Change the following into Direct Speech choosing the appropriate option:-
He exclaimed sadly that he was undone.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) - He said, "Alas! I am undone."
- In direct speech, the expression of sadness is conveyed with "Alas!" followed by the speaker's current state "I am undone," which reflects his emotional state accurately.
OTHER OPTIONS
- "He said, 'Alas! he is undone.'" → Changes the subject from "I" to "he," which is incorrect.
- "He said, 'Alas! I was undone.'" → Uses the past tense, which does not match the original sentence's present context.
- "He said, 'Alas! I am being undone.'" → Alters the meaning by implying an ongoing process rather than a state of being undone.