A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech.
"Could it be that we overlooked a critical variable during our preliminary analysis?" she speculated.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
She speculated whether they had overlooked a critical variable during their preliminary analysis.
Explanation
Core Meaning: The sentence converts a reflective question into indirect speech while maintaining the original meaning, shifting the tenses backward, and updating the pronouns to match the reported perspective.
To solve this quickly for an exam, apply these core transformations: The reporting phrase "she speculated" is kept to show her uncertainty. The yes/no question format ("Could it be...?") is removed by introducing the clause with the conjunction whether. The simple past tense verb "overlooked" must backshift into the past perfect tense (had overlooked). Finally, the first-person pronouns "we" and "our" must change to the third-person forms they and their. The chosen option correctly applies all of these grammar rules.
Key Points
Core Definition: Changing direct questions to indirect statements requires dropping the question structure, switching to an introductory conjunction like whether, updating pronouns, and shifting verbs to the past.
Grammatical Role: Converting an interrogative past-tense clause into an indirect nominal object clause to ensure proper narrative flow.