Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
She said, “I completed the assignment, and I was designing the layout.”
Correct Answer :
She said that she had completed the assignment and she had been designing the layout.
Solution :
The correct option is: She said that she had completed the assignment and she had been designing the layout.
Explanation:
When converting a statement from direct speech into indirect (reported) speech, the following grammatical rules apply:
1. Conjunction: The quotation marks and comma are removed, and the reporting verb "said" is followed by the conjunction "that".
2. Pronoun Change: The first-person pronoun "I" refers to the subject of the reporting clause ("She"), so it changes to "she".
3. Tense Changes:
• Simple Past to Past Perfect: The verb "completed" (Simple Past) changes to "had completed" (Past Perfect).
• Past Continuous to Past Perfect Continuous: The verb phrase "was designing" (Past Continuous) changes to "had been designing" (Past Perfect Continuous).
Combining these updates results in the reported sentence:
"She said that she had completed the assignment and she had been designing the layout."
Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.
Create, conduct, and manage professional online assessments with Mindyard. Perfect for teachers and institutes.
Copyright © 2026 Mindyard. All Rights Reserved.
