Question

Select the correct option to complete the sentence in indirect speech:
The examiner said to Rohit, "Can you solve this sum?"
The examiner asked Rohit ___________ that sum.

• A. If could he solve
• B. If he could solve
• C. If you could solve
• D. If you can solve

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

If he could solve

As the given question is in the simple present tense, we will convert it into a simple sentence in the simple past tense in the indirect speech.

Option A - 'If could he solve' is grammatically incorrect, as 'could he' sounds like a question and it shouldn't have been placed after 'if', which is a conditional word. Thus option A is incorrect.

Option C - 'If you could solve' is incorrect as we can't use the same pronoun 'you' in the indirect speech. We must use another pronoun according to the name or the object 'Rohit'. Thus option C is incorrect.

Option D - 'If you can solve' can't be used here, as 'can' is used to represent simple present tense. Thus option D is incorrect.

Option B - 'If he could solve' is correct as we always use 'if/whether' instead of 'that' while converting a question to a sentence in the indirect speech. Also, 'could' is the past form of 'can' and 'he' is used for 'Rohit'. Thus option B is the correct answer.

'The examiner asked Rohit if he could solve that sum.'