Question

Select the correct option to complete the sentence in indirect speech:
Alice said, "Dennis is sleeping now."
Alice said that Dennis ___________ then.

• A. Is being slept
• B. Is sleeping
• C. Was being slept
• D. Was sleeping

Answer 1

The correct option is D Was sleeping

As the given sentence in the direct speech is in the present continuous tense, we will convert it into past continuous tense in the indirect speech. 'Then' is used instead of 'now' to explain the sentence in past tense in the indirect speech.

Option A - 'Is being slept' is used to form the sentence in the present continuous tense in the passive voice. The given sentence is in the active voice as the doer is the subject of the sentence, hence we can't use 'is being slept' here. Thus option A is incorrect.

Option B - 'Is sleeping' is in the present continuous tense. As the given sentence is not a fact, we can' let the tense remain the same. Thus option B is incorrect.

Option C - 'Was being slept' is used to form the sentence in the past continuous tense in the passive voice. The given sentence is in the active voice as the doer is the subject of the sentence, hence we can't use 'was being slept' here. Thus option C is incorrect.

Option D - 'Was sleeping' is used to form a sentence in the past continuous tense in the active voice. 'Was sleeping then' explains the sentence in past continuous tense in the indirect speech. Thus option D is the correct answer.

'Alice said that Dennis was sleeping then.'