Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:

Jack: "I have spoken to Tom."

Jack __________________ to Tom. [Intermediate]

• A. says that he had spoken
• B. said that he had spoken
• C. say that he speaks
• D. had spoken that he will say

Answer 1

The correct option is B said that he had spoken

While changing the speech from direct to reported speech, the tense changes one tense back. For example, if the direct speech is in present tense (and the reporting verb is in the past tense) then the indirect/reported speech will be in past tense. Also, generally the reporting verb is in the past tense, as the speech is reporting a past event.

Option B: The given sentence is in the present perfect tense 'have spoken'. Hence the reported speech will be in the past perfect tense 'had spoken'. Also, the reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense.

So, option B is correct.

Option A: The reporting verb 'says' is in the present tense, whereas the reported speech must be in the past.

Option C: Similarly, 'say' is in the present tense.

Option D: 'Had spoken that he will say' is complicated in meaning and does not contain the reporting verb 'said'. The reporting verb is required to introduce the indirect speech.

Hence options A, C and D are incorrect.