A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech.
The geologist explained that tectonic shifts were inevitable.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Correct answer: Option 1 — 'The geologist said, 'Tectonic shifts are inevitable.''
Why:
- 'explained that' correctly becomes 'said,' (reporting verb converts properly)
- 'were' (past) correctly backshifts to 'are' (present) — this matches the original meaning exactly
- Option 2 reverses word order awkwardly and doesn't fix the reporting verb structure properly
- Option 3 changes meaning ('will occur' ≠ 'inevitable')
- Option 4 changes both structure and meaning, adding 'Inevitably' awkwardly and losing 'explained'