Exams › SSC CGL (Prelims) › General

Select the correct option for the direct speech conversion of the sentence below: The analyst remarked that, if inflation continued at the current pace, consumer spending might contract significantly.

1. The analyst said, "If inflation continues at the current pace, consumer spending will contract significantly."
2. The analyst said, "If inflation continued at the current pace, consumer spending might contract significantly."
3. The analyst said, "Consumer spending might contract significantly if inflation has continued."
4. The analyst said, "Had inflation continued, consumer spending must contract."

Correct answer: The analyst said, "If inflation continued at the current pace, consumer spending might contract significantly."

Solution

The indirect speech sentence reports a conditional statement with “might contract significantly.” In direct speech, the same conditional structure is retained inside quotation marks. Option B preserves both the condition and the modal correctly.

Related SSC CGL (Prelims) General questions

• Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: The report’s focus on tech-utopianism, though praiseworthy, (1) ignore the deep-rooted inequities (2) that continue in data availability and digital competence (3) across demographic and regional gaps. (4)
• Select the correct option: So fragile __ the talks that one disclosure could sabotage them.
• Select the correct option: Her analysis was __ than impressive; it was nearly revelatory.
• A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in indirect speech: He said, “I am not feeling fine.”
• Change the following from active to passive: Why did the editor disregard the major stylistic irregularities?
• Convert the sentence from passive voice to active voice: Ancient artifacts are believed to have been quietly removed from the location by trespassers before the audit.

⚔️ Practice SSC CGL (Prelims) General free + battle 1v1 →