Short answerHard1 mark
5(d)
Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.
The old woman said to Arun, "Can you help me to cross the street?" (Begin: The old woman asked Arun ...........)
Topic: Direct and indirect speech
Previous-year question practice database
Answer
Exam answer
The old woman asked Arun if he could help her to cross the street.
Explanation
Converting a YES/NO QUESTION into indirect speech needs four changes, and all four appear here:
- IF or WHETHER introduces the reported question, since there is no question word to act as the link.
- NO INVERSION — the reported clause takes statement order: "if HE COULD help", not "could he help".
- TENSE backshift — "can" becomes "COULD", because the reporting verb is past.
- PRONOUNS shift — "you" becomes "he" (Arun), and "me" becomes "her" (the old woman).
Note also that the question mark DISAPPEARS: the sentence is now a statement about a question, not a question.
The modal backshifts to learn: can→could, will→would, may→might, shall→should, must→had to.
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