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 was reading a novel at that time.”
- (a)She said she had been reading a novel at that time.
- (b)She said she read a novel at that time.
- (c)She said she had read a novel at that time.
- (d)She said she was reading a novel then.
Answer
Why
Correct — A. The reporting verb said is past, so the reported verb steps one tense back.
The direct verb was reading is past continuous. One step back from it is the past perfect continuous, had been reading. The -ing stays because the reading was in progress.
I becomes she, and at that time already points to the past, so it stays → option (a).
Why the others are wrong
- (b)She said she read a novel at that time. — Read, simple past, drops the -ing, so the reading is no longer in progress, and it has not moved a tense back. Both the aspect and the backshift are lost.
- (c)She said she had read a novel at that time. — Had read is backshifted but has lost the continuous. It reports a finished reading, where the speaker said she was in the middle of one.
- (d)She said she was reading a novel then. — Was reading keeps the tense of the direct speech, so the textbook backshift after said is not applied. Swapping at that time for then does not make up for it.
Concept
Reported speech after a past reporting verb moves the tense one step back but keeps the aspect: a continuous verb stays continuous.
For continuous forms the chain runs is reading → was reading → had been reading. The past continuous has only the past perfect continuous left to move to.
Pronouns follow the speaker (I → she). Time words change when they point at the present (now → then). At that time already points to the past, so it stays.
Everyday English often leaves a past continuous unchanged after said when the timing is clear. The item follows the textbook backshift table, and (a) applies it with the -ing intact.
Key facts
- Past continuous → past perfect continuous after a past reporting verb: was reading → had been reading.
- The present perfect continuous lands in the same place: have been working → had been working.
- Backshift changes the tense, not the aspect: a continuous verb stays continuous.
- Now → then is a standard time-word change, but at that time already refers to the past and is kept.
Study next
Common traps
- Choosing had read because it is backshifted, and missing that the -ing has gone
- Choosing (d) because then looks like the required time-word change, when the verb itself has not moved
The same had been + -ing is keyed at 17 Sep 2025, 09:00, English Q.22, reached there from the present perfect continuous: We have been working → they had been working.
At 13 Sep 2025, 16:00, English Q.22 the key is again had been waiting, from the question How long have you been waiting?
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.