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Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech

49 questions

All types49Multiple choice25Fill in the blank24
Question 1Question →

Consider the following statement in direct speech: "We are visiting the historical museum tomorrow," the teacher announced to the class. What is the correct reported speech form of this sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The teacher announced to the class that they were visiting the historical museum the following day.

Answer

The teacher announced to the class that they were visiting the historical museum the following day.
The correct indirect speech form properly converts the reporting clause by changing the pronoun 'we' to 'they', shifting the present continuous verb 'are visiting' back to the past continuous 'were visiting', and converting the time adverbial 'tomorrow' to 'the following day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and its tense
The reporting verb 'announced' is in the simple past tense, requiring backshift of the reported clause.
When the main clause reporting verb is in the past tense, tenses, pronouns, and time adverbs in the reported speech must shift back accordingly.
2
Shift the verb tense and pronouns
The present continuous verb 'are visiting' shifts back to the past continuous 'were visiting', and 'we' shifts to 'they'.
Direct speech in the present continuous tense changes to past continuous tense in reported speech.
3
Convert the temporal adverbial
'tomorrow' becomes 'the following day' (or 'the next day').
Time indicators must shift relative to the point of reporting in past contexts.

Key Concept

Backshift of Tense and Adverbial Changes in Reported Speech
Question 2Question →

Consider the direct speech sentence: "I am writing my final examination today," the candidate told her mother. Which of the following options accurately converts this sentence into indirect speech?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The candidate told her mother that she was writing her final examination that day.

Answer

The candidate told her mother that she was writing her final examination that day.
The direct speech uses a past reporting verb ('told'), which necessitates backshifting the present continuous verb ('am writing') into past continuous ('was writing'), updating the first-person pronoun ('I') to third-person ('she'), and converting the time word ('today') to ('that day').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and tense
The reporting verb 'told' is in the past tense, requiring backshift of tenses and adjustment of time adverbs in the reported clause.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, verbs in the direct quote shift one step into the past.
2
Backshift the verb tense and pronouns
'I am writing' changes to 'she was writing'.
First-person pronoun 'I' changes to third-person 'she' to match the speaker, and present continuous 'am writing' shifts to past continuous 'was writing'.
3
Adjust temporal adverbials
'today' changes to 'that day'.
Time expressions indicating present time in direct speech shift to corresponding past/distant time expressions in reported speech.

Key Concept

Backshifting tenses and modifying temporal adverbials in reported speech
Question 3Question →

The chief librarian warned the students, 'You must return all borrowed reference materials before the archives close this evening.' Which of the following options correctly renders this statement in reported speech?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The chief librarian warned the students that they had to return all borrowed reference materials before the archives closed that evening.

Answer

The correct reported speech rendering is: 'The chief librarian warned the students that they had to return all borrowed reference materials before the archives closed that evening.'
The correct answer accurately applies all necessary reported speech transformations: the second-person pronoun 'you' becomes 'they', the modal 'must' changes to 'had to', the present tense verb 'close' backshifts to 'closed', and the temporal modifier 'this evening' changes to 'that evening'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and evaluate the required backshifts.
The reporting verb 'warned' is in the past tense, requiring backshifting of verbs and adjustments of pronouns and time expressions.
When direct speech is reported using a past tense main verb, verbs in the reported clause must shift to corresponding past forms.
2
Backshift verbs and modal auxiliaries.
'must' becomes 'had to', and the present simple verb 'close' backshifts to the past simple verb 'closed'.
Expressing obligation in indirect speech requires 'must' to shift to 'had to', and present simple verbs to shift to past simple.
3
Adjust pronouns and demonstrative temporal modifiers.
'You' shifts to 'they' to match 'the students', and 'this evening' shifts to 'that evening'.
Second-person pronouns shift according to the listener object, and proximal time words shift to distal forms.

