In the following question, a sentence has been given in Indirect Speech. Choose the correct Direct Speech form.
She said that only if he had studied regularly would he have passed the exam.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer: She said, “Only if he had studied regularly would he have passed the exam.”
Explanation
• In reported speech, hypothetical conditional sentences (third conditional: had + past participle in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause) do not undergo any tense backshift because the past perfect cannot shift further into the past.
• When a sentence begins with a restrictive clause like only if, the main clause requires subject-auxiliary inversion (would he have passed rather than he would have passed).
• To convert into direct speech, remove the conjunction that, insert a comma after the reporting verb, and place the inverted conditional statement inside quotation marks without altering its structure.