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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Direct and Indirect Speech Quiz

Quick, free reported speech quiz with instant results and clear tips.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Monica BramlettUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of speech bubbles and pencils on dark blue background for direct vs indirect speech grammar quiz

Use this quiz to practice direct and indirect speech by turning quotes into clear reported sentences. You'll shift tenses and pronouns, pick suitable reporting verbs, and check punctuation, with instant feedback on each question. For extra practice, try our active and passive voice quiz, review the past present future tense quiz, or explore the sentence pattern quiz.

Convert the direct speech to indirect: He said, "I am tired."
He says that he was tired.
He said that he was tired.
He told that he is tired.
He said that he is tired.
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In reported speech, "today" usually changes to "that day."
True
False
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Choose the correct indirect version: She said, "We will help you."
She said that we would help you.
She said that we will help you.
She said that they would help me.
She told that they would help you.
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In reported speech, "yesterday" becomes "the day before" or "the previous day."
False
True
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Convert the direct speech to indirect: She said, "This book is mine."
She said that this book was hers.
She told that the book is her.
She said that that book was hers.
She said that that book is hers.
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Backshift the tense correctly: He said, "I eat early."
He said that he ate early.
He said that he would eat early.
He told that he had eaten early.
He said that he eats early.
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Present continuous usually changes to past continuous in reported speech after a past reporting verb.
True
False
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Convert correctly: She said, "I have finished my work."
She said that she had finished her work.
She said that she would finish her work.
She told that she finished her work.
She said that she has finished her work.
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Choose the correct backshift for will: He said, "I will call you."
He said that he will call me.
He told that he would call you.
He said that he shall call me.
He said that he would call me.
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In reported speech, can often changes to could when the reporting verb is in the past.
True
False
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Backshift the past simple accurately: He said, "I finished the task."
He said that he would finish the task.
He said that he finished the task.
He told that he has finished the task.
He said that he had finished the task.
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Past perfect generally stays past perfect in reported speech without further backshift.
False
True
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Report a question without do-support: She asked, "Where did he go?"
She asked where did he had gone.
She asked where did he go.
She asked that where had he gone.
She asked where he had gone.
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Report an embedded question correctly: He asked, "Who is coming to the meeting?"
He asked who was coming to the meeting.
He asked who is coming to the meeting.
He asked who was coming to meeting?
He asked that who was coming to the meeting.
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"Ago" in direct speech typically changes to "before" in reported speech.
False
True
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Tag questions are reported by turning them into statements with appropriate reporting verbs and do not keep the tag.
True
False
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Report a tag question: She said, "You finished on time, didn't you?"
She said that I had finished on time.
She said that I finished on time, didn't I.
She asked whether I finished on time, did I.
She asked if I had finished on time, didn't I.
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Choose correct reporting of a threat: He said, "I will report you."
He advised to report me.
He threatened to report me.
He promised to report me.
He warned me report you.
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In reported speech, complex wh-questions with multiple elements keep normal clause order and do not use a question mark.
True
False
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Report a permission: She said, "You may leave now."
She said that I may left now.
She said that I might leave then.
She told that I may leave then.
She permitted that I leave now.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand key distinctions in direct vs indirect speech -

    Learn to recognize the main features that differentiate direct discourse from indirect speech and when each form is appropriate.

  2. Identify direct and indirect speech examples -

    Spot various direct discourse instances and accurately convert them into indirect speech, reinforcing your grammar skills.

  3. Apply narration change rules across sentence types -

    Transform declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences using correct tense changes and reporting verbs.

  4. Analyze narration change questions -

    Engage with targeted questions to fine-tune your ability to handle complex sentence structures in indirect speech.

  5. Transform real-world sentences with confidence -

    Work through practical direct and indirect speech examples and receive instant feedback to ensure accurate conversion.

  6. Evaluate your progress instantly -

    Test your understanding with the free quiz and get immediate feedback to identify areas for improvement and boost your grammar proficiency.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Basic Definition of Direct vs Indirect Speech -

    Direct speech quotes the speaker verbatim within quotation marks, while indirect speech (reported speech) paraphrases the speaker's words without quotes. For example, she said, "I am learning grammar" becomes She said that she was learning grammar, illustrating how direct discourse transforms into indirect speech (University of Oxford). Mnemonic: "Quote to Report" reminds you to drop quotes and add conjunctions like that.

  2. Tense Backshift Rules -

    When the reporting verb is in the past tense, primary tenses shift back one step: present becomes past, past becomes past perfect, and present perfect becomes past perfect (Cambridge University Press). For example, "She will visit tomorrow" becomes He said that she would visit the next day. Use the memory phrase "Present Past, Past Perfect Fast" to recall the sequence.

  3. Pronoun and Time/Place Shifts -

    In indirect speech, pronouns, time markers, and place adverbs often change to suit the reporting context: "I" may become "he/she," "now" becomes "then," and "here" turns to "there" (Purdue OWL). Example: Laura said, "I will meet you here today" → Laura said that she would meet me there that day. Think "IHP" (I/Hear/Place) to remember these shifts.

  4. Reporting Different Sentence Types -

    Declarative sentences use "that," yes/no questions use "if" or "whether," wh-questions retain the question word, imperatives use "to" infinitive, and exclamations use "how" or "what" (Oxford University Exam Board). For instance, "What a lovely day!" becomes He exclaimed how lovely that day was. Use the acronym DIIE - Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory - to categorize narration change questions quickly.

  5. Practicing Narration Change Questions -

    Consistent practice with varied direct and indirect speech examples builds confidence; try converting dialogues with mixed sentence types and tenses. Use graded exercises from reputable sources like DELTA Publishing or university English labs, and check answers for correct discourse markers and tense backshifts. A quick self-test: spot changes in ten sentences, then explain each change in a single line to reinforce rules.

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