Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the passive form of: 'Someone will send you the details.'
A. You will be sent the details.
B. You will sent the details.
C. The details will sending you.
D. You are sent the details tomorrow by someone will.
Correct Answer: A
A ditransitive verb can form a passive with the indirect object as subject.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the passive form of: 'They had completed the bridge before winter.'
A. The bridge had been completed before winter.
B. The bridge has completed before winter.
C. The bridge was been completed before winter.
D. The bridge had completed by them before winter.
Correct Answer: A
Past perfect passive is 'had been + past participle'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Choose the passive form of: 'They are interviewing the candidates.'
A. The candidates are being interviewed.
B. The candidates are interviewed being.
C. The candidates were being interviewed.
D. The candidates have interviewing.
Correct Answer: A
Present continuous passive is 'are being + past participle'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'Alas! I have failed.' Reported speech:
A. He exclaimed with sorrow that he had failed.
B. He said with joy that he has failed.
C. He asked that he failed.
D. He ordered that he had failed.
Correct Answer: A
An exclamation of sorrow is reported with an appropriate reporting expression and backshifted tense.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said, 'What a beautiful view!' Reported speech:
A. She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful view.
B. She asked whether the view was beautiful.
C. She ordered that the view be beautiful.
D. She said what was a beautiful view?
Correct Answer: A
An exclamation can be reported with 'exclaimed that...' while preserving the meaning.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'Do not touch this switch.' Reported speech:
A. He warned me not to touch that switch.
B. He warned me do not touch this switch.
C. He said me to not touching that switch.
D. He warned that me not touch switch.
Correct Answer: A
A negative warning can be reported with 'warned + object + not to + verb'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said, 'I have been waiting for an hour.' Reported speech:
A. She said that she had been waiting for an hour.
B. She said that she has been waiting yesterday.
C. She told that she had waiting for an hour.
D. She said she was been waiting.
Correct Answer: A
Present perfect continuous normally backshifts to past perfect continuous.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'I must finish this today.' Reported speech:
A. He said that he had to finish it that day.
B. He said that he must finished this today.
C. He told that he had finish it that day.
D. He said that he has to finished it.
Correct Answer: A
Obligatory 'must' often becomes 'had to'; 'today' may become 'that day'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said, 'I may attend the meeting.' Reported speech:
A. She said that she might attend the meeting.
B. She said that she may attended the meeting.
C. She told that she might attends the meeting.
D. She said she might attended meeting.
Correct Answer: A
'May' often backshifts to 'might' in reported speech.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'Where is the station?' Reported speech:
A. He asked where the station was.
B. He asked where was the station.
C. He said where is the station.
D. He asked that where station was.
Correct Answer: A
Reported questions use statement word order.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: The officer said, 'Bring the file at once.' Reported speech:
A. The officer ordered him to bring the file at once.
B. The officer said him bring the file.
C. The officer ordered that bring the file.
D. The officer told to him bringing the file.
Correct Answer: A
Commands can be reported with 'ordered + object + to-infinitive'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: She said, 'Please don't be late.' Reported speech:
A. She requested me not to be late.
B. She requested that me don't be late.
C. She said me not be late.
D. She asked me don't to be late.
Correct Answer: A
Negative requests can be reported with 'requested + object + not to + verb'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said to me, 'Will you help me?' Reported speech:
A. He asked me if I would help him.
B. He told me will I help him.
C. He asked that would I help him.
D. He said me if I will help him.
Correct Answer: A
Yes/no questions are reported with 'asked + if/whether' and statement word order.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: Sara said, 'I completed the task yesterday.' Reported speech:
A. Sara said that she had completed the task the previous day.
B. Sara said that she completes the task yesterday.
C. Sara told that she had complete the task tomorrow.
D. Sara said she has completed task yesterday.
Correct Answer: A
Simple past may backshift to past perfect, and 'yesterday' may change to 'the previous day'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Direct: He said, 'I am working now.' Reported speech:
A. He said that he was working then.
B. He said that he is working now yesterday.
C. He told that he was work then.
D. He said he working then.
Correct Answer: A
Present continuous normally backshifts to past continuous, and 'now' may become 'then'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Such ___ that everyone remained silent.
A. was the tension
B. the tension was
C. did the tension
D. was tension the
Correct Answer: A
Formal inversion is possible with fronted 'Such': 'Such was the tension that...'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
So impressive ___ that the panel applauded.
A. her presentation was
B. was her presentation
C. did her presentation
D. her presentation did
Correct Answer: B
Fronted 'So + adjective' can trigger formal inversion: 'So impressive was...'.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Only then ___ why the plan had failed.
A. we understood
B. did we understand
C. we did understood
D. understood we
Correct Answer: B
Fronted 'Only then' requires subject-auxiliary inversion.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Hardly ___ the announcement when the crowd reacted.
A. had he finished
B. he had finished
C. did he finished
D. he finished had
Correct Answer: A
'Hardly' at the beginning triggers inversion with past perfect.
Precis & Composition
Sentence Structure and Correction
Little ___ how serious the matter was.
A. she realized
B. did she realize
C. she did realized
D. realized she
Correct Answer: B
Fronted negative 'Little' requires auxiliary inversion.