Select the most appropriate option to change the sentence from direct speech to indirect speech.
My nephew said, "I have decided to take coaching in badminton".
Last updated May 13, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option A —
My nephew said that he had decided to take coaching in badminton.
The correct option is (A).
The Correct Indirect Speech
My nephew said that he had decided to take coaching in badminton.
To convert from direct to indirect speech, we follow specific rules for tense and pronouns:
• Reporting Verb: Since "said" is not followed by an object (to whom he said it), it remains "said". (Note: "Told" is usually used when an object is present, e.g., My nephew told me).
• Conjunction: The comma and inverted commas are replaced by "that".
• Pronoun Change: The first-person pronoun "I" changes to the third-person "he" to refer back to the nephew.
• Tense Change: The Present Perfect ("have decided") changes to the Past Perfect ("had decided") because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense.
Why the other options are incorrect
• B) My nephew said that I...: This incorrectly keeps the pronoun "I," which would mean the speaker (you) decided to take coaching, not the nephew.
• C) My nephew told... he is deciding: This incorrectly uses the Present Continuous tense.
• D) My nephew told... he was deciding: This incorrectly uses the Past Continuous tense.
Correct Option: A
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
