Theory & Concepts

Master Direct & Indirect Speech for SSC CGL

Get comprehensive theory, expert shortcuts, and hand-picked practice questions for Direct & Indirect Speech specifically designed for the SSC CGL 2025-26 pattern.

25+

Exams Covered

100+

Study Modules

5K+

Practice Notes

SSC CGL RRB NTPC IBPS PO CAT

50 min readDifficulty: High

Direct and Indirect Speech questions carry significant weight in the English Language section of the SSC CGL Tier-1 and Tier-2 exams. The conversion of a speaker's actual words (Direct Speech) into reported speech (Indirect Speech) requires a flawless understanding of tense shifts, pronoun alignments, and reporting verb rules.

Learning path

Reporting Verb Rules
Tense Transformation Traps
The S-O-N Pronoun Rule
20 Solved Practice Questions

1. Reporting Verb & Conjunction Rules

The type of sentence inside the inverted commas dictates the choice of reporting verb and the connecting conjunction:

Assertive (Statements)

Change 'said to' to 'told', and keep 'said' as 'said'. Always use the conjunction 'that'.

Direct: "He said to me, 'I am ready.'"

Indirect: "He told me that he was ready."

Interrogative (Questions)

Change 'said to' to 'asked' or 'enquired'. Use 'if/whether' for Yes/No questions, and the wh-word itself for open questions.

Direct: "She asked, 'Where are you going?'"

Indirect: "She asked where I was going."

2. The Golden Tense Shifts & Pronoun Formula

Tenses shift back in time ONLY if the reporting verb is in the **Past Tense** (e.g., *said*, *told*, *asked*):

Present to Past: Simple Present changes to Simple Past; Present Continuous changes to Past Continuous; Present Perfect changes to Past Perfect.

Past Tense Shift: Simple Past shifts to Past Perfect. Past Continuous shifts to Past Perfect Continuous. Past Perfect and Past Perfect Continuous do NOT change.

The S-O-N Pronoun Rule: First-person pronouns change according to the Subject of the reporting clause. Second-person pronouns change according to the Object. Third-person pronouns undergo No change.

3. 20 Practice Questions (Solved)

Question 01CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: She said, "I have already completed my homework."

A) She said that she completed her homework.

B) She said that she had already completed her homework.

C) She says that she had completed her homework.

D) She told that she has already completed her homework.

Correct answer: B) She said that she had already completed her homework.

Solution

Step 1: Check the reporting verb. 'said' is in past tense, so tense inside inverted commas must change.

Step 2: Identify the tense inside. 'have already completed' is Present Perfect.

Step 3: Change Present Perfect to Past Perfect: 'had already completed'.

Step 4: Change pronoun: 1st person 'I' changes according to subject 'She' to 'she', and 'my' to 'her'.

Conclusion: Option B is the correct formulation.

Question 02CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: The teacher said to the students, "The sun rises in the east."

A) The teacher told the students that the sun rose in the east.

B) The teacher told the students that the sun rises in the east.

C) The teacher said to the students that the sun rises in the east.

D) The teacher told the students if the sun rises in the east.

Correct answer: B) The teacher told the students that the sun rises in the east.

Solution

Step 1: Identify reporting clause: 'said to the students' changes to 'told the students'.

Step 2: Check the statement inside: 'The sun rises in the east' is a universal truth / scientific fact.

Step 3: Rule: Tense of universal truths or habitual facts does not change even if the reporting verb is in the past.

Step 4: Connect using 'that' and keep tense intact: 'that the sun rises in the east'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 03CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said, "Honesty is the best policy."

A) He said that honesty was the best policy.

B) He said that honesty is the best policy.

C) He told that honesty has been the best policy.

D) He asked if honesty is the best policy.

Correct answer: B) He said that honesty is the best policy.

Solution

Step 1: The quote 'Honesty is the best policy' is a well-known proverb / universal truth.

Step 2: Proverbs do not change their tense during direct to indirect conversion.

Step 3: Retain simple present 'is'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 04CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: "Where do you live?" asked the stranger.

A) The stranger asked where did I live.

B) The stranger asked where I lived.

C) The stranger asked where I had lived.

D) The stranger asked that where I lived.

Correct answer: B) The stranger asked where I lived.

Solution

Step 1: The sentence is interrogative. Change the reporting verb to 'asked'.

Step 2: For 'wh-' questions, no conjunction ('that' or 'if') is used. The wh-word ('where') acts as the linker.

Step 3: Convert the question form 'do you live' into assertive word order (Subject + Verb) and change simple present to simple past: 'I lived'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 05CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said to me, "Please lend me your book."

A) He ordered me to lend him my book.

B) He requested me to lend him my book.

C) He requested me that I should lend him his book.

D) He asked me to please lend him your book.

Correct answer: B) He requested me to lend him my book.

Solution

Step 1: Identify sentence type: Imperative sentence starting with 'Please' indicating a request.

Step 2: Change reporting verb 'said to' to 'requested'.

Step 3: Remove 'Please' and connect using infinitive 'to' + base verb: 'to lend'.

