SSC CGL (Prelims) English: Direct and Indirect Speech questions with solutions

Q1. Choose the correct indirect speech: He said, “I will come tomorrow.”

1. He said that he will come tomorrow.
2. He said that he would come the next day.
3. He said that he will be coming the next day.
4. He said that he would be coming tomorrow.

Answer: He said that he would come the next day.

In indirect speech, “will” changes to “would” when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Also, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day.” Therefore, the correct sentence is “He said that he would come the next day.”

Q2. Choose the correct indirect speech: She said, “I am reading a novel.”

1. She said she was reading a novel.
2. She said that I am reading a novel.
3. She said she is reading a novel.
4. She said that she read a novel.

Answer: She said she was reading a novel.

The reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense, so the present continuous 'am reading' changes to past continuous 'was reading'. The pronoun 'I' also changes to 'she'.