Which is the accurate indirect speech for: "He said, 'I might come to ...
In indirect speech, the modal "might" remains unchanged, but the verb tense changes to past in the subordinate clause. Therefore, the correct transformation is "He said that he might come to the party if he finished work early."
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Which is the accurate indirect speech for: "He said, 'I might come to ...
Understanding the Indirect Speech Transformation
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, it's essential to maintain the original meaning while adjusting the verb tenses and pronouns as necessary.
Original Statement
- "He said, 'I might come to the party if I finish work early.'"
Analysis of Options
- Option a: He said that he might come to the party if he finished work early.
- This option is correct because the past tense "finished" aligns with the indirect speech structure after "he said." The modal "might" remains unchanged, indicating a possibility.
- Option b: He said that he might come to the party if he finishes work early.
- Incorrect because "finishes" is present tense and does not fit the past context established by "he said."
- Option c: He said that he might come to the party if he will finish work early.
- Incorrect as "will finish" is future tense, not suitable for indirect speech following "he said."
- Option d: He said that he might come to the party if he would finish work early.
- Incorrect because "would finish" implies a conditional mood that distorts the original meaning.
Conclusion
The correct answer is option a, as it accurately reflects the necessary changes in tense while preserving the meaning of the original statement.