Select the option that expresses the given sentence in direct speech.
The teacher asked if everyone was present in the class that day.
- AThe teacher said, "Is everyone present in the class today?"
- BThe teacher said, "Was everyone present in the class that day?"
- CThe teacher said, "Was everyone present in the class today?"
- DThe teacher said, "Is everyone present in the class that day?"
Solution & Step-by-step Explanation
To convert the indirect sentence back into direct speech, we apply the following rules:
Reporting Verb: "asked" with an "if" clause implies that the direct speech was a Yes/No interrogative sentence, so it changes back to "said," or "said to".
Tense change: The simple past tense ("was present") in indirect speech changes back to the simple present tense ("Is present") in direct speech.
Time/Place Adverbials: The phrase "that day" changes back to "today".
Applying these steps:
Indirect: The teacher asked if everyone was present in the class that day.
Direct: The teacher said, "Is everyone present in the class today?"
Reporting Verb: "asked" with an "if" clause implies that the direct speech was a Yes/No interrogative sentence, so it changes back to "said," or "said to".
Tense change: The simple past tense ("was present") in indirect speech changes back to the simple present tense ("Is present") in direct speech.
Time/Place Adverbials: The phrase "that day" changes back to "today".
Applying these steps:
Indirect: The teacher asked if everyone was present in the class that day.
Direct: The teacher said, "Is everyone present in the class today?"