Question : In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech.
She said, "I was writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road".
Option 1: She said that she was writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Option 2: She said that she has been writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Option 3: She said that she had been writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Option 4: She said that she had written an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Correct Answer: She said that she had been writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Solution : The appropriate option is 3
She said that she had been writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
Explanation: The aforementioned sentence is an assertive statement and is written in direct speech. In indirect speech, it needs to be changed. The changes that occur when we switch from direct to indirect speech include: 1. There is no change in the reported verb's tense. 2. The inverted commas are removed and the determiner "that" is added. 3. "I" is replaced with "he" in the personal pronoun. 4. The reported speech's Past Progressive tense was changed to Past Perfect Progressive tense. In accordance with conversion rules, the indirect speech phrase will be:
Direct: She said, "I was writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road". Indirect : She said that she had been writing an application to the minister about the poor condition of road.
She said, "I washed my cloths yesterday".
Option 1: She says that she had washed her cloths the day before.
Option 2: She said that she had washed her cloths yesterday.
Option 3: She said that she had washed her cloths the day before.
Option 4: She said that she had been washed her cloths the day before.
Nancy said, "I will not attend the concert now".
Option 1: Nancy said that she will not attend the concert then.
Option 2: Nancy said that she would not attend the concert now.
Option 3: Nancy said that she would not attend the concert then.
Option 4: Nancy said that she should not attend the concert then.
John said, "I am driving to office tomorrow".
Option 1: John said that he is driving to office tomorrow.
Option 2: John said that he was driving to office the next day.
Option 3: John says that he was driving to office tomorrow.
Option 4: John said that he had been driving to office the next day.
She said, "I will have prepared the pasta by the time they arrive".
Option 1: She said that she will have prepared the pasta by the time they would arrive.
Option 2: She said that she would prepared the pasta by the time they will arrive.
Option 3: She said that she would have prepared the pasta by the time they will arrived.
Option 4: She said that she would have prepared the pasta by the time they arrive.
She said, "I've been teaching English for seven years now.”
Option 1:
She said that she was teaching English for seven years at that time.
Option 2: She said that she had been teaching English for seven years at that time.
Option 3: She said that she had taught English for seven years at that time.
Option 4: She said that she had been teaching English for seven years now.
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