Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Direct/indirect

Question:

Convert the following sentence from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech.

He said, "I have forgotten the combination of my safe."

Options:

He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.

He said that the combination of the safe was forgotten by him.

He had forgotten the combination of his safe.

He said that I have forgotten the combination of his safe.

Correct Answer:

He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (1) - He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe.

When converting from Direct Speech to Indirect Speech:

  1. The present perfect tense ("I have forgotten") changes to the past perfect tense ("he had forgotten").
  2. The pronouns change appropriately ("I" becomes "he," and "my" becomes "his").
  3. The sentence structure is adjusted to suit reported speech.

Thus, the most accurate conversion is: "He said that he had forgotten the combination of his safe."