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A sentence is provided in indirect speech. Choose the option that most accurately conveys it in direct speech: He said that they had finished the work before he reached.

1. “They have finished the work before I reached,” he said.
2. “They finished the work before I reached,” he said.
3. “They had finished the work before I reached,” he said.
4. “They finished the work before I had reached,” he said.

Correct answer: “They had finished the work before I reached,” he said.

Solution

In indirect speech, "had finished" indicates an action completed before another past action. In direct speech, this is best represented as "They had finished the work before I reached," he said.

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