Question

Identify the correct transformation of the following sentence from direct to indirect speech. Direct speech : The teacher said, “The exam will be held the next week.”

• A. The teacher told that the exam will be held the following week.
• B. The teacher said that the exam would be held the next week.
• C. The teacher mentioned that the exam will be held the following week.
• D. The teacher said that the exam will be held in the next week.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. The teacher said that the exam would be held the next week.

• Identify the Tense in Direct Speech:

  • Direct: “The exam will be held the next week.” (Future Simple)

• Shift the Tense Back:

  • Future Simple ("will be") becomes Future-in-the-Past ("would be").

• Adjust Time Indicators if Necessary:

  • "Next week" can remain as is because it still refers to a future time from the perspective of the original speech.

• Construct the Indirect Speech:

  • Indirect: The teacher said that the exam would be held the next week.

• Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

  • (A) Incorrect because "told" usually requires an object (e.g., "told us") and the tense "will be" hasn't been shifted.

  • (C) Incorrect because it retains "will be" instead of shifting to "would be."

  • (D) Incorrect because it adds an unnecessary "in" before "the next week" and doesn't shift the tense.