33.8k views
4 votes
When were you born?' She asked him when _____.

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The student is learning how to convert direct speech into reported speech in English. The phrase 'When were you born?' changes to 'She asked him when he had been born.' This teaches the student about tense shifts and pronoun changes in reported speech.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question 'When were you born?' that the student needs to complete in reported speech could be transformed into 'She asked him when he had been born.'

In this context, the student is understanding how to convert direct speech into reported (indirect) speech, which is a key element of grammar in the English language.

It's important to note that when changing from direct to indirect speech, the tense usually shifts back one step in time (e.g., present to past, past to past perfect), and the pronouns may also change to match the perspective of the speaker. Therefore, 'you were' becomes 'he had been' when reported by a third person.

User Freeman
by
7.9k points