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Question : Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.

The little boy said, "My cat can climb the tree."

Option 1: The little boy said that his cat climbed the tree.

Option 2: The little boy said that his cat had climbed the tree.

Option 3: The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree.

Option 4: The little boy said that his cat can climb the tree.


Team Careers360 9th Jan, 2024
Answer (1)
Team Careers360 21st Jan, 2024

Correct Answer: The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree.


Solution : The correct choice is the third option.

Indirect speech involves converting direct speech (spoken words) into indirect speech (reported words).

Narration Conversion:

  • The reporting verb "said" remains unchanged.
  • The possessive pronoun "my" changes to "his" to reflect the shift from the little boy's perspective to the third person.
  • The verb "can" changes to its past tense form "could" to maintain the proper sequence of tenses in indirect speech.
  • The connector "that" is used to introduce the reported clause.

Therefore, the correct sentence is: "The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree."

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