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07 General English — Common Notes 🕒 Updated 2026-10-16
Common Notes SSC CGL · CHSL · Police · Bank · Railway Chapter 07

🗣️ Direct & Indirect Speech (Narration)

Reporting someone's words exactly (direct) or in your own words (indirect). Four changes: reporting verb, tense, pronouns and time/place words.

📌 1. Tense Change (when the reporting verb is past)

DirectIndirect
Simple present (writes)Simple past (wrote)
Present continuous (is writing)Past continuous (was writing)
Present perfect (has written)Past perfect (had written)
Simple past (wrote)Past perfect (had written)
Past continuous (was writing)Past perfect continuous (had been writing)
will / shall / can / maywould / should / could / might
must (necessity)had to
  • If the reporting verb is present/future (says, will say), the tense does not change.
  • Universal truths, habitual facts and historical facts keep their tense.
  • Past perfect, would, could, should, might, ought to stay unchanged.

📌 2. Pronouns and Time/Place Words

💡 Memory Tip: SON rule: 1st person → like the Subject (reporter); 2nd person → like the Object (listener); 3rd person → No change.
DirectIndirect
nowthen
todaythat day
tonightthat night
yesterdaythe previous day / the day before
tomorrowthe next day / the following day
agobefore
this / thesethat / those
herethere
last nightthe previous night
next weekthe following week

📌 3. Sentence Types

TypeReporting verb + linkerExample
Assertivesaid to → told; thatHe said to me, "I am tired." → He told me that he was tired.
Yes/No questionasked; if/whether"Are you ready?" → She asked me if I was ready. (statement order, no ?)
Wh- questionasked; wh-word"Where do you live?" → He asked me where I lived.
Imperativeordered/requested/advised/forbade; to + V1"Shut the door." → He ordered me to shut the door. "Don't go." → He told me not to go.
Exclamatoryexclaimed with joy/sorrow; that"What a lovely view!" → He exclaimed with joy that it was a very lovely view.
Let's (proposal)suggested/proposed that … should"Let's go out." → He suggested that they should go out.
Optative (wish)wished/prayed"May you live long!" → She prayed that I might live long.
⚠️ Exam Traps:
  • Indirect questions use statement order: "asked where was I going" ❌ → "asked where I was going" ✅.
  • "Told" needs an object: He told me that…; "said" does not take a direct object (said to me).

