Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
Last month, Nani wrote to us that she ______ us in Bhopal the following week.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → would join
Reported speech after a past reporting verb:
- When the reporting verb is in the past (“wrote”), the reported verb moves one step back.
- So “will” becomes would + base form.
- “The following week” is also seen from a past time, and that week is now over.
- Clue word: “Last month”, “wrote” and “the following week”.
- Complete sentence: Last month, Nani wrote to us that she would join us in Bhopal the following week.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: will join — Incorrect.
- “Will join” is the simple future.
- After a past reporting verb, “will” changes to “would”.
- Example: Nani will join us for Diwali this year.
Option 3: join — Incorrect.
- “Join” is the simple present.
- It does not show a future action seen from a past time.
- Example: We join our cousins every summer.
Option 4: have joined — Incorrect.
- “Have joined” is the present perfect.
- It shows an action already done by now, not one that was still to come.
- Example: Two new students have joined our class.