Key Concept

Tense backshift, modal auxiliary transformation, and temporal adverbial adjustments in indirect speech
Question 4Question →

The chief judge stated, "I will deliver the final judgment on the land dispute next week unless the counsel present a fresh application."

Which of the following options correctly renders the judge's statement in reported speech?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The chief judge stated that he would deliver the final judgment on the land dispute the following week unless the counsel presented a fresh application.

Answer

The chief judge stated that he would deliver the final judgment on the land dispute the following week unless the counsel presented a fresh application.
The correct response accurately changes the modal auxiliary 'will' to 'would', shifts the subordinate clause verb 'present' to 'presented', and changes the time expression 'next week' to 'the following week'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and its tense.
The reporting verb 'stated' is in the simple past tense, requiring backshift of modal auxiliaries, tenses, and time expressions in the reported clause.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, verbs and temporal adverbs within direct speech must shift back accordingly.
2
Shift pronouns and modal auxiliary verbs.
'I' changes to 'he', and 'will deliver' shifts back to 'would deliver'.
First-person pronouns change to third-person, and modal 'will' changes to conditional 'would'.
3
Shift time adverbs and subordinate clause verbs.
'next week' becomes 'the following week', and simple present 'present' shifts back to simple past 'presented'.
Relative time adverbs shift to reflect past reporting context, and present tense verbs in dependent clauses undergo tense backshift.

Key Concept

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech Tense and Adverbial Transformation
Question 5Question →

Complete the indirect speech transformation below by filling in the missing verb form and time expression in the blanks provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct: "Must I submit the finalized expenditure report to the internal auditor tomorrow?" the accountant asked.

Indirect: The accountant inquired whether he submit the finalized expenditure report to the internal auditor .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The first blank requires 'had to' to properly backshift the modal verb 'must' expressing necessity in indirect speech, and the second blank requires 'the following day' (or 'the next day' / 'the day after') to convert the time adverbial 'tomorrow'.
In converting direct speech questions to indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('inquired'), the modal auxiliary 'must' expressing obligation shifts to 'had to', and the temporal adverb 'tomorrow' shifts to 'the following day', 'the next day', or 'the day after'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb tense and sentence type.
The reporting verb 'asked' (inquired) is in the past tense, which mandates tense backshifting. The direct sentence is a yes/no question using the modal auxiliary 'must'.
When converting a question expressing necessity or obligation in past reporting contexts, the modal verb and time adverbs must undergo backshift and transformation.
2
Backshift the modal auxiliary verb 'must'.
'Must' expressing obligation or necessity shifts to 'had to' in indirect speech.
'Must' changes to 'had to' in reported speech when referring to a past obligation.
3
Transform the time adverbial 'tomorrow'.
'tomorrow' becomes 'the following day', 'the next day', or 'the day after'.
Time expressions indicating future relative to the speech time shift relative to the past point of reporting.

Key Concept

Backshifting modal auxiliaries and converting temporal adverbs in reported questions
Question 6Question →

Consider the direct speech statement: The environmental health officer said to the factory manager, "We must inspect your waste treatment facility tomorrow." Which of the following is the correct reported speech transformation of this sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The environmental health officer told the factory manager that they had to inspect his waste treatment facility the following day.

Answer

The environmental health officer told the factory manager that they had to inspect his waste treatment facility the following day.
The correct option properly changes the reporting verb structure from 'said to' to 'told', backshifts the modal auxiliary 'must' to 'had to' to reflect past necessity, updates the pronoun 'we' to 'they', and converts the temporal adverb 'tomorrow' to 'the following day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Transform the reporting verb and object
'said to the factory manager' becomes 'told the factory manager'
When a past reporting verb is followed by a indirect object, 'said to' changes to 'told'.
2
Backshift pronouns and modal auxiliaries
'We' changes to 'they' and 'must' changes to 'had to'
When reporting in the past tense, first-person plural pronouns adjust to third-person, and the modal 'must' denoting obligation backshifts to 'had to'.
3
Shift temporal adverbials
'tomorrow' becomes 'the following day'
Adverbs of time pointing to future events shift relative to the past point of reporting.

