from "he" to "I" is correctly done.The verb "would" is correctly changed to "will." Hence, Option B is the correct answer.
Q256
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech. Hira inquired how I was doing being all alone in my house.
✓ Correct answer: c) Hira said to me, “How are you doing being all alone in your house?”
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into direct speech, we need to accurately convey the original meaning while adhering to the grammatical rules of direct speech.Let’s analyze the options in detail.Conversion Rules: Change of Pronouns: The pronoun "I" will be replaced with "you" in direct speech, as Hira is addressing the speaker.Change of Verb Tense: The past tense "was doing" should be converted to the present tense "are doing" in direct speech, as the inquiry typically reflects the current state.Punctuation: Direct speech requires quotation marks around the spoken words and a question mark at the end of the sentence.Structure: The phrase must maintain the inquiry format typical for questions.Option C: "Hira said to me, “How are you doing being all alone in your house?” This option uses the correct inquiry format "How are you doing." It correctly addresses the speaker with "you" and refers to "your house," preserving the original meaning.The punctuation is accurate with the question mark at the end.Hence, "Option C" is the correct answer.
Q257
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She asked, “Are you meeting my partners next week?”
✓ Correct answer: c) She asked if we were meeting her partners the following week.
ExplanationTo convert the sentence into reported speech, we need to apply specific grammatical rules.Let’s analyze each option in detail.Conversion Rules: Change of Pronouns: The pronoun "you" will change to "we" because the reporting verb is in the first person (She asked us)."My" will change to "her" to reflect that the partners belong to the speaker (She).Change of Verb Tense: The present continuous tense "are meeting" changes to "were meeting" in reported speech.Change of Time Reference: "Next week" changes to "the following week" to indicate a shift in time perspective in reported speech.Structure: In reported speech, the structure is usually "asked if" or "asked whether" to indicate a yes/no question.Option C: "She asked if we were meeting her partners the following week." This option correctly changes "are meeting" to "were meeting," and it correctly changes "next week" to "the following week." The structure "asked if" is appropriately used for reporting a yes/no question.Hence, Option C is the correct answer.
Q258
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech. My brother said to me, “Don’t play in the rain.”
✓ Correct answer: b) My brother forbade me to play in the rain
ExplanationTo convert the given direct speech into indirect speech, we need to follow specific rules regarding reporting commands, requests, and the appropriate tense changes.Let's analyze the original sentence and the provided options in detail.Steps for Conversion: Identify the Reporting Verb: The reporting verb is “said to.” In this context, it can be replaced with a more suitable verb that indicates a command or prohibition, such as “forbade.” Change of Pronouns: The pronoun “me” remains unchanged since it’s already in the correct form as the recipient of the message.Understanding the Command: The phrase “Don’t play” is a command (negative imperative).In indirect speech, negative imperatives are often expressed using verbs like “forbid” or “advise.” Structure of Indirect Speech: When converting a negative command to indirect speech, the structure typically becomes: "subject + verb (in the past tense) + object + to + base form of the verb." Hence, “Don’t play” will change to “forbade to play.” Option B: My brother forbade me to play in the rain.Use of Correct Verb: The verb “forbade” accurately captures the meaning of the original command.Proper Structure: The structure is correct: “My brother forbade me to play.” Thus, Option B correctly expresses the original direct speech in indirect speech.
Q259
Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. Shikha said, "The heavy rain this week has spoiled all my travel plans."
✓ Correct answer: a) Shikha said that the heavy rain that week had spoiled all her travel plans.
ExplanationTo convert the given direct speech into reported speech, we need to consider specific rules regarding tense changes, pronoun adjustments, and time expressions.Let's analyze the original sentence and the provided options.Steps for Conversion: Identify the Reporting Verb: The reporting verb is “said.” It can be kept as is since it is suitable for reporting statements.Change of Pronouns: The pronoun “my” changes to “her” since we are reporting what Shikha said.Change of Tense: The verb “has spoiled” (present perfect tense) needs to change to “had spoiled” (past perfect tense) to reflect the shift from direct to reported speech.This is because reported speech typically shifts the tense back one step in time.Change of Time Expressions: The phrase “this week” must be changed to “that week” to indicate the shift from the present moment of speaking to the past context of reporting.Option A: Shikha said that the heavy rain that week had spoiled all her travel plans.Pronoun Change: The pronoun “my” has been correctly changed to “her.” Tense Change: The verb “has spoiled” has been correctly changed to “had spoiled.” Time Expression: “This week” has been correctly changed to “that week.” Thus, Option A correctly expresses the original direct speech in reported speech.
Q260
A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech. Ravi said, "I like this pen."
✓ Correct answer: a) Ravi said he liked that pen.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: A) Ravi said he liked that pen.Analysis of all options: Direct Speech: Ravi said, "I like this pen." Rules applied: Pronoun change: I → he Demonstrative change: this → that Tense change: like (present) → liked (past) because reporting verb is said (past) Option A Ravi said he liked that pen. ✅ → All three rules followed correctly.Option B Ravi said he like that pen. ❌ → Verb tense wrong (should be liked).Option C Ravi said he liked this pen. ❌ → this should change to that.Option D Ravi said he likes that pen. ❌ → Tense wrong (should be liked, not likes).Final Rule (exam tip): If reporting verb is in past (said, told), then: Present → Past this → that now → then I → he/she 👉 Therefore, the correct indirect speech is Option A.
Q261
A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech. The judge said that justice must be served at any cost.
✓ Correct answer: b) "Justice must be served at any cost," the judge said.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: B) "Justice must be served at any cost," the judge said.Analysis of all options: Indirect Speech: The judge said that justice must be served at any cost.Key points: Reporting verb: said Modal verb: must (should remain must in direct speech) Statement (not advice, not general truth) Option A "Justice should be served at any cost," said the judge. ❌ → must ≠ should (meaning changes: compulsion → suggestion) Option B "Justice must be served at any cost," the judge said. ✅ → Exact tense, modal, and meaning retained.Option C "We serve justice at any cost," said the judge. ❌ → Changes structure and meaning completely.Option D "One must serve justice," the judge said. ❌→ Shortened and meaning altered; at any cost missing.Rule to remember when converting indirect → direct: Keep the same modal verb (must, should, can, etc.) Do not change meaning Remove that and use quotation marks. 👉 Therefore, Option B is the most accurate direct speech.
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