Question:medium

Select the correct indirect speech form of the sentence.
Ravi said, “I have completed my assignment.”

Show Hint

When the reporting verb is in the past tense (like “said”), remember the tense shift rule:
Present Perfect (has/have + V3) always changes to Past Perfect (had + V3) in reported speech.
Checking this verb form first will help you find the correct option instantly.
Updated On: Jun 3, 2026
  • Ravi said that he has completed his assignment.
  • Ravi said that he had completed his assignment.
  • Ravi said that I had completed my assignment.
  • Ravi said that he completed his assignment.
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This question asks us to identify the correct conversion of a declarative direct speech sentence into indirect speech.
The direct sentence is: ``Ravi said, 'I have completed my assignment.' ''
We must apply standard narration rules regarding tense backshifting and pronoun modification.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. Let us examine the components of the direct speech:
- Reporting verb: ``said'' (which is in the simple past tense).
- Conjunction: Since the reported speech is an assertive/declarative sentence, we use the conjunction ``that'' to connect the reporting clause and the reported clause.
2. When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech must shift backward:
- The verb in direct speech is ``have completed'', which is in the present perfect tense.
- According to grammar rules, the present perfect tense changes to the past perfect tense in indirect speech.
- Therefore, ``have completed'' must become ``had completed''.
3. Next, we must change the pronouns according to the speaker's perspective:
- The first-person subject pronoun ``I'' refers to the speaker ``Ravi''. Since Ravi is male, ``I'' changes to the third-person singular pronoun ``he''.
- The possessive determiner ``my'' changes to the corresponding third-person possessive determiner ``his''.
4. Combining all these changes, we get: ``Ravi said that he had completed his assignment.''
5. Let us evaluate the options:
- Option (A) ``Ravi said that he has completed his assignment.'' is incorrect because it retains the present perfect tense ``has completed'' instead of backshifting it.
- Option (B) ``Ravi said that he had completed his assignment.'' is correct as it properly implements both pronoun and tense shifts.
- Option (C) ``Ravi said that I had completed my assignment.'' is incorrect because it fails to change the pronouns ``I'' and ``my'' to the third person.
- Option (D) ``Ravi said that he completed his assignment.'' is incorrect because it converts the present perfect tense to the simple past tense ``completed'' instead of the past perfect tense.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct option is (B).
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