Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.
She told her friend that she had been studying for her examination.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. She told her friend, “I was studying for my examination.”
The given sentence is in indirect speech:
She told her friend that she had been studying for her examination.
The reporting verb 'told' is in the past tense, so in direct speech, we need to keep the tense consistent with the time of action.
Past perfect continuous ('had been studying') in indirect speech often comes from past continuous ('was studying') in direct speech when the time reference is understood.
The pronoun 'she' in indirect speech refers to 'I' in direct speech.
Therefore, the correct direct speech form is: She told her friend, “I was studying for my examination.”
Why others are incorrect:
'I had studied' – This is past perfect tense, changes the continuous aspect.
'I have been studying' – Present perfect continuous, changes the time frame.
'I am studying' – Present continuous, incorrect because the reporting verb is past and original action was in the past.