📌 4. Practice MCQs

📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. Change into indirect speech: He said, "I am busy." Practice
(A) He said that he is busy.
(B) He said that I was busy.
(C) He said that he was busy.
(D) He told that he was busy.
Correct answer: (C) He said that he was busy.
Explanation: Past reporting verb → am becomes was; I → he.
Q2. Change into indirect speech: She said to me, "I will help you." Practice
(A) She told me that I would help her.
(B) She said me that she will help me.
(C) She told me that she will help you.
(D) She told me that she would help me.
Correct answer: (D) She told me that she would help me.
Explanation: said to → told; will → would; I → she; you → me.
Q3. Change into indirect speech: He says, "I am learning French." Practice
(A) He says that he is learning French.
(B) He says that he was learning French.
(C) He said that he is learning French.
(D) He says that he had been learning French.
Correct answer: (A) He says that he is learning French.
Explanation: Present reporting verb (says) — tense does not change.
Q4. Change into indirect speech: The teacher said, "The sun rises in the east." Practice
(A) The teacher said that the sun rose in the east.
(B) The teacher said that the sun had risen in the east.
(C) The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
(D) The teacher told that the sun rises in the east.
Correct answer: (C) The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.
Explanation: A universal truth keeps its tense.
Q5. Change into indirect speech: She asked me, "Are you coming?" Practice
(A) She asked me if I was coming.
(B) She asked me if was I coming.
(C) She asked me that I was coming.
(D) She asked me if you were coming.
Correct answer: (A) She asked me if I was coming.
Explanation: Yes/No question → if/whether + statement order.
Q6. Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Where do you live?" Practice
(A) He asked me where did I live.
(B) He asked me where I live.
(C) He told me where I lived.
(D) He asked me where I lived.
Correct answer: (D) He asked me where I lived.
Explanation: Wh-question → asked + wh-word + statement order; present → past.
Q7. Change into indirect speech: The officer said to the soldiers, "March forward." Practice
(A) The officer ordered the soldiers that march forward.
(B) The officer ordered the soldiers to march forward.
(C) The officer said the soldiers to march forward.
(D) The officer ordered the soldiers to marched forward.
Correct answer: (B) The officer ordered the soldiers to march forward.
Explanation: Command → ordered + to + V1.
Q8. Change into indirect speech: Mother said to me, "Don't play in the sun." Practice
(A) Mother told me don't play in the sun.
(B) Mother told me to not playing in the sun.
(C) Mother said me not to play in the sun.
(D) Mother told me not to play in the sun.
Correct answer: (D) Mother told me not to play in the sun.
Explanation: Negative imperative → told/advised + not to + V1.
Q9. Change into indirect speech: He said, "I wrote a letter yesterday." Practice
(A) He said that he wrote a letter yesterday.
(B) He said that he had written a letter the previous day.
(C) He said that he has written a letter the previous day.
(D) He said that he had written a letter yesterday.
Correct answer: (B) He said that he had written a letter the previous day.
Explanation: Simple past → past perfect; yesterday → the previous day.
Q10. Change into indirect speech: She said, "I am leaving tomorrow." Practice
(A) She said that she is leaving tomorrow.
(B) She said that she was leaving tomorrow.
(C) She said that she was leaving the next day.
(D) She said that she had left the next day.
Correct answer: (C) She said that she was leaving the next day.
Explanation: is → was; tomorrow → the next day.
Q11. Change into indirect speech: He said, "Let's go for a picnic." Practice
(A) He suggested that they should go for a picnic.
(B) He said let us go for a picnic.
(C) He suggested them to go for a picnic.
(D) He ordered that they go for a picnic.
Correct answer: (A) He suggested that they should go for a picnic.
Explanation: Let's (proposal) → suggested that … should.
Q12. Change into indirect speech: She said, "What a beautiful flower!" Practice
(A) She exclaimed that what a beautiful flower it was.
(B) She exclaimed with wonder that it was a very beautiful flower.
(C) She said that what a beautiful flower!
(D) She exclaimed with wonder that it is a beautiful flower.
Correct answer: (B) She exclaimed with wonder that it was a very beautiful flower.
Explanation: Exclamatory → exclaimed with wonder/joy that + statement; 'what a' → 'very'.
Q13. Change into indirect speech: He said, "I can swim." Practice
(A) He said that he can swim.
(B) He said that he could swam.
(C) He said that I could swim.
(D) He said that he could swim.
Correct answer: (D) He said that he could swim.
Explanation: can → could.
Q14. Change into indirect speech: He said to me, "Have you finished your work?" Practice
(A) He asked me if I had finished my work.
(B) He asked me if I have finished my work.
(C) He asked me had I finished my work.
(D) He asked me if I finished his work.
Correct answer: (A) He asked me if I had finished my work.
Explanation: Present perfect → past perfect; your → my; statement order.
Q15. Change into direct speech: He told me that he was tired. Practice
(A) He said to me, "I was tired."
(B) He said to me, "You are tired."
(C) He said to me, "I am tired."
(D) He says to me, "I am tired."
Correct answer: (C) He said to me, "I am tired."
Explanation: Indirect 'was' becomes 'am' in direct speech; he → I.
Q16. Change into indirect speech: She said, "I have been waiting here for an hour." Practice
(A) She said that she has been waiting here for an hour.
(B) She said that she had been waiting there for an hour.
(C) She said that she was waiting there for an hour.
(D) She said that she had been waiting here since an hour.
Correct answer: (B) She said that she had been waiting there for an hour.
Explanation: Present perfect continuous → past perfect continuous; here → there.
Q17. Change into indirect speech: The old man said, "May God bless you!" Practice
(A) The old man said that may God bless me.
(B) The old man prayed that God may bless you.
(C) The old man prayed that God might bless me.
(D) The old man wished God to bless me.
Correct answer: (C) The old man prayed that God might bless me.
Explanation: Wish/prayer → prayed that … might.
Q18. Change into indirect speech: He said, "I must go now." Practice
(A) He said that he must go now.
(B) He said that he had to go now.
(C) He said that he must went then.
(D) He said that he had to go then.
Correct answer: (D) He said that he had to go then.
Explanation: must (necessity) → had to; now → then.
Q19. Choose the correct indirect form: He said to her, "Please wait." Practice
(A) He requested her to wait.
(B) He requested her that wait.
(C) He said her to please wait.
(D) He ordered her please to wait.
Correct answer: (A) He requested her to wait.
Explanation: An imperative with 'please' → requested + to + V1; 'please' is dropped.
Q20. Change into indirect speech: She said, "These books are mine." Practice
(A) She said that these books were mine.
(B) She said that those books are hers.
(C) She said that those books were hers.
(D) She said that these books were hers.
Correct answer: (C) She said that those books were hers.
Explanation: these → those; are → were; mine → hers.

📝 Practice questions

General English — Practice MCQs Ch 7: Direct & Indirect Speech
📝 Test this chapter Practice questions

Practice MCQs prepared by SF Prep (not PYQs). Rules checked against standard grammar references.