alleryHe said, "I like apples." In indirect speech, "like" becomes
- liked
- likes
- had liked
- would like
Show answer and solution
Correct answer: A. liked
A present tense verb shifts to the simple past when the reporting verb said is in the past.
SSC CGL Direct Indirect Speech — practice questions
Explore 51 free Direct Indirect Speech questions in SSC CGL English. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.
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Showing questions 1–30 of 51.
He said, "I like apples." In indirect speech, "like" becomesRead the answer and worked solution →They said, "We are riding." They claimed that they ___ riding.Read the answer and worked solution →"You have sinned." I was told that I ___ sinned.Read the answer and worked solution →"They finished all the wine." He thought they ___ all the wine.Read the answer and worked solution →"The match will end in a draw." He predicted that the match ___ end in a draw.Read the answer and worked solution →"We may attend." She told us that they ___ attend.Read the answer and worked solution →In indirect speech after said, the modal "can" changes toRead the answer and worked solution →When the reporting verb is in the present perfect, the reported tenseRead the answer and worked solution →In reported speech, "tomorrow" usually becomesRead the answer and worked solution →"Will you come to my party tomorrow?" I asked if he would come to my party ___Read the answer and worked solution →Reporting "How do people live in this city?", "this" changes toRead the answer and worked solution →"I shall come to your party tomorrow." I said that I ___ come to his party the next day.Read the answer and worked solution →"Please leave the room," I said to them. I asked them ___ the room.Read the answer and worked solution →She asked, "Will you come?" She asked ___ I would come.Read the answer and worked solution →A reported earlier question formsRead the answer and worked solution →Which modal stays unchanged in indirect speech?Read the answer and worked solution →Direct speech differs from indirect speech because itRead the answer and worked solution →"Ed is a bore," she said, and Ed still is. The reported verb can beRead the answer and worked solution →"It is raining hard," she says. She says that it ___ hard.Read the answer and worked solution →Batman said, "I need a key." Batman said that he ___ a key.Read the answer and worked solution →Another name for the sequence of tenses isRead the answer and worked solution →Shifting a tense back in reported speech is calledRead the answer and worked solution →The Latin term consecutio temporum meansRead the answer and worked solution →"She had already left." He said that she ___ already left.Read the answer and worked solution →"I am writing a letter." She said that she ___ writing a letter.Read the answer and worked solution →"I have painted the ceiling blue." He said that he ___ painted it blue.Read the answer and worked solution →"They were playing." He said they ___ playing.Read the answer and worked solution →"I would do anything you asked." Reporting it, "would do"Read the answer and worked solution →Report: She said, "I like tea."Read the answer and worked solution →Report: He said, "We are riding."Read the answer and worked solution →
Worked practice questions
They said, "We are riding." They claimed that they ___ riding.
- are
- would be
- were
- had been
Show answer and solution
Correct answer: C. were
Present continuous are riding backshifts to the past continuous were riding.
"You have sinned." I was told that I ___ sinned.
- have
- has
- were
- had
Show answer and solution
Correct answer: D. had
The present perfect have sinned changes to the past perfect had sinned after a past reporting clause.
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