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MCQ Questions for Class 10 English Grammar Reported Speech with Answers

Enhance your subject knowledge through Reported Speech MCQ Online Test and lay a stronger foundation of your basics. Verify your answers with MCQ on Reported Speech provided and know where you went wrong. Use the Objective Questions of Class 10th Reported Speech MCQ with Answers provided below and understand all the concepts easily.

Fill in the blanks with suitable non-finites choosing the best option from the alternatives given below. Don’t copy the whole sentence:

(1)

Sbruti : Your dress is pretty.
Prachi : My mother gave it on my birthday.
Shruti : When does your birthday fall on?
Prachi : 7th Nov. every year.
Shruti told Prachi (1) ……………. Prachi slid (2) ……………. Shruti enquired of (3) ……………. Prachi informed that it’ falls on 7th Nov. every year.

Question 1.
(a) that your dress is pretty
(b) that her dress is pretty
(c) that your dress was pretty
(d) that her dress was pretty

Answer

(d) that her dress was pretty

Question 2.
(a) that my mother had given it on her birthday
(b) that her mother had given it on her birthday
(c) that y mother has given it on her birthday
(d) that her mother has given it on her birthday

Answer

(b) that her mother had given it on her birthday

Question 3.
(a) when her birthday fell on
(b) when your birthday falls on
(c) when your birthday fell on
(d) when her birthday fall on

Answer

(a) when her birthday fell on

(2)

Doctor: Do you go for a morning walk?
Sagar : I don’t have enough time in the morning.
Doctor: but morning walk is very essential for you.
Sagar : a walk many miles a day during the course of my work.
The doctor asked Sagar (1) ………………. Sagar told him (2) ………………….. enough time in the morning. the doctor insisted that (3) …………………….. Sagar told him that he walked many miles a day during the course of his work.

Question 1.
(a) If you went for a morning walk
(b) if he went for a morning walk
(c) it you go for a morning walk
(d) if he goes for a morning walk

Answer

(b) if he went for a morning walk

Question 2.
(a) that I do not have
(b) that I did not have
(c) that he did not have
(d) that he does not have

Answer

(c) that he did not have

Question 3.
(a) morning walk had been very essential for him
(b) morning walk has been very, essential for him
(c) morning walk was very essential for him
(d) morning walk is very essential for him

Answer

(d) morning walk is very essential for him

(3)

Alba Kumar : Where are you going now?
Gulab : a am going to look for my grandfather.
Kumar : What happened to him?
Gulab : He was suffering from high fever.
Kumar asked Gulab (1) ……………………… Gulab replied that (2) ………………… Kumar further asked him (3) ……………….. Gulab told him that he had been suffering from high fever.

Question 1.
(a) where I am going now
(b) where he was going then
(c) where I was going then
(d) when he is going then

Answer

(b) where he was going then

Question 2.
(a) he is going to look for his grandfather
(b) I am going to look for my grandfather
(c) he was going to look for his grandfather
(d) a was going to look for my grandfather

Answer

(c) he was going to look for his grandfather

Question 3.
(a) what was happening to him
(b) what is happened to him
(c) what has happened to him
(d) what had happened to him

Answer

(d) what had happened to him

(4)

aayush : What did you think about the question paper?
alisha : I didn’t think it was very difficult.
aayush : I found the writing section very Interesting.
aayush asked alisha (1) …………………. alisha replied (2) …………………….. aayush added (3) ……………………..

Question 1.
(a) what she though about the question paper
(b) what did you think about the question paper
(c) what you thought about the question paper
(d) what she think about the question paper

Answer

(a) what she though about the question paper

Question 2.
(a) that I think it was not very difficult
(b) that I didn’t think it was very difficult
(c) that she didn’t think it was very difficult
(d) that she does not think it was very difficult

Answer

(c) that she didn’t think it was very difficult

Question 3.
(a) that I find the writing section very interesting
(b) that he finds the writing section very interesting
(c) that I found the writing section very interesting
(d) that he found the writing section very interesting

Answer

(d) that he found the writing section very interesting

(5)

Doctor : How are you feeling now?
Raghu : Much better, sir.
Doctor : are you taking the medicines regularly?
Raghu : Yes, sir.
The doctor asked Raghu (1) …………………. then. Raghu replied that (2) …………………… much better. The doctor further asked Raghu (3) ……………………….. the medicines regularly. Raghu replied in affirmative.

