Question: Identify the correct form of indirect speech: \'He said, \'I can swim.\'
Options:
He said that he can swim.
He said that he could swim.
He said he can swim.
He said he swims.
Correct Answer: He said that he could swim.
Solution:
In indirect speech, \'can\' changes to \'could\'.
Identify the correct form of indirect speech: 'He said, 'I can swim.'
Practice Questions
Q1
Identify the correct form of indirect speech: 'He said, 'I can swim.'
He said that he can swim.
He said that he could swim.
He said he can swim.
He said he swims.
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Identify the correct form of indirect speech: 'He said, 'I can swim.'
Step 1: Understand that indirect speech is when we report what someone said without quoting their exact words.
Step 2: Identify the original statement: 'He said, 'I can swim.''
Step 3: Notice that the verb 'can' is in the present tense.
Step 4: Change 'can' to 'could' because in indirect speech, present tense verbs often change to past tense.
Step 5: Rewrite the sentence in indirect speech: 'He said that he could swim.'
Indirect Speech – Indirect speech is used to report what someone else has said without quoting their exact words, often requiring changes in verb tense and pronouns.
Verb Tense Changes – In indirect speech, present tense verbs often change to their past tense forms, such as 'can' changing to 'could'.
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