MCQHard1 mark
5(iv)
Choose the correct option and rewrite the sentence according to the instruction given after each.
The teacher said, "Come early tomorrow, the examination begins at eight o'clock." (Begin: The teacher told us to... )
Topic: Direct and indirect speech
Previous-year question practice database
Try it
Pick an option and check your answer. The full worked answer is below either way.
Answer
Exam answer
(a) The teacher told us to come early the next day as the examination would begin at eight o'clock..
Explanation
Converting an IMPERATIVE into indirect speech requires three changes at once, and option (a) makes all three:
- the command becomes an INFINITIVE — "Come early" becomes "told us TO COME early".
- the TENSE moves one step back — "begins" becomes "would begin", because the reporting verb "told" is past.
- TIME EXPRESSIONS shift — "tomorrow" becomes "the next day". Learn the set: today to that day, tomorrow to the next day, yesterday to the previous day, now to then, here to there, this to that.
Each wrong option fails on one of the three: (b) keeps "tomorrow" and "begins", (c) keeps "will" and reverts to direct command, (d) keeps "will" and alters the meaning. Check all three changes every time.
In words
The teacher told us to come early the next day as the examination would begin at eight o'clock..
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