NIMCET 2013 — English PYQ

Solution

To convert the sentence from direct speech to indirect speech, we must follow specific grammar rules regarding reporting verbs and tenses.

1. Identifying the Reporting Verb:

The reporting verb in the sentence is "says", which is in the Present Tense.

2. Rule for Tense Change:

If the reporting verb is in the Present or Future tense, the tense of the verb inside the quotation marks (reported speech) does not change.

• Direct: $I\text{ like}$ (Present Tense)

• Indirect: $she\text{ likes}$ (Remains Present Tense)

3. Pronoun Change:

The first-person pronoun "I" changes according to the subject of the reporting verb (She). Therefore, "I" becomes "she".

4. Subject-Verb Agreement:

When "I" changes to "she", the verb "like" must change to "likes" to agree with the third-person singular subject.