Select the correct alternative from the given options that correctly changes the form of narration in the given sentence.
The Headmistress said, “What a performance!”
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. The Headmistress exclaimed that it was a great performance.
- The direct sentence is an exclamation:
“What a performance!”
This expresses excitement or admiration.
- When changing exclamatory sentences to indirect speech:
Use a reporting verb like exclaimed (often with emotion).
Introduce a conjunction 'that'.
Convert the exclamation into a normal statement, e.g., “it was a great performance”.
Why option 2 is correct:
It uses the reporting verb 'exclaimed'.
It includes 'that' to connect clauses.
It accurately converts the exclamation into a statement about the performance.
Why the other options are incorrect:
Option 1 (“The Headmistress said that what a performance.”): Lacks 'exclaimed' and doesn't normalize the exclamation correctly.
Option 3 (“The Headmistress praised what a great performance.”): Uses 'praised' instead of 'exclaimed' and awkward structure.
Option 4 (“The Headmistress exclaimed what a great performance.”): Missing 'that', making the sentence grammatically incomplete.