Question 1.
(a) that how he was feeling
(b) how he was feeling
(c) how you are feeling
(d) how was he feeling

Answer

(b) how he was feeling

Question 2.
(a) I am feeling
(b) I was feeling
(c) he is feeling
(d) he was feeling

Answer

(d) he was feeling

Question 3.
(a) if you are taking
(b) if he is taking
(c) that he was taking
(d) if he was taking

Answer

(d) if he was taking

(6)

Mother : Why don’t you clean up your study table, dear?
Daughter : I don’t have time, Mama
Mother : How can you study in this mess?
The mother lovingly asked her daughter (1) ………………….. The daughter replied (2) ……………….. Expressing her surprise the mother asked her (3) ………………..

Question 1.
(a) why don’t you clean up your study table
(b) why you did not clean up your study table
(c) why she didn’t clean up her study table
(d) why she does not clean up her study table

Answer

(c) why she didn’t clean up her study table

Question 2.
(a) that I don’t have time
(b) that she don’t have time
(c) that she does not have time
(d) that she didn’t have time

Answer

(d) that she didn’t have time

Question 3.
(a) how she could study in hat mess
(b) how she can study in this mess
(c) how you can study in this mess
(d) how you could study in that mess

Answer

(a) how she could study in hat mess

(7)

Son : Mummy, I am very hungry.
Is there anything for me to eat?
Mother : I am preparing your lunch.
Son : Wben will it be ready?
Mother : In just a0 minutes.
The son told his mother that he was very hungry and asked (1) …………………… for him to eat. The mother told him (2) ………………… The son inquired when It would be ready. The mother replied that (3) ………………….

Question 1.
(a) If there had been anything
(b) if there has been anything
(c) if there is anything
(d) if there was anything

Answer

(d) if there was anything

Question 2.
(a) that she is preparing his lunch
(b) that I am preparing your lunch
(c) that she was preparing his lunch
(d) that I was preparing your lunch

Answer

(c) that she was preparing his lunch

Question 3.
(a) it will be ready in just 10 minutes
(b) it would be ready in just 10 minutes
(c) it should be ready in just 10 minutes
(d) it is ready in just 10 minutes

Answer

(b) it would be ready in just 10 minutes

(8)

Seema : Why does your flat remain locked?
Rashml : We have shifted to a rented house.
Seema : Why?
Rashmi : We are getting our flat renovated.
Seema asked Rashmi (1) ………………. Rashmi replied (2) ……………….house Seema enquired why she had shifted. Rashmi replied that (3) ………………….. their flat renovated.

Question 1.
(a) why your flat remained locked
(b) why her flat remained locked
(c) why her flat remains locked
(d) why your flat remains locked

Answer

(b) why her flat remained locked

Question 2.
(a) that we had shifted to a rented
(b) that they have shifted to a rented
(c) that we have shifted to a rented
(d) that they had shifted to a rented

Answer

(d) that they had shifted to a rented

Question 3.
(a) they are getting
(b) we are getting
(c) they were getting
(d) we were getting

Answer

(c) they were getting

(9)

Father: Sonu, don’t pull the cat’s tail. It’ll hurt the cat.
Sonu : Daddy, I am not doing anything. I’m simply holding the cat’s tail.
The cat is pulling Father asked his son, Sonu (1) …………………. because (2) ………………… Sonu wittingly told his father (3) ……………… He was simply holding the cat’s tail. He supported his statement saying (4) ………………

Question 1.
(a) not pull the cat’s tail
(b) don’t pull the cat’s tail
(c) not to pull the cat’s tail
(d) not to pulled the cat’s tail

Answer

(c) not to pull the cat’s tail

Question 2.
(a) it should hurt the cat
(b) it shall hurt the cat
(c) it will hurt the cat
(d) it would hurt the cat

