Grammar: Reported Speech — Class 10 MCQs with Answers
Class 10 CBSE English · Chapter 24
60 practice questions · 20 Easy · 20 Medium · 20 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 10 CBSE English questions from Chapter 24, "Grammar: Reported Speech". You get 6 timed quizzes made from 60 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 20 Easy, 20 Medium and 20 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "Grammar: Reported Speech", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Grammar: Reported Speech, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 10 English mastery score. 12 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Grammar: Reported Speech — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 10 English)
12 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation.
- Q1Easy
Report correctly: 'I am tired,' said Ravi.
A.Ravi said that he was tired.✓ CorrectB.Ravi said that he is tired.C.Ravi said that I was tired.D.Ravi says that he was tired.Answer: A. Ravi said that he was tired.
Explanation: The present tense shifts to the past and the first-person pronoun becomes third person.
- Q2Easy
Report correctly: 'Where do you live?' she asked me.
A.She asked me where I live.B.She asked me where I lived.✓ CorrectC.She asked me where did I live.D.She asked me where do I live.Answer: B. She asked me where I lived.
Explanation: A reported question drops the auxiliary and takes statement word order.
- Q3Easy
Report correctly: 'Close the door,' the teacher said.
A.The teacher said that close the door.B.The teacher asked that we closed the door.C.The teacher told us to close the door.✓ CorrectD.The teacher said to close the door please.Answer: C. The teacher told us to close the door.
Explanation: A command is reported with 'told' plus the infinitive.
- Q4Easy
In reported speech, 'tomorrow' usually becomes:
A.yesterdayB.that dayC.the previous dayD.the next day✓ CorrectAnswer: D. the next day
Explanation: Future time references shift forward from the moment of reporting.
- Q5Easy
Report correctly: 'She works in a bank,' he said.
A.He says that she worked in a bank.B.He said that she is working in a bank.C.He said that she worked in a bank.✓ CorrectD.He said that she works in a bank.Answer: C. He said that she worked in a bank.
Explanation: After a past reporting verb the simple present shifts to the simple past.
- Q6Medium
Report correctly: 'I met him last week,' she said.
A.She said that she had met him the previous week.✓ CorrectB.She said that she met him last week.C.She said that she has met him the previous week.D.She said that she had met him last week.Answer: A. She said that she had met him the previous week.
Explanation: The simple past shifts to the past perfect and 'last week' shifts to 'the previous week'.
- Q7Medium
Report correctly: 'Why didn't you attend the meeting?' the manager asked.
A.The manager asked why I did not attend the meeting.B.The manager asked that why I had not attended the meeting.C.The manager asked why I had not attended the meeting.✓ CorrectD.The manager asked why did I not attend the meeting.Answer: C. The manager asked why I had not attended the meeting.
Explanation: The auxiliary is dropped, order becomes that of a statement, and the past shifts to the past perfect.
- Q8Medium
Report correctly: 'Would you mind opening the window?' he said to her.
A.He asked that she would open the window.B.He requested her to open the window.✓ CorrectC.He told her would she mind opening the window.D.He said her to open the window.Answer: B. He requested her to open the window.
Explanation: A polite formula of this kind is reported as a request with the infinitive.
- Q9Medium
Report correctly: 'I saw him here yesterday,' she said.
A.She said that she has seen him there the day before.B.She said that she had seen him there the previous day.✓ CorrectC.She said that she saw him here yesterday.D.She said that she had seen him here yesterday.Answer: B. She said that she had seen him there the previous day.
Explanation: Tense, place and time all shift together in reported speech.
- Q10Hard
Choose the correct reported form of: 'If I had money, I would buy that house,' he said.
A.He said that if he had money he would buy that house.✓ CorrectB.He said that if he had had money he would have bought that house.C.He said that if he has money he will buy that house.D.He said that if he had money he will buy that house.Answer: A. He said that if he had money he would buy that house.
Explanation: A second conditional is already in an unreal past form and does not shift further.
