Change the following sentence from Direct speech to Indirect Speech:
The coach promised." If you will come before school tomorrow, I will teach it,"
Choose appropriate option.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The coach promised that if I came before school the next day, he would teach it to me.
Direct to indirect speech (past reporting verb):
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | promised, “ | promised that | “Promised” is kept, and the reported statement is joined with “that”. |
| Tense change | will come, will teach | came, would teach | The past reporting verb moves the verbs one step back: “will teach” becomes “would teach”. In the if-clause the condition becomes the simple past, “came”. |
| Pronoun change | you, I | I, he, to me | The coach is speaking to the reporter, so “you” becomes “I” and “I” becomes “he” (the coach). The person taught is made clear with “to me”. |
| Words of nearness (time and place) | tomorrow | the next day | “Tomorrow” becomes “the next day”. |
| Full sentence | The coach promised, “If you will come before school tomorrow, I will teach it.” | The coach promised that if I came before school the next day, he would teach it to me. |
Example: He said, “I will call you tomorrow.” → He said that he would call me the next day.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The coach promised to meet me after school and teach it. — Incorrect. It changes the meaning: "after school" instead of before school, and the condition (if I came) is lost.
Option 3: The coach promised to come before school and teach it to me. — Incorrect. It makes the coach the one who comes. In the direct speech it is the listener who must come.
Option 4: The coach promised that I will be thought before school if I came — Incorrect.
- "will" is not changed to "would" after the past reporting verb.
- "thought" is the wrong word (the past participle of teach is "taught"), and the time word "the next day" is missing.