CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said, 'Where have you been?' Reported speech:
A. She asked where I had been.
B. She asked where had I been.
C. She said where I have been.
D. She asked that where I was.
Correct Answer: A
Reported questions use statement word order and typically backshift present perfect to past perfect.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: The teacher said, 'Do not make noise.' Reported speech:
A. The teacher told the students not to make noise.
B. The teacher told the students do not make noise.
C. The teacher said that not make noise.
D. The teacher asked not the students make noise.
Correct Answer: A
Negative commands are reported with 'told/ordered + object + not to + verb'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'I saw her yesterday.' Reported speech:
A. He said that he had seen her the previous day.
B. He said that he saw her tomorrow.
C. He said he has seen her yesterday.
D. He told that he had saw her the previous day.
Correct Answer: A
Simple past commonly backshifts to past perfect, and 'yesterday' may become 'the previous day'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said to him, 'Please wait here.' Reported speech:
A. She requested him to wait there.
B. She said him please wait there.
C. She requested that him wait here.
D. She told please to him wait.
Correct Answer: A
A polite request can be reported as 'requested + object + to-infinitive'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: Ali said, 'I can solve this problem.' Reported speech:
A. Ali said that he could solve that problem.
B. Ali said that he can solved this problem.
C. Ali told that he could solve this problem.
D. Ali said he could solved that problem.
Correct Answer: A
'Can' normally backshifts to 'could', and demonstratives may shift according to context.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Only by working consistently ___ improve.
A. you can
B. can you
C. you could
D. did you
Correct Answer: B
A fronted 'Only by...' phrase triggers inversion in the main clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Barely ___ the office when the phone rang.
A. I had left
B. had I left
C. did I left
D. I left had
Correct Answer: B
With fronted 'Barely', formal inversion uses 'had + subject + past participle'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Not once ___ during the interview.
A. he complained
B. did he complain
C. he did complained
D. complained he
Correct Answer: B
Fronted negative 'Not once' requires subject-auxiliary inversion.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Only then ___ the seriousness of the situation.
A. he realized
B. did he realize
C. he did realized
D. realized he
Correct Answer: B
Fronted 'Only then' requires inversion in the main clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Under no circumstances ___ the confidential file be shared.
A. should
B. it should
C. should it
D. it
Correct Answer: C
After a fronted negative phrase, inversion is required: 'should it be shared'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Seldom ___ such a remarkable performance.
A. we witness
B. do we witness
C. we do witnessed
D. witness we
Correct Answer: B
Fronted negative/restrictive adverbs trigger subject-auxiliary inversion.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
It is important that every member ___ present.
A. is
B. be
C. was
D. has been
Correct Answer: B
Formal subjunctive uses the base form 'be' after 'It is important that...'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
The doctor insisted that the patient ___ immediately.
A. rests
B. rest
C. rested
D. has rested
Correct Answer: B
The mandative subjunctive uses the base verb after 'insisted that' in formal English.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
If only I ___ more time!
A. have
B. had
C. will have
D. am having
Correct Answer: B
'If only' for a present unreal wish commonly takes the past tense.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Were the weather better, we ___ outside.
A. would sit
B. will sit
C. would have sat
D. sit
Correct Answer: A
Inverted second conditional: 'Were the weather better...' + 'would + base verb'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Had the driver been more careful, the accident ___.
A. would avoid
B. would have been avoided
C. will be avoided
D. was avoided
Correct Answer: B
This inverted third conditional requires 'would have been + past participle' in passive form.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
If they arrive early, we ___ the meeting at once.
A. start
B. will start
C. would start
D. would have started
Correct Answer: B
First conditional uses present simple in the if-clause and future with 'will' in the main clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
If she were more careful, she ___ fewer mistakes.
A. will make
B. would make
C. would have made
D. made
Correct Answer: B
Second conditional: past form in the if-clause and 'would + base verb' in the main clause.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
If you had informed me earlier, I ___ the problem.
A. could solve
B. could have solved
C. can solve
D. will solve
Correct Answer: B
A past unreal condition takes 'could/would have + past participle'.
CSS - PMS - Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
She is ___ of the two sisters.
A. the taller
B. tallest
C. more tallest
D. the tallest
Correct Answer: A
When comparing two people, the comparative form is used; 'the taller of the two' is standard.