Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
Vibha said, “What a lovely scene! I wish I could stay here forever!”
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Vibha exclaimed that it was a lovely scene. She further wished that she could stay there forever.
Changing an exclamation and a wish into indirect speech:
| Change | Direct | Indirect | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting verb | said, "What a lovely scene!" | exclaimed | "What a ...!" shows a sudden strong feeling of joy. So "said" becomes "exclaimed". |
| Exclamation to statement | What a lovely scene! | it was a lovely scene | "What a" and "!" are dropped. The exclamation becomes a plain statement with "it was". |
| Joining word | " " (quotation marks) | that ... She further wished that | "That" joins each part. "Further wished" adds the second sentence, the wish. |
| Tense change | wish | wished | "Wish" is in the simple present. The simple present is formed with the base form (V1), or V1 + s / es with he, she, it. After the past "said" it becomes the simple past "wished". The simple past is formed with the past form of the verb (V2). "Could" is already a past form, so it stays. |
| Pronoun change | I, I | She, she | Vibha is the speaker. So both "I" become "she". |
| Time and place words | here | there | The report is made away from that place. So "here" becomes "there". |
| Full sentence | Vibha said, "What a lovely scene! I wish I could stay here forever!" | Vibha exclaimed that it was a lovely scene. She further wished that she could stay there forever. |
Words like "Hurrah!" and "Alas!" are dropped too. The feeling goes into the verb: exclaimed with joy, exclaimed with sorrow. Example: Ravi said, "Hurrah, we have won the match!" → Ravi exclaimed with joy that they had won the match.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Vibha said with happiness that was a lovely scene. She wishes to stay there forever. — Incorrect. The part "that was a lovely scene" has no subject. It needs "it": "that it was a lovely scene".
Option 3: Vibha says this is a lovely scene. I wish I could stay there forever. — Incorrect. The second sentence keeps Vibha's own "I". In a report it must be "she".
Option 4: Vibha said what a lovely scene! She wished she could stay here forever. — Incorrect. It keeps the exclamation "what a lovely scene!". Indirect speech turns it into a plain statement without "!".