Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
The gardener said, “These roses will bloom early.”
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. The gardener said that those roses would bloom early.
Changes required:
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Conjunction: The inverted commas are removed and the conjunction “that” is inserted to introduce the reported speech.
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Tense: The reporting verb “said” is in the past tense, so the future tense “will” changes to past tense “would” (backshifting rule).
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Pronoun: “These” (demonstrative pronoun) changes to “those” in indirect speech.
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Verb: No change needed as “said” is correctly used without an object.
Converted sentence: The gardener said that those roses would bloom early.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.