narration

Question 1

1.He asked her that (a)/ whether she knew (b)/ what had happened last week when she was on leave. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2014 (II)]

Answer 1

1.(a) A Wh-question in the direct speech does not require the conjunction ‘that’.

Question 2

2.I did not know where they were going (a)/ nor could I understand (b)/ why had they left so soon. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2014 (II)]

Answer 2

2.(c) Place ‘had’ after ‘they’. In an Indirect question, the word order is the same as a statement.

Question 3

3.Her relatives could not explain to us (a)/ why did not she come for the wedding (b)/ as she was expected. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2012 (II)]

Answer 3

3.(b) Place ‘did not’ after ‘she’. See explanatory note. 2

Question 4

4.He asked me (a)/ if I know (b)/ where the principal lived. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2010 (I)]

Answer 4

4.(b) The present simple changes to past simple.

Question 5

5.When he did not find his cook in the kitchen (a)/ he asked his wife (b)/ where had he gone. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2009]

Answer 5

5.(c) ‘Where had she gone’ should be ‘where she had gone’. In an indirect question, the verb phrase is placed after the subject.

Question 6

6.He said that (a)/ he will never (b)/ repeat the mistake. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC CGL 2009]

Answer 6

6.(b) ‘Will’ should be ‘Would’.

Question 7

7.I asked him (a)/ why did he call (b)/ me a fool. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC Stenographer 2005]

Answer 7

7.(b) ‘Why did he call’ should be ‘why he called’. An indirect question needs no auxiliary verb. It is the same as a statement.

Question 8

8.I was surprised (a)/ when he told me (b)/ how much does he study everyday. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC Stenographer 2005]

Answer 8

“8.(c) ‘How much does he study”” should be ‘How much he studied’. An indirect question in simple tenses does not need an auxiliary. The word order is like that of a statement.”

Question 9

9.The doctor recommended (a)/ that he should (b)/ take a holiday. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC CGL 2014]

Answer 9

9.(d)

Question 10

10.My sister asked me (a)/ that how long (b)/ I would stay there. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC CGL 2013]

Answer 10

10.(b) ‘That’ is not required.

Question 11

11.Henry asked his wife (a)/ what had she prepared (b)/ for dinner that night. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC CGL 2013]

Answer 11

11.(b) ‘What had she prepared’ should be ‘What she had prepared’.

Question 12

12.It is said (a)/ that this room is not being opened (b)/ for the last fifty years. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC FCI 2012]

Answer 12

12.(b) ‘Has not been opened’ should be used.

Question 13

“13.She wondered (a)/ how is she going to manage (b)/ if he couldn”“t get a job. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC Stenographer 2012]”

Answer 13

13.(b) ‘How she was going to manage’ should be used

Question 14

14.My elder brother (a)/ asked me (b)/ that what I was doing. (c)/ No error (d) [SSC LDC 2012]

Answer 14

14.(c) ‘That’ can’t precede ‘what’.

Question 15

15.The teacher asked him (a)/ which English novel (b)/ did he like the most. (c)/ No error (d) [CDC 2012]

Answer 15

“15.(c) ““Did he like most’should be ‘he liked most’.”

Question 16

16.Galileo proved that (a)/ the earth revolves (b)/ around the sun. (c)/ No error (d) [CDS 2011]

Answer 16

16.(c)

Question 17

17. Rashmi said that (a)/ she has seen him (b)/ the day before. (c)/ No error (d)

Answer 17

17. (b) ‘Has seen’ should be ‘had seen’.

Question 18

1.We as the editor of (a)/ a popular magazine would like to (b)/ know what are other topics most (c)/ on people’s minds. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 18

1.(c) ‘What are other topics’ should be ‘What other topics are’ In an indirect question, the word order is the same at a statement.

Question 19

2.The metrologist department (a)/ predicted that the (b)/ rains and thunderstorm may (c)/ continue throughout the day. (d)/ No error (e) [Corporation Bank (PO) 2009]

Answer 19

2.(b) ‘May’ should be ‘might’. The past of may is might. If the reporting verb is in the past, the reported speech is in the past.

Question 20

3.She told her son (a)/ to wait in the car (b)/ until she does not (c)/ return from the shop. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 20

3.(c) ‘Until she returned’ should be used. ‘Does not’ is not required.

Question 21

4.He said that (a)/ the new books have arrived (b)/ and asked where (c)/ he has to put them. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 21

4.(b) ‘Have arrived’ should be ‘had arrived’.

Question 22

5.Mary suggested that (a)/ Varun and I should (b)/ go ahead and (c)/ sign the document. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 22

5.(e)

Question 23

6.I asked my neighbour (a)/ if he will mind (b)/ turning (c)/ down the radio. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 23

6.(b) ‘Will’ should be ‘would’.

Question 24

7.Tarun wanted to know (a)/ if there would (b)/ be enough (c)/ time. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 24

7.(e)

Question 25

8.The students wanted (a)/ to know that (b)/ whether they could (c)/ use calculators. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 25

8. (b) ‘That’ is not required.

Question 26

9.Anita told me (a)/ years ago that (b)/ her husband (c)/ owned a super mall. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 26

9.(e)

Question 27

10.The steward (a)/ said that (b)/ we can (c)/ sit in the lawn. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 27

10.(c) ‘Can’ should be ‘could’.

Question 28

11.Sanjeev said that (a)/ he is not (b)/ expecting (c)/ to see me. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 28

10.(b) ‘Is not’ should be ‘was not’.

Question 29

12.At half time (a)/ the Australians thought (b)/ they have a good chance (c)/ of winning. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 29

11.(c) ‘Have’ should be ‘had’.

Question 30

13.The man pointed out that (a)/ he didn’t know (b)/ that I am (c)/ going to ask him out. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 30

12.(a) ‘am’ should be ‘was’.

Question 31

14.Vimla suggested that (a)/ Kanti went (b)/ upstairs (c)/ down stairs. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 31

13.(b) ‘Went’ should be ‘should go’.

Question 32

15.Rishabh wondered (a)/ what is on (b)/ at the mona (c)/ then. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 32

14.(b) ‘Is’ should be ‘was’.

Question 33

16.Mohit agreed and said (a)/ that he may go (b) on a picnic (c)/ if it was a fine day. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 33

15.(b) ‘May’ should be ‘might’.

Question 34

17.The security men told us that (a)/ we have to (b)/ wait (c)/ outside. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 34

16.(b) ‘Have to’ should be ‘had to’.

Question 35

18.Simon wants (a)/ to know (b)/ when (c)/ the lesson is. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 35

17.(e)

Question 36

19. The captain said (a)/ that his team (b)/ is beaten (c)/ by a better side. (d)/ No error (e)

Answer 36

19. (c) ‘Is’ should be ‘was’.