Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
He said, “I can speak three languages fluently.”
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. He said that he could speak three languages fluently.
When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the present tense verb "can" usually changes to the past tense "could." This is because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Option 1 ("was able to speak") is grammatically correct and close in meaning but less direct than "could," which is the more common and natural substitution for "can" in indirect speech.
Option 2 ("will be able to speak") incorrectly changes the meaning to the future tense, which is not correct here.
Option 3 ("can speak") keeps the present tense, which is incorrect because in indirect speech the tense normally shifts back when the reporting verb is in the past.