Change the following sentence from Direct speech to Indirect Speech.
She said, "Bravo! You did better than last time"
Choose the most appropriate option:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → She applauded him, saying that he had done better than last time.
Direct to indirect speech (exclamation):
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said, “Bravo! | applauded him, saying that | An exclamation such as “Bravo!” is not reported word for word. Its feeling is carried by a reporting verb: “Bravo” (well done!) becomes “applauded” (praised) him. |
| Tense change | did | had done | After the past reporting verb, the simple past “did” becomes “had done” (past perfect). |
| Pronoun change | You | he | “You” becomes “he”, the person she praised. |
| Full sentence | She said, “Bravo! You did better than last time.” | She applauded him, saying that he had done better than last time. |
Example: She said, “Alas, I have lost my purse.” → She exclaimed sadly that she had lost her purse.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: She said bravo to him and pointed out that he had done better than last time. — Incorrect. It keeps the interjection "bravo" as a word in the report instead of turning it into a reporting verb, and "pointed out" loses the praise.
Option 3: She was happy that he had done better than last time. — Incorrect. It reports her feeling but not her words of praise to him.
Option 4: She could not believe that he had done better than last time and said bravo to him. — Incorrect. "could not believe" adds disbelief, which the direct speech does not express.