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Question

Difficulty: HardDirect and Indirect (Reported) Speech

Read the direct speech statement below carefully. What word or phrase correctly completes the blank to form its reported speech equivalent?

Answer:Direct speech: "I must submit the financial audit before the close of work today," the accountant said.
Reported speech: The accountant stated that he 【had to submit】 the financial audit before the close of work that day.

Answer

had to submit
When converting direct speech to reported speech with a past tense reporting verb ('stated'), the modal auxiliary 'must' expressing obligation backshifts to 'had to'. Therefore, 'must submit' correctly transforms into 'had to submit'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense and modal auxiliary in the direct speech clause.
The direct speech uses the modal auxiliary 'must' expressing obligation in the present context ('must submit').
Determining the original verb structure is essential to applying tense backshift rules.
2
Check the reporting verb tense.
The reporting verb 'said' (rendered as 'stated' in reported speech) is in the past tense.
A past tense reporting verb mandates tense backshift in the reported clause.
3
Apply the backshift rule for the modal auxiliary 'must' when expressing present obligation.
'must' backshifts to 'had to', yielding 'had to submit'.
In reported speech with a past reporting verb, modal obligation in direct speech ('must') changes to past obligation ('had to').

Key Concept

Backshift of Modal Auxiliaries in Reported Speech (Must → Had to)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech

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