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Home Questions 6TTN8Q5GPN
Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Grammar: Formation of Sentence

Question:

Choose the correct sentence :

(A) He said that honesty has been the best policy.
(B) He said that honesty had been the best policy.
(C) He said that honesty was the best policy.
(D) He said that honesty is the best policy.
(E) He said that honesty will be the best policy.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

Options:

(A) and (B) only

(C) and (B) only

(A), (B) and (C) only

(D) only

Correct Answer:

(D) only

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (4) - (D) only

The sentence He said that honesty is the best policy is correct because honesty is the best policy is a general truth. In reported speech, general truths remain in the present tense.

Why the other options are incorrect

  • He said that honesty has been the best policy is incorrect because has been does not fit in reported speech after said.
  • He said that honesty had been the best policy is incorrect because had been refers to a specific past time and changes the meaning.
  • He said that honesty was the best policy is incorrect because general truths should remain in the present tense.
  • He said that honesty will be the best policy is incorrect because will be does not match the past reporting verb said.

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