Choose the option which best expresses the given sentence in indirect speech:
I said to Bob, "Can you complete this work by tomorrow?"
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) - I asked Bob whether he could complete that work by the next day.
- Direct Speech: The original sentence is in direct speech: "Can you complete this work by tomorrow?"
- Indirect Speech: To convert this into indirect speech:
- The word "Can" changes to "could" in indirect speech.
- "You" changes to "he" because the question is being asked about Bob (third person).
- "This" changes to "that" because it's now referring to something previously mentioned.
- "By tomorrow" changes to "by the next day" to maintain the indirect structure.
Therefore, the correct indirect speech is: "I asked Bob whether he could complete that work by the next day."