Direct and Indirect Speech Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A teacher tells the class, “Open your books.” Which option correctly reports the instruction?
The teacher said the class that they opened their books.
The teacher asked whether the class opened their books.
The teacher told that the class open their books.
The teacher told the class to open their books.
2. Which sentence presents Nina’s exact spoken words as direct speech?
According to Nina, the train was late.
Nina said that the train was late.
Nina said, “The train is late.”
Nina described the train as being late.
3. Rosa asked Ben, “Why are you laughing?” Which indirect version uses the correct word order?
Rosa asked Ben why was he laughing.
Rosa asked Ben that why he was laughing.
Rosa asked Ben why he was laughing.
Rosa asked Ben why did he laugh.
4. Which version is punctuated correctly as direct speech in standard American English?
Ava explained that, “I can help you.”
Ava offered to help and said “I can do it.”
Ava spoke the words, I can help you.
Ava said, “I can help you.”
5. On Monday, Priya told Dan, “I’ll call you tomorrow.” On Tuesday, someone reports this conversation. Which sentence correctly reflects the original time and pronoun references?
Priya said that I will call Dan tomorrow.
Priya said that she would call Dan the next day.
Priya said that she would call Dan that day before.
Priya said that she called Dan the day before.
6. Ana asked you, “Where do you live?” Which sentence correctly reports her question later?
Ana asked me where did I live.
Ana asked me where I lived.
Ana asked me that where I lived.
Ana asked me where do I live.
7. Several hours later, after Maya has rested, you report her earlier words: “I am tired.” Which sentence is the standard indirect form?
Maya said that I was tired.
Maya says that she was tired.
Maya said that she had been tired.
Maya said that she was tired.
8. Dad said to me, “Don’t touch the wet paint.” Which sentence correctly reports the warning?
Dad warned me not to touch the wet paint.
Dad warned me to not touched the wet paint.
Dad asked me whether I touched the wet paint.
Dad said me that I do not touch the wet paint.
9. The guide warned us that the path was slippery. Which revision changes this indirect report into direct speech while preserving its meaning?
The guide warned us because the path was slippery.
“The path is slippery,” the guide warned us.
The guide’s warning concerned a slippery path.
According to the guide, the path had been slippery.
10. A science teacher said, “Water boils at 100°C at sea level.” Which indirect version best preserves this continuing scientific fact?
The science teacher said that water boils at 100°C at sea level.
The science teacher asked whether water boils at 100°C at sea level.
The science teacher said that water had boiled at 100°C at sea level.
The science teacher said that water would boil at 100°C at sea level.
11. After the bus has departed, you report Eli’s earlier question: “Has the bus left?” Which sentence is correct?
Eli asked whether had the bus left.
Eli asked whether the bus had left.
Eli asked whether the bus has left.
Eli asked that the bus had left.
12. What feature shows that “The coach explained that practice would begin at six” is indirect speech?
It reports the message without presenting the coach’s exact quoted words.
It places the speaker before the message.
It uses the word “would” to create a direct quotation.
It includes a specific time in the message.
13. The twins said, “We won our match.” The reporter was not part of their team. Which indirect version is correct?
The twins said that they had won their match.
The twins said that they had won our match.
The twins said that we had won our match.
The twins said that we won their match.
14. On Friday, Sam said, “I will submit it tomorrow.” When reporting this later, which expression should normally replace “tomorrow”?
That day
The previous day
The next day
The same day
15. In the sentence “Omar said that he needed a break,” how is Omar’s message presented?
As a direct quotation introduced by a reporting verb
As Omar’s exact words without quotation marks
As an indirect report of what Omar said
As a question paraphrased by the narrator
16. On Tuesday, Leo said, “I finished the task yesterday.” Which sentence correctly reports his words on Wednesday?
Leo said that he finished the task yesterday.
Leo said that he had finished the task tomorrow.
Leo said that he would finish the task the day before.
Leo said that he had finished the task the day before.