Step 4: Change pronouns: 'me' (1st person) becomes 'him' (referring to subject 'He'), 'your' (2nd person) becomes 'my' (referring to object 'me').

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 06CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: My father said to me, "Don't waste your time."

A) My father advised me not to waste my time.

B) My father advised me to not waste your time.

C) My father forbade me not to waste my time.

D) My father told me that don't waste my time.

Correct answer: A) My father advised me not to waste my time.

Solution

Step 1: An imperative warning/advice is given: 'Don't waste your time'.

Step 2: Change reporting verb to 'advised' or 'forbade'. If we use 'advised', negative infinitives are built as 'not to + verb'.

Step 3: If 'forbade' is used, we do not use 'not' since 'forbade' is already negative. Hence, Option C is incorrect.

Step 4: 'your' changes to 'my' to match the object 'me'.

Conclusion: Option A is grammatically flawless.

Question 07CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said, "Alas! I am ruined."

A) He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

B) He exclaimed with sorrow that I was ruined.

C) He said with sadness that he had been ruined.

D) He exclaimed that alas he was ruined.

Correct answer: A) He exclaimed with sorrow that he was ruined.

Solution

Step 1: 'Alas!' indicates an exclamatory sentence expressing grief/sorrow.

Step 2: Change reporting verb to 'exclaimed with sorrow / grief'.

Step 3: Remove the interjection 'Alas!' and use conjunction 'that'.

Step 4: Tense changes from simple present 'am ruined' to simple past 'was ruined'. Pronoun 'I' shifts to 'he'.

Conclusion: Option A.

Question 08CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: She said, "I will go to Delhi tomorrow."

A) She said that she would go to Delhi tomorrow.

B) She said that she would go to Delhi the next day.

C) She said that she will go to Delhi the following day.

D) She told she would go to Delhi the previous day.

Correct answer: B) She said that she would go to Delhi the next day.

Solution

Step 1: 'said' is past, so tense shifts: 'will' changes to 'would'.

Step 2: Pronoun 'I' changes to 'she'.

Step 3: Adverbial of time 'tomorrow' must change to 'the next day' or 'the following day'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 09CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: The captain said, "Hurrah! We have won the match."

A) The captain exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

B) The captain exclaimed with joy that we had won the match.

C) The captain told with joy that they won the match.

D) The captain celebrated that they have won the match.

Correct answer: A) The captain exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.

Solution

Step 1: 'Hurrah!' represents extreme happiness. Change reporting verb to 'exclaimed with joy'.

Step 2: Use conjunction 'that'. Change 1st person plural pronoun 'We' to 3rd person plural 'they'.

Step 3: Change Present Perfect 'have won' to Past Perfect 'had won'.

Conclusion: Option A.

Question 10CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He says, "I am writing a letter."

A) He says that he was writing a letter.

B) He says that he is writing a letter.

C) He said that he was writing a letter.

D) He says that I am writing a letter.

Correct answer: B) He says that he is writing a letter.

Solution

Step 1: Examine the reporting verb: 'says' is in **Present Tense**.

Step 2: Rule: If the reporting verb is in present or future tense, the tense of the verb inside inverted commas does NOT change.

Step 3: Only the pronoun 'I' changes to 'he' to match the subject.

Step 4: Keep present continuous 'is writing'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 11CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: She said to me, "Did you see the soccer match yesterday?"

A) She asked me if I saw the soccer match the previous day.

B) She asked me if I had seen the soccer match the previous day.

C) She asked me that did I see the soccer match yesterday.

D) She inquired me whether had I seen the soccer match the day before.

Correct answer: B) She asked me if I had seen the soccer match the previous day.

Solution

Step 1: The sentence is interrogative with a auxiliary verb 'Did' (Yes/No type). Use 'if' or 'whether' as conjunction.

Step 2: Simple Past 'did see' inside shifts to Past Perfect 'had seen'.

Step 3: 'yesterday' changes to 'the previous day' or 'the day before'.

Step 4: Align pronouns: 'you' changes to 'I' matching the object 'me'.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 12CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: The doctor said to the patient, "Take your medicines on time."

A) The doctor ordered the patient that he should take his medicines on time.

B) The doctor advised the patient to take his medicines on time.

C) The doctor suggested the patient to take your medicines on time.

D) The doctor told the patient to take your medicines on time.

Correct answer: B) The doctor advised the patient to take his medicines on time.

Solution

Step 1: The statement is medical advice. Change reporting verb 'said to' to 'advised'.

Step 2: In imperative statements, connect using 'to' + infinitive: 'to take'.

Step 3: Change pronoun 'your' to 'his' to match the patient.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 13CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said, "Let us go for a walk."

A) He suggested that they should go for a walk.

B) He suggested to go for a walk.

C) He said that let's go for a walk.

D) He ordered that we should go for a walk.

Correct answer: A) He suggested that they should go for a walk.

Solution

Step 1: 'Let us...' indicates a proposal or suggestion. Use reporting verb 'suggested' or 'proposed'.

