Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
He said, “I have finished my homework.”
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3, i.e., “He said that he had finished his homework.”
When converting from direct speech:
He said, “I have finished my homework.”
the reporting verb “said” is in the past tense. According to the rules of indirect speech, a present perfect tense (“have finished”) in direct speech changes to a past perfect tense (“had finished”) in reported speech.
Therefore:
Option 1 ('has finished') retains the present perfect—incorrect.
Option 2 ('would finish') incorrectly changes meaning.
Option 3 ('had finished') correctly uses past perfect.
Option 4 ('had to finish') changes the intended meaning entirely.