Select the appropriate option as the conversion for the following statement into indirect speech.
- Fiona said, "It's getting late" -
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Fiona said that it was getting late.
Statement in indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said, “ ” | said that | “Said” stays, and “that” introduces the reported statement. |
| Tense change | ’s getting (is getting) | was getting | The reporting verb is in the past, so the present continuous moves back to the past continuous: “is getting” becomes “was getting”. |
| Full sentence | Fiona said, “It’s getting late.” | Fiona said that it was getting late. |
Example: He said, “It is raining.” → He said that it was raining.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Fiona said it meant to be late. — Incorrect. "meant to be late" changes the meaning completely. Fiona only remarked on the time.
Option 2: Fiona said it had been late. — Incorrect. "had been late" loses the continuous sense of "getting late" and pushes the remark into the earlier past.
Option 3: Fiona said it has been getting late. — Incorrect. After the past reporting verb "said", the tense must move back. "Has been getting" is a present tense form.