In the following question, a sentence has been given in Indirect Speech. Choose the correct Direct Speech form.
The climatologist said that if global temperatures kept rising, sea levels would threaten major coastal cities.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Transformation from indirect to direct speech:
Tense Backshift: In indirect speech, "keep" (present) often becomes "kept" (past), and "will" becomes "would" (conditional).
Scientific Truths/Predictions: When reporting a general truth or a conditional prediction that is still valid, the original tense is often maintained in the direct quote.
The third option is the correct direct speech form. It captures the exact conditional statement: "If global temperatures kept rising, sea levels would threaten major coastal cities."
Direct speech: The climatologist said, "If global temperatures kept rising, sea levels would threaten major coastal cities."