Key Concept

Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech
Question 7Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct reported speech form of the sentence: "I am travelling to Abuja today," said Chidi?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Chidi said that he was travelling to Abuja that day.

Answer

Chidi said that he was travelling to Abuja that day.
The sentence 'Chidi said that he was travelling to Abuja that day' accurately applies all necessary reported speech transformations: pronoun change ('I' to 'he'), tense backshift ('am travelling' to 'was travelling'), and time word conversion ('today' to 'that day').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and direct quote elements.
Reporting verb is past tense ('said'). Direct speech contains pronoun 'I', present continuous verb 'am travelling', and time expression 'today'.
A past reporting verb requires changes to pronouns, tense backshifting, and adverbial adjustments.
2
Apply standard indirect speech transformation rules.
'I' becomes 'he', 'am travelling' backshifts to 'was travelling', and 'today' changes to 'that day'.
Grammatical rules of reported speech dictate shifting perspective, backshifting tense when reporting in the past, and modifying time expressions relative to the point of reporting.

Key Concept

Backshifting and adverbial adjustments in reported speech
Question 8Question →

Complete the reported speech sentence by supplying the appropriate words for the blanks.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct Speech: "I will submit the assignment tomorrow," said Kemi.
Reported Speech: Kemi said that she submit the assignment the day.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

blank_1: would; blank_2: following (or next)
When changing direct speech to indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('said'), modal verbs shift to their past form ('will' to 'would') and time adverbs shift accordingly ('tomorrow' to 'the following day' or 'the next day').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Backshift the modal auxiliary verb from direct to indirect speech.
The modal verb 'will' changes to 'would' because the reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense.
When converting direct speech into reported speech with a past-tense reporting verb, future modal auxiliaries backshift.
2
Convert the time adverbial to match reported context.
'tomorrow' becomes 'the following day' or 'the next day'.
Time expressions referring to the future shift relative to the point of reporting.

Key Concept

Backshifting modal verbs and shifting time adverbs in reported speech
Question 9Question →

Which of the following options represents the correct indirect speech form of the sentence: "I will submit my project tomorrow," said Ngozi?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Ngozi said that she would submit her project the following day.

Answer

Ngozi said that she would submit her project the following day.
The correct indirect speech form accurately backshifts the modal verb 'will' to 'would', updates the first-person possessive pronoun 'my' to 'her', and shifts the temporal adverb 'tomorrow' to 'the following day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb tense
The reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense, requiring backshift of tenses and changes to pronouns and time expressions.
Past reporting verbs mandate shifting direct speech elements to their corresponding past or indirect forms.
2
Backshift the modal auxiliary verb
'will' becomes 'would'.
In indirect speech after a past reporting verb, future modal 'will' shifts to conditional/past modal 'would'.
3
Adjust the possessive pronoun and temporal adverb
'my' changes to 'her', and 'tomorrow' changes to 'the following day'.
Pronouns shift to align with the perspective of the reporter (Ngozi), and time references shift relative to the past point of reporting.

Key Concept

Tense Backshift and Adverbial Adjustments in Reported Speech
Question 10Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct reported speech form of the verb.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct speech: "I am writing an essay," said Musa.
Indirect speech: Musa said that he an essay.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

was writing
When changing direct speech to indirect speech with a past-tense reporting verb ('said'), present continuous verbs shift back into the past continuous tense. Therefore, 'am writing' becomes 'was writing'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the verb tense used in the direct speech clause.
The direct speech verb 'am writing' is in the Present Continuous tense.
Determining the original tense is necessary to apply the appropriate backshift rule when transforming to indirect speech.
2
Apply the backshift rule for reported speech with a past tense reporting verb ('said').
Present Continuous ('am writing') backshifts to Past Continuous ('was writing').
When the main reporting verb is in the past tense ('said'), verbs in direct speech shift back to their corresponding past tense form.