Answer

(d) it would hurt the cat

Question 3.
(a) that he is not doing anything
(b) that I am not doing anything
(c) that he was not doing anything
(d) that I was not doing anything

Answer

(c) that he was not doing anything

Question 4.
(a) that the cat was puiang
(b) that the cat is pulling
(c) that the cat had been pulling
(d) that the cat has been pulling

Answer

(a) that the cat was puiang

(10)

Teacher : aisharya, why are you late today?
aisbwarya : Sir I missed my bus.
Teacher : Take care in future.
The teacher asked aishwarya (1) ………………… aishwarya replied (2) ………………… The teacher advised (3) ……………………

Question 1.
(a) why you are late today
(b) why she was late that day
(c) why she is late today
(d) why she was late today

Answer

(b) why she was late that day

Question 2.
(a) that I had missed my bus
(b) that I missed my bus
(c) that she had missed her bus
(d) that she missed my bus

Answer

(c) that she had missed her bus

Question 3.
(a) him to take care in the future
(b) him to take care in future
(c) her to took care in future
(d) her to take care in future

Answer

(d) her to take care in future

(11)

Raman : Sukanya, why is this old lady shouting at you?
Sukanya : I don’t know. I haven’t done anything to her, yet I am afraid.
Raman asked Sukanya (1) …………………. Sukanya replied (2) ……………………… and she thought (3) …………………… yet she was afraid.

Question 1.
(a) why that old lady ¡s shouting at her
(b) why that old lady was shouting at her
(c) why that old lady was shouting at you
(d) why that old lady is shouting at you

Answer

(a) why that old lady ¡s shouting at her

Question 2.
(a) that I did not know
(b) that she does not know
(c) that I do not know
(d) that she didn’t know

Answer

(d) that she didn’t know

Question 3.
(a) she has not done anything to her
(b) I had not done anything to her
(c) she hadn’t done anything to her
(d) I have not done anything to her

Answer

(c) she hadn’t done anything to her

(12)

Gaitri : How did you climb this tall tree?
Pranav : a used a ladder. but someone went off with it while I was cutting this branch.
While I was cutting this branch. Gaitri asked Pranav (1) ……………….. Pranav replied (2) ………………….. but that (3) ………………..while he had been cutting that branch.

Question 1.
(a) how you had ciimbeci trial tall tree
(b) how he had climbed that tall tree
(c) how you did climbed that tall tree
(d) how did he climb this tall tree

Answer

(b) how he had climbed that tall tree

Question 2.
(a) that I used a ladder
(b) that he has used a ladder
(c) that he had used a ladder
(d) that I had used a ladder

Answer

(c) that he had used a ladder

Question 3.
(a) someone went off with it
(b) someone has gone off with it
(c) someone gone off with it
(d) someone had gone off with it

Answer

(d) someone had gone off with it

(13)

School mistress : Has anyone of you seen a camel’s skin ?
One Little boy : Yes, madam.
Mistress : Where did you see it ?
The boy : On camel’s back, madam.
a school mistress asked little children (1) ………………… One little boy shouted out (2) …………………….. The mistress asked him (c) ……………………. The boy innocently answered that he had seen it on camel’s back.

Question 1.
(a) if anyone of them have seen a camel’s back
(b) if anyone of them has seen a camel’s skin
(c) if anyone of them had seen a camel’s skin
(d) if anyone of them saw a camel’s skin

Answer

(c) if anyone of them had seen a camel’s skin

Question 2.
(a) that I have seen it
(b) that he had seen ¡t
(c) that I had seen it
(d) that he has seen it

Answer

(b) that he had seen ¡t

Question 3.
(a) where he had seen it
(b) where you have seen it
(c) where you had seen it
(d) where he has seen it

Answer

(a) where he had seen it

(14)

Mrs. Roy : Ramu, lock the door as I am going out.
Prepare the dinner by 8 pm.
Ramu (servant) : Where are you going, madam ? Please come home early.
Mrs. Roy ordered her servant Ramu (1) ………………. She instructed him (2) ……………….. Ramu respectfully asked Mrs. Roy (3) ……………… and requested her to come home early.

