Select the option that will improve the underlined part of the given sentence. In case no improvement is needed, select 'No improvement required'.
Monika said to her mother that, 'I have passed the examination.'
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Monika said to her mother, 'I have passed'.
Error is related to / concept: Misuse of 'that' in direct speech.
What is wrong: 'That' is used for indirect speech, but the quotation marks indicate direct speech.
Grammatical concept:
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Direct speech: uses quotation marks and no 'that'.
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Indirect speech: uses 'that' (or conjunctions) and changes pronouns/tenses.
Incorrectness of the concept in context: The sentence intends to quote the exact words of Monika, so 'that' is incorrect.
How to correct: Remove 'that' and keep direct speech formatting.
Correct phrase/ correction: Monika said to her mother, 'I have passed'
Final sentence: Monika said to her mother, 'I have passed the examination.'