Key Concept

Tense Backshift in Reported Speech
Estimated Time:45s
Question 11Question →

Choose the sentence that accurately converts the direct statement into indirect speech:
"I will travel to Lagos next week," declared the manager.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The manager declared that he would travel to Lagos the following week.

Answer

The correct reported speech sentence is 'The manager declared that he would travel to Lagos the following week.'
The correct option properly changes the reporting elements following a past-tense reporting verb: the subject pronoun 'I' shifts to 'he', the modal verb 'will' backshifts to 'would', and the temporal adverbial 'next week' changes to 'the following week'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb tense and the components requiring shift.
The reporting verb 'declared' is in the past tense, requiring backshift of modal verbs, pronouns, and time adverbs.
When the reporting verb is in the past tense, the reported clause must undergo grammatical shifts.
2
Apply backshift rules to verbs, pronouns, and adverbs.
'I' becomes 'he', 'will' becomes 'would', and 'next week' becomes 'the following week'.
Indirect speech shifts first-person pronouns to third person, present/future modals to past forms, and direct time references to relative past time expressions.

Key Concept

Tense, Pronoun, and Time Adverbial Changes in Reported Speech
Question 12Question →

What is the correct reported speech equivalent of the sentence below?

The principal asked the prefect, 'Why did you leave the assembly hall early yesterday?'

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The principal asked the prefect why he had left the assembly hall early the previous day.

Answer

The principal asked the prefect why he had left the assembly hall early the previous day.
The correct choice properly shifts the simple past verb 'did leave' to the past perfect 'had left', changes the time adverb 'yesterday' to 'the previous day', maintains declarative word order ('why he had left'), and omits any redundant conjunction such as 'that'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key components of the direct speech sentence.
The reporting verb 'asked' is in the past tense, the reported clause is a wh-question ('Why did you leave...'), and the time expression is 'yesterday'.
These structural markers dictate the rules for tense backshifting, word order rearrangement, and time adverbial modification.
2
Apply backshifting to the verb and modify the temporal adverb.
The simple past tense 'did leave' shifts to the past perfect tense 'had left', and 'yesterday' converts to 'the previous day'.
When reporting past events with a past-tense reporting verb, simple past verbs shift back to past perfect, and time references adjust to match the reported frame of reference.
3
Adjust word order and connector for reporting a wh-question.
The question word 'why' acts as the joiner without 'that', and subject-verb inversion is removed ('why he had left').
Indirect questions require declarative sentence word order and do not use the subordinating conjunction 'that'.

Key Concept

Reporting wh-questions with past-tense reporting verbs
Question 13Question →

Complete the reported speech sentence by providing the correct form of the verb to fill in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct Speech: "I have finished my assignment," said Zainab.
Reported Speech: Zainab stated that she her assignment.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

had finished
When transforming direct speech to reported speech introduced by a past-tense reporting verb, present perfect verbs shift to the past perfect tense. Thus, 'have finished' correctly becomes 'had finished'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the verb tense in the direct speech statement.
The direct statement "I have finished" is in the present perfect tense.
Identifying the original tense is necessary to determine the appropriate backshift requirement.
2
Apply the backshift rule for indirect speech with a past-tense reporting verb.
The present perfect verb phrase 'have finished' changes to the past perfect phrase 'had finished'.
When a past-tense reporting verb like 'stated' is used, present perfect tense forms must shift to the past perfect tense in reported speech.

Key Concept

Tense Backshifting from Present Perfect to Past Perfect in Reported Speech
Question 14Question →

Consider the following direct speech statement: "Why did the bursar insist that all fees must be paid before course registration begins?" the student representative asked. Which verb forms correctly complete the indirect speech transformation below?

