Question : Select the option that expresses the given sentence in indirect speech.
The little boy said, "My cat can climb the tree."
Option 1: The little boy said that his cat climbed the tree.
Option 2: The little boy said that his cat had climbed the tree.
Option 3: The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree.
Option 4: The little boy said that his cat can climb the tree.
Free Study Material: VARC | DILR | Quant | Chapter-wise Practice MCQs
CAT 2024: CAT'23 Official Question with Solutions (Slot 1, 2, 3)
Test: 20 Free Mock Test | 10 Year PYQs | Most Scoring Concepts
Correct Answer: The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree.
Solution : The correct choice is the third option .
Indirect speech involves converting direct speech (spoken words) into indirect speech (reported words).
Narration Conversion:
- The reporting verb "said" remains unchanged.
- The possessive pronoun "my" changes to "his" to reflect the shift from the little boy's perspective to the third person.
- The verb "can" changes to its past tense form "could" to maintain the proper sequence of tenses in indirect speech.
- The connector "that" is used to introduce the reported clause.
Therefore, the correct sentence is: " The little boy said that his cat could climb the tree."
Related Questions
Know More about
Common Admission Test
Admit Card | Eligibility | Application | Exam Pattern | Preparation Tips | Result | Answer Key | Accepting Colleges
Get Updates Brochure
Your Common Admission Test brochure has been successfully mailed to your registered email id “”.
Staff Selection Commission Stenographer ...
Application | Eligibility | Dates | FAQs
Get Updates Brochure
Your Staff Selection Commission Stenographer Grade C & D Exam brochure has been successfully mailed to your registered email id “”.
