Question:

Choose the correct indirect speech: Ravi said, “I am going to Delhi.”

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Remember the golden rule of reported speech backshifting: Present continuous always steps back to take the form of past continuous! $$\text{\textbf{am/is/are going}} \quad \longrightarrow \quad \text{\textbf{was/were going}}$$ This rules out options (a) and (d) immediately!
Updated On: May 30, 2026
  • Ravi said that he is going to Delhi.
  • Ravi said that I was going to Delhi.
  • Ravi said that he was going to Delhi.
  • Ravi said that he will go to Delhi.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation


Step 1: Understanding the Concept:

When converting a sentence from direct speech (the exact words spoken) to indirect speech (reported speech), several structural changes must occur. These changes involve removing inverted commas, adding a conjunction link like "that", updating personal pronouns to match the perspective of the speaker, and shifting the verb tense backward if the reporting verb is in the past tense.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let's break down the transformation step by step: 1. Reporting Verb: "Ravi said" remains "Ravi said". The comma and quotation marks are replaced by the conjunction "that". 2. Pronoun Change: The first-person pronoun "I" inside the quotation marks refers to Ravi (the speaker). In reported speech, it must shift to the third-person singular masculine pronoun, "he". 3. Tense Shift: The reporting verb "said" is in the past tense. Therefore, the tense inside the quote must undergo a backshift. The Present Continuous tense ("am going") changes into the Past Continuous tense ("was going"). Combining these changes yields: "Ravi said that he was going to Delhi." This matches Option (c).

Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct indirect speech is option (c).
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