Fill in the blanks below

The student representative asked why the bursar that all fees had to be paid before course registration .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The first blank requires 'had insisted' and the second blank requires 'began'.
In converting direct speech to indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('asked'), past simple constructions ('did... insist') shift back to past perfect ('had insisted'). Additionally, present simple verbs in subordinate time clauses ('begins') shift to past simple ('began'). Thus, 'had insisted' and 'began' correctly fulfill all tense backshift requirements.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the reporting verb and the tense of the main verb in the direct question.
The reporting verb 'asked' is in the past tense, requiring backshifting. The direct question main verb 'did... insist' is in the Simple Past tense.
When converting from direct to indirect speech with a past-tense reporting verb, Simple Past tense backshifts to Past Perfect tense ('had insisted').
2
Analyze the tense of the verb in the dependent time clause.
The verb 'begins' in the clause 'before course registration begins' is in the Simple Present tense.
Under standard backshift rules in reported speech, Simple Present tense ('begins') shifts back to Simple Past tense ('began').
3
Combine the backshifted verb forms into the indirect speech template.
The sentence reads: 'The student representative asked why the bursar had insisted that all fees had to be paid before course registration began.'
This maintains correct sequence of tenses across all clauses in reported speech.

Key Concept

Tense Backshifting in Indirect Speech Across Main and Subordinate Clauses
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 15Question →

Complete the reported speech transformation below by providing the correct form of the verb for the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct Speech: "We arrived at the venue early this morning," the speaker told the audience.

Indirect Speech: The speaker told the audience that they at the venue early that morning.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

had arrived
When converting direct speech to indirect speech with a past tense reporting verb ('told'), a simple past verb ('arrived') backshifts to the past perfect tense ('had arrived').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense of the main verb in the direct speech clause.
The verb 'arrived' is in the Past Simple tense.
Determining the direct speech tense is required to apply the appropriate backshift rule.
2
Apply the backshift rule for indirect speech with a past reporting verb ('told').
The Past Simple tense ('arrived') shifts back to the Past Perfect tense ('had arrived').
When a reporting verb is in the past tense, simple past actions in reported speech shift to the past perfect tense to reflect an earlier completed action.

Key Concept

Tense backshift from Past Simple to Past Perfect in reported speech
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 16Question →

Complete the reported speech sentence below by supplying the correct form of the auxiliary verb in the blank provided.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct speech: "I have misplaced my admission letter," the candidate lamented.

Reported speech: The candidate lamented that he misplaced his admission letter.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct word to fill in the blank is 'had'.
When transforming direct speech into reported speech with a past-tense reporting verb ('lamented'), present perfect verbs backshift to the past perfect tense. Therefore, 'have misplaced' becomes 'had misplaced'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense of the verb in the direct speech statement.
The verb phrase in direct speech is present perfect ('have misplaced').
Determining the original tense is necessary to know how to backshift the verb in reported speech.
2
Apply tense backshift rules for reported speech with a past tense reporting verb ('lamented').
Present perfect ('have misplaced') changes to past perfect ('had misplaced').
When reporting statements originally made in the present perfect tense, the auxiliary verb 'have' backshifts to 'had'.

Key Concept

Tense backshift from present perfect to past perfect in reported speech
Estimated Time:45s
Question 17Question →

The supervisor demanded of the security officer, "Will you hand over the key to the store before leaving today?" Which of the following options correctly renders this direct speech in indirect speech?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The supervisor demanded of the security officer whether he would hand over the key to the store before leaving that day.

Answer

The supervisor demanded of the security officer whether he would hand over the key to the store before leaving that day.
The sentence accurately transforms the direct question by introducing the reported clause with 'whether', changing the subject-verb order from question form to statement form ('he would'), backshifting the modal auxiliary 'will' to 'would', and shifting the temporal adverb 'today' to 'that day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting clause and speech type
The reporting verb 'demanded' is in the past tense, and the direct speech is a Yes/No question introduced by the auxiliary 'Will'.
Past-tense reporting verbs require tense backshift and corresponding adverbial adjustments.
2
Apply reported question conjunction and word order rules
Introduce the reported clause with 'whether' or 'if' (without 'that') and change the inverted question word order ('Will you hand') to standard statement order ('he would hand').
Direct questions become declarative statements when converted into reported speech.
3
Apply tense backshift and adverbial shift rules
Backshift the auxiliary verb 'will' to 'would', and change the time adverb 'today' to 'that day'.
When reported from a past context, present modals and relative time expressions must shift to match the past point of reference.

