In the questions below the sentences have been given in Direct/Indirect…
2024
In the questions below the sentences have been given in Direct/Indirect speech. From the given alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the given sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. The man said, "No, I refused to confer guilt".
- A.
The man emphatically refused to confer guilt.
- B.
The man refused to confer his guilt.
- C.
The man told that he did not confer guilt.
- D.
The man was stubborn enough to confer guilt.
Attempted by 34 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Correct indirect speech: The man said that he had refused to confess his guilt.
Change the interjection "No" (which shows emphasis) into an adverbial or adjective such as "emphatically" or "categorically refused."
Backshift the tense when the reporting verb is in the past: "I refused" becomes "he had refused."
Use the appropriate verb for admitting guilt: "confess" is the natural collocation, so prefer "confess his guilt" rather than "confer guilt."
Note: A shorter acceptable variant that preserves emphasis is "The man emphatically refused to confess his guilt."