CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: She said, "I cannot attend the meeting."
A. She told that she could not attend the meeting.
B. She said that she cannot attend the meeting.
C. She said that she could not attend the meeting.
D. She said that I could not attend the meeting.
Correct Answer: C
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: Hamid said, "I bought this book last week."
A. Hamid told that he had bought that book the previous week.
B. Hamid said that he had bought that book the previous week.
C. Hamid said that I had bought this book last week.
D. Hamid said that he bought this book last week.
Correct Answer: B
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: Nadia said, "I am working here."
A. Nadia told that she was working there.
B. Nadia said that she is working here.
C. Nadia said that I was working here.
D. Nadia said that she was working there.
Correct Answer: D
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: He said, "We are waiting for the bus."
A. He said that they were waiting for the bus.
B. He said that they are waiting for the bus.
C. He said that we were waiting for the bus.
D. He told that they were waiting for the bus.
Correct Answer: A
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: She said, "We have completed our project."
A. She said that they have completed their project.
B. She told that they had completed their project.
C. She said that they had completed their project.
D. She said that we had completed our project.
Correct Answer: C
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: The players said, "We will try again."
A. The players said that we would try again.
B. The players told that they would try again.
C. The players said that they will try again.
D. The players said that they would try again.
Correct Answer: D
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: The students said, "We can answer these questions."
A. The students said that they could answer those questions.
B. The students said that we could answer these questions.
C. The students told that they could answer those questions.
D. The students said that they can answer these questions.
Correct Answer: A
A past reporting verb normally causes backshift; pronouns and demonstratives are also adjusted to the reporting context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: He said, "I will return tomorrow."
A. He said that he would return tomorrow.
B. He said that he will return tomorrow.
C. He told that he would return the next day.
D. He said that he would return the next day.
Correct Answer: D
Time and place expressions are adjusted when the reporting context changes, e.g. tomorrow → the next day and here → there.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: She said, "I met him yesterday."
A. She said that she had met him yesterday.
B. She said that she had met him the previous day.
C. She said that she met him yesterday.
D. She told that she had met him the previous day.
Correct Answer: B
Time and place expressions are adjusted when the reporting context changes, e.g. tomorrow → the next day and here → there.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Direct in Direct Narration
Change into indirect speech: Ali said, "I am leaving now."
A. Ali said that he is leaving now.
B. Ali said that he was leaving now.
C. Ali told that he was leaving then.
D. Ali said that he was leaving then.
Correct Answer: D
Time and place expressions are adjusted when the reporting context changes, e.g. tomorrow → the next day and here → there.