SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 16 September 2025, Shift 1 · English Comprehension · Question 22 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Where this paper and its answers come from

SSC does not publish CGL question papers or a public answer key. From 2025 the candidate response sheet prints every question and option as a picture, so the text here is transcribed from those pictures for this shift and checked against them independently; where the layout carries meaning, the picture is shown as well. Each answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. SSC released a tentative key for challenge and later its final one, both only to candidates behind a login, and the sheet does not say which of the two it carries. The solutions are written by UnlockIAS.

A sentence is provided in direct speech. From the four given options, choose the one that most accurately conveys the sentence in its corresponding indirect speech. She said, “I can solve this problem.”

(a)She said that she will solve that problem.
(b)She said that she could solve this problem.
(c)She said that she could solve that problem.
(d)She said she can solve the problem.

Answer

Why

Correct — C. The reporting verb said is past, so the reported words shift back and away:

can → could (modal backshift)
this → that (nearness words move away)
I → she (the pronoun follows the speaker)

She said that she could solve that problem → option (c)

Why the others are wrong

(a)
She said that she will solve that problem. — Wrong modal. "Can" expresses ability and backshifts to could. "Will" is a different modal, about the future, and even it would become would after a past reporting verb.
(b)
She said that she could solve this problem. — Half converted. "Could" is right, but this has to become that: the report is made later, away from the problem the speaker was pointing at.
(d)
She said she can solve the problem. — Leaves can unshifted. After the past verb said, the standard conversion turns can into could, and this into that, not "the". Dropping "that" after said is not the fault: it is optional.

Concept

Reported speech after a past reporting verb moves the speaker's words one step back in time and one step away in place.

Modals: can → could, will → would, shall → would or should, may → might.
Place and time: this → that, here → there, now → then, today → that day.
Pronouns: change to fit the reporter, so I → she.

A correct option makes every required change.

The exam convention. In everyday English the backshift can be skipped when the statement is still true ("She said she can swim"). This item expects the full shift, and the key makes it.

Key facts

After a past reporting verb: can → could, will → would, may → might.
Nearness words move away: this → that, these → those, here → there, now → then.
The conjunction "that" after said is optional, so leaving it out is not an error.

Study next

Reported questions: statement word order with if or whetherReported commands: told or asked + to-infinitiveWhen backshift is not needed: universal truths and present-tense reporting verbs

Common traps

Changing the modal but leaving "this" unchanged.
Rejecting an option only because it drops "that" after said.

24 Sep 2025, 16:00, English Q.22 tests the same modal: "I can play the piano" is keyed "She said she could play the piano", with no "that".

13 Sep 2025, 12:30, English Q.22 turns on the demonstrative: "I like this pen" becomes "Ravi said he liked that pen".

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: Narration — all 65 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.