Test your understanding of direct and indirect speech with this grammar exercise.
1. ‘Do you like tea?’ he said. Change into indirect speech.
a) He said to me if I liked tea.
b) He asked me if I liked tea.
c) He asked me if I like tea.
d) He told me if I liked tea.
2. The teacher said, ‘What are you looking for?’
a) The teacher asked me what are you looking for.
b) The teacher asked me what I am looking for.
c) The teacher asked me what I was looking for.
d) The teacher asked me what was I looking for.
3. ‘Have you bought enough nails?’ mother said. Change into indirect speech.
a) Mother asked me have I bought enough nails.
b) Mother asked me if I have bought enough nails.
c) Mother asked me if I had bought enough nails.
d) Mother wanted to know if I had bought enough nails.
4. He asked his daughter ……………………………. she had finished her homework.
a) that
b) whether
c) as
d) but
5. I asked him whether he would keep quiet. This is the reported speech of:
a) I asked him ‘Will you keep quiet?’
b) I asked him ‘Whether he would keep quiet?’
c) I asked him, ‘Would you keep quiet?’
d) I asked him, Whether he will keep quiet?’
6. The teacher asked the students ………………………… they had seen the exhibition.
a) if
b) but
c) that
d) weather
Answers
1. He asked me if I liked tea.
2. The teacher asked me what I was looking for.
3. Mother asked me if I had bought enough nails.
4. He asked his daughter whether she had finished her homework.
5. I asked him ‘Will you keep quiet?’
6. The teacher asked the students if they had seen the exhibition.
