Directions: Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
Sumit said to the assistant, “Why are you taking a printout of this document?”
- ASumit asked the assistant why he was taking a printout of that document.
- BSumit asked the assistant why are they taking a printout of that document.
- CSumit asks to the assistant why he was taking a printout of that document.
- DSumit ask the assistant why he is taking a printout of this document.
Solution & Step-by-step Explanation
Rules for converting an interrogative sentence starting with a Wh-word into indirect speech:
'said to' changes to 'asked'.
No conjunction like 'that' or 'if/whether' is used before a Wh-question word; the Wh-word itself joins the clauses.
The interrogative format changes to an assertive layout (Subject+Verb).
Present Continuous ('are you taking') changes to Past Continuous ('he was taking').
Demonstrative 'this' changes to 'that'.
Following these rules, Option A is the correct transformation.
'said to' changes to 'asked'.
No conjunction like 'that' or 'if/whether' is used before a Wh-question word; the Wh-word itself joins the clauses.
The interrogative format changes to an assertive layout (Subject+Verb).
Present Continuous ('are you taking') changes to Past Continuous ('he was taking').
Demonstrative 'this' changes to 'that'.
Following these rules, Option A is the correct transformation.