In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, …
Q1 FREE PREVIEW
In the following question, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect speech. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best express the same sentence in Indirect/Direct speech. He said, "How can a Zebra talk?"
✓ Correct answer: c) He asked how a Zebra could talk.
ExplanationCorrect Answer: Option C — He asked how a Zebra could talk.Explanation: The given sentence is an interrogative sentence (question form)."How can a Zebra talk?" When converting an interrogative sentence into indirect speech: “said” changes to asked (or inquired).The question form changes into a statement form (no question mark).The auxiliary verb shifts according to tense rule: can → could (because reporting verb “said” is in past tense).The word order becomes: how + subject + verb So the correct indirect form is: He asked how a Zebra could talk.
Practice more SSC CGL English PYQs
See every question on Narration, or browse the full SSC CGL question bank.
See all questions on Narration →