What triggers backshifting in English indirect speech?
AFuture tense reporting
BSubjunctive main mood
CPlural speaker pronouns
DPast tense reporting verb
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Past tense reporting verb
Backshifting occurs in indirect speech when the reporting verb is in the past tense.
Keep practising Transformation of Sentences
Browse all Transformation of Sentences questions for ICSE Class 10, or explore more English topics.
Related questions
Match the idiom to its meaningChoose the correct preposition: "He is suffering ___ a fever."Match clause status:
1. Main: p. Indep
2. Sub: q. Dependent
3. Joint: r. CompoundMatch reported act:
1. Order: p. To leave
2. Ask: q. If/whether
3. Say: r. That clauseMatch middle use:
1. Shave: p. Reflexive
2. Break: q. By itself
3. Sell: r. Sells wellMatch deictic time:
1. Today: p. That day
2. Y'day: q. Prev day
3. T'row: r. Next dayMatch voice pairs:
1. Middle: p. In oven
2. Passive: q. By Lucy
3. Cook: r. Trans baseMatch complement form:
1. Adj: p. Predicate
2. Noun: q. Subj comp
3. Pron: r. Complement