Step 2: Connect using 'that' followed by 'they should' or 'we should' + base verb.

Step 3: Thus, 'suggested that they should go' is correct.

Conclusion: Option A.

Question 14CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: The teacher said, "Be quiet, boys."

A) The teacher told the boys to be quiet.

B) The teacher urged the boys that they should be quiet.

C) The teacher ordered the boys to be quiet.

D) Both A and C are correct, but C is more appropriate.

Correct answer: D) Both A and C are correct, but C is more appropriate.

Solution

Step 1: The teacher is addressing the 'boys' (implied object) with a command ('Be quiet').

Step 2: Change 'said' to 'ordered' or 'urged' or 'told'.

Step 3: Connect with 'to be quiet'.

Step 4: Since a teacher commands discipline, 'ordered' fits perfectly, but 'told' is also correct. Option D highlights this distinction.

Conclusion: Option D.

Question 15CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: She said, "I had gone to bed when the phone rang."

A) She said that she had gone to bed when the phone had rung.

B) She said that she had gone to bed when the phone rang.

C) She said that she went to bed when the phone had rung.

D) She told she had been going to bed when the phone rang.

Correct answer: B) She said that she had gone to bed when the phone rang.

Solution

Step 1: Note that 'had gone' is Past Perfect and 'rang' is Simple Past forming a temporal clause describing simultaneous actions.

Step 2: Standard CGL rule: In time clauses showing simultaneous past actions, tense is kept unchanged to prevent awkward constructions like 'had had'.

Step 3: Keep the original tenses intact.

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 16CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said, "I can solve this puzzle easily."

A) He said that he could solve that puzzle easily.

B) He said that he can solve that puzzle easily.

C) He told he could solve this puzzle easily.

D) He said that he could solve this puzzle easily.

Correct answer: A) He said that he could solve that puzzle easily.

Solution

Step 1: Change 'can' to past tense form 'could'.

Step 2: Shift 'this' to 'that' to indicate distance in reported speech.

Step 3: Pronoun 'I' shifts to 'he'.

Conclusion: Option A.

Question 17CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: The commander said to the soldiers, "March forward!"

A) The commander requested the soldiers to march forward.

B) The commander commanded the soldiers to march forward.

C) The commander advised the soldiers to march forward.

D) The commander ordered to the soldiers to march forward.

Correct answer: B) The commander commanded the soldiers to march forward.

Solution

Step 1: Military instructions take the reporting verb 'commanded' or 'ordered'.

Step 2: Connect using 'to + verb' (infinitive): 'to march forward'.

Step 3: Note that 'ordered' does not take the preposition 'to' directly before soldiers (hence D is wrong).

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 18CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: "May God bless you with health!" said the old priest.

A) The old priest wished that God might bless me with health.

B) The old priest prayed that God might bless me with health.

C) The old priest prayed that God may bless you with health.

D) The old priest exclaimed that God should bless me with health.

Correct answer: B) The old priest prayed that God might bless me with health.

Solution

Step 1: This is an optative sentence (prayer/wish). Change reporting verb to 'prayed' or 'wished'.

Step 2: Use conjunction 'that'.

Step 3: Change 'May God bless' to 'God might bless' (reordering subject 'God' and modal 'might').

Step 4: Second person 'you' shifts to 'me' (implied object).

Conclusion: Option B.

Question 19CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: She said, "I must leave immediately."

A) She said that she must leave immediately.

B) She said that she had to leave immediately.

C) She said that she should leave immediately.

D) Both A and B are correct.

Correct answer: D) Both A and B are correct.

Solution

Step 1: 'must' inside direct speech can remain 'must' or convert to 'had to' when referring to a permanent obligation/immediate necessity.

Step 2: Both versions are highly accepted in SSC exams.

Conclusion: Option D represents the most complete truth.

Question 20CGL Practice

Select the correct indirect form: He said, "What a beautiful scene it is!"

A) He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful scene.

B) He exclaimed with surprise that what a beautiful scene it was.

C) He said that it is a very beautiful scene.

D) He exclaimed that what a beautiful scene it is.

Correct answer: A) He exclaimed that it was a very beautiful scene.

Solution

Step 1: This is an exclamatory sentence starting with 'What a...'.

Step 2: Change reporting verb to 'exclaimed' and use 'that'.

Step 3: Convert the exclamatory structure into a statement: 'it was a very beautiful scene'.

Step 4: Notice we drop the word 'what' and use modifiers like 'very' or 'great'.

Conclusion: Option A is correct.

Strategy errors to avoid

Universal Truth Tense Shift

Don't shift tenses of scientific laws, proverbs, or universal facts even if the reporting verb is in the past. Doing so (e.g. changing 'is' to 'was' in proverbs) is the most common SSC trap.

Double Conjunction 'that wh-'

Never use 'that' along with 'wh-' words (like where, who, why, how) in interrogative reported speech. Example: 'He asked me *that why*...' is completely ungrammatical.

Master the next modules

Degrees of Comparison Modals Subject-Verb Agreement