Question 1.
(a) to lock the door as I am going out
(b) to lock the door as she was going out
(c) to lock the door as she is going out
(d) to lock the door as I was going out

Answer

(b) to lock the door as she was going out

Question 2.
(a) to be prepared the dinner by 8 pm
(b) to prepared the dinner by 8 pm
(c) to prepare the dinner by 8 pm
(d) to have prepared the dinner by 8 pm

Answer

(c) to prepare the dinner by 8 pm

Question 3.
(a) where she is going
(b) where you were going
(c) where you are going
(d) where she was going

Answer

(d) where she was going

(15)

Doctor : How many times did you take the medicine?
Patient : as per your prescription?
Doctor : What was my prescription?
Patient : Three times a day.
The doctor asked the patient (1) ……………… Patient replied (2) …………………. The doctor cross questioned. (3) ………………. The patient informed that it was about three times a day.

Question 1.
(a) how many times you have taken the medicine
(b) how many times he had taken the medicine
(c) how many times you had taken the medicine
(d) how many times he has taken the medicine

Answer

(b) how many times he had taken the medicine

Question 2.
(a) that I have taken it as per his prescription
(b) that I had taken ¡t as per his prescription
(c) that he has taken it as per his prescription
(d) that he had taken it as per his prescription

Answer

(d) that he had taken it as per his prescription

Question 3.
(a) what my prescription has been
(b) what is prescription had been
(c) what his prescription has been
(d) what my prescription had been

Answer

(b) what is prescription had been

(16)

Girlsh : I have invited my friends to dinner.
Nidhi I’ll invite my friends also.
Girish : What should we have for dinner?
Girish told Nidhi (1) …………….. Nidhi said. (2) ……………… Girish asked her (3) ………………………

Question 1.
(a) that I have invited my friends to dinner
(b) that he has invited his friends to dinner
(c) that I had invited my friends to dinner
(d) that he had invited his friends to dinner

Answer

(d) that he had invited his friends to dinner

Question 2.
(a) that I would invite my friends also
(b) that she would invite her friends also
(c) that she will invite my friends also
(d) that I will invite any friends also

Answer

(b) that she would invite her friends also

Question 3.
(a) what they shall have for dinner
(b) what we should have for dinner
(c) what they should have for dinner
(d) what we shall have for dinner

Answer

(c) what they should have for dinner

(17)

Wife : Our domestic help has run away.
Husband : Has she taken away anything?
Wife : She has taken the jewellery lying on my bedside.
The wife Informed her husband (1) ………………….. The husband asked her (2) ………………….. She replied (3) …………………… lying on her bedside.

Question 1.
(a) that our domestic help had run away
(b) that their domestic help had run away
(c) that their domestic help has run away
(d) that our domestic help has run away

Answer

(b) that their domestic help had run away

Question 2.
(a) if she had taken away nothing
(b) if has she taken away anything
(c) if she has taken away anything
(d) if she had taken away anything

Answer

(d) if she had taken away anything

Question 3.
(a) that she does take tile jewellery
(b) that she has taken the jewellery
(c) that she had taken the jewellery
(d) that she have taken the jewellery

Answer

(c) that she had taken the jewellery

(18)

Policeman : You are driving too fast and have also jumped a red light.
car Driver : Excuse me this time. I shall be careful in future.
a policeman stopped a car driver and told him (1) ……………………… and (2) ………………….. The car driver pleaded to be excused that time and ‘promised (3) …………………….

Question 1.
(a) that you are driving too fast
(b) that he was driving too fast
(c) that he is driving too fast
(d) that you were driving too fast

Answer

(b) that he was driving too fast

Question 2.
(a) that you had also jumped a red light
(b) that you have also jumped a red light
(c) that he has also jumped a red light
(d) that he had also jumped red light

Answer

(d) that he had also jumped red light

Question 3.
(a) to be careful in future
(b) be careful in future
(c) to be not careful in future
(d) shall be careful in future

Answer

(a) to be careful in future

(19)

Rajeev : Our new servant has a tendency to steal things.
Vandana : Is anything missing ?
Rajecev : He has stolen the watch you presented me on my birthday.
Rajeev told his wife Vandana that (1) …………………. Vandana asked him (2) …………………… Rajeev told her that (3) …………………… on his birthday.

