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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, "Where have you kept the confidential files?"

1. She asked where I had kept the confidential files.
2. She asked where had I kept the confidential files.
3. She said where I have kept the confidential files.
4. She questioned where did I keep the confidential files.

Correct answer: She asked where I had kept the confidential files.

Solution

The sentence is an interrogative in direct speech, so it changes to reported speech with “asked” and no question mark. “Have you kept” changes to “had kept” because of backshifting. Therefore, the correct indirect speech is: She asked where I had kept the confidential files.

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