Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Direct/indirect

Question:

Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.

The traveller inquired, "Will there be a shelter for strangers?”

Options:

The traveller inquired if there will be a shelter for strangers.

The traveller inquired if there would be a shelter for strangers.

The traveller inquired if would there be a shelter for strangers.

The traveller inquired whether will there be a shelter for strangers.

Correct Answer:

The traveller inquired if there would be a shelter for strangers.

Explanation:
 

The correct indirect form of the given sentence is:

The traveller inquired if there would be a shelter for strangers.

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, we need to make the following changes:

  • Remove the quotation marks.
  • Change the reporting verb to one that is appropriate for the mood of the sentence in direct speech. In this case, the reporting verb "inquired" is retained because the sentence in direct speech is an interrogative sentence.
  • Change the pronouns to match the subject and object of the reporting verb. In this case, the pronoun "there" in the direct speech sentence is retained in the indirect speech sentence because it is the subject of the reporting verb.
  • Change the verb tense to match the tense of the reporting verb. In this case, the verb tense in the direct speech sentence is future tense, so the verb tense in the indirect speech sentence is also future tense.

Therefore, the correct indirect speech sentence is:

The traveller inquired if there would be a shelter for strangers.