Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.
They said that they would issue the certificate the following week.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech is: "They said, “We will issue the certificate next week.”
- The introductory phrase "They said" remains the same in both indirect and direct speech. This indicates who is speaking.
- In direct speech, we directly quote what "they" said, so we use quotation marks to enclose their exact words.
- The verb "would" in the indirect speech changes to "will" in direct speech to reflect the shift from reported speech to actual speech.
- "The following week" becomes "next week" to maintain clarity and immediacy in direct speech.