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Question

Difficulty: EasyDirect and Indirect (Reported) Speech

Read the direct statement below and complete the reported speech equivalent by filling in the blank with the correct verb form.

Answer:Direct statement: "I can complete the project today," Joy said.
Indirect statement: Joy said that she 【could】 complete the project that day.

Answer

could
When transforming direct speech into indirect speech with a past tense reporting verb such as 'said', present modal verbs must backshift to their corresponding past tense forms. Therefore, 'can' correctly changes to 'could'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the main modal verb in the direct speech statement.
The direct statement uses the present tense modal auxiliary verb 'can'.
Direct speech reflects the exact words spoken by the speaker in the present tense.
2
Apply tense backshifting for reported speech following a past tense reporting verb ('said').
'can' changes to 'could'.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, present modal verbs must backshift to their past forms ('can' becomes 'could').

Key Concept

Modal Verb Backshifting in Reported Speech
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Topics

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech

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