Which alternative is the correct indirect form of the sentence ? He said to…
2019
Which alternative is the correct indirect form of the sentence ?
He said to me, "When will you come back?"
- A.
He asked me when he would go back.
- B.
He asked me when I would go back.
- C.
He asked me when you would go back.
- D.
He asked to me when I would go back.
Attempted by 3 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
The correct option is B: He asked me when I would go back.
Detailed Explanation
To convert an interrogative sentence (a question) into indirect speech, several changes must be made:
Reporting Verb: "Said to" is changed to "asked" because it is a question.
Conjunction: When the direct question starts with a Wh- word (like "when," "what," "where"), that Wh- word acts as the conjunction in the indirect sentence, so no other connector (like "that" or "if") is needed.
Word Order: The sentence must be changed from question format ("will you") to statement format ("I would").
Pronoun and Tense Shift:
"You" (the person being asked) changes to "I" (referring to the narrator).
"Will" changes to "would" (past tense of the modal verb).
"Come back" changes to "go back" to reflect the change in perspective.