Direct Indirect Speech Practice Set 3 SOLVED IN HINDI & ENGLISH (with options)

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1. She said, “When I was a child, I wasn’t afraid of ghosts.”

Answer: B

Explanation: Option ‘B’. In the direct speech, the Past Simple Tense and the Past Continuous Tense do change in the Past Perfect Tense and the Past Perfect Continuous Tense respectively, but in time clauses they do not normally change. However verb of the main clause can either remain unchanged or can be changed accordingly.

In the above sentence WHEN I WAS A CHILD is a time clause, hence the tense of the verb (WAS) won’t change. And I WASN’T AFRAID OF GOSTS is the main clause, hence the tense of the verb (WASN’T) either can be changed or can be retained unchanged. So another possible conversion of the given speech:

She said that when she was a child she hadn’t been afraid of ghosts.

2. Renu said, “You ought to read the instructions.”

Answer: A

Explanation: Option ‘A’. The sentence in the Direct Speech is advice. ‘Ought to/Should’ for advice can be reported by ‘Advise + Object + T0-infinitive’.

3. “I could read when I was three.” she boasted.

Answer: A

Explanation: Option ‘A’. When the tense of a time clause is the Past Simple Tense it does not change. Verb WAS is in the Past Simple Tense. Use of COULD here is a past ability, COULD for past ability can remain unchanged or be reported by HAD BEEN ABLE. So the conversion is:

She boasted that she could read when she was three.
= She boasted that she had been able to read when she was three.

4. He said, “We shall discuss this tomorrow.”

Answer: B

Explanation: Option ‘B’. In this sentence THIS is a pronoun; not adjective. When THIS and THESE are used as pronouns they become IT and THEY respectively when used as subjects; and become IT and THEM when used as objects.

5. I said to my friend, “Good morning! Let’s go for a picnic today.”

Answer: A

Explanation: Option ‘A’. For how we convert LET’S (LET US) see this:

LET’s (LET US) is normally used for a suggestion. See how we convert it into the passive:

Suggest + Gerund
OR
Suggest + Possessive Adjective (my, his, their, etc) + Gerund
OR
Suggest That + Subject + V¹ without S/ES (present Subjunctive)
OR
Suggest That + Subject + Should
OR
Suggested That + Subject + V²
OR
Suggested That + Subject + Should
OR
Suggest To + Object + That
OR
Suggest + Noun/Pronoun

EXAMPLES
a) He said, “Let’s leave the case at the station.”
= He suggested leaving the case at the station.
= He suggested our leaving the case at the station.
= He suggested that we should leave the case at the station.

b) She said to me, “Let’s have a meeting.”
= She suggested having a meeting.
= She suggested our having a meeting.
= She suggested a meeting.
= She suggested that we should have a meeting.
= She suggested to me that we should have a meeting.

c) He said, “Let’s stop now and finish it later.”
= He suggested stopping then and finishing it later.
= He suggested that we should stop then and finish it later.
= He suggested they shouldn’t say anything till they heard the facts.

d) He said, “Let’s not say anything about it till we hear the facts.”
= He suggested not saying anything about it till they heard the facts.
= He suggested saying nothing about it till they heard the facts.

e) “Let’s go to the cinema,” said Ved. “Yes, let’s” I said.
= Ved suggested going to the cinema and I agreed.

NOTE-I: ‘LET’S NOT + VERB’ can also be reported by such constructions; e.g.

He was against saying anything about it till they heard the facts.

NOTE-II: But ‘LET’S NOT’ used alone in answer to an affirmative suggestion is often reported by some phrase such as OPPOSED THE IDEA or WAS AGAINST etc.; e.g.

“Let’s sell the house.” said Ram. “Let’s not.” said Ritu.
= Ram suggested selling the house but Ritu was against it/the idea.
= Ram suggested selling the house but Ritu opposed the idea.
= Ram suggested selling the house but Ritu was opposed to the idea

NOTE-III: LET’S (LET US) sometimes expresses a call to an action; it is then usually reported by URGE/ADVICE + OBJECT + INFINITIVE; e.g.

The strike leader said, “Let’s show the bosses that we are united.”
= The strike leader urged the workers to show the bosses that they were united

6. He said, “Suresh slipped when he was trying to board a bus.”

Answer: C

Explanation: Option ‘C’. Option ‘A’ is incorrect because the verb TOLD is always followed by an object. Option ‘B’ is incorrect because the verb INFORM takes an object before a THAT-CLAUSE. Option ‘D’ is incorrect because in time clauses the Past simple Tense and the Past Continuous Tense do not change, WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO BOARD A BUS is a time clause.

7. She said, “Whatever Saraj does displeases her mother- in-law”

Answer: A

Explanation: Option ‘A’. In the given sentence we have two separate verbs DOES and DESPLEASES, both are main verbs. DOES is not a helping verb here. Hindi translation: सरज जो भी करता है वह उसकी mother-in-law को नाखुश कर देता है. Both the verbs are in the Simple Present Tense, so both will change into the Past Simple Tense. Hindi translation after conversion: सरज ने जो भी किया उस से उसकी mother-in-law नाखुश हो गयीं.

8. He said, “How cruel of him!”

Answer: A

9. You said, “My parents never liked my accepting any job but I had always wanted to stand on my own feet.”

Answer: A

Explanation: Option ‘A’. When the verb of the second clause in the Past Perfect Tense we do not normally change the tense of the verb of the first clause if it’s in the Past Simple Tense, so tense of the verb LIKED won’t changed. Option ‘D’ is incorrect as TOLD must be followed by an object.

10. The Prime Minister said, “We should be united to fight the enemy tooth and nail.”

Answer: B

Explanation: Option ‘B’. Option ‘A’ is incorrect as it’s not a request. We do not need to change the pronoun WE here as the subject (The Prime Minister) includes in WE. FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL = to try very hard to get something you want; e.g.

We fought tooth and nail to get the route of the new road  changed.

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