Choose the correct indirect sentence of the following direct sentence:
My teacher often says to me, "If you don't work hard, you will fail."
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) - My teacher often tells me that if I don't work hard, I will fail.
To convert this sentence into indirect speech, we must follow specific rules regarding the Reporting Verb and Tense Consistency.
Rule 1: Reporting Verb in Present Tense
When the reporting verb is in the present tense (e.g., "says", "says to", "often says"), the tense of the reported speech (the part inside the quotes) does not change.
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"Says to me" becomes "tells me".
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Since "says" is present tense, "don't work" and "will fail" must stay in the present/future form.
Rule 2: Pronoun Change
The pronouns must change to reflect the perspective of the speaker:
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"You" (referring to me) changes to "I".
Eliminating the Incorrect Options
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Option 1: Uses "told" and "would." This incorrectly changes the tense to past. You only do this if the reporting verb was "said."
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Option 2: Uses "told." Again, this is a past tense reporting verb which doesn't match the original "says."
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Option 4: Uses "didn't work." This is a tense shift to the past, which is not allowed when the reporting verb is in the present.