Question : In the following question, a sentence has been given in direct/indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in indirect/direct speech.
The lady said to her father, “I have been working since morning”.
Option 1: The lady said to her father that she has been working since morning.
Option 2: The lady told her father that she had been working since morning.
Option 3: The lady said to her father that she is working since morning.
Option 4: The lady said to her father that she was working since morning.
Correct Answer: The lady told her father that she had been working since morning.
Solution : The correct answer is option 2.
The lady told her father that she had been working since morning.
Explanation:
The reporting verb, "said", is in the past tense in the given statement in direct speech.
The tenses of the verbs in the reported speech are changed to their corresponding past tenses when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Additionally, said will become the reporting verb "told."
Since the verb "have been working" here is in the present perfect continuous, it changes to the past perfect continuous in the reported speech, i.e. "had been working."
