Pronouns in Reported Speech Quiz

1. What does changing pronouns in reported (indirect) speech mean?

Leaving all the pronouns exactly the same as in direct speech.

Adjusting the pronouns so they match who was speaking and who was listening in the report.

Removing all pronouns from the sentence.

Changing every pronoun to they.

In indirect speech, we change pronouns so they fit the new point of view of the person reporting the words.

Explanation

In indirect speech, we change pronouns so they fit the new point of view of the person reporting the words.

2. Direct: "I need help," Maria said. Which is the best reported (indirect) sentence?

Maria said that I needed help.

Maria said that she needs help.

Maria said that she needed help.

Maria said that they needed help.

I in direct speech refers to Maria, so it changes to she, and the tense changes to needed in indirect speech.

Explanation

I in direct speech refers to Maria, so it changes to she, and the tense changes to needed in indirect speech.

3. Direct: "I need help," she said. Indirect: She said that she needed help. This is a correct change of pronoun and tense.

True

False

I becomes she to match the speaker, and need becomes needed when reported with said.

Explanation

I becomes she to match the speaker, and need becomes needed when reported with said.

4. Direct: "I lost my keys," he said. Indirect: He said that I lost my keys. This is correct reported speech.

True

False

I should change to he in indirect speech because he was the one who spoke.

Explanation

I should change to he in indirect speech because he was the one who spoke.

5. Which reported sentences correctly change the pronouns from direct to indirect speech?

Direct: "I am tired," Tom said. Indirect: Tom said that he was tired.

Direct: "I am tired," Tom said. Indirect: Tom said that I was tired.

Direct: "We are ready," they said. Indirect: They said that they were ready.

Direct: "We are ready," they said. Indirect: They said that we were ready.

Direct: "I forgot my book," Anna said. Indirect: Anna said that she had forgotten her book.

A, C, and E change I to he or she and keep we as they when the group is being reported.

Explanation

A, C, and E change I to he or she and keep we as they when the group is being reported.

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6. Which reported sentences use pronouns incorrectly?

Direct: "I am late," he said. Indirect: He said that he was late.

Direct: "I am late," he said. Indirect: He said that you were late.

Direct: "We won," we said. Indirect: We said that we had won.

Direct: "We won," we said. Indirect: We said that they had won.

Direct: "I lost my pencil," she said. Indirect: She said that she had lost her pencil.

B wrongly changes I to you, and D wrongly changes we to they when the speakers are reporting themselves.

Explanation

B wrongly changes I to you, and D wrongly changes we to they when the speakers are reporting themselves.

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7. Direct: "I forgot my homework," Jake said. Indirect: Jake said that __________ forgot his homework.

He replaces I because Jake is the one who forgot his homework.

Explanation

He replaces I because Jake is the one who forgot his homework.

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8. Direct: "We are going to the park," they said. Indirect: They said that __________ were going to the park.

We in direct speech changes to they in indirect speech when another person reports it.

Explanation

We in direct speech changes to they in indirect speech when another person reports it.

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9. Direct: "You should clean your room," Mom told me. Which is the best reported sentence?

Mom told me that you should clean your room.

Mom told me that I should clean my room.

Mom told me that she should clean her room.

Mom told me that they should clean their room.

You in Mom’s words refers to me, so it changes to I in indirect speech.

Explanation

You in Mom’s words refers to me, so it changes to I in indirect speech.

10. Direct: "You all should sit down," the teacher told the students. Which is the best indirect sentence?

The teacher told the students that you all should sit down.

The teacher told the students that we should sit down.

The teacher told the students that they should sit down.

The teacher told the students that he should sit down.

You all refers to the students, so it changes to they when someone reports what the teacher said.

Explanation

You all refers to the students, so it changes to they when someone reports what the teacher said.

11. When changing to indirect speech, pronouns should match the person who originally spoke or was spoken to.

True

False

Pronouns must be changed so the reader can tell who the words belong to.

Explanation

Pronouns must be changed so the reader can tell who the words belong to.

12. We never change pronouns when we turn direct speech into indirect speech.

True

False

Pronouns often need to change so that the sentence still makes sense from the reporter’s point of view.

Explanation

Pronouns often need to change so that the sentence still makes sense from the reporter’s point of view.

13. Direct: "We will help you," the students told Jake. Which reported sentences correctly change the pronouns?

The students told Jake that they would help him.

The students told Jake that we would help you.

The students told Jake that they would help you.

The students told Jake that he would help them.

The students told Jake that they would help Jake.

In A, we becomes they for the students, and you becomes him for Jake.

Explanation

In A, we becomes they for the students, and you becomes him for Jake.

14. Direct: "I finished my project," Ana said. Which reported sentences use pronouns correctly?

Ana said that she had finished her project.

Ana said that I had finished my project.

Ana said that they had finished their project.

Ana said that she finished her project.

Ana said that she had finished the project.

A, D, and E correctly change I to she and keep the object project clear.

Explanation

A, D, and E correctly change I to she and keep the object project clear.

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15. Direct: "I lost my notebook," you said to the teacher. Indirect: You said that __________ lost your notebook.

Here the speaker is still you in both sentences, so the pronoun you stays the same in indirect speech.

Explanation

Here the speaker is still you in both sentences, so the pronoun you stays the same in indirect speech.

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16. Direct: "We love our team," the fans said. Which is the best reported sentence?

The fans said that we loved our team.

The fans said that they loved their team.

The fans said that they love their team.

The fans said that we love our team.

We becomes they and our becomes their when another person reports what the fans said.

Explanation

We becomes they and our becomes their when another person reports what the fans said.

17. Which sentence shows the main reason we change pronouns in indirect speech?

To make the sentence longer.

To match the new speaker’s and listener’s point of view.

To remove all names from the sentence.

To always change everything to they.

Pronouns must fit the point of view of the person reporting the speech.

Explanation

Pronouns must fit the point of view of the person reporting the speech.

18. In reported speech, the pronoun my often changes to his or her, depending on who spoke.

True

False

My is first person, so in indirect speech it usually becomes a third-person possessive like his or her.

Explanation

My is first person, so in indirect speech it usually becomes a third-person possessive like his or her.

19. Direct: "This is my book," she said. Indirect: She said that it was __________ book.

My belongs to she, so it changes to her in indirect speech.

Explanation

My belongs to she, so it changes to her in indirect speech.

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20. When changing direct speech to indirect speech, what should you check about pronouns first?

Whether every pronoun is I.

Whether you can remove all the pronouns.

Whether each pronoun still points to the correct person after the sentence is changed.

Whether the sentence now has more pronouns than before.

Each pronoun in the new sentence must clearly refer to the right person or group.

Explanation

Each pronoun in the new sentence must clearly refer to the right person or group.

Shifting Person: Pronouns in Reported Speech Quiz