- Q11Hard
Choose the correct reported form of: 'Shall I open the window?' he asked.
A.He asked that he should open the window.B.He asked whether he should open the window.✓ CorrectC.He asked whether he shall open the window.D.He asked whether shall he open the window.Answer: B. He asked whether he should open the window.
Explanation: 'Shall' seeking instruction shifts to 'should'.
- Q12Hard
Choose the correct reported form of: 'Wait here till I return,' he told her.
A.He told her to wait here till he returns.B.He told her that she waits there till he returned.C.He told her waiting there till he had returned.D.He told her to wait there till he returned.✓ CorrectAnswer: D. He told her to wait there till he returned.
Explanation: The command takes an infinitive, 'here' becomes 'there', and the time clause shifts back.
Key concepts: Grammar: Reported Speech (Class 10 English)
Turning direct speech into reported speech means changing three things at once — the tense, the pronouns, and the words for time and place — and then choosing a structure that matches the sentence type: statement, question, or command.
- Backshift of tense
- Simple present becomes simple past, present perfect becomes past perfect, 'will' becomes 'would', 'can' becomes 'could': 'We have finished' → 'They said that they HAD FINISHED.'
- Pronoun shift
- Pronouns move to the reporter's viewpoint: 'I am tired,' said Ravi → 'Ravi said that HE was tired.'
- Reporting a statement
- 'Said that' plus the shifts: 'She works in a bank' → 'He said that she WORKED in a bank.'
- Reporting a wh-question
- Keep the question word, drop the auxiliary, use STATEMENT order and no question mark: 'Where do you live?' → 'She asked me WHERE I LIVED.'
- Reporting a yes/no question
- Introduce it with 'whether' or 'if': 'Are you coming with us?' → 'He asked WHETHER I WAS COMING with them'; 'Can you swim?' → 'She asked him IF he COULD swim.'
- Reporting a command
- 'Told' plus the infinitive: 'Close the door' → 'The teacher TOLD us TO CLOSE the door.' A strong order takes 'ordered'.
- Reporting a negative command
- 'Not' goes before the infinitive: 'Do not touch the wires' → 'The electrician WARNED us NOT TO TOUCH the wires.'
- Reporting a request
- A polite request takes 'requested' or 'asked': 'Please help me' → 'She REQUESTED him TO HELP her.'
- Reporting a proposal
- 'Let us' becomes 'suggested' plus the -ing form: 'Let us go for a walk' → 'He SUGGESTED GOING for a walk.' It is a proposal, not a command.
- Time shifts
- 'Tomorrow' → the next day · 'yesterday' → the previous day · 'now' → then · 'ago' → before.
- Place and demonstrative shifts
- 'Here' → there · 'this' → that · 'these' → those. Near references move to distant ones.
- What does not shift
- A universal truth keeps its present tense even in reported speech — the same exception as in the tenses chapter.
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Start this chapter free →Grammar: Reported Speech — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 10 English Grammar: Reported Speech?+
Turning direct speech into reported speech means changing three things at once — the tense, the pronouns, and the words for time and place — and then choosing a structure that matches the sentence type: statement, question, or command. Key ideas include Backshift of tense, Pronoun shift, Reporting a statement, Reporting a wh-question, Reporting a yes/no question, Reporting a command.
What does Class 10 English Chapter 24 (Grammar: Reported Speech) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 60 NCERT-based MCQs on "Grammar: Reported Speech": 20 Easy, 20 Medium and 20 Hard. Together they make 6 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "Grammar: Reported Speech" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Grammar: Reported Speech" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 10 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 11 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Grammar: Reported Speech" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 6 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Grammar: Reported Speech" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 12 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Grammar: Reported Speech" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Grammar: Reported Speech (Class 10 English)?+
The questions that matter most test Backshift of tense, Pronoun shift, Reporting a statement, Reporting a wh-question, Reporting a yes/no question, Reporting a command. This page shows 12 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 60 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for Grammar: Reported Speech?+
Yes — Class 10 English Grammar: Reported Speech has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.