Question 1.
(a) their servant has a tendency to steal things
(b) our servant has a tendency to steal things
(c) their servant had a tendency to steal things
(d) our servant had a tendency to steal things

Answer

(c) their servant had a tendency to steal things

Question 2.
(a) if anything is being missed
(b) if anything was missed
(c) if any thing is missing
(d) if anything was missing

Answer

(d) if anything was missing

Question 3.
(a) he has stolen the watch I have presented him
(b) he had stolen the watch she had presented him
(c) he had stolen the watch I have presented you
(d) he had been stolen the watch she had presented him

Answer

(b) he had stolen the watch she had presented him

(20)

Umang : I have problem with my homework.
Will you please help me ?
Pulkit : Yes, but what is the problem?
Umang told her brother (1) ………………….. with her homework. Requesting him she asked (2) ……………………. help her. Pulkit said that he would but wanted to know (3) …………………….

Question 1.
(a) that I have problem
(b) that she had problem
(c) that I had probelm
(d) that she has probelm

Answer

(b) that she had problem

Question 2.
(a) if you would
(b) if would
(c) if he would
(d) if she would

Answer

(c) if he would

Question 3.
(a) what the problem is
(b) what is the problem
(c) what was the problem
(d) what the problem was

Answer

(d) what the problem was

(21)

Sumit : My father has decided to gift me a bike on my birthday.
Vipul : 0! It is a wonderful news.
Sumit : We will go on a long ride the day get the bike.
Sumit informed his friend Viput 1 on his birthday. (1) …………………….. Viput was very happy and said that for him (2) ………………….. Sumit told Viput (3) …………………… on a long ride the day he got the bike.

Question 1.
(a) that my father had decided to gift me a bike
(b) that his father has decided to gift me a bike
(c) that my father has decided to gift him a bike
(d) that his father had decided to gift him a bike

Answer

(d) that his father had decided to gift him a bike

Question 2.
(a) it is a wonderful news
(b) it was a wonderful news
(c) it had been a wonderful news
(d) it has been a wonderful news

Answer

(b) it was a wonderful news

Question 3.
(a) that we will go
(b) that they will go
(c) that they would go
(d) that we would go

Answer

(c) that they would go

(22)

Rekha : anita’s mother is seriously ill and ¡s in the hospital.
Dolly : What has happened to her?
Rekha : She complained of chest pain yesterday.
DoIly : a will go to see her tomorrow.
Rekha told Dolly (1) ………………………. and was ¡n the hospital. Dolly asked (2) …………….. Rekha told her that (3) ………………… Dolly felt much concerned and said that she would go to see her the day after.

Question 1.
(a) that anita’s mother had been seriously ill
(b) that anita’s mother was seriously ill
(c) that anita’s mother is seriously ill
(d) that anita’s mother has been seriously ill

Answer

(b) that anita’s mother was seriously ill

Question 2.
(a) what has happened to him
(b) what had happened to him
(c) what has happened to her
(d) what had happened to her

Answer

(d) what had happened to her

Question 3.
(a) she complains of chest pain. yesterday
(b) she complained of chest pain yesterday
(c) she had complained of chest pain the previous day
(d) she complains of chest pain the previous day

Answer

(d) she complains of chest pain the previous day

(23)

Tarun : Divya, do you see the way the old lady is looking at us?
Divya : She seems to be working her magic on us. We should run away from here.
Tarun asked his friend Divya (a) ……………………… the old lady was looking at them To this Divya replied that (2) ………………………. and suggested that (3) ……………………..

