OOPT Reported Speech and Indirect Questions — Questions and Answers

Question 1: She said, 'I will call you tomorrow.' Which is the correct reported speech?

She said she would call me the next day. (Correct answer)
She said she will call me tomorrow.
She said I would call her the next day.
She said she would call me tomorrow.

Correct answer: She said she would call me the next day.

Backshifting: 'will' → 'would'. Pronoun change: 'I' → 'she', 'you' → 'me'. Time reference change: 'tomorrow' → 'the next day'. Option B fails to backshift. Option C swaps pronouns incorrectly. Option D keeps 'tomorrow' without changing it.

Question 2: He asked me where _______ from.

I came (Correct answer)
did I come
I come
do I come

Correct answer: I came

In indirect questions the word order reverts to statement order (subject before verb), not question order. Past tense 'came' is used because the reporting verb 'asked' is past. Options B and D use question word order. Option C uses present simple, ignoring backshifting.

Question 3: The officer asked us _______ we had seen anything suspicious.

whether (Correct answer)
that
what
if that

Correct answer: whether

Yes/no questions are reported with 'whether' or 'if'. 'That' introduces reported statements, not questions. 'What' would introduce a wh-question, implying specific information was seen. 'If that' is not grammatical in this context.

Question 4: My friend told me she _______ the project the previous week.

had finished (Correct answer)
has finished
finished
would finish

Correct answer: had finished

Backshifting past simple → past perfect. The original statement was 'I finished the project last week.' Reported in the past, 'finished' becomes 'had finished'. 'Has finished' is present perfect, not backshifted. 'Finished' misses the required backshift. 'Would finish' implies a future action.

Question 5: She asked me _______ I could help her move on Saturday.

if (Correct answer)
that
which
what

Correct answer: if

'If' (or 'whether') links a reported yes/no question. 'That' introduces reported statements. 'Which' and 'what' introduce reported questions requiring specific information, which does not match the yes/no structure here.

Question 6: Direct speech: 'Don't open the window.' What is the reported form?

He told me not to open the window. (Correct answer)
He told me don't open the window.
He said me not to open the window.
He told me to not open the window.

Correct answer: He told me not to open the window.

Reported imperatives use 'tell/ask + object + (not) to + infinitive'. The negative goes before 'to': 'not to open'. 'Tell' requires an object ('me'), unlike 'say'. Placing 'not' after 'to' ('to not') is non-standard in British English, which OOPT follows.

OOPT Reported Speech and Indirect Questions

She said, 'I will call you tomorrow.' Which is the correct reported speech?