Exams › SSC CGL (Prelims) › General

A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech: She said, “I did not observe him at the terminal.”

1. She said that she had not observed him at the terminal.
2. She said she has not observed him at the terminal.
3. She said that she did not observed him at the terminal.
4. She said that she was not observing him at the terminal.

Correct answer: She said that she had not observed him at the terminal.

Solution

The reporting verb "said" is in the past, so the past simple tense in direct speech changes to past perfect in indirect speech. Therefore, "did not observe" becomes "had not observed."

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