Key Concept

Reported Speech: Questions, Backshifting, and Adverbial Changes
Question 18Question →

Which of the following options accurately renders the direct speech sentence below into indirect speech?

"How long have you been waiting here for the manager?" the receptionist asked the visitor.

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The receptionist asked the visitor how long he had been waiting there for the manager.

Answer

The correct indirect speech form is: 'The receptionist asked the visitor how long he had been waiting there for the manager.'
The correct answer accurately applies all three mandatory transformations for reported questions: backshifting the present perfect continuous verb ('have been waiting') to the past perfect continuous ('had been waiting'), converting the spatial adverb ('here' to 'there'), and changing the question word order into normal statement word order ('he had been' instead of 'had he').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the tense, aspect, pronouns, adverbs, and sentence type in the direct speech.
Direct speech: Present perfect continuous tense ('have been waiting'), second person pronoun ('you'), spatial adverb ('here'), interrogative sentence structure.
Converting reported speech requires systematically updating tenses, pronouns, adverbs, and clause structure based on the past tense reporting verb ('asked').
2
Apply backshift and word order rules for indirect questions.
The verb 'have been waiting' backshifts to 'had been waiting'. The interrogative word order ('have you been') changes to declarative order ('he had been').
In indirect questions, auxiliary verbs do not invert before the subject, and present perfect forms shift to past perfect.
3
Adjust pronouns and adverbs of place/time.
'You' refers to the visitor ('he'), and 'here' shifts to 'there'.
Spatial and personal references change to match the reporting perspective.

Key Concept

Tense backshift, adverb transformation, and clause word-order inversion in reported questions
Question 19Question →

Read the direct speech statement below:

"Why did you not inform me earlier that the board meeting had been rescheduled to today?" the director inquired of her secretary.

Which of the following options correctly renders the sentence in indirect (reported) speech?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The director inquired of her secretary why she had not informed her earlier that the board meeting had been rescheduled to that day.

Answer

The director inquired of her secretary why she had not informed her earlier that the board meeting had been rescheduled to that day.
The correct response properly changes the direct WH-question into statement word order ('why she had not informed'), backshifts the past simple tense ('did not inform') to the past perfect tense ('had not informed'), and updates the time adverbial ('today') to 'that day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the reporting verb and sentence type
The reporting verb 'inquired' is in the past tense, and the direct speech is a WH-question beginning with 'Why did you not...'.
Past reporting verbs require tense backshifting, pronoun realignment, and adverbial changes.
2
Convert word order from interrogative to declarative structure
'why did you not inform' becomes 'why she had not informed'.
Reported questions do not use inverted auxiliary order or the auxiliary 'do/did'.
3
Apply backshifting to the main verb tense
The simple past 'did not inform' shifts back to the past perfect 'had not informed'. The past perfect 'had been rescheduled' remains in the past perfect form.
Simple past tenses shift to past perfect when converted into indirect speech under a past reporting verb.
4
Adjust time and place adverbs
'today' changes to 'that day'.
Time expressions indicating present or immediate context must shift to match the reported perspective.

Key Concept

Direct to Indirect Speech Transformation of WH-Questions with Tense Backshifting and Adverbial Shifts
Question 20Question →

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

Fill in the blanks below

Direct speech: "I must submit the financial audit before the close of work today," the accountant said.
Reported speech: The accountant stated that he the financial audit before the close of work that day.
Show answer & explanation

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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Direct and Indirect (Reported) Speech Practice Questions — JAMB UTME | Examkin