A sentence is provided in indirect speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding direct speech. The scientist stated that water boiled at 100 degrees Celsius.
- (a)“Water will boil at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist.
- (b)“Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius,” the scientist stated.
- (c)“Water had boiled at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist.
- (d)“Water is boiling at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist.
Answer
Why
Correct — B. Work backwards. The reported verb is boiled, simple past, after the past reporting verb stated.
Undo one backshift step: simple past boiled ← simple present boils.
A fact about water is stated in the simple present, and the reporting verb stays stated, as in the given sentence: 'Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius,' the scientist stated → option (b).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)“Water will boil at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist. — Will boil would be reported as 'would boil', not 'boiled'. It also turns a standing fact into a prediction.
- (c)“Water had boiled at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist. — Had boiled is past perfect, and past perfect stays 'had boiled' when reported. It could not have produced the simple past 'boiled'.
- (d)“Water is boiling at 100 degrees Celsius,” said the scientist. — Is boiling would be reported as 'was boiling'. The continuous describes water boiling at this moment, not the fixed temperature at which water boils.
Concept
Converting indirect speech to direct runs the backshift in reverse: past → present, would → will, was + -ing → is + -ing, and a past perfect can come from a past, a present perfect or a past perfect.
So test each option by pushing its verb into reported speech and checking whether you land on the printed boiled. Only 'boils' does.
Then restore the quotation: the reported clause becomes the speaker's words, with the reporting verb beside it.
The textbook narration rule keeps a universal truth in the present even after a past reporting verb: 'The scientist stated that water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.'
The sentence here uses 'boiled' instead. That does not change the answer: undo the step and the scientist's own words were still 'boils'.
Key facts
- Reverse backshift: a simple past in reported speech comes from a simple present in direct speech — boiled ← boils.
- will → would, is boiling → was boiling, had boiled → had boiled when reported after a past verb.
- The textbook narration rule leaves a universal truth in the present tense in reported speech.
Study next
Common traps
- Picking 'had boiled' because the reported verb is past — a past perfect would have stayed 'had boiled'.
- Choosing 'will boil' because the scientist seems to be making a claim — a boiling point is a standing fact, not a forecast.
The direct-to-indirect side of the same rule is keyed at 19 Sep 2025, 09:00, English Q.21, where 'The sun rises in the east' keeps 'rises' in reported speech.
English Q.22 of this sitting converts in the other direction, direct to indirect, with a past perfect quote.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.