Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
Our wicket keeper says, "I may not come for the practice today".
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct indirect form of the given sentence is: OPTION 1 -
Our wicket keeper says that he may not come for the practice today.
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Maintaining tense and reporting verb:
- The reporting verb "says" is in the present tense, so no backshift in the verb tense is needed. "May" remains "may."
- The word "today" remains the same since the reporting verb is in the present.
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Why this is correct: The sentence maintains the meaning and tense accurately in indirect speech.
Thus, the best option is: Our wicket keeper says that he may not come for the practice today.
OTHER OPTIONS
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"Our wicket keeper says that he might not come for the practice today": Incorrect because "might" suggests a backshift in tense, which is not required here since "says" is in the present tense.
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"Our wicket keeper said that he might not come for the practice that day": Incorrect because the reporting verb "says" is present tense, not past tense.
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"Our wicket keeper told me he won't come to the practice": Incorrect because "won't" and "told me" do not match the original sentence's meaning or tense.