Choose the correct direct speech form of the following sentence.
The farmer asked his wife why she was upset when he had just returned from the city.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Transformation from indirect speech to direct speech:
Tense Shift (Present to Past): In indirect speech, "was upset" (simple past) indicates the original direct speech used the simple present "are you upset."
Tense Shift (Present Perfect to Past Perfect): The phrase "had just returned" (past perfect) in indirect speech indicates that the direct speech originally used the present perfect "have just returned."
Pronoun Changes: The third-person pronouns "she" and "he" in the indirect version correctly revert to the first-person "I" and second-person "you" to reflect the original conversation between the farmer and his wife.
Question Structure: The indirect "why she was" correctly transforms back into the direct interrogative form "Why are you...?" with the appropriate punctuation.
Direct speech: The farmer said to his wife, "Why are you upset when I have just returned from the city?"