Select the option that expresses the given sentence in Direct to Indirect Speech.
She said, "I had eaten breakfast."
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Transformation from direct to indirect speech:
When converting direct speech to indirect (reported) speech, specific rules for tense changes apply:
Tense Stability: If the direct speech is in the Past Perfect tense (e.g., "had eaten"), the tense does not change in indirect speech. It remains in the Past Perfect form.
Pronoun Change: The first-person pronoun "I" changes to "she" to match the subject of the reporting verb ("She said").
Conjunction: The word "that" is typically used to introduce the reported statement.
Indirect speech: She said that she had eaten breakfast.