Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumDirect and Indirect (Reported) Speech

Complete the reported speech transformation below by filling in the blanks with the correct grammatical forms.

Answer:Direct Speech: The environmental scientist informed the panel, "The coastal mangrove restoration project has achieved its primary target this month."

Reported Speech: The environmental scientist informed the panel that the coastal mangrove restoration project 【had achieved】 its primary target 【that month】.

Answer

The correct words to fill the blanks are 'had achieved' for the first blank and 'that month' for the second blank.
When converting direct speech into indirect speech following a past-tense reporting verb ('informed'), the present perfect verb phrase ('has achieved') must backshift to the past perfect tense ('had achieved'). Additionally, time markers indicating present proximity ('this month') must shift to remote past markers ('that month').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the tense of the main verb in direct speech and the reporting verb.
The reporting verb 'informed' is in the simple past tense, and the direct statement uses the present perfect verb 'has achieved'.
A past-tense reporting verb mandates a tense backshift in the reported clause.
2
Backshift the present perfect verb tense to past perfect.
'has achieved' becomes 'had achieved'.
In reported speech, present perfect forms shift back to past perfect when referring to completed prior actions.
3
Adjust temporal and demonstrative expressions.
'this month' shifts to 'that month'.
Demonstratives showing time proximity shift to remote forms when reported from a past point of reference.

Key Concept

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech Tense Backshift and Adverbial Modification
Rate this question

Topics

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech

More questions from this topic