Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions & Answers focuses on “Conversion of Indirect Speech to Direct Speech”.
1. If the reported speech expresses some universal truth, habit, historical incident or permanent fact, its tense does not change even when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. If the reported speech expresses some universal truth, habit, historical incident or permanent fact, its tense does not change even when the reporting verb is in the past tense. For example, direct speech: The teacher said, “New Delhi is the capital on India.” Reported speech: The teacher said that New Delhi is the capital of India.
2. Convert the following sentence in indirect speech to direct speech :
He exclaimed sadly that he was undone.
a) He said I am undone.
b) He said, “Alas ! I am undone.”
c) He said, “I am undone.”
d) He said , “Alas. I am undone.”
Answer: b
Clarification: The correct statement is: He said, “Alas ! I am undone.” An exclamatory sentence must have an exclamatory mark.
3. While changing a question into indirect speech, the reporting verb must be changed into ask, inquire or demand.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: The statement is true. While changing a question into indirect speech, the reporting verb must be changed into ask, inquire or demand. Also, the question mark must be removed.
4. Which of these prepositions is used with inquire or demand?
a) Is
b) At
c) Of
d) On
Answer: c
Clarification: The preposition of is used with inquire or demand. For example, She inquired of me what I was doing.
5. Convert the following direct speech to indirect :
My mother said to me, “Are you going to school today?”
a) My mother asked me if I was going to school that day.
b) My mother asked me are you going to school today.
c) My mother asked me if I was going to school today.
d) My mother asked me if I am going to school today.
Answer: a
Clarification: The correct statement is: My mother asked me if I was going to school that day. The conjunction if and whether is used to introduce the reported speech if the question begins with auxiliary verbs like is, are, am, etc.
6. Which of these forms are used to report negative commands?
a) not + infinitive
b) no + infinitive
c) command + infinitive
d) object + infinitive
Answer: a
Clarification: Negative commands, requests, etc., are usually reported by not + infinitive form. For example, Direct: “Don’t venture out too far, children”, the teacher said. Indirect: The teacher warned the children not to venture out too far.
7. Which of these verbs don’t follow the object + infinitive form?
a) Beg
b) Order
c) Invite
d) Pray
Answer: d
Clarification: Verbs like advice, beg, order, invite, recommend, warn use the object + infinitive form. The person addressed is normally not mentioned in direct command or requests.
8. Convert the following direct speech to indirect speech :
She said, “We will analyse this tomorrow.”
a) She said that they would analyse it the next day.
b) She said that we would analyse it the next day.
c) She said that they will analyse it the next day.
d) She said that we will analyse it the next day.