Select the option that correctly expresses the given sentence in direct speech.
The coach asked us when we were planning to begin practice.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. “When are you planning to begin practice?”, the coach asked us.
Changes required:
Conjunction: The indirect sentence “The coach asked us when...” tells us it's a question sentence converted into indirect speech. When converting it back to direct speech, we remove the conjunction “when” from the middle and place it at the beginning of the question.
Tense: The indirect sentence uses “were planning”, which corresponds to “are you planning” in direct speech, since reporting verb “asked” is reporting a question, and present continuous is retained for current or near-future plans.
Pronoun: “We” becomes “you” when converting back to direct speech.
Punctuation: A question mark is added at the end of the quoted question in direct speech.
Converted sentence: “When are you planning to begin practice?”, the coach asked us.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.