Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Direct/indirect

Question:

Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence.

The customer asked the shopkeeper how much she had to pay for the little glass table.

Options:

The customer said to the shopkeeper, “How much she had to pay for the little glass table?”

The customer said to the shopkeeper, “How much had I to pay for the little glass table?”

The customer said to the shopkeeper, “How much I am to pay for the little glass table?”

The customer said to the shopkeeper, “How much have I to pay for the little glass table?”

Correct Answer:

The customer said to the shopkeeper, “How much have I to pay for the little glass table?”

Explanation:

The most appropriate direct form of the given sentence is The customer said to the shopkeeper, "How much have I to pay for the little glass table?"

The other options are incorrect:

  • The customer said to the shopkeeper, "How much she had to pay for the little glass table?" This is incorrect because the pronoun "she" should be "I."
  • The customer said to the shopkeeper, "How much had I to pay for the little glass table?" This is incorrect because the tense of the reported speech should be "have" to match the speaker's current state of knowledge.
  • The customer said to the shopkeeper, "How much I am to pay for the little glass table?" This is incorrect because the modal verb "am" is not used in questions.