Question

Correct the sentence at the underlined point.
The teacher asked me what is the matter.
a)What was the matter
b)What the matter is
c)What the matter was
d)No improvement

Answer 1

Hint: The above-given statement is in indirect speech. Whenever we convert a sentence from direct to indirect speech, we focus on the following points-
● The quotations marks are replaced with ‘that’.
● We change the tenses of the verbs. (Usually in the past tense)
● Make sure to use the appropriate pronouns.

Complete step-by-step answer:

Direct speech refers to the originally spoken words of a speaker in quotation marks, whereas Indirect speech involves the interpretation of the direct speech in the past, therefore there is a change in the tense of the verbs.
The statement given in the question has an interrogative sentence. Interrogative sentences are used to ask a question. And whenever we change an interrogative sentence into indirect speech, we follow certain rules:
1)We remove the quotation marks and use, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ to join the two parts of the sentence.
2)We replace the Question mark (?) with a full stop.
Now, let’s look at the given options:
a)What was the matter- We never use the helping verb before the object or the given predicate in an interrogative indirect sentence. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
b)What the matter is- The use of the present tense verb is inappropriate. Hence, it is an incorrect option.
c)What the matter was- The tense and composition of this sentence are appropriate. Hence, it is the correct option.
The correct answer is Option ‘c’.

Note: We use the reporting verb (asked) in most of the indirect interrogative sentences.