Choose the correct direct speech of the given sentence from the options that…
2022
Choose the correct direct speech of the given sentence from the options that follow –
She asked them if they were ready for the event.
- A.
She said to them, "Had you been ready for the event?"
- B.
She says to them, "Are you ready for the event?"
- C.
She said to them, "Are you ready for the event?"
- D.
She asked to them, "Were you ready for the event?"
Attempted by 8 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
The correct direct speech for the indirect sentence "She asked them if they were ready for the event" is C: She said to them, "Are you ready for the event?"
Grammatical Analysis
To convert this indirect question back to direct speech, you need to reverse the standard rules of narration:
Reverse the Tense Backshift: In indirect speech, the verb was shifted to the past tense ("were"). To return to direct speech, you must shift it back to the present tense ("Are").
Restore Pronouns: The third-person pronoun "they" in indirect speech originally referred to the people being spoken to, so it reverts to the second-person pronoun "you" in direct speech.
Reporting Verb: Since the original sentence used "asked" (which indicates a question), the reporting verb in direct speech should be "said to" (or "asked"), and the sentence inside the quotes must be in interrogative form (Verb + Subject).