Question 1.
(a) if you could see the way
(b) if she could see the way
(c) if you see the way
(d) if she can see the way

Answer

(b) if she could see the way

Question 2.
(a) she seems to be working her magic on us
(b) she seemed to be working her magic on us
(c) she seems to be working her magic on them
(d) she seemed to be working her magic on them

Answer

(d) she seemed to be working her magic on them

Question 3.
(a) they should run away from there
(b) they should run away from here
(c) we should run away from here
(d) we should run away from there

Answer

(a) they should run away from there

(24)

Mrs. bhalla : I can’t believe it ! live lost ten pounds.
Mr. bhalla : That’s great ! Your diet seems to be working.
Mrs. bhalla : I hope you have not disturbed the scales.
Mrs. bhalla expressing surprise told her husband (1) ……………………….. that she had lost ten pounds. Mr. bhalla exclaimed that was great and added (2) ……………………………. working. Mrs. bhalla commented that she hoped (3) …………………….

Question 1.
(a) she can’t believe
(b) I could not believe
(c) I can’t believe
(d) she could not believe

Answer

(d) she could not believe

Question 2.
(a) that your diet seems to be
(b) that her diet seemed to be
(c) that your diet seemed to be
(d) that her diet seems to be

Answer

(b) that her diet seemed to be

Question 3.
(a) he has not. disturbed the scales
(b) you have not disturbed the scales
(c) he had not disturbed the scales
(d) you had not disturbed the scales

Answer

(c) he had not disturbed the scales

(25)

Grandmother : What has happened, Rahul?
Rahul : Grandma, I lost my tooth.
Grandmother : Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the dentist.
Grandmother : Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the dentist.
Grandmother asked her grandson, Rahul (1) ………………. Rahul replied (2) ……………….. His grandmother advised him (3) ………………….. and added that she would take him to the dentist.

Question 1.
(a) what happened had
(b) what had happen
(c) what has happened
(d) what had happened

Answer

(d) what had happened

Question 2.
(a) that he has lost his tooth
(b) that he had lost his tooth
(c) that I lost my tooth
(d) that I have lost my tooth

Answer

(b) that he had lost his tooth

Question 3.
(a) worry not
(b) not to worry
(c) not to get worry
(d) nor to worried

Answer

(b) not to worry

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Reported Speech

Click here for a list of reported speech exercises.
Click here to download this explanation in PDF.

Reported Statements

When do we use reported speech? Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example “I’m going to the cinema tonight”. Later, maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said.

Watch my reported speech video:

Here’s how it works:

We use a ‘reporting verb’ like ‘say’ or ‘tell’. (Click here for more about using ‘say’ and ‘tell’.) If this verb is in the present tense, it’s easy. We just put ‘she says’ and then the sentence:

• Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She says (that) she likes ice cream.

We don’t need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the ‘person’ from ‘I’ to ‘she’, for example. We also may need to change words like ‘my’ and ‘your’.

(As I’m sure you know, often, we can choose if we want to use ‘that’ or not in English. I’ve put it in brackets () to show that it’s optional. It’s exactly the same if you use ‘that’ or if you don’t use ‘that’.)

But, if the reporting verb is in the past tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:

• Direct speech: I like ice cream.
• Reported speech: She said (that) she liked ice cream.

Tense
Direct Speech
Reported Speech

present simple
I like ice cream
She said (that) she liked ice cream.

present continuous
I am living in London
She said (that) she was living in London.

past simple
I bought a car
She said (that) she had bought a car OR
She said (that) she bought a car.

past continuous
I was walking along the street
She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

present perfect
I haven’t seen Julie
She said (that) she hadn’t seen Julie.

past perfect*
I had taken English lessons before
She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.

will
I’ll see you later
She said (that) she would see me later.

would*
I would help, but..”
She said (that) she would help but…

can
I can speak perfect English
She said (that) she could speak perfect English.

could*
I could swim when I was four
She said (that) she could swim when she was four.

shall
I shall come later
She said (that) she would come later.

should*
I should call my mother
She said (that) she should call her mother

might*
I might be late
She said (that) she might be late

must
I must study at the weekend
She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had to study at the weekend

* doesn’t change.

Occasionally, we don’t need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense):

• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky is/was blue.

Click here for a mixed tense exercise about practise reported statements.
Click here for a list of all the reported speech exercises.

