Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
The police officer said to him, "Why were you out till late last night?"
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. The police officer asked him why he had been out till late the previous night.
Speech Type: Direct to Indirect Speech
Concept: Converting a WH-question in past tense from direct to indirect speech.
Grammar Explanation:
Direct Speech: "Why were you out till late last night?"
Change in pronoun: you → he
Change in tense: were → had been (past simple → past perfect)
Change in time expression: last night → the previous night
Sentence structure: In indirect speech, the question word (why) is retained, but the sentence follows the structure of a statement (no inversion).
Correct Sentence: The police officer asked him why he had been out till late the previous night.
Conclusion: This is the correct transformation into indirect speech.