Reported Speech – Statements MCQs Quiz | Class 10
This quiz focuses on Reported Speech – Statements for Class X Communicative English (Code 101), specifically within the Grammar unit. You will practice converting direct speech statements into reported speech. Attempt all 10 multiple-choice questions, submit your answers, and then download a detailed PDF of your results with correct answers for revision.
Understanding Reported Speech – Statements
Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to report what someone else has said without directly quoting their exact words. When we report statements, we usually make changes to the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time/place expressions. This section will help you master the conversion of direct speech statements into reported speech.
Key Rules for Converting Statements:
- Reporting Verb: The most common reporting verbs for statements are ‘said’ and ‘told’.
- Use ‘said’ when the recipient of the statement is not mentioned (e.g., “She said that…”).
- Use ‘told’ when the recipient is mentioned (e.g., “He told me that…”). Other verbs like ‘stated’, ‘remarked’, ‘announced’, ‘explained’ can also be used.
- Conjunction ‘that’: We usually use ‘that’ after the reporting verb, but it is often optional, especially in informal English.
- Direct: He said, “I am busy.”
- Reported: He said (that) he was busy.
- Pronoun Changes: Pronouns change according to the speaker and the listener.
- Direct: She said, “I like my new car.”
- Reported: She said that she liked her new car.
- Tense Changes (Backshift of Tenses): This is a crucial rule. Generally, the tense in the reported speech shifts backward.
- Exception: Universal truths, habitual actions, or facts usually do not change tense. Also, if the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., “He says”), the tense in the reported speech does not change.
Tense Conversion Table:
| Direct Speech Tense | Reported Speech Tense | Example (Direct → Reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | Simple Past | “I am happy.” → He said that he was happy. |
| Present Continuous | Past Continuous | “I am reading.” → She said that she was reading. |
| Present Perfect | Past Perfect | “I have finished.” → They said that they had finished. |
| Present Perfect Cont. | Past Perfect Continuous | “I have been waiting.” → He said that he had been waiting. |
| Simple Past | Past Perfect | “I saw him.” → She said that she had seen him. |
| Past Continuous | Past Perfect Continuous | “I was studying.” → He said that he had been studying. |
| Future (will) | Conditional (would) | “I will go.” → She said that she would go. |
| Future Continuous | Conditional Continuous | “I will be working.” → He said that he would be working. |
| Can | Could | “I can swim.” → She said that she could swim. |
| May | Might | “It may rain.” → He said that it might rain. |
| Must | Had to / Would have to | “I must leave.” → She said that she had to leave. |
Changes in Time and Place Expressions:
Words indicating proximity in time and place usually change to words indicating distance.
| Direct Speech | Reported Speech |
|---|---|
| now | then |
| today | that day |
| tonight | that night |
| yesterday | the previous day / the day before |
| tomorrow | the next day / the following day |
| last week/month/year | the previous week/month/year |
| next week/month/year | the following week/month/year |
| here | there |
| this | that |
| these | those |
| ago | before / earlier |
Quick Revision Checklist:
- Reporting Verb: Use ‘said’ or ‘told’.
- Conjunction ‘that’: Often used, sometimes optional.
- Pronouns: Change according to context.
- Tenses: Backshift to past tenses (Simple Present → Simple Past, Present Perfect → Past Perfect, etc.).
- Time/Place: Change ‘now’ to ‘then’, ‘today’ to ‘that day’, ‘here’ to ‘there’, etc.
- No Inverted Commas: Remove ” “.
Practice Questions (without options):
Convert the following statements into Reported Speech:
- He said, “I am going to the market.”
- She said, “My parents live in Kolkata.”
- The student remarked, “I have completed my assignment.”
- My friend said, “I will call you later.”
- He explained, “I saw that movie last night.”