Reported Questions

So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how about questions?

• Direct speech: Where do you live?

How can we make the reported speech here?

In fact, it’s not so different from reported statements. The tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn’t a question any more. So we need to change the grammar to a normal positive sentence. A bit confusing? Maybe this example will help:

• Direct speech: Where do you live?
• Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.

Do you see how I made it? The direct question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with ‘do’ or ‘does’ so I need to take that away. Then I need to change the verb to the past simple.

Another example:

• Direct speech: Where is Julie?
• Reported speech: She asked me where Julie was.

The direct question is the present simple of ‘be’. We make the question form of the present simple of be by inverting (changing the position of)the subject and verb. So, we need to change them back before putting the verb into the past simple.

How can we make the reported speech here?In fact, it’s not so different from reported statements. The tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn’t a question any more. So we need to change the grammar to a normal positive sentence. A bit confusing? Maybe this example will help:Do you see how I made it? The direct question is in the present simple tense. We make a present simple question with ‘do’ or ‘does’ so I need to take that away. Then I need to change the verb to the past simple.Another example:The direct question is the present simple of ‘be’. We make the question form of the present simple of be by inverting (changing the position of)the subject and verb. So, we need to change them back before putting the verb into the past simple.

Here are some more examples:

Direct Question
Reported Question

Where is the Post Office, please?
She asked me where the Post Office was.

What are you doing?
She asked me what I was doing.

Who was that fantastic man?
She asked me who that fantastic man had been.

So much for ‘wh’ questions. But, what if you need to report a ‘yes / no’ question? We don’t have any question words to help us. Instead, we use ‘if’:

• Direct speech: Do you like chocolate?
• Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

No problem? Here are a few more examples:

Direct Question
Reported Question

Do you love me?
He asked me if I loved him.

Have you ever been to Mexico?
She asked me if I had ever been to Mexico.

Are you living here?
She asked me if I was living here.

So much for ‘wh’ questions. But, what if you need to report a ‘yes / no’ question? We don’t have any question words to help us. Instead, we useNo problem? Here are a few more examples:

Click here to practise reported ‘wh’ questions.
Click here to practise reported ‘yes / no’ questions.

Reported Requests

There’s more! What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example:

• Direct speech: Close the window, please
• Or: Could you close the window please?
• Or: Would you mind closing the window please?

All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don’t need to report every word when we tell another person about it. We simply use ‘ask me + to + infinitive’:

• Reported speech: She asked me to close the window.

Here are a few more examples:

Direct Request
Reported Request

Please help me.
She asked me to help her.

Please don’t smoke.

She asked me not to smoke.

Could you bring my book tonight?
She asked me to bring her book that night.

Could you pass the milk, please?
She asked me to pass the milk.

Would you mind coming early tomorrow?

She asked me to come early the next day.

To report a negative request, use ‘not’:

• Direct speech: Please don’t be late.
• Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.

Reported Orders

And finally, how about if someone doesn’t ask so politely? We can call this an ‘order’ in English, when someone tells you very directly to do something. For example:

• Direct speech: Sit down!

In fact, we make this into reported speech in the same way as a request. We just use ‘tell’ instead of ‘ask’:

• Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

Direct Order
Reported Order

Go to bed!
He told the child to go to bed.

Don’t worry!
He told her not to worry.

Be on time!
He told me to be on time.

Don’t smoke!
He told us not to smoke.

Time Expressions with Reported Speech

Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time expressions too. We don’t always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the reported speech.

For example:

It’s Monday. Julie says “I’m leaving today“.

If I tell someone on Monday, I say “Julie said she was leaving today“.
If I tell someone on Tuesday, I say “Julie said she was leaving yesterday“.
If I tell someone on Wednesday, I say “Julie said she was leaving on Monday“.
If I tell someone a month later, I say “Julie said she was leaving that day“.

So, there’s no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said.

Here’s a table of some possible conversions:

nowthen / at that time

todayyesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June

yesterdaythe day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December

last nightthe night before, Thursday night

last weekthe week before / the previous week

tomorrowtoday / the next day / the following day / Friday

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