Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice रिपोर्टेड स्पीच को समझें: अवधारणाएं और अभ्यास

Reported Speech: Detailed Explanation and Examples

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Reported Speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way to report what someone has said without quoting them directly. In English grammar, it involves transforming the structure and tense of a sentence to indicate that the information is being relayed rather than stated directly.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Key Concepts of Reported Speech

1. Direct vs. Indirect Speech
   • Direct Speech: She said, “I am going to the market.”
   • Indirect Speech: She said that she was going to the market.
2. Changes in Tense
   • In reported speech, the tense of the verbs usually shifts back one step in time (backshifting) if the reporting verb is in the past.
     • Present Simple → Past Simple: “I eat apples.” → He said that he ate apples.
     • Present Continuous → Past Continuous: “I am reading.” → She said that she was reading.
     • Present Perfect → Past Perfect: “I have seen the movie.” → He said that he had seen the movie.
     • Past Simple → Past Perfect: “I went home.” → She said that she had gone home.
3. Reporting Verbs
   • Common reporting verbs include: said, told, asked, explained, replied.
   • Example: He told me that he had finished the project.
4. Pronoun Changes
   • Pronouns are adjusted to match the speaker’s perspective.
     • Example: “I love my dog.” → She said that she loved her dog.
5. Time and Place References
   • Words indicating time and place often change.
     • Now → Then
     • Today → That day
     • Tomorrow → The next day
     • Here → There
     • Example: “I’ll go there tomorrow.” → He said he would go there the next day.
6. Reporting Questions Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice
   • In questions, the structure changes from question form to a statement form. Question words (what, where, why, how, etc.) are retained.
     • Example: “Where are you going?” → She asked where I was going.
   • Yes/No questions use if or whether.
     • Example: “Did you complete the task?” → He asked if I had completed the task.
7. Imperatives
   • Imperatives are reported using verbs like told, asked, urged, ordered, followed by to-infinitive.
     • Example: “Please close the door.” → She asked me to close the door.
     • “Don’t shout.” → He told me not to shout.
8. Modal Verbs in Reported Speech
   • Modals often change in reported speech:
     • Will → Would: “I will help you.” → He said he would help me.
     • Can → Could: “I can swim.” → She said she could swim.
     • May → Might: “I may join.” → He said he might join.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Examples of Reported Speech

1. Direct: “I am tired,” he said.
   Indirect: He said that he was tired.
2. Direct: “We will visit the park,” she said.
   Indirect: She said that they would visit the park.
3. Direct: “Why are you late?” he asked.
   Indirect: He asked why I was late.
4. Direct: “Please help me,” she requested.
   Indirect: She requested me to help her.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

20 MCQs on Reported Speech

Question 1

Direct: She said, “I am going to the library.” What is the correct reported speech?
a) She said she is going to the library.
b) She said that she was going to the library.
c) She said she had been going to the library.
d) She said that she will go to the library.

Answer: b) She said that she was going to the library.
Explanation: The present continuous “am going” changes to past continuous “was going” in reported speech.

Question 2

Direct: He said, “I will travel tomorrow.”
What is the correct reported speech?
a) He said that he will travel tomorrow.
b) He said that he would travel the next day.
c) He said that he would travel tomorrow.
d) He said that he traveled the next day.

Answer: b) He said that he would travel the next day.
Explanation: “Will” changes to “would,” and “tomorrow” becomes “the next day.”

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 3

Direct: They said, “We have completed the task.”
What is the correct reported speech?
a) They said they have completed the task.
b) They said they had completed the task.
c) They said they completed the task.
d) They said they would complete the task.

Answer: b) They said they had completed the task.
Explanation: The present perfect “have completed” changes to past perfect “had completed.”

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 4

Direct: “Can you help me?” she asked.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) She asked if I could help her.
b) She asked if I can help her.
c) She asked if I may help her.
d) She asked that I help her.

Answer: a) She asked if I could help her.
Explanation: “Can” changes to “could,” and the question form becomes a statement.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 5

Direct: “Where are you going?” he asked.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) He asked where was I going.
b) He asked where I am going.
c) He asked where I was going.
d) He asked where I had been going.

Answer: c) He asked where I was going.
Explanation: The present continuous “are going” changes to past continuous “was going.”

Question 6

Direct: “Don’t touch the vase,” she said.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) She said not to touch the vase.
b) She told me to not touch the vase.
c) She told me not to touch the vase.
d) She said me not to touch the vase.

Answer: c) She told me not to touch the vase.
Explanation: “Don’t” is reported using “not to.”

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 7

Direct: “Did you complete the project?” the manager asked.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) The manager asked if I had completed the project.
b) The manager asked that I completed the project.
c) The manager asked if I completed the project.
d) The manager asked whether had I completed the project.

Answer: a) The manager asked if I had completed the project.
Explanation: The past simple “did complete” changes to past perfect “had completed.”

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 8

Direct: “I might attend the meeting,” he said.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) He said that he might attend the meeting.
b) He said that he may attend the meeting.
c) He said that he will attend the meeting.
d) He said that he attends the meeting.

Answer: a) He said that he might attend the meeting.
Explanation: “Might” remains unchanged in reported speech.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 9

Direct: “The baby is crying,” she said.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) She said the baby cried.
b) She said the baby is crying.
c) She said the baby was crying.
d) She said the baby had cried.

Answer: c) She said the baby was crying.
Explanation: The present continuous “is crying” changes to past continuous “was crying.”

Which modal verb is used for permission?
A) Must
B) May
C) Will
D) Should

Question 10

Direct: “I want a new phone,” John said.
What is the correct reported speech?
a) John said he wanted a new phone.
b) John said he wants a new phone.
c) John said that he has wanted a new phone.
d) John said he will want a new phone.

Answer: a) John said he wanted a new phone.
Explanation: The present simple “want” changes to past simple “wanted.”

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

More MCQs

Question 11

Direct: “I didn’t go to school yesterday,” she said.
Answer: She said she hadn’t gone to school the day before.

Question 12

Direct: “Close the window,” he told me.
Answer: He told me to close the window.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 13

Direct: “Why is it raining?” she asked.
Answer: She asked why it was raining.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 14

Direct: “Will you join us for dinner?” they asked.
Answer: They asked if I would join them for dinner.

Question 15

Direct: “I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed.
Answer: She exclaimed that she couldn’t believe it.

Question 16

Direct: “We are playing football,” they said.
Answer: They said that they were playing football.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice

Question 17

Direct: “This is a great idea,” he said.
Answer: He said that it was a great idea.

Question 18

Direct: “I must finish this today,” she said.
Answer: She said that she had to finish it that day.

Question 19

Direct: “Do you know the answer?” he asked.
Answer: He asked if I knew the answer.

Question 20

Direct: “She has been working hard,” they said.
Answer: They said that she had been working hard.

Mastering Reported Speech Concepts and Practice