Question

Given below sentence. A part of each sentence is underlined which may contain an error. Replace the underlined part with the right choice
He said that he is angry with us because we did not applaud his speech.

• A. He said that he has been angry.
• B. He said that he was angry
• C. He said that he had been angry.
• D. He said that he is angry.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

To determine the correct replacement for the underlined part in the given sentence, we need to apply the rules of English grammar, specifically those pertaining to tense compatibility in reported speech.

The given sentence is:

He said that he is angry with us because we did not applaud his speech.

In reported speech, when the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said"), the verb in the subordinate clause typically needs to be shifted back in time, using past tense instead of present tense, to maintain consistency. This is known as the backshift in tense.

Let's evaluate each option:

He said that he has been angry.

• This option uses the present perfect tense, which is inconsistent with the past tense of the reporting verb.

He said that he was angry.

• This option uses the past tense, which correctly matches the rule for converting direct speech to reported speech where the reporting verb is in the past tense.

He said that he had been angry.

• This option uses the past perfect tense, which suggests a time before another event in the past. It introduces complexity that is unnecessary in this context.

He said that he is angry.

• This option retains the present tense, which does not match the past tense rule necessary for reported speech here.

Based on the grammatical rule of backshifting in reported speech, "He said that he was angry" is the correct answer. This choice ensures tense consistency and adheres to the conventions of reported speech.