Question

Change the following statement into indirect speech.

The policeman said, "Did you see the accident scene?"

• A. The policeman asked that I had seen the accident scene.
• B. The policeman told that I had seen the accident scene.
• C. The policeman asked that if I had seen the accident scene.
• D. The policeman asked that if he had seen the accident scene.

Answer 1

The correct option is C The policeman asked that if I had seen the accident scene.

The two ways of relating what a person has said are 1)direct and 2)indirect (reported).

In the direct speech, the exact words of the original speaker are repeated.

In the indirect speech (reported speech), the exact meaning of what the speaker told is expressed but not necessarily in the speaker’s exact words.

Option C is correct as the question in the inverted commas is in the simple past tense, the appropriate introductory verb 'asked' is used, and 'if' is used to connect the two clauses.

Options A, B, and D are wrong as 'that' cannot be used, 'told' is not the appropriate introductory verb, and 'he' gives a different meaning to the question respectively.

The correct answer is C)The policeman asked that if I had seen the accident scene.