Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
“How long have you been waiting for me?” he asked his friend.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Correct Answer: He asked his friend how long he had been waiting for him.
Explanation:
• Reporting Verb: Since the direct speech is a question, the reporting verb asked is retained.
• Sentence Structure: In indirect speech, an interrogative sentence changes into an assertive sentence (Subject + Auxiliary verb). Therefore, have you been changes to he had been, not had he been.
• Tense Change: The Present Perfect Continuous tense (have been waiting) changes into the Past Perfect Continuous tense (had been waiting).
• Pronoun Changes: The second-person pronoun you refers to his friend and changes to he. The first-person pronoun me refers to the subject he and changes to him.
• Conjunction: In 'wh-' questions, the question word itself (how long) serves as the connector; no additional conjunction like that or if/whether is used.